#cravenation

Across our nation and in our neighborhoods, it has become the norm to seek a quick (food) fix or consume things that are grab-n-go. Too often there is not enough time or money to make durable decisions, so we default to disposable, easy-in, easy-out options. And why not? Stuff is available right on the corner, just up the street.

Whether we are talking about fast “food,” “convenient” snack chips and sweets, cigarettes, alcohol, scratch-offs, or any other distraction or mood-alterer, there is no denying the abundance of it. We are subjected to unhealthy, addictive, and irresponsibly marketed products – fast meals, and impulse purchases that are garbage in/garbage out – bad for our bodies, bad for our communities, and bad for the planet.

Some of the problem of accessing healthier choices can be placed on “the system” and corporate food giants, and sometimes small business owners sell way more of the bad stuff than they might like just so they can earn their keep. The dietary balance of Minneapolis’ northside population has been tipped toward fast food establishments and convenience stores, and because these places lack selections with good nutritional value, many parts of the northside have been deemed a food desert or food swamp. 

But things are changing quickly and people we are getting new options like North Market and Wirth Co-op. Particularly (attr)active is the Northside Fresh Coalition which is working as a connector, collaborator, and encourager of growing our own, making our own, and supporting our own. Even so, within this strengthening network of good food in north Minneapolis, could we do even more to promote our local economy and give people added reason to make healthy choices instead of going for lower-priced, “tastier” options?

People walk right by the community cafe to go up to to the corner mart and return with a bag full of chips, candy bars, and pop. Kids do this after school and parents feed their children this way. The bottom line is that cheese puffs still win out over carrots and apples, so we need to be even more creative and competitive in fostering a new food “habitude.”

But how? People talk about local currencies. What if we create a “NoMi debit card,” or other comparable system, redeemable at participating northside businesses for the express purpose of buying healthy and local? And what if we looked beyond food to also include other locally-made products and services so that people could benefit from a wider range of shopping options while turning up their buying power? Furthermore, what if we incentivized these purchases, so if someone loads a card with $20, an additional percentage (say 25%) would be added to the amount of registered goods they can afford? 

Simply stated, this could mean one person’s investment of $20 would be increased to $25 to buy fresh, healthy food, locally made goods, or independent business services. If we sustained this opportunity for several years, would it be enough to change people’s buying and eating habits? I bet there is a grant maker or public agency willing to fund this idea and partial subsidy to help us find out. I have time and experience to research and help build this program or connect to an existing one and could start soon and small…who else is interested and ready to jump on board?

Thanks for reading,

Kelley @Serendripity Spot