Many cities have neighborhoods where it’s hard to find healthy food, especially fruits and vegetables. In Columbus, Ohio, a new mobile market is bringing healthy food to people who live in these food deserts. It's part of a wider effort to see what helps people eat better.

What does it mean to be Midwestern, and what makes this state and this region so special? We talk to some of our favorite Midwesterners about all things Illinois and the Midwest including the food, the history, the culture and the landscape around us. Plus, Gov. Pritzker recently signed a bill which creates a Restaurant Meals Program for SNAP recipients. We learn why its proponents think it can help fix the issue of food deserts and make people healthier.

When the economy suffers, as it has in many rural Central Illinois communities, shoppers tend to become bargain hunters, looking for the best deals to help stretch their ever-thinning dollar. That has helped expand the market for discount stores.

The retail economy in rural America has been rough for decades. But where thousands of stores have closed in recent years, Dollar General is thriving, sometimes at the expense of local shops.

Communities across Illinois lacking access to fresh food will soon be tracked. This initiative, which goes into effect mid-2018, will attempt to solve more than one issue in these affected areas.