Families Report – No Kid Hungry Stories

What the Affordability Crisis Means for Families Facing Hunger

Nourishing every child’s potential with access to three meals a day, every day, is the hallmark of securing a brighter future for our society. But due to the rising cost of living affecting daily American life, families are struggling to make ends meet and put enough food on the table. According to a national survey of families with low incomes commissioned by No Kid Hungry, 83% say rising food costs due to inflation have made it difficult for them to buy all the food they usually would.

Many families – especially those with low incomes – are being forced to make impossible trade-offs between buying food and paying for other essentials like household bills and school supplies. In fact, 70% worry they’ll have to choose between bills or paying for emergency expenses like car repairs or medical care versus buying healthy food for their children.

These survey findings underscore the critical role of free and reduced-price school meals and other federal nutrition programs like SNAP that help families make ends meet and stretch tight budgets, so their children have the healthy meals they need to thrive.

83 of parents and caregivers say they feel stressed about their family’s financial situation nearly every day

Over half report that their family’s finances are worse than they were one year ago.

Families Are Feeling Squeezed Financially

For parents like Kristal Webster, a mother of three in Smithville, Texas, inflation hasn’t been just an economic inconvenience – it has made necessary a daily negotiation between competing needs for survival. Despite working full-time at the local library and building a stable life with her husband who works overnight shifts at a supermarket, she still struggles to afford groceries to feed their growing kids as food prices continue to soar.

”“I go [to the grocery store] every two weeks, and it's no less than $400. It's just impossible. There's been times I have spent close to $600 that it kind of hurts, but I'm like they have to eat. But still, prices are going up.”
Kristal WebsterA mother of three

”“If these programs didn’t exist, I’d try to make a living and provide for my family, but even being a full-time and being a single parent, it would be hard for me. Rent has increased. Utilities are increasing. Imagine how food is increasing day by day. I don't think I would survive, honestly. If I'm struggling, my kids don't have food on their table; I don't think there will be any joy or happiness in my life, honestly, because my kids bring happiness to me, and if I can't feed them, that is gonna just break my heart.”
Joelains KercadoJamestown, NY

In the past year, parents have had to

PUT OFF OR DELAY PAYING EXPENSES

in order to buy enough food for their household

”“Our money goes towards the kids. There's nothing wrong with that. I would do it 10 times over. But there are some times where we gotta make sacrifices…But I feel like as long as my kids have what they need to have, as long as we have food in the fridge, then I'm winning.”
Nathan LawsonOmaha, NE

The Cost of Food Affects How Parents Show Up for Their Kids

Parents across the country are working hard and doing their best to ensure their children have what they need. And the constant mental toll of deciding where limited resources are spent, leaves parents already facing challenging circumstances without much leftover to provide their kids with the childhood they deserve.

56

of parents say concerns about buying quality food affects their day-to-day interactions with their children.

54

Among the 54% of parents who say they or a spouse/partner have taken on extra work or a second job to help alleviate financial pressure, 26% indicate their children now get fewer home-cooked meals.

51

of parents say they are delaying having more children due to increased food costs.

”“In regards to the economy and how expensive everything is, my husband's income isn't changing with that. It's not increasing as the cost of living is increasing. And we chose to have a big family, and we wouldn't change that for anything in the whole world. But it does mean that we have to do without, I mean, we have to choose. We have to pick and choose. Food is a necessity. Air conditioning is a necessity. A house is a necessity.”
Kelli SnyderSmithville, TX

Emma and Shawn Dolly live in Federalsburg, Maryland with their four children. They both work hard in seasonal and shift-based jobs to support their family while juggling school schedules, sports and limited resources. But the high cost of food and inflation have made it difficult for them to afford basic meals for their kids.

”“It definitely takes a village to raise a village,” shared Emma. “So, the food programs at the school here provide for our kids. It helps tremendously. And without it, I don't know where we’d be.”
Emma and Shawn DollyFederalsburg, MD

School Meals Are a Lifeline for Kids and Families

When parents are less stressed about paying for necessities, they have more room to show up for their kids and for themselves.

