About a month ago, I learned I live in a desert. This was shocking to me because I'm surrounded by soybean fields, not sand. Further reading revealed I live in a FOOD desert. Still, a sea of soybeans and a cache of corn is everywhere I look. That's food.
You can see why I was confused.
According to a web search, the most basic definition of a food desert is an area in an industrialized country where "healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain." A recent article in "Country Living" magazine revealed that the area in which I live in Ohio is such an area.
Of course I've noticed that the closest grocery store is seven and a half miles from my home. Of course I noticed that the produce there isn't the best. However, the term "desert" seemed a bit harsh. I've often heard that eating healthy food on a budget is more difficult than eating cheap, processed food.
Obviously, every food desert will have its own challenges and differences. I'd like to know just how difficult it is where I live. My plan is as follow:
On a weekly budget of $28-$35 a week ($4-5/day), I will attempt to eat three healthy meals a day, for seven days, for a total of two weeks. From there, I will reassess and adjust my experiment.
This experiment begins Monday, October 17th.
Everything must be purchased with the exception of flour, sugar, and basic spices as staples. Oh, and those random condiments in the fridge.
We'll see how this goes....I hope I can make it til Wednesday.
Are you in a desert? Share your own stories.
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