Why “food desert” shouldn’t be a thing

Why “food desert” shouldn’t be a thing

My dad worked at Browns Chicken in Chicago to put himself through college. He’d enjoy a daily meal of fried chicken livers during his shift, but largely ate at home, tortillas salvadoreñas and frijoles. My mom would head to her parents’ home in Moca, Puerto Rico to get meals for the week, prepared by my grandmother. One of my parents was raised in a more urban setting, the other suburban. As I studied for my Masters, I thought about them a lot, and how their food journeys converged and differed.

I took away a wealth of knowledge and food-for-thought (see what I did there?) in studying Gastronomy. But one of the classes that took me by surprise was Urban Food – a study about the way we engage with food and the land in cities. There were two aspects that I loved about diving into this topic:

1. The concept of urban gardens teaching kids how to grow and cultivate plants and produce.
2. The introduction of fresh produce in so-called “food deserts” so that children and families can access nutritious food

The term “food desert” gained popularity in the 1990s, and was meant to identify the lack of access to nutritious food by residents of public housing (Britannica). But even as a general consumer, I heard “desert” and thought that implied that there is no food. “But there is food there”, I’d say.

Language is a powerful tool, or weapon. Using the term food desert to describe a community, typically one of a certain socio-economic status or race, can place implications or judgements about the food options available. Is what they eat or buy in their area not food? Just because it is not fresh, is not edible? Does it not provide nutrients?

But a lack of grocery store does not mean a lack of cuisine.

To be clear: all communities deserve access to nutrient-dense foods, and there should be a grocery store that is accessible to all in any community. But a lack of grocery store does not mean a lack of cuisine. In many of the corner-stores, dollar stores and even gas stations, you can find frozen vegetables (which are just as nutritious as fresh), frozen grilled chicken, and grains, all part of a balanced diet.

Could these be less expensive? YES. Everyone deserves affordable access to fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. There is room for legislation to be passed around a) the requirement of these foods to be offered in all of these venues and b) the fair pricing of these items to incentivize purchasing. There can also be local government incentives to introduce traditional grocery stores into these communities.

In the meantime, however, these are stills communities, not deserts. How and what is eaten is a function of the community and food options around them. Something I’ll write about a lot more is the divorcing of morality and food choices, which is at the heart of this conversation. We assume that people in these communities exclusively eat fast or packaged foods, and that they cannot or do not prioritize cooking or preparing “healthy meals”. But studies show that the higher the income, the more fast food is consumed. The assumptions placed on these communities are just that – assumptions, grounded in biases. I believe food is the grand connector, and can be used to help bridge mental and social gaps and create a more equitable life for everyone. But it starts with having discussions like these.

This is why it’s so great to have companies like Everytable, HelloFresh, CookUnity, Amazon Fresh, and other delivery services that can bring not only convenience but accessibility to these communities. But even prior to the inception of these services, city residents were making and cooking. Young people like my dad might have worked in restaurants, and eaten there while they were on the clock, but outside, they were preparing small, quick meals at home. Grounded in their culture, cost-effective and simple to make so they could head to school, or work, or second work.

Deserts are baren wastelands – cities are far from it, especially if you take the time to explore the kitchens of our urban landscape.