Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee , Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
Ecol Food Nutr. 2021 Jan-Feb;60(1):70-88. doi: 10.1080/03670244.2020.1793138. Epub 2020 Jul 20.
Rates of food insecurity vary highly across and within regions in the U.S., with rural Appalachia having higher rates compared to the rest of the country, leading parts of the population to rely on food pantries as a source of food. This article explores how food pantries fit into a broader scope of food acquisition strategies of rural Appalachian households and aims to contextualize this with an understanding of how food pantry users perceive their food pantry use. Semi-structured interviews (n=20) were conducted with food pantry users in Eastern Tennessee, followed by a survey for collection of demographic data. NVivo 11.4 software was used for thematic analysis and theory formulation. In addition to pantry use, participants reported reliance on grocery stores, and reciprocal, informal, food-sharing social networks to get food. Lack of transportation, insufficient food quantity, and other factors depleted participants' food resources. Food stretching, refusing to waste food, acceptability of food pantry food, and money-saving strategies enhanced participants' food resources. Food pantries are a consistent, but not the only food source for those who use them. Food pantry users are savvy with their resources and employ multiple strategies to maintain their food supply despite high levels of food insecurity.
美国各地和各地区的粮食不安全率差异很大，与该国其他地区相比，阿巴拉契亚农村地区的比率更高，导致部分人口依赖食品储藏室作为食物来源。本文探讨了食品储藏室如何融入农村阿巴拉契亚家庭更广泛的粮食获取策略范围，并旨在通过了解食品储藏室使用者如何看待他们的食品储藏室使用情况来对此进行背景化处理。在田纳西州东部对食品储藏室使用者进行了半结构化访谈（n=20），并随后进行了一项调查以收集人口统计数据。使用 NVivo 11.4 软件进行主题分析和理论制定。除了使用食品储藏室外，参与者还报告说依赖杂货店和互惠、非正式的食品共享社交网络来获取食物。缺乏交通工具、食物数量不足和其他因素耗尽了参与者的食物资源。食物拉伸、拒绝浪费食物、接受食品储藏室食物以及省钱策略增强了参与者的食物资源。食品储藏室是那些使用它们的人的一个稳定但不是唯一的食物来源。食品储藏室使用者对他们的资源很在行，并采用多种策略来维持他们的食物供应，尽管粮食不安全程度很高。
