New York Fed flags a surge in food insecurity as costs bite lower-income families

A Federal Reserve Bank of New York study updates a 2020 analysis with fresh data from its Survey of Consumer Expectations, finding a “remarkable” rise in food insecurity in early 2026—especially among lower-income households and families with young children—where 10% report not having enough food in February, up from 4% in 2020. Increases in food donations and SNAP participation, plus more households dipping into savings, accompany a shift in sentiment as Americans face higher costs and waning pandemic-era aid, highlighting persistent inequality in a K-shaped economy. The report notes the data predated the Middle East oil shock and does not claim a causal link between insecurity and consumer sentiment.