Foodscape Components

Food Places

Food places are a direct interface between the food system at a macro level and the consumer on the individual level. Food places aren’t only grocery stores, restaurants or cafes, but are a vast network of services from food banks to farmers markets, and corner stores to street vendors. Food places are where people can access and consume food in their communities.

Public Life

Public life is what people create when they connect with each other in the public realm of our cities. It is about the everyday activities that people naturally take part in when they spend time with each other outside of the home, car, or workplace. Fostering a robust public life produces a ripple effect of neighborhood and city wide benefits. Inclusive and diverse public life is an indicator of a city or place that is successful in an economic, social and environmental sense. For the food system, public life plays an essential role in influencing a community’s food behaviors.

Public Spaces

Public space is the city network on which public life takes place. It is the streets, plazas, parks and city spaces between buildings. The quality of public space often determines the perception of public safety and security, helps foster community cohesion, and sets the framework for activities or programs and how they invite people outside. The combination of high quality public spaces and nutritious and accessible food offerings can create the right conditions for healthier food behaviors.