Reducing food deserts

Michelle Obama is leading the charge against childhood obesity.  As a part of her "Let's Move" campaign she's working to provide accessible fresh produce and meat to urban and rural areas that don't currently have such access.  An article "Supervalu joins White House push to open stores in poor areas" documents some of the progress she is making with the food industry.  An interactive map of the United States can identify food deserts; places without stores that sell fresh fruit and vegetables.

4-H participant with cabbage

Having worked in North Minneapolis for 15 years I often witnessed kids standing at the bus stop with a candy bar and can of soda in hand. Not the kind of breakfast one would wish for them. While accessing quality food doesn't mean that people will necessarily eat nutritionally, it certainly helps to make it more likely.  The rise of urban farmers markets and locally grown produce is also supporting healthy eating movement.

Hat's off to Supervalu, a Twin Cities based corporation that is helping to make nutritious eating available to more of our nation's children and families.