NY Fed report finds US food insecurity at pandemic levels

A new analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows food insecurity in the United States has reached levels not seen since the height of the coronavirus pandemic, with a sharp increase in households struggling to afford groceries. The research, published this week, links this growing hardship to a severe decline in consumer sentiment, particularly among lower-income Americans, even as some traditional economic indicators remain strong.

Researchers described a "remarkable increase in food insecurity, particularly among lower-educated and lower-income households and households with young children." The analysis, based on the bank's Survey of Consumer Expectations, found corresponding increases in financial pessimism and a sharp decline in job-finding expectations within these same groups. The data shows more Americans are reporting that they skip meals, receive food donations, or dip into savings to cover grocery costs compared to both 2020 and late 2025.

According to the report, in February 2026, 10 percent of households surveyed said they did not have have enough food, more than double the 4 percent who reported so in June 2020. The share of respondents receiving food...