Eighty-three percent of low-income parents can no longer buy all the food they usually would due to increased food costs. A new national survey commissioned by No Kid Hungry reveals that rising grocery prices and economic pressures are forcing low-income parents to make painful tradeoffs between feeding their families and meeting other basic needs.
The poll found that 70% of low-income parents worry they will have to choose between paying household bills and buying healthy food for their children. More than eight in ten parents surveyed reported being unable to purchase all the food their families need.
The findings paint a troubling picture of food insecurity across the United States, particularly as lawmakers continue debating the future of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the Farm Bill.
In fiscal year 2024, SNAP served an average of 41.7 million people per month, or 12.3 percent of U.S. residents. That same year, women made up over half of non-elderly SNAP recipients at 55%. In 2022, over half (53%) of SNAP households with children were headed by a single adult.
According to the survey, families are increasingly sacrificing essential expenses in order to put food on the table. More than half of respondents (55%) are cutting back on groceries, while 45% delayed paying utility bills and 43% postponed necessary vehicle repairs. Nearly one-third of parents said they had skipped meals so their children could eat.
The consequences extend beyond parents themselves. More than one-third of respondents (36%) said their children were at least sometimes not eating enough because their family could not afford food.
Many parents also reported taking on additional work to cover rising costs. Fifty-four percent said they or their spouse had taken a second job or worked extra hours. One Minnesota parent described working nights to earn extra income, saying the additional job has reduced the time they are able to spend with their children.
The survey also highlights the importance of SNAP for families facing food insecurity. Ninety percent of respondents said they would have to significantly reduce food purchases without the program, while 80% said SNAP is sometimes the primary way their children are able to access nutritious food. Eighty-five percent reported that SNAP helped improve their family’s overall financial situation.
The release comes as the Senate considers Farm Bill legislation that could affect future SNAP funding. Previous cuts to the program have already left millions of people without benefits. Congress must strengthen food assistance programs especially amid continued economic uncertainty.
For women, who are disproportionately represented among low-income caregivers and single-parent households, reductions to nutrition assistance programs can have particularly severe consequences. As food prices continue to rise, anti-hunger programs are essential to supporting families and preventing childhood hunger.
The survey was conducted in May 2026 and included responses from 1,202 low-income parents nationwide and a margin of error of 3.8%.
