New data from No Kid Hungry reveals it’s gotten much harder for Americans – especially parents of school-age kids – to afford groceries and put nutritious meals on the table. Statewide polls in Florida, New York, Texas and Virginia show families are being forced to make difficult tradeoffs, from passing up on more nutritious grocery store options to deciding whether to buy groceries or cover other critical expenses like utilities or rent – ultimately causing many to face hunger.
Whether you live in the sunshine state of Florida, the boroughs of New York, or rural swaths of Texas or Virginia, it’s clear that hunger doesn’t discriminate, and the number of children who are going hungry is trending in the wrong direction. Families across all four states reported at least one sign of food insecurity – like not having enough to eat or eating low-quality or less varieties of foods due to cost: 35% in Florida, 43% in New York, 44% in Texas and 42% in Virginia. And this isn’t just hurting lower-economic households – middle-income households are also feeling the effects too.
Unfortunately, this alarming trend doesn’t come as a surprise – it echoes national data out earlier this month showing a second consecutive increase in the child hunger and poverty rate.
Asked about their experiences with hunger, residents from Florida, New York, Texas and Virginia revealed it’s getting harder to provide nutritious meals for their kids – sharing with us many stories of the impact it’s had on their families.
In Florida, 72% of respondents said they find it more difficult to afford groceries compared to just a year ago, and more than half of middle-income families who earn between $50,000 to $99,000 said they’re also feeling the pinch. Additionally, Floridians have changed their grocery shopping habits with 40% reporting that they are buying less or no fresh produce to extend their budgets.
When asked how life would be different if they had an unlimited grocery budget, one father from Polk County said, “I would buy the healthiest food available for my family, cook at home more frequently, and model healthy food habits more consistently.”
New Yorkers have been similarly impacted with 85% reporting that the cost of food was rising faster than their income compared to 73% the previous year. As a result, nearly 4 in 5 households said it had become harder to afford groceries over the past year. Roughly half said they purchase less or no fresh produce and proteins like meat due to cost.
When asked what they would do if they had more resources for groceries, a mom from Upstate New York responded, “More fruits and vegetables – my kids would have healthier snacks for school, and I’d be able to put some of the money that now goes to the increased groceries to my mortgage, electric, student loans. And my kids could participate in activities outside of school.”
In Virginia, many residents shared they were one unexpected expense away from experiencing hunger. Three-quarters (78%) said it’s harder to afford food than it was one year ago. The impact of food costs has also taken a toll on their mental health. Compared to last year, 68% of parents and caregivers with children in public school reported feeling more stressed about “figuring out how to afford enough nutritious food for yourself or your household.”
When asked to imagine a world where you have an unlimited grocery budget, one mom from Alexandria City shared, “I would approach shopping with ease and control. I would be more mindful of making nutritious meals with fresh vegetables. I wouldn’t have to budget $50 for a week of groceries and consider paying bills first.”
In Texas where 76% of respondents reported it’s harder to afford food than it was one year ago, families are also being forced to make difficult tradeoffs at the grocery store, opting for cheaper, less nutritious foods to stretch their grocery budgets: 49% bought less (or no) protein, and 43% bought less (or no) fresh produce. Additionally, more than half (52%) of Texans have had to choose between paying for food and other essentials, including rent, utilities, gas, medicine, or repairs to the car or home. This number increases to nearly two-thirds for parents of schoolchildren and rural Texans.
A respondent from Dallas County spoke about the difficult tradeoffs that would be avoided if grocery costs were no longer an issue: “[We] would eat healthier, pay more bills on time, and not have to look at the possible repo of the family vehicle.”
Though their stories are different, one thing is the same: Respondents from all four states surveyed were nearly unanimous that ending childhood hunger should be a bipartisan goal.
Fortunately, there are proven solutions that do that – from expanding access to school meals, to ensuring all states have opted into new Summer EBT grocery benefits next year, strengthening WIC and SNAP, and expanding the Child Tax Credit to lift millions more kids out of poverty.
We need our nation’s leaders to unite around policies that fight hunger and poverty, empower families and nourish kids. It’s time to reverse these harmful trends, and invest in a bright future for families across the country.
Ways You Can Help
You can ensure kids have the nutrition they need to thrive in the classroom and reach their full potential in a variety of ways:
Get out the vote. Kids can’t vote, but you can. Visit our GOTV resource hub for updated actions you and your network can take now through November 5 to ensure you’re prepared to vote for kids.
Speak up for kids. Reach out to your elected officials and ask them to do more to end childhood hunger. Tell your lawmaker to advocate for policies that will help kids get the meals they need.
Food is the Most Important School Supply.1 in 5 kids in the United States is living with hunger. That’s why No Kid Hungry is helping feed all kids at school, through effective programs like breakfast served in the classroom. Every child deserves to have a great school year. Learn more about how brands are giving back this back-to-school season at NoKidHungry.org/brandsthatgive.
The study, which was conducted by Change Research earlier this year, surveyed 1,673 New Yorkers, 1,347 Floridians, 1,133 Texans, and 1,278 Virginians across their respective states. The polling was reflective of the adult population based on age, race/ethnicity, sex, education, region, 2020 Presidential vote choice, as well as U.S. Census and voter file data.
