Roughly one in 10 American families are skipping meals and relying on food donations or government assistance, according new polling by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Findings published Wednesday show an increased share of families reporting not enough food or missed meals when compared to responses in October 2025 and June 2020.
"We find a remarkable increase in food insecurity, particularly among lower-educated and lower-income households and households with young children," the authors write.
Those same consumers are also getting more pessimistic about the overall economy, the survey found.
"Overall, these trends point to a deterioration in sentiment or an increased pessimism among those who report food insecurity and SNAP receipt," the authors found.
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Affordability continues to be a top concern for Americans, as the war with Iran drives gas prices to a four-year high. And consumers are set to see more of that trickle into other parts of the economy.
An April consumer confidence survey from the Conference Board showed Americans feeling marginally better about the present economic situation, but far worse about what’s ahead.
"We see a very, very clear divide. Where consumers are feeling okay about today, but are decidedly pessimistic about what is likely to happen tomorrow," said economist Abby Hall.
