March marks National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to emphasize the importance of informed food choices and sustainable eating habits. This year’s theme, “Food Connects Us,” highlights the role of food in uniting individuals, families, and communities. Food is more than just nourishment — it is central to cultural identity, family traditions, and social cohesion. But access to healthy food is not equal for everyone. While food has the power to bring people together, systemic barriers — particularly for marginalized communities — create deep divides in nutrition access, health outcomes, and food security.

Throughout history, food has served as a bridge between people and cultures. Traditional meals tell stories of heritage, migration, and resilience. “Food has connected people for a very long time, particularly in cultural traditions,” said Kelsey Gardiner, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing and health studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “But in the U.S., that connection seems lost compared to other parts of the world. In many places, meals are events that bring people together. Here, we often see mealtimes as just something quick and convenient.” Across the world, gatherings and celebrations center around meals that are passed down through generations. Whether it’s breaking bread together in religious services, sharing tamales during Día de los Muertos, or preparing a pot of gumbo as a family in Louisiana, food fosters belonging and community.

The ability to participate in these traditions assumes access to fresh, high-quality ingredients. That access is often shaped by geography, income, and systemic inequities — barriers that disproportionately impact marginalized communities, particularly people of color, low-income families, and rural populations. But for many, access to healthy food is not a given.

The Reality of Food Deserts

Across Missouri and Kansas, food deserts remain a persistent issue, leaving thousands of families without nearby grocery stores that carry fresh produce, lean proteins, and whole grains. Instead, many residents must rely on convenience stores, fast-food chains, and dollar stores, which primarily stock highly processed, calorie-dense foods with little nutritional value. The consequences of this limited access are stark. In Missouri, nearly one in seven residents — approximately 924,180 people — struggle with food insecurity, including one in six children (254,720 individuals), according to Feeding America. The situation in Kansas has worsened over the last several years, with food insecurity rising from 9% in 2019 to approximately 13% in 2022, as reported by Flatland KC. In the Kansas City metropolitan area alone, one in eight individuals (12.3% of the population) is at risk of hunger, affecting 338,990 people, including 109,160 children, according to Harvesters Community Food Network.

These numbers reveal more than just a lack of food — they highlight decades of disinvestment in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods, the absence of full-service grocery stores in low-income areas, and systemic policies that have allowed food deserts to persist. For many families in these communities, getting groceries is not as simple as driving to the nearest store. Without reliable transportation, grocery shopping may require multiple bus rides or expensive ride-share services, creating additional barriers to accessing healthy food. As a result, many are forced to make do with what is available, increasing reliance on inexpensive, processed foods that contribute to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic health conditions.

While urban food deserts receive significant attention, rural communities face equally urgent challenges in accessing fresh, nutritious food. University Health, formerly Truman Medical Center, expanded its FoodFARMacy program into Lafayette County, Missouri, in partnership with Altruism, Inc. to help address food insecurity in rural areas.

“We are more than pleased to partner with University Health to offer this program in Lafayette County,” said Tonia Wright, CEO of Altruism, Inc., in an interview with accessHealth News. “Food insecurity exacerbates dietary-related chronic illnesses. This is especially true for those who live in rural food deserts and lack transportation to get to and from a grocery store with fresh, quality produce that’s affordable.”

Community-Based Solutions to Food Insecurity

Recognizing the urgent need for action, health care organizations and community programs have stepped in to address food insecurity and nutrition equity. One leading example is University Health’s Healthy Harvest Mobile Market in Kansas City, which brings fresh fruits and vegetables directly into food-insecure neighborhoods. Instead of requiring individuals to travel long distances for nutritious food, the Healthy Harvest Mobile Market brings the grocery store to them.

The mobile market operates in collaboration with faith-based organizations, schools, and community health clinics, ensuring that fresh, affordable food is accessible in areas where grocery stores are absent. Since its launch in 2020, the market has served more than 245,000 people and continues to provide not only food but also nutrition education, recipes, and community engagement opportunities.

Another University Health initiative, the FoodFARMacy program, takes a “food as medicine” approach to health care. Unlike traditional food assistance programs, this initiative is a structured health care intervention that integrates food access with medical care. Through the program, doctors and health care providers prescribe fresh, culturally relevant produce to patients diagnosed with diet-related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Patients receive not only free produce but also counseling from dietitians, meal planning assistance, and culturally appropriate nutrition guidance — empowering them to make sustainable changes to their eating habits. Currently, the initiative serves 112 participants, providing them with fresh produce tailored to their cultural and dietary needs.

“The bags of produce they receive are enough to feed the family, not just one individual,” said Janet Rhone, manager of community health and career outreach at University Health. “That’s time for connection and conversation, which remains important in many cultures today.”

According to the Health Forward Foundation’s Kansas Policy Agenda (2024-2025), policymakers in Kansas are working to integrate Medicaid funding for food as medicine interventions, but progress has faced legislative barriers. Recent policy proposals in the Kansas Legislature suggest additional approval steps before these programs can be fully implemented, delaying potential Medicaid reimbursements for fresh food prescriptions.

