A Video Tour of the Food Desert that is Dayton, Ohio

[votesparks]

An estimated 78,000 people in Montgomery County live in what would be considered a "food desert," locations where the availability of healthy and nutritious food options are severely limited. The Dayton Informer took its hidden cameras inside of three grocery stores on North Main Street to highlight what kind of choices residents in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods have compared to citizens in economically advantaged areas.

[msongs]

1. lots of cheap alcohol and tobacco I bet nt

[upaloopa]

2. I grew up in Dayton Ohio. I left to move to CA in 1982.

My first job out of high school was in a grocery store on Main St in a place called Forest Park Plaza. I don't know if it is still there but I don't accept this video as reality.

The video looks to be filmed in a convenience store where I would not expect a full line of groceries would be found. Are there no longer full grocery stores in poorer neighborhoods?

If that is true and you had to walk to the convenience store for your food it might be true.

[votesparks]

3. Maybe you should come back to Dayton

The Forest Park Plaza no longer has any operating stores. It just sits with grass and weeds growing high.

This video was shot in the Super Duper Market near Main and Hillcrest, the People's Market in the Santa Clara District, and at the Save-A-Lot on North Main.

I shot the video. It's all reality. Go check the stores for yourself. It's obvious that you haven't been to Dayton in 30 years. You wouldn't recognize the city. Large swaths have gone ghetto. Now the suburbs are beginning to follow that trend (checks cashed stores popping up everywhere).

[upaloopa]

5. I can't argue with you. I was in Dayton a couple of years ago but I stayed mostly around

the U of D area. That area seemed to be very well kept. I went to college at U of D but I don't get back there much.

I don't know what you know so I'll have to accept your video as truth. Grew up in the 50's and 60's. Went to Chaminade. I give money to Chaminade and U of D but they never talk about the changes in the city.

[votesparks]

6. Forest Park Today

Here's a photo of Forest Park Plaza today:

[JNelson6563]

4. This is shameful.

A sickening array of cheap beer and various crap drinks & nothing but smatterings of worthless and/or spoiled food to choose from.

So very wrong.

Julie

[votesparks]

7. It's what poor people get

If you have money, you have more intrinsic value as a human in America.

[LASlibinSC]

8. Thank you

I've only been at DU 2wks and I'm still running up on new areas, glad I ran into this! It really is an important topic. I live in a small town and worked in a large southern grocery deli.Ingles. This is happening in poor minority neighborhoods here also. The deli I worked in had a hot bar serving dinners at 5.29 1meat 3veg people mostly poor and elderly ate there 3-5x a week and said that they liked it because the other stores in the area didn't have quality meats and veg and Ingles groceries were to high. I felt awful cuz it was all fried or canned or cheese. It's awful and it's happening everywhere. I am sick of the poor being blamed for poor choices and being fat and poor i.e they aren't poor they don't need food stamps look how fat they are or they just don't care about food that much anymore they're gettin up there ya know. Makes me sick! Great post and sorry for the rant!

[freshwest]

9. Thanks for the rant, it's the truth, very unhealthy diet and they can't get away. Only choice they

Have is to grow a garden, and that's only if they have the space. I've seen areas like this and lack of mobility is a serious problem for people who can't afford to get to another area. And that unhealthy food literally makes people feel depressed and tired.

[anon-y-moose]

10. save a lot may be a dump but.......

the high end stores have the same high sugar crap only its packaged to make feel good about your food choice !

also you will find a lot higher salt in brand canned veg like "green giant" or "del monty"

"some poor are smart"