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can somebody ELI5 how "food deserts" work (or don't) in the USA? (lemmygrad.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've heard this term a couple of time but never actually looked into it, and it is such an alien concept to me right now. I apologise in advance for sounding dumb here.

I can understand slums and favelas having a harder time getting access to fresh food, but how come entire government-recognised and incorporated neighbourhoods with electricity, water and all those more complex services can't have small grocery stores for basic healthy things like rice?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Do they really not sell even beans or potatoes at those? This seems so backwards, considering how cheap those are to make and how they often last longer than some industrial food.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

It's not that they don't have affordable food, it's that they create large areas around them where they are the only reliable or affordable option. People will have to travel half an hour or more one way to get their groceries because everything else has shut down or is far too expensive. The food they offer is also usually pretty bad for people, so it's a double whammy.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Sure, Walmart has some shitty produce, but it also kills any grocery stores within like a half hour drive.