Blogger: Landon D’Agate According to the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, a food swamp is a term used to describe an area with an “over-allocation” of unhealthy food. Food swamps are often associated with socioeconomic disparities, as low-income communities are more likely to have limited access to healthy foods. I was honored to speak with Dr. Brennan Rhodes-Bratton, who has many accomplishments, including a Master of Public Health and Doctor of Public Health, both from Columbia University. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at NYU with the Anti-racism, Social Justice, and Public Health g ..read more

I was honored to speak with author Benjamin Lorr, who spent five years researching the topic for his book The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket. Mr. Lorr is an expert on American supermarkets, exploring many distinct aspects and meeting with suppliers and distributors. He experienced many parts of the supermarket supply chain, including working behind the fish counter at Whole Foods, spending time with a truck driver, and traveling to Asia to learn about commodity fishing. During our discussion, we explored the miracle” of the modern supermarket, its role i ..read more

Blogger: Landon D’Agate According to the CDC, “culturally preferred foods” describes safe and nutritious foods that meet consumers’ diverse tastes and needs based on their cultural identity. Offering culturally appropriate options in food pantries is becoming increasingly important as our population grows more diverse. The absence of culturally relevant food options among food pantries may exacerbate health inequities and disparities among underserved and marginalized communities. I spoke with a thought leader in this area, Zsofia Pasztor. She has many accomplishments that make her uniquely qu ..read more