food desert

American  

noun

1. an area, usually low-income, in which many residents cannot easily get to stores that sell affordable, healthful foods.

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Etymology

Origin of food desert

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

Union is also what is termed a "food desert", where many residents live far from the nearest supermarket.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2025

Losing weight can be great for your health, but it’s pretty challenging if you live in a food desert or can’t afford medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro.

From Slate • Jan. 1, 2025

If someone is living in a food desert, what would you tell them in terms of what they can do to implement Blue Zone habits into their lives?

From Salon • Sep. 8, 2023

She hopes to show people how to use seeds and community gardens to grow food themselves — embracing food sovereignty — in what she calls a Los Angeles food desert.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 17, 2023

That was before South Shore became a food desert, before eviction and crime rates rose, before the pandemic drove even more businesses and people from the area.

From Washington Post • Apr. 3, 2023