The Meaning of Good Food

At Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), we believe in making good food accessible to all. To us, good food is nutritious, affordable, and culturally affirming. It’s also personal. The meaning of good food varies from household to household, and that’s part of the beauty.

To illustrate this, we asked three PHA team members, Jermeria Skillom, Margaret Read, and Amy Slechta, to share what good food means to them. Their reflections remind us that good food is not just nutrients on a plate. It’s a right tied to dignity, culture, and health.

We hope you’ll continue reading and watch the videos below to learn more.

Good Food Is Limitless

For Jermeria, PHA’s Mississippi Delta Programs Coordinator, good food is limitless. Growing up in Mississippi, she saw the effects of limited access firsthand and is committed to reversing them.

“You should not have to drive across town or across state lines just to be able to get a fresh bell pepper or good quality foods,” she says. “Good food should not be limited to a certain demographic or socioeconomic group. It should be accessible and affordable to all.”

At PHA, we’re combining national best practices with local knowledge and resources to uplift health across food systems through projects in the Mississippi Delta.

Through partnerships with local chefs, neighborhood stores, and grassroots leaders, Jermeria is helping to remove barriers to good food. One partner that inspires her is Julie Diaz, a chef in Clarksdale, MS dedicated to serving her community.

“[Julie] can take scraps and make delicious meals that are simple and easy. She reminds us that good food doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. It just has to be accessible.”

Good Food Is Delicious & Nutritious

For Margaret, Senior Director of Impact and Evaluation, good food is about joy and nourishment. “Good food is delicious, it’s nutritious, and it’s food that I love to eat,” she says.

Margaret especially loves when she’s able to source food locally.

“It’s an extra bonus when it’s sourced locally — when I know I’m supporting a farmer in my community and eating something fresh and good for me.”

Buying local is very beneficial because it keeps dollars circulating within a community, helps sustain local farms and jobs, and creates stronger, more resilient local economies.

Good Food Is Homegrown

For Amy, Director of Good Food Programs, good food is homegrown. One of her favorite childhood memories is picking strawberries with her family.

“I remember growing up, one of my favorite summer activities was picking fresh strawberries directly off the vine and being able to eat them. They were so fresh and great for strawberry pie.”

That memory has stayed with Amy and inspires her everyday as she helps families get access to healthy, nutritious, homegrown foods.

“Through our Good Food at Home program, we give people the dignity to select the good foods that they want to consume, which includes food that is culturally relevant to them and their families.”

Good Food Connects Us

While we may all have slightly different definitions of what good food means to us, there is a common theme. Good food connects us: to each other, to our culture, to our health, and to the land. It’s a source of nourishment, but also of dignity, culture and health.

At PHA, we believe that everyone should be able to enjoy good food. That’s why we’re working every day to ensure good food is not a luxury, but a right. We should all have access to affordable, delicious food, no matter what neighborhood we live in.

By transforming local food systems and uplifting community-led solutions, we’re helping build a future where good food is a bridge, not a barrier.