NEW YORK — A survey released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in February 2026 found that 10% of U.S. families reported missing meals due to lack of food. Nearly 16% of families nationwide also reported relying on food donations, according to the same survey.

The data showed sharper impacts among lower-income households. Nearly 20% of families earning less than $50,000 a year said they were forced to skip meals or go without food. More than 38% of those lower-income families reported receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, compared with about 22% in 2020.

Overall, nearly 18% of all families surveyed in February 2026 reported receiving SNAP benefits, up from 10.6% in 2020. The increase follows the end of pandemic-era government relief payments and supplemental unemployment benefits. Food prices have risen rapidly since the pandemic.

Economists at the New York Fed wrote in a blog post accompanying the survey results: "While many households are doing fine and economic activity overall has been expanding at a solid pace, large segments of the population are facing high levels of economic insecurity and financial strain, and consumer sentiment on the whole has dropped to low levels."

The survey updates long-term trends in household food security. In 2020, 4% of all U.S. households reported missing meals due to lack of food, and less than 7% of families earning under $50,000 reported the same. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York periodically surveys Americans about whether they skip meals, rely on food donations, or receive federal assistance to buy groceries.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture halted its own research on food insecurity in 2025, stating the studies did "nothing more than fear monger."

Amy Breitmann, director of the Golden Harvest Food Bank, described growing demand at distribution sites in a podcast interview. "We have some distributions where people are sitting in a two- to three-mile line the night before a distribution starts. They're sleeping in their cars." Breitmann added, "If you're adding on another $100 to your budget a month just to put gas in your car to get to work or drop your kids at school and whatever they need their car for, where is that $100 coming from? Most typically, they're having to pull it from the grocery budget."

Nicole Williams, CEO of the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, said food insecurity affects a broad segment of the population. "Food insecurity could be your next door neighbor. When gas cost a little bit more or food costs a little bit more, or they have a repair on their car or a medical bill, that takes away what they might be using to spend on food."