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April 5, 2025 16 mins
Whoever controls the food controls the people. Food insecurity has always been a thing, and it's about to get worse. Food insecurity remains a challenge that impacts countless communities, with too many people wondering where their next meal is coming from. What can you do to keep your pantry stocked and your family fed? Listen to find out.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) Whoever controls the food, controls the people.
Food insecurity has always been a thing, and
it's about to get worse.
What can you do to keep your pantry
stocked and your family fed?
Listen to find out.
Hi, it's the Urban Lady Prepper.
I help single moms and solo women with

(00:21):
practical emergency preparedness.
But of course, all are welcome to be
better prepared for whatever happens next.
Food insecurity remains a challenge that impacts countless
communities, with too many people wondering where their
next meal is coming from.
This issue extends beyond just empty plates.
It also affects mental well-being and social

(00:42):
stability, creating a cycle that seems impossible to
break.
For many of us, food is something we
can easily pay for.
And even when we have to cut back,
we're cutting back on the extras such as
takeout or home delivery.
We may even begin brownbagging a lunch.
But for the most part, we don't worry
about not eating, about not having food to

(01:03):
eat at all.
That's always been a level of poverty many
of us couldn't fathom and have been fortunate
enough not to experience, especially if we're working.
However, hunger is a growing issue in America.
In 2020, the year of the pandemic, almost
11% of the U.S. population did
not have enough food to meet their needs.
In 2022, 12.8% of households did

(01:27):
not have enough food to meet their needs.
In 2023, 13.5% of American households
did not have enough food to meet their
needs.
In 2025, with the cost of food rising
dramatically due to several factors, it's not a
stretch to believe that the percentage will increase
again.
And just like food prices, those percentages are

(01:48):
not likely to go down.
As this planet continues to circle the drain
and aliens treat us as the most ratchet
reality show in the universe, we are rapidly
heading into a situation where those of us
who have always had food and had choices
as far as the food we got to
eat may soon be making sacrifices we never
thought we'd make.

(02:09):
If you've been following me and listening to
my podcasts and reading my blogs, food and
water have always intersected through both.
Whether it was about stockpiling for emergencies or
how solar farms are replacing farms, many factors
affect our food supply and 99% are
entirely out of our control.
If we aren't more proactive, we will end
up with food we can barely afford filled

(02:29):
with whatever they want to feed us.
The USDA defines food security as access by
all people at all times to enough food
for an active, healthy life.
It's clear that with the current food crisis,
food deserts, and the possible loss of programs
like SNAP, food insecurity, which has always been
a thing, will become more of a thing.

(02:51):
So what can we do to be more
in control and more food secure?
I believe the first step is understanding that,
for the most part, the powers that be
aren't concerned about whether or not we're fed
and healthy, but that we're generating profits.
Universal healthcare would not be such a hot
-button issue if they were concerned about our
health.
It should be obvious that a healthy population

(03:13):
drives a strong economy, but that means a
thriving underclass, and it seems that many of
the 1% can't enjoy their money unless
they can watch the 99% suffer in
some way.
So we must stop expecting the government to
keep the programs many of us has used
to supplement our income and put food on
the table.
They either don't care or are hamstrung by

(03:34):
other politicians whose incomes are bolstered by the
very companies that are poisoning our land, water,
and yes, our food.
Poor constituents can't compete with wealthy donors.
Once you have this understanding, it becomes clear
that we need to become more self-sufficient.
We also need to support each other and
be willing to find ways to network and

(03:55):
barter food and other necessities to keep our
community strong.
Where to start?
Well, small actions can make a difference in
your household's food security.
Detox from takeout.
We spend a lot of money on takeout
and items from convenience stores.
These items are more expensive and tend to
be less nutritious, have suspect ingredients, and the

(04:17):
freshness may be questionable.
If you need a guide on how to
lessen your dependence on takeout meals, check out
my article, Nurturing Your Inner Chef, How to
Detox from Takeout, on my website, urbanladyprepper.com.
Support your local farmers.
Buying from farmers markets and community-supported agriculture
programs helps build sustainable and local food systems.

