Lack Of Grocery Stores Causes Food Deserts by Ira Riklis

Grocery stores are retail stores that sell food in bulk. As part of the healthy eating initiatives groups of major food retailers in 2011 promised to open and expand grocery stores to increase access to fresh foods.

Food stores that sell fresh fruits, vegetables and meat, are reducing, and others are closing, creating

food deserts. In St. Louis Schnucks, a supermarket that was supplying food and groceries closed. The officials said they were losing money on the store. Residents in the area say this has affected them a lot since the closest supermarket is miles away and the food they get can't even last them a month.
According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, controlled access to super centers, supermarkets, and grocery stores, or other sources of affordable and healthy food may make it difficult for some Americans to have a healthy diet.

The Food Desert Inventory

The USDA came up with a national food desert inventory that considers a variety of factors that measure food store access for individuals and neighborhoods. These Measures constitute:

1. How accessible are sources of healthy food, in relation to the distance and the number of stores in a given resident. Low access can be can be defined as "being far from a supermarket or large grocery store".
2. How does a family or individual resources affect food accessibility, including household income?
3. What resources in the neighborhood can affect access, including average income or access to public transport? The Department of Treasury defines a low-income neighborhood as an area where the tract's poverty rate is 20% or greater.

Access to groceries and food stores has also reduced in rural areas. For example in Ohio some of the challenges of accessing healthy foods are;

1. Physical barriers-the distance from where residents live to the grocery stores is miles away
2. Economic barriers - the residents have low income thus they are not able to buy fresh foods and vegetables.
3. Health barriers- most of the people living in the rural areas face nutritional challenges.

 Health Problems Related To Food Accessibility

According to the American nutrition association lack of access to health food contributes to health problems such as diabetes and obesity. Proximity to a supermarket with groceries can make a big difference in what people eat.

Small grocers and corner stores carry an adequate supply of healthy, nutritiously dense foods. However large chain supermarkets have much greater leverage and economies of scale to bring a wider variety of products and at cheaper prices. Access to nutritious food is scarce according to United States Department of Agriculture , economic research service. Further, to improve healthy food access, in the county, for example, focus is on developing larger supermarkets throughout the county. This reduces the distance residents travel to get a supermarket.

In Cleveland, residents travel almost five times further to reach a grocer or a supermarket than a fast-food joint. As a result, low-income and inner-city residents are at risk of diet-related health challenges or malnutrition.

Improving Food Access

Some alternatives for improving food access are;

• Shifting consumer demands through nutritional education.
• Encouraging corner stores to carry a mix of healthier foods.
• Farmers' markets or other local food distribution efforts can be located in food desert areas.
• More farmer markets to be located in urban neighborhoods.

Access to fresh food is a key mission of the partnership for a healthier America which promotes good nutrition and exercise to reduce obesity.

Dining With Fall Ingredients

Fall is a great time of year to consider new fresh food options that are available as the season changes. Fresh food offerings that you will find during this time of year include apples, pumpkin, sweet potato, pears and squash. These wonderful foods paired with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla or allspice will leave your mouth watering for more! Read more on Epicurious for seasonal cooking tips.

As the air turns crisp, food choices will heat up and become  heartier. Honestly, what is better than coming in from a day of play in the Fall leaves to sit down at your favorite restaurant with family and friends to enjoy the fabulous foods of this season. Many fine dining establishments will offer entire menus based around one or more of the foods that can be harvested fresh this time of year. Let's explore all of the delightful foods and drinks that can be found at this time of the year.

Autumnal Delights

With the Fall season upon us, restaurants have begun to change from the Summer fair of late to delectable fresh harvested foods. Menu choices now include delicious entrees such as casseroles, stews, soups and baked dishes. At the top of the list, are wonderful desserts such as apple pies and cobblers followed by pumpkin pies and pumpkin breads as the Fall season matures. We certainly can't forget sweet potato casserole which secretly disguises as a vegetable to make us all feel more healthy, yet has such sweetness, that even the greatest sweet tooth is satisfied.

Fall is also the season for meatier dishes such as chili, beef stew and pot pies which can be paired with cornbread. These hearty dishes taste so wonderful as the air begins to crisp. Many casseroles become top choice to entrees this season. Some Fall favorites are pork chops with cheesy, hash-browned potatoes, shepherd's pie made with sweet potatoes, squash gratin, roasted acorn squash, and butternut squash posole. All of these dishes will warm you up from the inside out and leave you feeling nourished yet satisfied.

One can also begin to find the delicious apple included in the main entree as it is paired with pork dishes as either an apple glaze or applesauce. Apples are often used in everything from stuffing to cakes and breads during the Fall. The pear is also used this time of year to make pear sauce, pear cake and even combined with apples to make a delightful apple-pear pie which is guaranteed to please dessert lovers alike. Pears can also be combined with parsnips and ginger to make the perfect side dish.

Other wonderful offerings include mashed sweet potatoes which can be made with butter-pecans or sweet potatoes stuffed with sausage and apples. Sweet potatoes can be used in place of white or yellow potatoes in many recipes for a welcome twist. The sweet potato has so many delightful ways  it can be prepared that it truly is a versatile food.

The Dessert & Drinks Menu

Apples ciders as well as pumpkin spiced lattes have now been added to menus as the weather  gets cooler and cold bodies yearn for warmth. Many enjoy these drinks as starters to a good, hot meal as well as light desserts at the end. Pairing a warm mug of cider with pear cake will definitely bring a smile to your face.

One thing is for certain, Fall is definitely one of the best seasons to enjoy fresh harvest at local establishments. The best dishes will be those that include many of the ingredients that have been discussed. No matter what your favorite season is, everyone will find a dish or drink that they love in the Fall.

Macaroons VS Macarons, A Delicious Conundrum

It's a rare treat when you are faced with two such yummy choices. Do you enjoy a delicious chewy coconut macaroon or indulge in a light and flaky macaron? Or both? And just why do the have such a similar name for two such different treats? It is a story that unfolded over centuries.

 

Born In Italy

The earliest macaroons were made in Italy. These flour-less and unleavened treats were made with a mixture of almond paste, egg whites and sugar. While these cookies eventually became known as amaretti in their native Italy, the soon to be modern macaroon began to evolve in several places.
Some chefs had begun to swap the almond paste for finely shredded coconut. These very sweet and chewy cookies became a hit at many Passover meals. They were sweet, easy to make, and unleavened, a perfect dessert. This version became the modern macaroon.

The macaron has a slightly different story. When Catherine de Medici was wed to the French King she brought along a number of servants and chefs from her native Italy to remind her of home. Those chefs taught the French to make their almond based version of a macaroon. Over time the French refined it and gave it a special twist. It became known as the French macaron, a light, flaky, and often chocolate-iced dessert.

 

Very Similar But Oh So Different

The recipe for each cookie has remained remarkably similar over the years. Both are simple; comprised of just egg whites, sugar and ground almonds or shredded coconut with very few additions. Even the baking technique is similar. Both remain primarily drop cookies cooked quickly in a hot oven.

 

Which Is Better?

It is the ground almond that makes the French version so light and airy. The European Jewish coconut version is heavier but richly flavored. Each has a dedicated following, enough that this is one cookie that even has its own day of celebration in some countries. May 31st is considered to be National Macaroon Day, the perfect excuse to enjoy both cookies for what they are, a delicious and even historically interesting addition to any meal.