The food situation especially in the US can be very dis-heartening. So few realize or have any concept of alternatives and what is nutritious, health enabling food. Add to your observation the large number who eat mostly at franchise restaurants, leaves a lot of opportunity for improvement.

You asked for initiatives, one that hopefully can gain more attention is the ‘dacha’ as described in the Ringing Cedar series of books. Basic description is families have small plots of land for growing food for their own use. Many benefits including better food, physical activity, and outside.