Surge in U.S. Food Insecurity Highlights Deepening K-Shaped Economy, Fed Survey Shows

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Survey of Consumer Expectations (SCE) fielded in February 2026 reveals a sharp rise in material hardship. Ten percent of households reported skipping meals because of insufficient food, up from 4 percent in June 2020. Nearly 16 percent relied on food donations, and 18 percent received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—both markedly higher than the 10.6 percent SNAP share recorded in 2020. Among families earning less than $50,000, almost 20 percent missed meals, roughly double the 2020 rate. More than 38 percent of lower-income families now receive SNAP, versus 22 percent six years earlier. Savings withdrawals to cover basic expenses rose to 36.8 percent from 21.8 percent early in the pandemic.

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Golden Harvest Food Bank director Amy Breitmann (Augusta, Ga.) describes lines stretching 2–3 miles and families sleeping in cars while waiting for distributions. Nicole Williams, CEO of the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, warns that “food insecurity could be your next-door neighbor” when gas or medical bills crowd out grocery budgets.

NPR

New York Fed researchers wrote, “We find a remarkable increase in food insecurity, particularly among lower-educated and lower-income households and households with young children.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2024 food-insecurity estimate stands at 13.7 percent of households (18.4 percent with children). The Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act reduced SNAP funding by $186 billion over ten years (a 20 percent cut).

CNBC

The U.S. Department of Agriculture halted its own food-insecurity research in 2025, labeling prior studies as “nothing more than fear monger.” Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has called the combined effect of SNAP cuts and rising costs a “massive wealth-inequality crisis.” These actions underscore concerns that federal assistance is lagging behind worsening material hardship.

Benzinga

• 10 % of households missed meals (Feb 2026) vs 4 % (June 2020)

Food Insecurity and Consumer Pessimism

• 16 % relied on food donations (Feb 2026) vs 10.6 % (2020)

CNN

• 18 % received SNAP (Feb 2026) vs 10.6 % (2020)

CNN

• 38 % of lower-income families on SNAP (2026) vs 22 % (2020)

New York Fed finds remarkable rise in food insecurity among low-income households

• 36.8 % used savings for expenses (2026) vs 21.8 % (2020)

CNN

The net share of respondents expecting to be financially better off a year from now fell from -10.2 points in 2020 to -32.5 points in February 2026. Average self-assessed job-finding probability dropped from 48 percent (2020) to 41 percent among those reporting skipped meals (2026). Debt-delinquency expectations remain elevated for food-insecure households.

Food Insecurity and Consumer Pessimism

The Fed’s SCE captures recent hardship but predates the U.S.–Iran conflict that spiked gasoline prices. USDA’s official food-insecurity rate (13.7 percent) differs from the Fed’s 10 percent meal-skipping figure, reflecting divergent methodologies and timing. No post-2024 USDA data are available, leaving a gap in official longitudinal comparison.

New York Fed finds remarkable rise in food insecurity among low-income households

Policymakers are debating SNAP benefit adjustments and broader wage-growth measures. If inflation eases while low-wage earnings rise, food-budget pressures could recede; otherwise, rising energy costs and stagnant wages may deepen material hardship and consumer pessimism.

Benzinga

• “We have some distributions where people are sitting in a 2-to-3-mile line the night before a distribution starts,” — Amy Breitmann, Director, Golden Harvest Food Bank

NPR

• “If you're adding on another $100 to your budget a month just to put gas in your car to get to work or drop your kids at school and whatever they need their car for, where is that $100 coming from?” — Amy Breitmann, Director, Golden Harvest Food Bank

NPR

• “We find a remarkable increase in food insecurity, particularly among lower-educated and lower-income households and households with young children,” — New York Fed research team

CNN

• “The greater financial strain due to the high cost of living, combined with the expiration of pandemic-era aid (such as expanded [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits), have led to renewed concerns about food insecurity among those at the bottom of the K-shape,” — New York Fed researchers

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