Michelin-starred chef Geoffrey Zakarian spoke with Fox News Digital at the Great American State Fair on July 16, 2026, addressing nutrition and the challenges of healthy eating in the United States. Zakarian argued that a lack of effort, rather than geographic distance, is the primary barrier preventing families from eating healthily.

"You're not in a food desert — this is the United States of America," Zakarian said during a live cooking demonstration with Dr. Oz. He highlighted that advances in technology, such as grocery delivery apps like Instacart—which was created in 2012, a year after the USDA's food desert map launched—have made fresh food more accessible than ever.

Zakarian pointed out, "If you can drive to McDonald's, you can go find some place that has fresh food or canned food, or you can order it online. Everyone has an iPhone. Everyone has an ability to order food. You've got Instacart. You can get anything you want all the time."

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food deserts as communities with "low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and affordable foods," based on income and proximity to supermarkets. However, Dr. Oz, also at the Great American Fair, noted that food access is no longer solely defined by physical proximity to grocery stores.

Despite grocery prices rising 32% over the past five years, according to the Urban Institute, Zakarian urged families to focus less on what they lack and more on meal planning. He argued that convenience often costs more than cooking at home, encouraging Americans to take advantage of available resources to prepare healthy meals.

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