Member-only story
The Price of Convenience
Searching for Healthy Affordable Foods Close by is Nearly Impossible for Many Americans
It must be easy for someone like Beyonce or Kim Kardashian to eat a plant-based diet. They can afford personal chefs to make the most delicious meals for themselves and satisfy their children’s picky habits as well. Their personal shoppers have access to a wonderful variety of fresh organic produce and have time to create meals anybody would love.
But how does the average person in America afford to eat healthy? How do you shop for fresh fruits and vegetables when the nearest grocery store is 25 miles away or if you live in the inner city and have to take a bus to a grocery store?
A recent loss of income and a move to a rural area in the South has forced me to confront these two barriers to how I want to eat. I know that eating plant-based foods is better for me and better for the environment. I feel better and enjoy eating this way. But it sure is hard sometimes when the grocery budget shrinks.
Last October, a brand new Dollar General opened just a few minutes away from me. I now understand the appeal of these stores more than ever. This area could never have supported a full size grocery store so having a Dollar General nearby has filled a void.
