Many New Yorkers enjoy the convenience and luxury of a small grocery store just down the block, on the corner, inside Grand Central Station, they can be next to all the hotels , apartments, High rise condos, subways entrances, they can literally be found on every street of New York City. But, it’s their convenience that makes them a target for many New Yorkers and travellers alike to satisfy their junk food needs.
Most corner grocers, which are usually family-owned, offer too much in the way of sugary drinks, snack chips and canned goods. These shops are often the only source of groceries in a area with no supermarkets or green grocers and they have currently become the poster child for why New Yorkers are becoming obese. Public health organizations currently have started a campaign that are approaching these corner grocers and asking them to stock more fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables, whole wheat breads, or flat breads, up front; to put these items predominately in the front section of their shop, and convince them to leave the more sugary, unhealthy items clear in the back section of the shop. With the help of the city, these organizations hope to educate the owners about the importance of offering healthy alternatives to their customers and to make it easier for their customers to start making better choices.
Until now, if a New Yorkers wanted to buy healthy foods, they would have to get in a car and drive out to the suburbs to a supermarket or spend hours on the subway. Thanks to Mayor Bloomberg, many low-income families can now afford to eat healthy due to the ‘Green Carts’ initiative which allows the low-income families to purchase affordable fresh vegetables and fruit. The New York City Department of Health has begun an initiative called ‘Healthy Bodegas’ that reaches out to over a thousand grocers by helping them secure zoning permits allowing vegetables and fruit displays on the sidewalk.
There are many other programs that are in the planning stages to improve the diets of all New Yorkers, like assisting established Farmer Markets and new markets that have sprung up around the city, and with the help of Government subsidies and grants aimed at giving the local farmer’s markets the capacity to sell their fresh produce at prices New Yorkers can afford.
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