(04:40):
The new tariffs will impact our farmers significantly,
so any support we can give them helps
them and benefits us by having access to
fresh food.
Take advantage of coupons, BOGOs, and other deals.
The more food you stockpile now, the less
you'll worry about buying and paying more for
it later.
You'll also be better prepared for an emergency

(05:01):
if you can't make it to the store
or a disaster leaves the shelves bare.
Buy in bulk.
If you know someone with a membership to
a club like Costco, ask if you can
tag along and grab some bulk items or
team up with a friend and split the
membership cost.
Groupon usually offers discounts for memberships to such

(05:21):
stores.
This is a good way to stock up
on canned goods and other pantry items and
get more bang for your buck.
Buying in bulk may mean taking the time
to portion out meals, but the money you
save will be worth it and you'll spend
less time and gas.
Going back and forth to the store.
See if there's a local meat farm that
will offer deals.

(05:42):
I used to get a box of random
cuts of meat for one price from Watson
Farms in South Carolina.
While these were sometimes the less sexy cuts,
I saved money by working with whatever they
gave me.
Not only was I saving money, but it
made me a better cook.
But you must determine if what you're getting
justifies what they're charging.
This is where availability versus better quality is

(06:03):
a factor.
Or exchange other protein-rich foods for meat
in some of your meals.
Expand your palate.
Experiment with different kinds and cuts of meat.
Try less popular fish and other food items.
Even as things become more limited and expensive,
people will still gravitate towards what they're familiar
with.
You may find lower costs and less competition

(06:25):
if you've already developed a taste for less
popular items.
We're not at the point where people will
fight over chicken hearts and beef livers on
Golden.
Don't at me, I love that stuff.
Reduce food waste.
You're not just throwing food out, you're throwing
away money.
Most of the time, we didn't eat the
leftovers within four days or stored it properly

(06:46):
in the first place.
Try to make no more than you could
eat in one sitting unless you intend to
have the leftovers for the following day.
If you know you won't want the same
thing the next night, then freeze it so
it'll be ready next time you want it
rather than have it become a science experiment
in the back of your fridge.
Plan meals, store food properly, and compost food

(07:06):
scraps if not for your garden, for a
neighbor who has one, or for the community
garden.
Of course, you can grow your own food.
Even with limited space, anything that you can
grow increases your food security.
You can also barter your surplus or share
with others in need.
You don't have to be a great cook
to make certain things you used to buy.

(07:28):
You can make certain cheeses at home like
mozzarella.
You can bake your bread.
It's not hard.
So many online recipes and YouTube videos show
you how to cook, bake, or make things
you would typically pay for.
Not only are you saving money, but it's
also a bonding experience with your family and
a confidence builder.
When I had chickens and getting fresh eggs

(07:48):
every day, eating food from my garden, baking
my bread, and making my own sweets and
dog biscuits, you couldn't tell me shit.
Knowing I could feed my family and animals
without overly relying on a store was empowering.
A step up would be to start a
community garden.
Many urban areas deemed food deserts were successful

(08:09):
in starting community gardens.
Community gardening is an innovative way to combat
food insecurity while building local self-reliance.
These gardens provide fresh produce and foster community
spirit.
They empower individuals by offering a hands-on
approach to food production and serve as educational
hubs where people learn about sustainable agriculture and

(08:31):
healthier eating habits.
Schools and local organizations can partner to create
gardens that serve as both learning tools and
food sources.
By transforming vacant lots into thriving gardens, communities
can take a proactive step towards food security
while nurturing a connection to nature and getting
to know your neighbors.
If you've been gardening on your own or

(08:52):
are not ready or able to start a
community garden, join a couple of neighbors or
friends to work on a garden together and
share the maintenance responsibility and the harvest.
If you live in a rural community, you're
fortunate enough to have more land and farm
access where you can do business directly with
the growers.
Do take advantage of this.
Farm co-ops are also an option.

(09:14):
For a set amount, you're guaranteed a fixed
portion of a season's harvest.
If you can't have a garden, this is
another way to get fresh produce, not compromise
your diet or rely on whatever's in the
store.
Find your local food bank.
Food banks are pivotal in redistributing surpluses as
a safety net for families and individuals.
Don't let pride get in the way of

(09:34):
using this vital resource if you need to.
They depend on community support through donations and
volunteers.
So if you're in the position to do
either, you're helping yourself and others address food
insecurity on a personal and community level while
lessening food waste.
Engaging with local food banks helps not only
to provide meals, but also to foster a

(09:56):
sense of community and resilience.
We have to advocate for food access.
Advocacy is a powerful tool in the fight
against food insecurity.
It involves pushing for policy changes and empowering
community leaders to make a difference locally and
nationally.
It may seem like an uphill battle, but

(10:17):
if even small victories mean children get to
eat, the effort is worth it.
With advocacy, we can work to create systemic
change that ensures everyone has access to nutritious
food and health.
Work with your community leaders to contact elected
officials and push policies addressing food insecurity to
make needed changes.
If we really think about it, maybe hunger

