How Arizona’s Food Deserts Put Rural Communities in Peril

Why Healthy Eating Is Harder in Rural Arizona

Raising a family in rural Arizona has its rewards—and its challenges. If you like to spend time outdoors, there are plenty of places to hike and get fresh air. However, maintaining a healthy diet for your family can be a challenge.

Many years ago, I worked with our local Cooperative Extension office. A hot topic of discussion was how to connect families with fresh, healthy food choices and how to overcome the challenges of food deserts in Arizona's rural communities.

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Top Barriers to Accessing Fresh Food in Cochise County

In Cochise County, for instance, there are several barriers to accessing fresh, healthy food. If you live in one of Arizona's many rural communities, it can be especially hard. Here are some of the main challenges that cause food deserts:

• Distance and Transportation: Arizona’s rural communities are so spread out that a lot of people live miles from the nearest full-service grocery store. In some of the more remote areas, the only option is a Dollar General or a convenience store. Some stores now sell a limited amount of produce, but without reliable transportation, it’s tough to make regular trips to larger towns for groceries.
• Limited Retail Options: When asked what our community needs, one of the top requests is a healthy grocery store, like Trader Joe's or Sprouts Market. Small towns like Bisbee, Sierra Vista, and Willcox lack stores that stock a variety of healthy foods.

When they do offer healthier options, they're often significantly more expensive, and the stores tend to prioritize shelf-stable or processed items over fresh fruits and vegetables due to concerns about storage and spoilage.

• Economic Constraints: One common complaint I hear is that eating healthy is expensive. Healthy food can be cost-prohibitive, and with inflation making our budgets even tighter, families are often forced to choose cheaper, less nutritious options just to afford food.
• Lack of Nutrition Education and Resources: Parents are often busy and stressed, and many families have adults working multiple jobs. Cooking can take a back seat when energy is depleted. Even when healthy food is available, not everyone knows the best way to prepare it.

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Local Solutions: Gardens, Universities, and Innovation

Researchers at Arizona's top universities, such as Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, are working on solutions to make fresh food accessible, even in rural counties.

Projects like community gardens and neighborhood farms could be a game-changer for rural areas. Until those ideas take root, many of us are stuck making long drives or settling for less-than-ideal options.

Sources: Rural Health Info | Feeding America | University of Arizona: Cooperative Extension | ASU Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation