Almost a third (32%) of Americans have experienced food insecurity at some point, according to the new nclick="javascript:window.open('https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231208496464/en/HelloFresh-Doubles-Down-on-Commitment-to-Fight-Hunger-This-Holiday-Season-As-Data-Shows-Nearly-One-in-Three-Americans-Have-Experienced-Food-Insecurity', '_blank', 'noopener'); return false;">Hunger Matters in the U.S. Report from HelloFresh, and the current economic situation is making it harder for families to put food on the table. 

To uncover the extent of food insecurity in the U.S., the meal kit company commissioned a survey of 1,200 American adults. Most survey respondents (72%) agreed that the state of the economy is aggravating the problem, with inflation reported as the most pressing concern within their communities (77% of respondents shared this concern). 

When preparing food for their households, almost three in four (74%) survey participants stressed the importance of low-cost and budget-friendly food products. about half (51%) noted that food cost and affordability hinders them from eating well, making it the most commonly cited barrier to healthy eating.

Younger Americans are especially struggling — respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 were nearly twice as likely to say they’ve experienced food insecurity (41%) than those aged 55 and over (21%). Younger Americans were also almost twice as likely to express concerns about hunger due to their financial situation (43% compared to 22%).

More than half (52%) of survey participants agreed that there aren’t sufficient resources and support for those experiencing food insecurity. As a result, most (68%) would like brands and organizations to take action to alleviate the issue, such as providing emergency food programs (59%) and direct donations (51%). Many (42%) would also like to see more advocacy for government policies that tackle food insecurity’s root causes.