2022 Household Food Security for the United States report

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service recently released the Household Food Security in the United States in 2022 report, which examined American households' ability to access sufficient food last year. The report found that 87.2% of U.S. households had secure ability for food in 2022, meaning they had consistent, dependable access to enough food for active and healthy living. However, approximately 5.1 percent, or 6.8 million households, reported very low food security throughout the year, and 12.8 percent, over 17 million households, were food insecure at some point during the year.

Compared to 2021, the nation saw significant statistical increases in food security in 2022, which is a positive sign of food growth. Of the food-insecure households, about 55 percent reported participating in one or more of the three largest Federal nutrition assistance programs: SNAP, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the National School Lunch Program. The National School Lunch Program provides children in low-income households with free lunch at school to help meet their nutritional needs.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated, "The 2022 Household Food Security in the United States report is a sobering reminder that, while the vast majority of Americans are able to affordably feed themselves and their families, too many of our neighbors struggle to put healthy food on the table. These numbers are more than statistics. They paint a picture of just how Americans faced the heartbreaking challenge last year of struggling to meet a basic need for themselves and their children, and the survey responses should be a wake-up call to those wanting to further roll back our anti-poverty and anti-hunger programs."

The 2022 Food Security Supplement survey included 31,948 households, which comprised a representative sample of the U.S. civilian population of around 133 million households. The survey asked an adult member of each household about their experiences and behaviors that indicate food insecurity during the calendar year of 2022. These questions included being unable to afford balanced meals, cutting the size of meals, or being hungry because of too little money for food.

Overall, the U.S. Household Food Security report for 2022 highlights the ongoing issue of food insecurity in the United States. While progress has been made, there is still a significant number of households that struggle to access sufficient food. The report serves as a reminder of the importance of anti-poverty and anti-hunger programs in ensuring that all Americans have access to nutritious meals.