As grocery costs continue to rise in America, parents are worried about how to keep food on the table for their kids.
These concerns become even greater during school breaks when children no longer have access to free or reduced-cost breakfasts, lunches, and snacks.
The scoop
No Kid Hungry reported that 70% of parents said their primary financial concern is inflation and rising food costs. Meanwhile, 55% of parents are finding it difficult to buy their usual food supplies, and 40% of parents are worried about running out of food by the end of the month.
No Kid Hungry's Back to School Report revealed these startling statistics after surveying over 1,200 parents. The parents shared that it's a relief when their kids go back to school in the fall, given the high food costs.
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A mother of five kids in Colorado said that even though both parents work in her family, they can "barely scrape things together to make a meal" some weeks. "It's just a stretch every month to meet everybody's needs," she added.
How school meals are helping
The new report shows how important school meal programs are in U.S. schools: Nearly 90% of parents surveyed said they believe the programs are valuable. When lunch is covered by the schools, parents don't have to worry as much about buying high-cost food and have more breathing room in their budgets.
According to No Kid Hungry, school meals are lifelines for many families because they help kids do better in school with improved concentration, focus, and comfort. School meals can also be a motivation for kids to regularly attend school.
Without school meals, family tensions can run high, and financial stress can interfere with positive family relationships.
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When school meals aren't available, families can reduce their grocery costs (while fighting food waste) by shopping at Martie. This innovative company offers deep discounts on quality groceries and household essentials, including up to 80% off brand-name products.
Martie's goal is to make good use of brands' surplus and overstock inventory so people can afford the items they need and so the items don't go to waste.
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Every day 😥 What you can do to help
No Kid Hungry advocates for federal nutrition programs and works with communities and schools nationwide to strengthen school meal programs. The organization and its partners served over 374 million meals to kids and families during the 2023-2024 school year.
You can donate to No Kid Hungry and other sustainability organizations to reduce childhood hunger and food waste in America.
"School lunch is a blessing for my daughter because it keeps her more balanced and concentrated," a Georgia father of one said. "Once she's well-fed, her activities, like the way she answers questions and tackles some of the math problems, improves drastically."
It's also worthwhile to learn how to shop smarter at the grocery store and grow your own food to save money while feeding your family throughout the year.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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