Vickie Baych, a volunteer with the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry, helps a client pick out groceries at the recently opened facility on Pine Street. (Joel Valley/Community Impact)
Although grocery options have expanded over time, Norma Mercado, Bastrop County Cares executive director, said food access remains uneven across the county, particularly for those in rural or lower-income areas.
Mercado listed distance, transportation and affordability as key factors, and said lower-cost grocery options for families that stretch limited household food budgets are needed.
She added that current renovations at H-E-B—set to be completed by late spring—and the March 6 opening of Sprouts Farmers Market should help with access.
Meanwhile, the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry is tackling affordability and opened a new facility Jan. 21, expanding its capacity to meet local need.
What officials are saying
BCC partners with the Central Texas Food Bank to issue annual community needs assessments. Mercado said data consistently shows a significant portion of Bastrop County residents experience food insecurity due to limited access.
In Bastrop County, where the average annual household spending on food is $9,200, 15.4% residents experience food insecurity, 11.9% are below the poverty level, and 6.2% receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to the 2025 report.
Nearly 20 charitable food providers in Bastrop County have launched initiatives, including food pantries, senior and children’s programs, meal sites, mobile pantries, and home deliveries.
“Each month, over 13,000 unique neighbors access charitable food programs in Bastrop County,” according to the report. “Many visit food pantries and meal sites multiple times throughout the month, resulting in approximately 21,000 total assistances.”
The BCEFP is among those providers looking to help with its recent addition of a 9,200-square-foot facility.
With rising food costs quickly depleting grocery store budgets, BCEFP Executive Director Tresha Silva shared her excitement about the new facility, which features a grocery store model where clients are able to shop for and select the items they want.
“We’re learning new things every day about the facility from those who have shopped at the grocery store, as well as our volunteers and staff,” she said, noting feedback will be used to adjust its model.
What we know
With more people calling Bastrop home and a limited number of major grocery stores, residents are calling for more food options to keep up with that growth.
H-E-B is among the chains to recognize that need as the Texas-based grocery giant actively expands its Bastrop footprint.
Although H-E-B was targeting a January completion date for its Bastrop renovation, spokesperson Heidi Post told Community Impact that construction is now expected to wrap in spring.
Another grocery option expanding access to food includes a Sprouts Farmers Market at Burleson Crossing East, opening March 6.
Becki Womble, president and CEO of the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce, called the upgraded H-E-B and Sprouts Farmers Market “more than just new places to shop.”
“They reflect the community’s growth and evolving needs,” she said.
In 2025, Walmart announced more than 650 stores across the country would be remodeled to become more modernized, but its Bastrop location, which came to the area decades ago, was not selected for a project, according to a news release.
Zooming in
A remodeled H-E-B will expand services and selection for longtime residents, while Sprouts Farmers Market will add fresh and specialty options, Womble said.
The approximately $30 million in improvements to H-E-B, which include an 18,000-square-foot addition, began in July 2023 with an expansion to the store’s parking lot.
The in-store layout is ever-changing, as work on several other upgrades has followed, including a 52-seat True Texas BBQ restaurant—a fast-dining option that opened Feb. 4 and serves chopped brisket, smoked turkey sandwiches and more.
Once completed, the Bastrop H-E-B will total nearly 145,000 square feet, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.
H-E-B’s location in Bastrop opened its doors for the first time in 2003. (Joel Valley/Community Impact)
The specialty grocery store will employ over 80 full- and part-time employees across a variety of departments, a company representative said.
Sprouts Farmers Market opens March 6 and offers a variety of fresh produce, meat and seafood. (Joel Valley/Community Impact)
Lend a hand
BCEFP, which receives some of its donated grocery items through H-E-B, listed several ongoing ways for residents to assist, including:
Contribute money and nonperishable food items to the BCEFP at 806 Fayette St., Bastrop.
Order food online and ship it to P.O. Box 953, Bastrop, TX 78602.
"We always want people to just keep us on their mind," Silva said. "People can look on our website for volunteer opportunities and follow all of our social media for other ways to support us.
