According to the USDA, a “food desert” is any part of the United States where healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain, either due to low household income or poor accessibility. In order to close the gap between farm and fork, mobile apps and shopping sites must be barrier-free for both consumers and small-scale suppliers. Although government spending encourages food purveyors to set up shop in food deserts, these interventions are a gamble — and some feel that our increased “Walmartization” of consumer behavior will negatively affect food distribution and quality. Recent trends in urban farming point to an emerging optimism, and it’s likely that virtual grocery stores will soon be the primary driver in improving nutrition literacy. This presentation will examine the cultural and societal impact of technology on food communities, and we'll explore why user-centered design may be the key to solving one of our most fundamental human dilemmas.