(10:39):
in America isn't so difficult to understand.
Many basic human needs, such as access to
food, water, and medical care, are not treated
as rights, but as commodities.
Two things happen when you make nutritious food
inaccessible and less affordable.
People go hungry, or the food they get
is nutritionally lacking or contains ingredients they would

(11:00):
not ingest if given a choice.
As a result, children can develop physical, medical,
and mental issues, and adults can face medical
problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and
higher death rates.
Even worse, we've eaten ourselves into a corner.
We've become dependent on others growing our food,
picking it, packing it, and shipping it to

(11:21):
our store, where we browse many items at
our leisure.
Food producers and marketing companies became geniuses at
pumping our food full of artificiality that dulled
our palates, but also made us crave those
very things and want more than our hunger
called for and filled our bodies with stuff
it didn't need.
Americans, in particular, have diets filled with entirely

(11:43):
too much sugar, salt, and artificial and experimental
things.
And now we're at the point where we
fight obesity, which brings about health issues, which
brings about medical care, which is becoming increasingly
harder to find and afford.
It's not uncommon to have that aunt that
has diabetes or that uncle who had a
triple bypass.
It's pretty well known at this point that

(12:04):
there are ingredients in American products that are
not in the same product in other countries
because those ingredients are banned there.
We have put ourselves into a position where
we have no control over where our food
comes from, who handles it, and how it's
affecting our ability to make better choices for
our health.
So for the one in five children who

(12:25):
are starving in this country, there are many
of us whose diet is literally killing us.
As a society, we are being increasingly pressed
into accepting abnormality and browbeaten with such insanity
that we'd rather just ignore it all.
And while we try to navigate this, we've
watched a large portion of our population that
picked and processed our food be deported, farmlands

(12:47):
be replaced by solar panels or sold for
housing, farmlands bought by foreign countries, and when
they're not being bought by foreign countries, being
bought by billionaires.
Add to that extreme weather that has damaged
or decimated crops, supply chain issues brought about
by drought and war, tariffs, and farming that
focuses on only one crop instead of several,

(13:08):
our choices have become limited and more expensive.
While some of it is happenstance, for those
with means, the only way to replace those
no longer in the fields and have the
populace accept the unacceptable, such as lower wages
and child labor, is to keep us hungry.
If you think I'm exaggerating or fear-mongering,
let me give you an example of how
the upper crust feels about the rest of

(13:30):
us.
In 2020, the star of Bar Rescue, John
Taffer, said in an interview, quote, I have
a friend in the military who trains military
dogs and they only feed a military dog
at night because a hungry dog is an
obedient dog.
Well, if we are not causing people to
be hungry to work, then we're providing them
all the meals they need sitting at home.

(13:52):
This statement, which he later apologized for, underscores
the mentality of those with means about those
who often have to go without.
While the context was about the stimulus checks
during the pandemic, the essential point that hungry
people will be obedient still resonates and is
even more relevant now as SNAP benefits and
other government aid are on the chopping block.

(14:14):
And the people who are the hardest hit
are single mothers, especially those of color.
But make no mistake, hunger is prevalent among
all racial groups in both urban and rural
areas.
The same people who thought that Obamacare was
not the same as the Affordable Care Act
are also finding out that their SNAP and
WIC benefits are no different than the SNAP
and WIC benefits of that single mother of

(14:36):
color in the city.
Hunger knows no color.
The same government that's willing to starve the
folks in the inner city is the same
one that is willing to starve the ones
out in the country.
No favoritism will be shown.
If you haven't recognized that by now, your
awakening will be ruder than it should be.
There's no easy solution for food insecurity, but

(14:57):
if we are to make it through whatever
new disasters loom in our future, we must
be proactive about it for ourselves, those we
care about, and our communities.
The human cost is too high for us
to ignore.
Malnutrition, health issues, reduced productivity, hopelessness, and social
instability will impact our communities and will be

(15:18):
difficult to return from.
So now is the time to make the
most of our resources and work towards a
more food-secure future.
Thanks for listening.
Until next time, this is the Urban Lady
Prepper signing off.
I'm sure I've given you some things to

(15:39):
think about as you go through the upcoming
week.
Has this episode resonated with you?
Let me know in the comments.
Don't forget to click the link in the
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(16:00):
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from urbanladyprepper.com.
I appreciate your time with me.
Stay safe, stay sharp, and be ready.
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