One in Three Americans Are Skipping or Cutting Meals

Households across income levels report food insecurity as grocery prices stay 12.4% above May 2022 levels and gas stays above $4.00 a gallon.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Spending

Plain wooden kitchen table with a nearly empty paper grocery bag and a small ceramic plate of food in soft window light. — One in three Americans say they are skipping meals or eating less as grocery prices remain 12.4% above May 2022 levels and gas stays above $4.00 a gallon, according to a dunnhumby survey. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you say your household is getting better or worse at affording groceries?

A dunnhumby Consumer Trends Tracker survey found that 34% of U.S. consumers reported skipping meals or cutting meal sizes for financial reasons in the past year, up 7 percentage points since December. The findings land as food costs and fuel prices keep household budgets under pressure.

Why it matters

The survey points to growing food insecurity across income levels, not only among the lowest earners, which raises pressure on grocery and household budgets. The shift comes as SNAP participation has fallen by approximately 5.2 million people since the 2025 federal budget law took effect.

Food-at-home prices are 12.4% higher than in May 2022, and 43% of households earning less than $50,000 reported food insecurity. Among middle-income households earning $50,000 to $100,000, the share reporting not enough to eat rose from 19% in December to 31%.

The players

dunnhumby

A retail data and analytics firm whose Consumer Trends Tracker reports on how shoppers are managing grocery and household spending.

Food Research & Action Center

A nonprofit that tracks federal nutrition assistance, including SNAP enrollment data compiled from USDA figures, which affects low-income household food budgets.

The details

Food insecurity in the survey shows up as skipped meals and smaller portions, which signals households cutting spending on the most flexible line in their budget after higher costs for essentials. Consumers 65 and older reported not having enough to eat at 17%, nearly doubling from the prior measure, while 39% of families with children at home reported food insecurity. The strain is compounded by gas prices that have hovered above $4.00 a gallon for most of the year, leaving less room in budgets for groceries.

May 2022: baseline date for the 12.4% food-at-home cost comparison.
2025: federal budget law took effect, followed by the SNAP participation decline.
December: prior survey wave used for the comparison figures.
November 4, 2026: dunnhumby findings published from Cincinnati.

Money Landscape

Food-at-home costs are 12.4% higher than in May 2022, a gap that has persisted as grocery spending absorbs a larger share of household budgets. The reported rise in food insecurity comes as fewer people receive SNAP benefits following the 2025 federal budget law.

Households already stretching grocery budgets may want to review recurring food and fuel expenses and check whether they qualify for food assistance programs. Shoppers who order groceries online most or all of the time, 31% of those surveyed, may be able to compare delivery and in-store totals for their own baskets.

The takeaway

Food insecurity is showing up across income and age groups, not just among the lowest earners, so tracking your own grocery and fuel totals each month can reveal where budgets are tightening. If you are weighing assistance eligibility or budget changes, a conversation with a qualified financial professional can help you plan.