Meanwhile, the Health Forward Foundation’s Missouri Policy Agenda (2024-2025) notes that Missouri policymakers are exploring Medicaid coverage for produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals, but funding remains the primary barrier to scaling these programs statewide. While efforts are underway to secure reimbursement options, long-term financial commitments have not yet been established.

While the federal government has expressed support for food as medicine programs through Medicare and Medicaid, there is no clear national funding strategy to ensure these programs become permanent and widely available. To fully integrate food into health care, sustained state-level policy investment is essential.

“This is such a cool program for us to connect with our clients,” Dr. Gardiner said. “Typically, we’re connecting in a case management capacity, where patients reach out to us in crisis. But this allows for regular touchpoints in a positive way — not because of a crisis, but because we are checking in on their health goals and supporting their nutrition.”

These programs demonstrate the impact of health care-driven food solutions in closing nutrition gaps. But while mobile markets and food prescription programs help communities in need, addressing food insecurity on a larger scale requires systemic policy changes that account for both urban and rural challenges. “Access is the number one barrier that we see,” Dr. Gardiner said. “And I think of access both in terms of location — where nutritious food is physically available — and in terms of affordability. Even if people can get the food, can they afford it? And beyond that, nutrition literacy is another crucial piece — helping people know what foods are good for them and how to prepare them in a way that works for their families.” In rural areas, long distances to grocery stores, unreliable transportation, and limited food assistance infrastructure create additional barriers to accessing fresh, nutritious food. Expanding partnerships like the FoodFARMacy’s rural initiative with Altruism, Inc. offers a model for improving nutrition access in food deserts that exist beyond city limits.

Ensuring that food connects us all — regardless of income or location — requires structural change beyond food banks and community initiatives. One of the most effective tools in combating food deserts is expanding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to allow purchases at farmers markets and grocery delivery services. Some states have also piloted “Double Up Food Bucks” programs, which allow SNAP recipients to receive double the value when purchasing fruits and vegetables — making fresh food more financially accessible. However, according to the Kansas policy agenda, while state lawmakers have explored increasing SNAP access for fresh food purchases, no statewide legislation has been enacted to expand these benefits.

Similarly, government-funded grocery store incentives have been successful in some cities, where local policies provide subsidies to encourage supermarkets to open locations in underserved areas. According to the Missouri policy agenda, while Missouri has taken steps to address food insecurity, major disparities remain in grocery access for low-income communities, particularly in rural areas where transportation is a barrier.

By making it more profitable for grocery retailers to expand into food deserts, cities can begin correcting decades of disinvestment in Black and Latino neighborhoods. Without policy intervention at the state level, these local efforts may not be sustainable long term.

Additionally, health care providers have started prescription produce programs in which doctors prescribe fresh food just as they would medication. Several studies have found that patients who receive fresh produce prescriptions show improved blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Kansas and Missouri policymakers recognize that nutrition is a key driver of public health. The Kansas policy agenda outlines efforts to expand Medicaid reimbursement for food as medicine, while Missouri’s policy agenda highlights the need for greater fresh food access in food deserts.

“Our aim as it pertains to food is medicine will require policy change. The aim is for food as medicine to be reimbursed under the Medicaid program so that healthy food and the resulting positive health outcomes are more accessible to people in our service area and our prioritized communities of focus and beyond,” said McClain Bryant Macklin, J.D., MBA, vice president of policy and impact at Health Forward Foundation.

By integrating nutrition into health care systems, these policies could ensure that more people — especially those in underserved communities — have access to the fresh food they need to lead healthier lives.

National Nutrition Month serves as a reminder that food not only nourishes us but also connects us — to our communities, traditions, and health. While food has the power to bring people together, disparities in food access continue to create deep divides. Addressing these disparities requires a comprehensive approach — one that includes community-driven solutions, policy changes, health care interventions, and widespread nutrition education.

We all have a role to play in closing these gaps. Whether it’s advocating for food policy changes, supporting local food programs, or simply making more informed food choices, your voice and actions matter.

  • Get involved. Volunteer at a local food pantry, support farmers market programs, or donate fresh food to community organizations.
  • Stay informed. Learn how policies impact food access and follow organizations working to improve nutrition equity.
  • Advocate for change. Urge policymakers to expand nutrition assistance programs, fund food as medicine initiatives, and address food insecurity at the systemic level.

By investing in solutions that address food insecurity, expanding policy-driven programs, and fostering education about healthy eating, we can work toward a future where food truly connects us all — equally and equitably.

Take action today:

  • Explore resources from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for National Nutrition Month.
  • Find a food access program in your community and support it through volunteering, donations, or advocacy.
  • Contact your representatives to advocate for policies that increase access to fresh, nutritious food in your state.