Texas adults overwhelmingly demand bipartisan action to reduce childhood hunger
[October 8, 2025, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS] – A new poll from No Kid Hungry Texas finds the rising cost of food continues to outpace income, worsening financial strain and food insecurity across the state. The data shows that families, particularly parents of school-aged children, are being forced to make painful choices between food and other essential expenses, often at the expense of their health and well-being.
The poll found 85% of Texans say the cost of food is rising faster than their income, up from 81% just one year ago. As food prices continue to climb, seven-in-ten Texans (71%) report making difficult tradeoffs between paying for food and paying or saving for other essentials like rent, utilities, medical bills, or transportation. Many parents say they are skipping meals themselves so their children can eat.
“The food affordability crisis is getting worse, and it’s hurting families in profound ways,” said Stacie Sanchez Hare, director of No Kid Hungry Texas. “When the fear they won’t be able to afford enough food for their children is driving parents into both debt and depression, it’s clear the system is broken.”
The poll also reveals significant health consequences tied to high grocery costs. Families reported worsening mental and physical health due to the stress of affording food. Parents, in particular, shared experiences of anxiety, fatigue, mental and physical illness stemming from inadequate nutrition.
In the face of these circumstances, Texans want their elected officials to take action on hunger. Eighty-nine percent believe that ending childhood hunger should be a bipartisan goal, and 82% would like to see elected officials do more on this issue.
During the 89th Legislative Session, Texas lawmakers achieved bipartisan agreement to implement Summer EBT, a federal program that provides additional grocery benefits during the summer to help families bridge the school meals gap. However, Governor Abbott vetoed funding for the program after the session, a decision opposed by two-thirds (67%) of Texans. The poll found that the vast majority of Texas adults (80%) would like the state to participate in this federal program.
“Texans can’t afford to keep falling behind,” added Sanchez Hare. “Programs like Summer EBT are proven, federally funded, and widely supported by the public. With food costs rising faster than paychecks and Texas one of just 12 states left out, the time to act is now.”
Topline findings of the 2025 poll include:
- Rising food costs push families into debt: 85% of Texans say food prices are rising faster than their income, up from 81% in July 2024. Families are increasingly taking on debt to afford food, with two-thirds (68%) of respondents reporting greater debt in the past 12 months due to the cost of food.
- Texans are forced into painful tradeoffs: 71% of all Texans report choosing between nutritious food and other expenses like rent, utilities, gas, or medicine. This number increases for public school families (84%), as well as those in lower income (85%) and middle income households (75%). Many parents report skipping meals so their kids can eat.
- Nutrition is suffering: Families report cutting back on protein and fresh produce due to high costs, leading to negative health consequences.
- Feeding kids gets harder in the Summer: Two-thirds (68%) noted that making ends meet is even more difficult in the summer, due to replacing the meals kids would typically receive at school.
- Texans support Summer EBT and demand bipartisan action on hunger: 80% of respondents would like the state to participate in Summer EBT. Nearly 9 in 10 Texans (89%) across the political spectrum agree that ending childhood hunger should be a shared, bipartisan priority.
The poll was commissioned by No Kid Hungry Texas and conducted by Change Research, surveying 1,062 Texas adults, including many parents of school-aged children, between September 16–22, 2025. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.8%. A summary of the results is available here.
About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids could face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.
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