ACCESS TO food
People have a right to access affordable, high-quality, nutritious foods. Below you can find data sources to help determine your access level.
In order to meet their nutritional needs, people need access to food both physically and financially. This page discusses both.
TERMINOLOGY
FOOD INSECURITY: the lack of reliable access to healthy, fresh, and nutritious food. Signs of food insecurity include worry over food running out, skipping meals, or lack of balanced meals. Food insecurity can be caused by lack of affordability or lack of nutritious options nearby. Presence of only fast-food restaurants or convenience stores can force people to develop unhealthy eating habits, relying on cheaper, processed foods.
FOOD DESERTS: areas that lack adequate access to healthy food.
FOOD SWAMPS: areas that have more access to less nutritious foods (fast food, gas stations) than healthy, nutritious foods.
USDA FOOD ACCESS Research ATLAS
The USDA Food Access Atlas shows areas where a large percentage of people are low-income and have to travel a significant distance to the nearest supermarket.
USDA Food Access Atlas Instructions: Open Tool > Type your city in the top left search bar or use the + and - buttons to zoom in > Look at the map legend at the right. You can choose which of these map layers to view by clicking the box just to the right of the text (to the left of the colored boxes).
LI means “low income", and LA means “low access.” The first 4 layers listed in the legend show areas that are both low income and low access. Low access is defined differently for each layer, so you can explore which areas qualify as low access based on different criteria. Click the blue question mark for the definition of low access for each layer.
If you click on component layers, you can investigate areas that are either low income or low access. This is also worth looking at. Remember that people should have both physical access to food and enough income to afford it. If either of these conditions are not met, there is a problem, not just if both conditions are not met, which is what the top 4 map layers depict.
If a community is experiencing food insecurity, there are several issues that may be present:
LOW ACCESS, HIGH INCOME: Food insecurity may be a function of living in a sparsely populated area that cannot support a supermarket or a problem of zoning, where commercial land uses are not allowed. Learn more.
HIGH ACCESS, LOW INCOME: Food insecurity is a consequence of insufficient funds to afford purchasing food from the available supermarkets, highlighting a need for more affordable food options. Learn more.
LOW ACCESS, LOW INCOME: This is often the most challenging form of food insecurity, where communities face the dual challenges of insufficient funds and the absence of accessible food sources. Learn more.
food banks
Many state food banks participate in "Farm to Food Bank” initiatives, which connect local growers and communities in need. Some of these websites also collect state data on hunger. See EJCP Food Access Contacts list for resources related to food banks in your region. Some of these are listed below:
farmers’ markets
Many areas have maps or directories of local farmers’ markets. For those who can afford it, farmers’ markets typically have fresh food that is grown more sustainably, while also supporting local businesses, contributing to more equality of wealth than shopping at a chain supermarket. Here are some farmers’ maps and directories in the southeast: