Truth Somewhere in the Middle

Reader comment on: Michelle Obama's Food Desert Myth

Submitted by Local resident (United States), Jan 14, 2011 16:44

I live and work in the area described in the article above. While it is true that there is a fruit and vegetable truck, isn't open after dark. In the winter it is dark after most people return from work. As far as the vegetables at the student eateries are concerned, like many college dining commons the prices are very inflated and not affordable to residents in the surrounding area.

As described in the article above, the produce at Cousin's market is undesirable. Before the Fresh Grocer opened, I drove about 15 minutes to a grocery store that had meats and produce that were of a quality to my liking. Not everyone in the neighborhood has a car. In fact, the Fresh Grocer provides a ride home to local residents who live too far to carry their bags. Now, I stop by the Fresh Grocer after work and it is packed with local residents and students alike. The produce and meat are fresh.

So while there were options for people desiring fresh fruits and vegetables before the Fresh Grocer opened, they were not a combination of convenient, affordable, and fresh. The Fresh Grocer has transformed Progress Plaza (the shopping center were the Fresh Grocer resides) from a strip mall with boarded up stores which made its name seem ironic to a bustling community hub.

In a time when our nation is plagued with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. It seems misguided to dispute an argument to fund initiatives that attempt to reverse these problems.

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