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A Michelin-starred chef wants people to know that a lack of effort — not distance — is what’s stopping American families from eating healthily. He argues that advances in technology have made fresh food more accessible than ever, shifting the conversation from access to personal habits.
Celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian spoke with Digital at the Great American State Fair about all things nutrition, but one hot take stood out from the rest.
“You’re not in a food desert — this is the United States of America,” he said during a live cooking demonstration with Dr. Mehmet Oz.
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“You’ve got Instacart. You can get anything you want all the time.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food deserts as communities with “low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and affordable foods.” The agency’s designation is based on income and proximity to supermarkets.
The USDA defines food deserts as communities with “low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and affordable foods.” But a celebrity chef says he doesn’t believe they exist. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Instacart, one of many modern grocery delivery apps, was created in 2012, one year after the USDA’s food desert map launched. Zakarian pointed to these advances in technology as evidence that today’s barriers to healthy eating are increasingly behavioral rather than geographic.
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“Everyone has an iPhone. Everyone has an ability to order food,” Zakarian told Digital, suggesting that online ordering has effectively bridged the geographic gaps highlighted by federal data.
Digital reached out to the USDA for comment.
Geoffrey Zakarian, left, pictured here with Dr. Oz during a cooking demonstration at the Great American Fair, said food access is no longer defined by physical proximity to a grocery store. (Khloe Quill/ Digital)
Still, affordability remains a challenge for many families. Grocery prices have risen 32% over the past five years, according to the Urban Institute.
The Food Network star said families should focus less on what they lack and more on planning meals, arguing that convenience often costs more than cooking at home.
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“If you can drive to McDonald’s, you can go find some place that has fresh food or canned food, or you can order it online,” Zakarian said.
“There really is no reason to not cook for yourself and cook for your family.”
“It’s possible. It’s what’s great about our culture.”
Consistently eating wholesome meals comes down to making cooking a priority, Zakarian said.
The convenience of fast food often costs more than cooking at home, Zakarian told Digital during an interview at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. (Angelica Stabile/ Digital)
“There really is no reason to not cook for yourself and cook for your family,” Zakarian said. “Part of doing this and staying healthy is you’ve got to put effort in.”
With so many working families, Zakarian advocated for a structured approach to grocery shopping and meal preparation rather than tackling the kitchen daily without a plan.
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He recommends shopping twice a week and planning meals in smaller blocks instead of trying to cook day by day.
“You’ll be shocked that you have five meals for your kids, plus leftovers,” Zakarian, left, opposite Dr. Oz, told Digital. “It’s not that hard, but it does take work.” (Angelica Stabile/ Digital)
“Break it up, and then you have leftovers once in a while sprinkled throughout,” Zakarian said.
“You’ll be shocked that you have five meals for your kids, plus leftovers. It’s not that hard, but it does take work.”
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Zakarian said cooking together creates emotional benefits for families because the kitchen naturally becomes the center of the home.
The effort that goes into cooking creates emotional and social benefits for the entire household, the celebrity chef said. (iStock)
“You go to any house, any party, where do we end up?” Zakarian said. “Everyone’s in the kitchen.”
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Investing in the heart of the home helps build a sense of pride that kids carry with them even after they leave the house, Zakarian said.
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“When they open that food up, I guarantee you the other kids around are jealous that they got good food cooked by mom,” he said.
