EAST HARLEM — A little healthy competition can do the whole neighborhood good.
Bodegas in El Barrio want to break people's perception that their stores only offer unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks. That's why dozens of local bodegas are taking up the city’s challenge to meet criteria that would earn them a "Shop Healthy" store designation.
The criteria includes stocking low-sodium canned goods, whole wheat bread and healthy snacks like nuts and dried fruits. They're also asked to take down any advertisements for unhealthy products, according to a representative from the Department of Health’s Public Health Office.
The 10029 zip code has more than 120 bodegas and markets, and of those, 61 decided to participate in the Health Departments’ Shop Healthy NYC program. Twenty one of those, including Mi Mexico Mini Market, met the required criteria to be named a “Shop Healthy” store and received official proclamations from State Senator Jose Serrano Wednesday.
“I’m so proud of this shop, Mi Mexico, for being at the forefront of changing the culture of how we view bodegas and how we view eating in our community,” Serrano said while standing in front of 172 E. 104th St.
The program is meant to promote healthy foods in neighborhoods that have traditionally had poor access to them. This is the first year Shop Healthy NYC has been in East Harlem, where one in eight adults have diabetes, said La’Shawn Brown-Dudley, a spokeswoman for the DOH.
“There’s no reason why a child on the Upper East Side has greater access to nutritious foods than a child living in East Harlem,” said Brown-Dudley.
Next year the program will be expanded to the 10035 zip code, she added.
When Mi Mexico opened five years ago, they became known for displaying fresh fruits and vegetables outside by the door, said Serrano, whose office used to be across the street from the store.
The shop also sells an array of Mexican produce like cactus, peppers, tomatillos, and plantains that other stores don't.
“For me it’s a pleasure to help the community by showing them how to eat healthy,” owner Juventino Sanchez said in Spanish.
The city helped Sanchez with signs to promote healthy foods and advised him to create a dedicated area for healthy snacks so customers could find them easily.
And patrons have reacted well to the small changes. Those who suffer from diabetes or hypertension prefer the healthier options, said co-owner Rene Escamilla.
“More than anything this helps our customers,” he said in Spanish. “It’s not so much about increasing sales, they have stayed about the same.”
