Texas families are increasingly skipping meals and taking on debt to afford food as rising grocery prices put pressure on household budgets, according to a new No Kid Hungry Texas poll.
Half of the Texas families surveyed said at least one household member had skipped a meal or eaten less because of concerns about food costs.
More than 80% of respondents said food prices are rising faster than their incomes, while about 40% said they have taken on debt to pay for food.
Stacie Sanchez, director of No Kid Hungry Texas, said the organization’s annual polling previously showed parents cutting back on expensive foods such as meat and protein. This year, however, more parents reported skipping meals themselves.
“Parents are having to make difficult trade-offs,” Sanchez said. “They are having to make really hard choices between paying the electric bill or providing nutritious food.”
The poll also found a significant increase in families using “buy now, pay later” services such as Afterpay and Klarna to cover necessities.
Some respondents also reported taking second jobs or joining the gig economy to make ends meet.
“Texans are dealing with and experiencing these issues every day. We experience the highest food insecurity rate in the nation and that’s showing up,” Sanchez said.
The findings come as families also face higher gas and utility costs. More than three-quarters of respondents said they faced difficult choices between buying food and paying for other essentials.
Sanchez said the latest findings show growing financial and emotional pressure on parents. More parents also reported feeling helpless because they cannot afford to feed their children.
Last year’s No Kid Hungry Texas poll found that more families were experiencing food insecurity and struggling to maintain nutritious diets, with respondents reporting greater effects on their physical and mental health.
Sanchez said changes to federal food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), could add to the pressure facing Texas families.
“We want to make sure this perfect storm does not turn into something that is just absolutely devastating for Texas,” Sanchez said.
