15.6% of Americans say they don't have enough food to eat

The United States is known for its economic strength — yet a growing number of Americans are struggling to put enough food on the table.

A new Morning Consult survey, reported by Axios, found that in May, 15.6% of U.S. adults said they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat — almost twice the share reported in 2021.

Back in 2021, expanded federal programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the enhanced Child Tax Credit helped improve food access for millions. Since those measures have been scaled back, however, food insecurity appears to be rising again.

Morning Consult’s chief economist, John Leer, noted the widening gap between economic headlines and daily reality.
“There’s such a disconnect now between record highs on Wall Street and elevated levels of food insecurity,” he said.

In Philadelphia, the Share Food Program — one of the city’s largest food bank networks — has seen demand surge by 120% in the past three years. Executive director George Matysik said the spike began as soon as federal aid started declining in 2022.

Matysik warned that a recently approved cut to SNAP benefits could make the situation worse. Research from the Urban Institute estimates that the legislation — part of a major budget reconciliation package — could result in 22.3 million families losing some or all of their SNAP assistance.

Food prices have also played a major role in the squeeze. According to the Consumer Price Index, the food index has jumped 26% over the past five years, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects prices will rise another 2.9% in 2025.