Food deserts are a problem in the United States, leaving millions of people without easy access to healthy foods. Understanding this crisis, including its causes and current status, can help drive change to address food deserts.
The impact of food deserts in American communities
Food insecurity affects many Americans living in communities across the U.S. Food insecurity occurs for a variety of reasons, but one of them is a lack of access to food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, despite having the means to purchase them.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a food desert occurs when more than 33% of an urban population lives more than one mile from a supermarket. In rural areas, 33% of the population must live more than 10 miles from a supermarket. By this standard, more than 18 million people lived in food deserts in 2019.
Food insecurity groups like the Food Empowerment Project say food insecurity is not just a matter of families living far from a grocery store: Lack of public transportation to get to the store, understocked stores, and high food prices all contribute to food insecurity.
For these reasons, and the fact that food deserts are found primarily in majority-Black and other communities of color, activists in the field are advocating for a revision of the terminology. Joe Walker, a master’s student at the University of Michigan, argues that “food apartheid” is a term that describes the systemic inequalities that lead to food oppression. The United States Department of Agriculture currently uses the words “low-income and low-access” to describe food deserts.
Urban and rural food suppression
Food deserts exist in both urban and rural areas: According to Verywell Health, more than one-fifth of people living in urban areas and more than one-third of people living in rural areas live in a food desert.
In both environments, food deserts limit access to healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This may be due to long driving distances to supermarkets, making it difficult for households without cars. Access to healthy foods may also be limited by limited selection and high prices in stores. With limited supply, the cost of fresh foods may be prohibitively high for low-income households.
Lack of food options in food deserts
Stores and restaurants that exist in food deserts often offer limited options. Stores that sell food in food deserts are often convenience and discount stores that offer limited options because they prefer to operate in areas with low economic activity and population density. These stores are easier to expand into these areas because they require less space and investment than full-scale grocery stores.
Some of these stores may not stock fresh fruits or vegetables, or may only offer single-serving items that are not cost-effective. Limited selection also makes it difficult to meet dietary restrictions. Food deserts limit options for vegetarians, vegans, dairy-free, gluten-free, kosher, and halal people.
Understanding the health effects of living in a food desert
In addition to food insecurity, health issues are one of the most pressing concerns for people living in food deserts. Due to the prevalence of convenience stores and fast food restaurants in these areas, processed foods are more easily and cheaply available. The result is a diet that is high in fat, salt and sugar and low in nutrients.
This diet can lead to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other health problems. Lack of essential nutrients can cause fatigue, depression and growth retardation. Nutritional deficiencies have also been linked to an increased chance of complications during pregnancy.
Food Deserts in 2024: Supply Chain and Food Delivery
The past few years have seen many changes in food availability and prices across the country. Frequent interruptions in the supply chain have created shortages. Rapid inflation has dramatically increased grocery prices, leading families to cut back on unnecessary expenses. Online ordering, faster delivery, and new delivery services are also changing the way people shop.
Food shortages and rising prices further strain already limited food desert resources, while the convenience of online shopping and delivery does not offset the challenges of food deserts. Grocery delivery is not widely available in rural areas, and when it is available, it is often unavailable due to the additional costs of shipping and delivery.
Many Americans are turning to food preservation methods to reduce grocery expenses and shopping trips. Purchasing frozen fruits and vegetables can help you get essential nutrients, while canned vegetables are less expensive than fresh vegetables while still providing essential nutrients.
You can also buy produce in season and freeze it yourself. Freezing produce allows you to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, bread, and other staples in bulk. You can also freeze raw eggs. If it’s financially feasible, buying in bulk and freezing extra will help you keep nutritious foods in your home without having to make multiple trips to the grocery store.
Addressing food deserts and food insecurity in America
The food desert crisis stems from larger social and cultural inequalities in America. There is significant overlap between food deserts and communities that have historically faced redlining and racial segregation. Low-income and underserved areas are also more likely to live in food deserts.
Changes that address these root causes will be most effective in reducing food deserts and food insecurity. For people living in food deserts, planting vegetables in a small space is a low-effort way to supplement their fresh fruits and vegetables. Organizing farmers markets and community gardens helps provide an alternative to supermarkets for produce while supporting the local economy.
Creating and donating to food pantries is another way to reduce food insecurity for low-income families in food deserts. Areas with few supermarkets tend to have limited food pantries as well.
The continuing impact of the food desert crisis
Food deserts remain a pressing issue in neighborhoods across America. As food prices rise everywhere and supermarket companies try to cut costs, stores are becoming unavailable in many rural towns. In traditionally underserved minority communities, rising costs and supply chain challenges exacerbate existing problems.
While there are short-term solutions, such as planting gardens or freezing bulk purchases, solving this crisis will require more fundamental policy changes and a cultural shift. Recognizing the challenges associated with food deserts and how widespread the problem is creates pressure to make these changes and help people across the country.
Jere Cassidy is a writer and recipe developer at the blog One Hot Oven. Passionate about all things food, she attended culinary school to hone her baking skills and now shares easy recipes with home cooks and bakers of all levels. When she’s not in the kitchen, she loves to travel far and wide in search of delicious food.
