Test Your Trivia: Food Deserts

What percentage of Americans live in food deserts*?

1. 12.1%
2. 27.0%
3. 17.4%
4. 6.2%

* Food desert = urban areas more than half a mile away or rural areas more than 10 miles away from a supermarket or large grocery store.

Answer: 17.4%

That’s about 53.6 million people in the U.S. who live in food desserts, meaning they don’t have easy access to supermarkets, grocery stores, or farmers markets that offer high-quality and nutritious food.

With few options nearby, families often have to rely on cheaper, highly processed foods that fill bellies but don’t provide the nutrients kids need to grow and thrive. Over time, this lack of access leads to poor nutrition and increases the risk of health issues.

Even if someone lives close to a grocery store, having reliable transportation can be another major barrier. Various barriers can be present simultaneously, making it harder to escape the cycle of food insecurity.

Test More of Your Knowledge

• Which food from our bags is known as the “king of fruits”?
  • 1. Apples 2. Mangoes 3. Pears 4. Peaches
• Which types of veggies contain the most protein?
  • 1. Legumes 2. Root Vegetables 3. Cruciferous Vegetables 4. Leafy Greens
• What factor impacts a family’s access to food?
  • 1. Lack of transportation  2. Living in a food desert  3. Poverty / low income  4. All of the above