The Importance of a Diverse Palate
A person’s appreciation of taste and flavor, known as their palate, can fall into one of many categories: diverse, boring, maybe even sophisticated, and countless other types of preferences. This term has served as a gateway to acceptance by some: a trait you either have or you don’t. In some cases, this can be a jumping-off point for elitism, considering so much can be learned about a person based on what they eat and how receptive they are to new flavors. In reality, a person’s eating preferences are more than just a fun fact, but actually have massive impacts on their health and lifestyle. Ample benefits come from eating a variety of foods from a variety of food groups.
The five main food groups each contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other food chemicals and compounds. These five groups are grains, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and protein foods. Certain taste preferences may lead to groups such as vegetables not receiving the attention they deserve. This is why parents sometimes force their kids to eat vegetables with their meals: making a habit early on will set up a child to eat healthy through the rest of their life. Ideally, a person will have some level of affinity for each of the five groups so that their diet is balanced in terms of nutrients. In a case of picky eating or oversimplified diets, this balance is unlikely.
Cost and income are often massive determinants of a person’s food choice. The ability of someone to afford specific foods is an early indicator of their willingness to try new ones; boldly ordering something they’ve never heard of when trying out that new ethnic restaurant feels unlikely if their eating habits are simple and repetitive, with little consideration for nutrition or adventure. Compared to those with higher income, lower income families consume fewer fruits and vegetables and more sweetened beverages, leading to an overall lower diet quality. One reason this is often true is that produce has to be eaten within a short window of time. For a family with unreliable transportation, or one in which every family member works long hours, it may be difficult to keep ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables in the fridge. A family with this structure may also be more inclined to pick up fast-food for dinner instead of giving up time and energy to cook something fresh or seek out a restaurant that isn’t in their comfort zone. In a recent study, fruits, vegetables and whole grains were consumed significantly less and empty calories are significantly more common among low-income households enrolled in SNAP compared with low-income households not enrolled in SNAP and higher income households (French et. al., 2019). This fact is important because it may imply that it is not enough to offer subsidized food, but for low-income families to eat healthy, they may need incentives and education. Easier access to produce would also help; corner stores and gas stations have empty-calorie snacks, but only proper grocery stores offer fresh fruits and vegetables. Sometimes these stores are tough to reach via public buses. Farm 2 Neighborhood is fixing this particular aspect of the issue by simplifying the logistics; instead of seeking places that offer quality produce, a colorful assortment is assembled into a bag and brought to locations that are far more convenient for locals. Not only does this system support local growers, but it helps Athens locals, many of which are low-income, sustain healthier diets.
These bags, being exceptionally affordable, are a great systematic step to improve the eating habits of the Athens community. Diverse palates can be built starting by distributing the produce from Athens farms via Delish Bags, along with recipe ideas to incorporate them. It’s really remarkable to see all of the ways that food, farms, money, policy, restaurants, recipes, and transportation intersect to create situations that we as a community can work to solve with some thought and reallocation. Food insecurity, though complicated and harmful, can be fixed at the root with projects like these to eventually shift the status quo surrounding food in struggling areas.
