An Apple a Day

We grow up hearing the adage “you are what you eat,” and indeed, nutritious food is a key pillar of our well-being. A healthy diet—which the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines as a diet centred on fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and oils high in unsaturated fats—reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It also supports a strong immune system and robust energy levels.

While we often focus on the importance of good nutrition, Ian Marcuse, coordinator of the Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Networks and community food organizer with the Vancouver Food Justice Coalition, recommends looking at food through a broader framework that also accounts for mental, social, and spiritual health. “Food is a powerful way to build community well-being,” he says.

A complex and rising challenge

Food insecurity is on the rise, and its impacts are experienced unequally across society. Racialized groups; Indigenous Peoples; and lone-parent families, particularly those headed by women, are at a higher risk. Research shows that food insecurity is associated with higher levels of processed food consumption, which in turn is linked to a higher rate of disease.

“Food insecurity is complex and layered,” says Khalivali. “Lower-income families, individuals, and seniors often struggle with high grocery and rent costs, forcing them to choose between paying bills and eating well.”

Khalivali notes that many people in her community depend on free grocery programs, low-cost meals, and food-recovery initiatives to get by, even if the food on offer isn’t always adequate. “Some face limited access to culturally appropriate foods, especially newcomers and marginalized groups.”

Even if residents have the income to afford healthy food, Khalivali says, they may lack access to social eating spaces or cooking skills, which can negatively impact mental health and encourage processed food consumption.

Marcuse says that, along with drivers of inequality like racism and colonialism, food insecurity is heavily influenced by other factors, such as rising housing costs and inflation—evidenced by the fact that more than one-third of Canadian families living below the poverty line report food insecurity.

An equity lens

Current initiatives at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House include grocery distribution, food-skills workshops, community potlucks, gardening projects, surplus-food recovery projects, and food-budgeting workshops. According to Khalivali, these efforts connect individuals and organizations to strengthen the local food system.

Marcuse notes that an important part of programming on food skills and nutrition is not to prescribe a singular vision of what constitutes “healthy” food. “Workshops are always done through the spirit of sharing and learning,” he says. In his work, he’s seen that workshops on cultural foods like sauerkraut and kimchi are popular and that there has been a move toward having workshops be led by participants themselves rather than external instructors.

Marcuse emphasizes the importance of an equity-centred approach in food and nutrition programming. Indigenous food systems, for example, aren’t fully addressed through market-based approaches and instead require initiatives that focus on Indigenous knowledge, growing traditional foods, and medicinal herbs while working with local Nations.

It’s also important to design programs that are free and inclusive, Marcuse says. In the case of needing to provide participants with stipends for their efforts, community organizations should be prepared to support vulnerable groups, like newcomers and youth, who may not have social insurance numbers or a fixed address.

Systemic changes

While charitable initiatives, such as surplus-food redistribution, are helpful for people in immediate need, they don’t address the deeper drivers of food security. Marcuse says the Vancouver Food Justice Coalition is advocating for ambitious policy change, including an increase in the city’s budget dedicated to food systems and integrating wording on food as a universal human right into government strategies. Progress in affordable housing and dignified wages will also be essential, Marcuse says.

“Food insecurity is essentially policy failure,” says Khalivali. “Food-network coordinators and community food developers aim to connect people, empowering them to create positive change and celebrate diversity through shared cultural assets. Yet people cannot truly celebrate together when their basic needs are not met. Addressing those needs—starting with food—is essential. Until we do, community development will remain out of reach.”

This article was originally published in the January 2026 issue of alive magazine.