I was honored to speak with author Benjamin Lorr, who spent five years researching the topic for his book The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket. Mr. Lorr is an expert on American supermarkets, exploring many distinct aspects and meeting with suppliers and distributors. He experienced many parts of the supermarket supply
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2021, nearly 20% of Black individuals lived in food-insecure households. Additionally, Latinos were 2.5 times more likely to experience food insecurity than white individuals, with one in six Hispanic individuals experiencing food insecurity. One potential solution to improving food security is through food justice.
According to the CDC, “culturally preferred foods” describes safe and nutritious foods that meet consumers’ diverse tastes and needs based on their cultural identity. Offering culturally appropriate options in food pantries is becoming increasingly important as our population grows more diverse. The absence of culturally relevant food options among food pantries may exacerbate health inequities and disparities among underserved and marginalized communities.
According to the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, a food swamp is a term used to describe an area with an “over-allocation” of unhealthy food. Food swamps are often associated with socioeconomic disparities, as low-income communities are more likely to have limited access to healthy foods. I was honored to speak with Dr. Brennan Rhodes-Bratton, who has many accomplishments…..