MAY 27, 2026
New York Fed report finds food insecurity higher now than during pandemic peak
A new Federal Reserve Bank of New York report, published Wednesday, found that food insecurity among American households has risen above levels recorded in May and June of 2020, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. The findings draw on updated data from the New York Fed's Survey of Consumer Expectations and show particular increases among lower-income households and families with young children.
The New York Fed updated a 2020 analysis — which originally examined the disproportionate financial effects of the pandemic — using newly collected survey data. Researchers described the increase in food insecurity as "remarkable," particularly among lower-educated and lower-income households and households with young children, according to the report published Wednesday.
Key figures from the February 2026 survey data illustrate the scale of the shift. The share of households reporting they did not have enough food rose to 10% from 4% in June 2020. The share of people receiving food donations increased to 15.8% from 10.6%, SNAP usage rose to 17.9% from 10.6%, and more than one-third of respondents — 36.8%, up from 21.8% — reported dipping into savings to cover expenses.
New York Fed researchers identified two contributing factors: the higher cost of living stemming from post-pandemic inflation, and the expiration of pandemic-era aid such as expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. "The greater financial strain due to the high cost of living, combined with the expiration of pandemic-era aid (such as expanded SNAP benefits), have led to renewed concerns about food insecurity among those at the bottom of the K-shape," the researchers wrote, according to CNN.