Looking for better access to healthy food? Even though Austin is known as being a “foodie” city, many neighborhoods have little or no access to fresh, healthy food. In order to gain a deeper understand of the extent of the problem, the city is currently in the process of conducting a Food Environment Analysis, so that access to healthy food (at an affordable price) can be mapped by each City Council district.
In the meantime, there are already several initiatives underway to increase access to healthy food in underserved communities, including:
- Mobile Markets – Run by local nonprofit organization Farmshare Austin, these farmers markets on wheels travel from neighborhood to neighborhood selling affordably-priced produce and other staple goods, like pasta, spices, and beans.
- Healthy Corner Stores – Local nonprofit organization Go! Austin/ VAMOS! Austin supports eight corner stores in south and southeast Austin so that they can sell more healthy food items.
- Farm Stands – Run by the Sustainable Food Center (a local nonprofit organization) Farm Stands operate in underserved communities and sell their goods at reduced prices, making them more affordable than an average farmers market.
You can learn more about access to healthy food in Austin by subscribing to the “Fresh for Less” email newsletter, produced by the City of Austin Public Health Department.