47 of families shared that knowing their children have access to meals at school helps reduce their stress a great deal

Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Give Kids a Chance to Succeed and Families Less to Worry About

When families were asked how a lack of nutritious meals impacts their children, 67% said their children have a hard time concentrating, and 52% said their children act out or get into more trouble.

As costs rise and families are stretched thin, free and reduced-price school meals are a lifeline, providing the daily and reliable healthy food kids need to learn and thrive.

School Meals Create Better Students

The impact of having access to nutritious food extends beyond the home and into the classroom. Research continues to show that kids do better in school and in life when they start the day with a healthy meal, which is why No Kid Hungry works with school districts and other meal providers at the state and local levels to increase participation in feeding programs that connect kids to healthy meals every day.

School meals increase academic success, motivate kids to attend school more regularly and provide a sense of stability. According to families:

82

report that they are very or extremely valuable to their family.

85

report that free/reduced lunches help their child excel at school.

65

report they motivate their child to attend school regularly.

School Meals Have the Power to Fuel Students and Unlock Their Potential

”“There’s so many different ways that being hungry manifests in kids. Knowing that hunger is the reason for those things a lot of the times and something that could be easily mediated here at school, then it seems like there's kind of no excuse for that to be an issue.”
Raven BehrensPre-K-2nd Grade Counselor, Smithville, TX

”“Food is the most important school supply because without it, our kids are not going to use their pencils to their full ability. They're not going to be able to use their brains and stay focused and engaged in learning the lessons that we have planned for them.”
Katlyn NabbKindergarten Teacher, Caroline County, MD

Nutrition Programs Like SNAP Make a Difference

A healthier, stronger future begins with every child having access to healthy meals through robust nutrition programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is the largest and most effective federal nutrition program that has the power to help kids grow up smarter, stronger and healthier. This and other critical nutrition supports have the power to eliminate hunger and support health and education outcomes for children and families.

SNAP Is a Stepping Stone for Families

With over 9 in 10 parents reporting that SNAP is very or extremely valuable to their family, the impact the program has is profound.

”“Food benefits have given me kind of a bridge that helps support everything that I'm doing right now to get my education and become a better member of society and more [than] just provide for my kids but give them a solid future and the savings so I can pass that on to them.”
Patrick RussellZanesville, OH

”“The SNAP program has helped my family break the cycle of poverty. Without SNAP benefit programs, I wouldn't be where I am today. I would not be able to own property. I wouldn't have a paid-off house. I wouldn't have any of the assets that I have now if it hadn't been for the SNAP program.”
Christina MarrufoHuron, SD

Ensuring a Safer and Healthier Future for All Kids and Families

Hunger exists in every community across the country. Although it shows up in different ways for parents and caregivers, everyone is working hard to build better lives for their kids, so they can achieve their dreams. We envision a future where every child has the food they need to grow and thrive, regardless of the circumstances that caused their family to have to live with food insecurity.

The current challenges facing kids and families are real and growing. With costs on the rise, any family could find themselves in need of extra support to stay afloat and keep their kids nourished. But our national safety net is being decimated and significant cuts that have made it more difficult for families to access programs like SNAP – a critical lifeline for kids and families – are poised to continue.

As the only national organization focused on ending childhood hunger in America with decades of data, research and success stories that prove that access to school meals and other vital food assistance programs reduce hunger and improve well-being, we know how important it is to fight for and invest in local and national solutions to protect them.

Learn more about how No Kid Hungry is working to ensure children and families can access school meals programs and federal nutrition programs at https://www.nokidhungry.org/ways-you-can-help.

Read more about our findings around the importance of SNAP and school meal programs. If you are interested in using this data, please reach out to press@strength.org.

Methodology: Online survey of parents with children in grades 1–12 at 185% FPL or below, conducted May 2026. National sample:n=1,202; Hispanic oversample: n=377. Conducted by Marking for Change for No Kid Hungry. Margin of Error: +/- 3.8%

What the Affordability Crisis Means for Families Facing Hunger

83

of parents and caregivers say they feel stressed about their family’s financial situation nearly every day