Are You Living In A Food Desert in Oklahoma?

In many rural communities in Oklahoma, it takes at least 10 miles of driving to get to the nearest grocery store. Of course, getting the basic water, milk or bread, you can hit up the convenience store in the center of town. But, if you're needing something healthy, you're stuck making a special trip.

I remember living just outside of Tipton, Oklahoma; out on an acre or two of land with my nearest neighbor being over a mile away. It easily took 7 to 8 minutes to drive to the Tipton HopnSack that had the bare necessities for scratch cooking. But if we ran out of anything special, or healthy, it costed a trip 30 miles away to the Altus Walmart. I got to thinking - is this a normal thing for anyone else?

What Is A Food Desert?

A food desert is an area that doesn't have easy access to healthy food options like fruits, vegetables and the like. Given the fact that Oklahoma has many more small, rural towns than large cities, it shouldn't be a surprise that lots of these towns don't have many options.

Out of 831 towns and cities in Oklahoma, 755 of them have less than 5,000 people living in them. The smallest "town" being Cooperton, with only 2 people in its population.

Are You Lving in A Food Desert in Oklahoma?

Despite the spacious set up, the majority of Oklahomans do not live in a food desert and have easier access to buy healthy foods. According to a report, 56% of Oklahomans considered in the census have at least one healthy food store in their area.

The Real Food Problem in Oklahoma

One of the largest issues that Oklahomans face, however, is the affordability of healthy foods. In fact, Oklahoma is the 5th hungriest state in the country because of food insecurity.

@kristiejallday Sometimes fear of the unknown prevents or delays people from seeking help. We hope this brief tour helps. #MakeASplash #foodpantry #freefood #tour #comewithme #foodinsecurity #openarmsfoodpantry #oklahomacity ♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) - Danilo Stankovic

Many people in Oklahoma struggle to make ends meet and often don't know where their next meal is coming from, despite programs like SNAP, food stamps and other low-income food benefits.

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