The Cost of Hunger: Part 1 (Practical)

A food desert is defined as an area with a relatively high poverty rate and limited access to nutritious, competitively priced food. Across the United States, nearly 40 million people—close to 15% of the entire U.S. population—live in food deserts. Limited access to affordable, healthy food has been linked to poorer health outcomes, including higher rates of diet-related illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

In this two-part experiential learning activity, students will engage in hands-on research by grocery shopping in a food desert, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data on food prices and availability, and analyzing this data to better understand the systemic challenges of food insecurity.