May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month — a great time to spotlight the many factors that impact our emotional well-being. One issue that is often overlooked is the connection between food insecurity and mental health. Across Florida, families are carrying the emotional weight of rising grocery costs, impossible financial decisions, and uncertainty about how they will put food on the table for their children.
At No Kid Hungry Florida, we know that hunger is more than just an empty plate. It’s about the stress parents feel when they have to choose between buying groceries or paying for gas to get to work. It’s the anxiety of wondering whether there will be enough money left at the end of the month for a car repair, rent, or medications. And for children, hunger and financial stress at home can show up in everyday ways: struggling to focus in class, feeling anxious or overwhelmed, acting out, or carrying worries that no child should have to carry.
Today, 1 in 5 children in Florida faces food insecurity. Behind that statistic are real families navigating impossible choices every day; choices that are taking a serious toll on their well-being.
A new poll conducted by Aspect Strategic on behalf of No Kid Hungry Florida highlights just how deeply rising food costs are affecting Floridians. More than two-thirds of families reported facing difficult decisions between buying food and paying for other essentials like transportation, gas, or car repairs. Along those lines, nearly half (49%) reported that their debt has increased because of rising food prices. These impossible decisions create chronic stress and instability for families already stretched thin, making it no surprise that 54% of Florida families say their mental health has suffered due to the cost of food.
Food insecurity and mental health are deeply interconnected. That’s why protecting programs like SNAP is so important. These programs help families put food on the table, reduce financial stress, and create more stability for children and parents alike.
At No Kid Hungry Florida, we continue advocating for policies and programs that we know work because no child should go hungry and no family should have to sacrifice their mental well-being just to afford groceries.
