Welcome to Food World Building Part 5: The Food Desert and Oasis

A few days ago, I got a text from my younger sister. She just moved to Mississippi and was shocked to discover that there weren't any organic supermarkets or farmer's markets in her general location. The nearest Whole Foods was an hour away drive and the closest Trader Joe's, even farther.

I honestly started laughing.

We grew up in an area where there was an abundance of places to buy fresh, organic, and/or healthy food. We also had a large farmer's market where we could go to buy food from local farmers and an International food store for when we needed things that aren't traditionally found in American stores (like enoki mushrooms). The only problem was, that we had to have a car to get anywhere. We didn't even have a convenience store within walking distance of our house, let alone a bus stop.

The need for a car doesn't outweigh the fact that my family could easily buy the food we wanted and needed.

Approximately 23.5 million American families live in areas known as food deserts. Food deserts are defined as "an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food", but that does't mean that people in urban areas are the only ones affected. 2.3 million families who live in rural areas are also living in food deserts.

This is a serious problem for Americans. When we talk about hunger in America, we usually focus on making sure people have the funds to at least buy food. We rarely talk about the lack of places to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Being able to go to a grocery store can be a down right luxury for some people.

Having this discussion could also help with the obesity epidemic so many Americans are also facing. Easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables is key for living a healthy life style. People in food deserts are more likely to have access to a McDonald's or other unhealthy fast food options, causing weight gain. Having healthy options can lead to healthier eating habits and eventual weight loss.

Food is very important to me. It connects me to my family and culture. It allows me to experiment and be an artist. I'm able to enjoy many different types of food without worrying about allergies.

It's an opportunity that I often take for granted.

And why I wanted to draw attention to food deserts.

This isn't a problem I can solve on my own. I'm not even a part of the communities that are most affected. I can't speak for them.

But I can raise awareness and do my own research. I can shop at stores that work with local communities, donate to urban gardening projects, and contact my representatives in government.

I can also write about it.

A lot of fiction often reflects the problems found in society. They can be dressed up as metaphors or allegories (like Lupin being a werewolf in Harry Potter being an allegory for people living with HIV or other serious chronic illnesses). They can be shown as a dystopian future or alternative history (like the Hunger Games).

My sister's problem with finding the nearest Whole Foods might seem comical to me, but I can see where it might upset someone else. It really is a first world problem in that my sister is willing to drive an hour for an expensive high end grocery story whereas someone without the same privileged would be content to shop at the local Walmart.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.