Nah, Nick, I wouldn't go that far.
(What?! Am I defending a nominally Leftsit journalist?! Yes, I am, because you're point-of-view is even more Leftist than her nominal Leftism is.)

Sure, if a class of people are gonna steal food than we should look at the underlying conditions.

But at least be fair and honest about it.
If we are to excuse the thieves and look for other causal factors, why don't we look at the thieves what they are already getting - free food stamps, cell phones, etc. How many of them have bigger tires or higher lifts than you & I?
Why didn't they just move to a cheaper place to live (Arkansas, Arizona, etc)? 
Why don't they just have fewer kids?

Lots of things they coulda done before stealing.