tonight msnbc's joy reed and andrew zimmern are exploring this.nt inside one of the busiest food banks in america. it has been feeding nearly 300,000 people every month during the pandemic, including many folks who had never needed help until now. some workers there say they were shocked in april when they noticed a surge in demand. >> it's a day they will never forget. the san antonio food bank was expecting a big turnout, especially since the pandemic had tripled unemployment here. by daybreak, michael guerra realized they had a nightmare. >> cars started lining up the morning before, they'd been there 18 hours, 12 hours, and then they sat in line, they sat in line. cars were breaking down. cars were running out of gas. >> each car, a family in need. >> your heart stops. they're there because they're hung hungry. they're there because they don't have work and they don't have food. >> it was april 9th. on the christian calendar that's holy thursday marking the last supper. at the san antonio food bank it's also recommended as a day from hell as t

joining me for this special program is andrew zimmern. you know him as the host of msnbc's "what's eating america." and we are joining forces to tell you about something that's gotting too little attention as we've all suffered through the coronavirus pandemic over the past six months and it is this. in our land of plenty, we are facing a food crisis. >> that's right, joy. for many americans, food is something that's too often been taken for granted. we don't have that luxury anymore. the virus has exposed some massive vulnerabilities in american life. the virus has not just attacked people's health, it has shut down large parts of the economy, thrown millions out of work, crippled the restaurant industry, and disrupted the entire food supply chain. >> and all of that has put many americans at greater risk. those who struggle to put food on the table before the pandemic or had a hard time finding fresh, healthy, food. even many who never had these problems before are now facing a challenge you might have thought was not possible in this c

. >> almost as much chutzpah as andrew zimmern, but yeah, that's marketing. >> indoor farming is stillle. another important area of study is happening out in the fields of minnesota. >> this is the wheat that is used for making bread? >> yep, it's the minnesota wheat, hard red spring wheat. >> i was about to say, it's red wheat. >> has gluten in it. you get the nice rise in the loaf. >> craig schaefer is a professor and farm researcher at the university of minnesota. >> wheat has been worked on for like 10,000 years. >> reliable, dependable. >> right. >> but sadly no longer as sustainable as it once was. >> yeah. >> more than one-third of the earth's population relies on wheat to survive. it's an annual crop, so it has to be replanted every year. that takes a toll on the land. >> this is kernza, the perennial. it's got a root system that can go down to 20 feet. it will suck up nitrogen and nutrients and sequesters a lot of carbon. >> less soil erosion, it's more drought resistant. >> we think it's going to be much more sustainable than annual wheat. >> right. >> general mills took noti

i'm andrew zimmern. storyteller, chef. i'm looking at our country. looking at the social and political questions of the day through the lens of food. >> i mean, there is no one solution. >> sharing some amazing meals along the way. >> minty, hot, and fresh! >> trying to figure out -- >> holy moly! >> "what's eating america." ♪ >> new york city. 8 million people all packed together, all chasing their dreams. i chased mine under these bright lights. until i flamed out. today i'm 28 years sober. with the right support, every addict or alcoholic can find their own path to recovery. our stories of struggle and redemption have a universal message. there is hope. that's why i'm revisiting my past. i'm also looking to the future. where legal, political, and medical breakthroughs may one day revolutionize how we treat addiction. my story begins here on new york's upper east side. >> can i get a slice? >> to stay or to go? >> to go. >> thank you. >> yeah. there are a couple of things we do really, really well in new york. one of them is pizza. my goodness, tha