Are More Americans Skipping Meals? Examining the Hunger Crisis
There is something deeply unsettling about the idea of families quietly cutting back on food while the rest of the country carries on as usual. Behind the grocery-store totals are people making choices no one should have to make.
Here is the situation
Food insecurity is a serious economic problem, but the widely circulated 27 percent figure cannot be responsibly treated as a national measurement without identifying the poll, its sample and what respondents were asked. Skipping a meal to save money is not identical to the federal definition of food insecurity.
The bigger picture
TNS examines the pressure of groceries, rent and wages while distinguishing personal hardship from unverified national percentages. The USDA annual food security reports are an appropriate benchmark.
What happens next
One dramatic percentage cannot tell the whole story. But the pressure at the checkout counter is real enough to warrant a serious conversation about how Americans are getting by. Tex will keep you updated on this story right here at Texas News Studio.
Primary reference: https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/