Assessing Healthy Food Access in Brooklyn Park

Abstract

This project was completed as part of the 2016-2017 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with the City of Brooklyn Park. Brooklyn Park has several areas known as ‘food deserts,’ places where it is difficult to buy nutritious and quality foods. Students in Dr. Julie Grossman’s Holistic Approaches to Improving Food Systems Sustainability class examined the locations of grocery stores throughout Brooklyn Park, as well as compared their aesthetic and pricing. The students found that pricing trends varied by item, and no one type of store was consistently more affordable than others. They also found that, while large conventional stores have a better aesthetic, they lack the variety of cultural foods desired by the residents. To make up for this, Brooklyn Park residents often shop at both conventional stores and international stores alike. The students’ final report and presentation are available.