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

They also live in a food desert; the local grocery store closed a few months ago, and the closest farmers market is at least 45 miles away, leaving their community struggling to access nutritious food.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2024

Many of the senior residents in Chinatown face a food desert after local grocery stores shut down in the wake of Walmart’s arrival and departure from the historic neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2024

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