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This report provides statistics on food security in U.S. households throughout 2021 based on the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement data collected in December 2021. An estimated 89.8 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year in 2021, with access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. The remaining households (10.2 percent, not significantly different from the 10.5 percent in 2020 and 2019) were food insecure at least some time during the year, including 3.8 percent with very low food security (not significantly different from the 3.9 percent in 2020 or 4.1 percent in 2019). Very low food security is the more severe range of food insecurity where one or more household members experienced reduced food intake and disrupted eating patterns at times during the year because of limited money and other resources for obtaining food. Although the prevalence of food insecurity for all households was not significantly different from 2020, some subgroups experienced statistically significant changes in food insecurity. Food insecurity increased significantly from 2020 for households with no children, especially for women living alone, and increased for elderly people living alone. Food insecurity declined from 2020 for households with children and with children under age 6, married couples with children, and single mothers with children, for households with Black, non-Hispanic reference persons (an adult household member in whose name the housing unit is owned or rented), for all low-income households (with incomes below 185 percent of the Federal poverty threshold), and for house-holds in the South. Among children, food insecurity declined from 2020. Children and adults were food insecure at times during 2021 in 6.2 percent of U.S. households with children, down from 7.6 percent in 2020 and not significantly different from the 6.5 percent in 2019. In 2021, very low food security among children was 0.7 percent (not significantly different from the 0.8 percent in 2020). In 2021, the typical food-secure household spent 16 percent more on food than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and household composition. About 56 percent of food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal nutrition assistance programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and the National School Lunch Program during the month prior to the 2021 survey.

This supplement provides statistics that complement those in Household Food Security in the United States in 2021. That research report provides the primary national statistics on household food security, food spending, and use of Federal food and nutrition assistance programs by food-insecure households. Additional statistics here cover component items of the household food security measure, the frequency of occurrence of food-insecure conditions, and selected statistics on household food security, food spending, and use of Federal and community food and nutrition assistance programs.

This supplement provides statistics that complement those in Household Food Security in the United States in 2020 (ERR-298). That research report provides the primary national statistics on household food security, food spending, and use of Federal food and nutrition assistance programs by food-insecure households. Additional statistics here cover component items of the household food security measure, the frequency of occurrence of food-insecure conditions, and selected statistics on house-hold food security, food spending, and use of Federal and community food and nutrition assistance programs.

Most U.S. households have consistent, dependable access to enough food for active, healthy living—they are food secure. However, some households experience food insecurity at times during the year, meaning their access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources. USDA’s food and nutrition assistance programs aim to increase food security by providing low-income households access to food for a healthful diet, as well as nutrition education. USDA monitors the extent and severity of food insecurity in U.S. households through an annual, nationally representative survey sponsored and analyzed by USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). This report presents statistics from the survey that cover household food security, food expenditures, and use of Federal nutrition assistance programs in 2020.

This report presents findings from data collected in December 2019 for the year that preceded the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. An estimated 89.5 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year in 2019, with access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. The remaining households (10.5 percent, down from 11.1 percent in 2018) were food insecure at least some time during the year, including 4.1 percent with very low food security (not significantly different from 4.3 percent in 2018). Very low food security is the more severe range of food insecurity where one or more household members experienced reduced food intake and disrupted eating patterns at times during the year because of limited money and other resources for obtaining food. Among children, changes from 2018 in food insecurity and very low food security were not statistically significant. Children and adults were food insecure in 6.5 percent of U.S. households with children in 2019; very low food security among children was 0.6 percent. In 2019, the typical food-secure household spent 24 percent more on food than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and household composition. About 58 percent of food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal nutrition assistance programs: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and the National School Lunch Program during the month prior to the 2019 survey.

This Supplement provides statistics that complement those in Household Food Security in the United States in 2019 (ERR-275). That research report provides the primary national statistics on household food security, food spending, and use of Federal food and nutrition assistance programs by food-insecure households. This Supplement provides additional statistics on component items of the household food security measure, the frequency of occurrence of food-insecure conditions, and selected statistics on household food security, food spending, and use of Federal and community food and nutrition assistance programs.

This Supplement provides statistics that complement those in Household Food Security in the United States in 2018 (ERR-270). That research report provides the primary national statistics on household food security, food spending, and use of Federal food and nutrition assistance programs by food-insecure households. This Supplement provides additional statistics on component items of the household food security measure, the frequency of occurrence of food-insecure conditions, and selected statistics on household food security, food spending, and use of Federal and community food and nutrition assistance programs., Economic Research Report (ERR) Number 270: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/301167

This report characterizes the difference in food purchase quality of low-income food insecure and food-secure households using the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS), a unique data collection fielded by the USDA, Economic Research Service in partnership with the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service focused on household food purchase behavior. FoodAPS collected food acquisition and purchase data from 4,826 households over a single week between April 2012 and January 2013. The survey measured food insecurity using the 10-item, 30-day food security module, a series of questions that focus on behaviors and conditions related to adequate food supplies in the household. There are salient differences in overall quality of total food acquisitions, measured by the 2010 Healthy Eating Index score, purchased by food-secure and food-insecure households at or below 130 percent of the Federal poverty line. There are particularly important differences in total fruit, whole fruit, as well as total protein and seafood and plant protein foods purchased for these households. Moreover, food-insecure households spend less per adult equivalent on all food, but food at home in particular. Additionally, there are significant differences in dietary components not purchased or purchased in excess by these households: food-insecure households are much more likely to have no fruit, dairy, or protein, but large amounts of refined grains in their total purchase basket. Taking food spending and purchase quality into account, food-insecure households purchase about half of the fruit per adult equivalent and about three-fifths of the protein foods per adult equivalent in comparison with food-secure households.

In 2018, 2.7 million households—7.1 percent of U.S. households with children—experienced food insecurity among children. While the national rate of food insecurity among children has declined since 2011, rates in 2018 for households headed by single mothers and by Black, non-Hispanic adults were more than twice the national rate.

In 2017, 26 percent of U.S. households that were food insecure used a food pantry, down from 28.2 percent in 2015 but higher than the annual rates during 2001-12.

An estimated 88.2 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year in 2017, meaning they had access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. The remaining households (11.8 percent) were food insecure at least some time during the year, including 4.5 percent with very low food security, meaning that at times the food intake of one or more household members was reduced and their eating patterns were disrupted because the household lacked money and other resources for obtaining food. Declines from 2016 in food insecurity overall and in very low food security were statistically significant. The rate of food insecurity declined from 12.3 percent in 2016, and very low food security declined from 4.9 percent, continuing downward trends. Among children, changes from 2016 in food insecurity and very low food security were not statistically significant. Children and adults were food insecure in 7.7 percent of U.S. households with children in 2017, versus 8.0 percent in 2016. Very low food security among children was 0.7 percent in 2017, essentially unchanged from 2016. In 2017, the typical food-secure household spent 23 percent more on food than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and household composition. About 58 percent of food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food and nutrition assistance programs (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and the National School Lunch Program) during the month prior to the 2017 survey.

USDA’s child nutrition programs (National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program) have as goals to improve food security and provide children with a regular source of nutritious meals. In this report, we present updated statistics on food insecurity among school-age children from the Food Security Supplement to the Current Population Survey for 2014 and 2015. We then summarize recent research on the effects of child nutrition programs on children’s food security and diets and discuss recent developments in nutrition assistance for school-age children. Studies that account for the greater likelihood of participation in these programs among children from food-insecure households find that school meal programs reduce food insecurity among children. Child nutrition programs also contribute to diet quality and academic performance for children from low-income and food-insecure households.