Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Parents are making devastating trade-offs as grocery prices rise and Texans lose SNAP benefits.
MEDIA CONTACT: Georgina Seal, georgina@evergreenstrategygroup.com
[SAN ANTONIO, TX] – New research* released today by No Kid Hungry Texas finds parents are stretching every dollar to shield their children from hunger amidst rising grocery prices. Nearly 8 in 10 (78%) parents are making trade-offs to put enough food on the table, including by delaying payments, skipping meals, and putting off medical care. And 6 in 10 Texans say it’s hard to ensure their household has enough nutritious food.
One mom from Collin County shared, “I can no longer afford fresh fruits and vegetables that I used to pay for weekly. Some days I don’t have dinner to feed my 10-year-old other than rice.” These struggles are more pronounced over the summer, when families lose access to school meals.
“Grocery and gas prices have outrun what Texas families can keep up with,” said Stacie Sanchez, director of No Kid Hungry Texas. “No parent should have to skip meals to feed their kids, but that is the reality facing too many hardworking Texans today. We know programs like SNAP, Summer EBT and school meals work to reduce hunger, improve health and academic outcomes, and bolster local economies. This research demonstrates that folks across the state want to see those programs protected, strengthened, and available to all kids in Texas who need them.”
These findings come as 650,000 Texans, including more than 310,000 kids, have lost access to SNAP in the last year as federal cuts to the program have gone into effect. These cuts also threaten access to school meals, as families who lose SNAP benefits also lose automatic eligibility for free meals. Entire school districts are also at risk of losing eligibility for the Community Eligibility Provision, as Houston ISD, Northeast ISD (San Antonio), and other districts are already experiencing.
In the 89th Legislative Session, lawmakers eliminated the cost of reduced-price school meals for families, a historic investment in the health and well-being of children across the state. Next session, the legislature will have another opportunity to ensure children have the nutrition they need to thrive all year round by funding Summer EBT, a proven program already operating in 37 states that provides additional grocery benefits to eligible families during the summer months.
Toplines from the 2026 poll include:
- Parents are making difficult trade-offs to afford groceries
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- Half of parents (50%) reported skipping meals or eating less;
- Nearly four in 10 parents (39%) have taken on debt, including using a credit card, to cover the cost of food;
- Nearly half of parents (47%) reported that they put off paying for gas or a car repair in the last twelve months, and more than 1 in 3 (36%) put off paying their rent or mortgage.
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- Summer is the hungriest time of year for families, when children lose access to school meals.
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- 7 in 10 parents said their debt increases more in the summer than during the school year, and over half (56%) find it harder to make ends meet in the summer.
- A strong majority of Texans (80%) believe that Texas should participate in Summer EBT, which allows families of eligible children to receive additional grocery benefits to purchase food for their children in the summer months.
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- Texans are sacrificing their health and security to keep up with rising grocery prices
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- Over half (52%) of Texans say that their physical health and nutrition have suffered due to rising costs of food, and nearly 3 in 5 (57%) say that their mental health has also suffered;
- More than 3 in 4 Texans (77%) say that the cost of food has caused their financial situation to suffer.
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- Texans know that SNAP helps children, families, and communities thrive, and want their leaders to take action to prevent hunger
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- More than 3 in 4 Texans (78%) say that SNAP helps parents afford enough food, and 74% say it helps families afford healthy, fresh food;
- Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) believe that SNAP improves academic performance for children in participating families;
- Three-in-four (77%) Texans report that SNAP brings revenue to local businesses and grocery stores.
- 90% want their elected officials to do more to end childhood hunger.
An in-depth look at the survey’s key findings can be viewed HERE.
Visit NoKidHungry.org to learn more about the ways we are supporting Texan families.
*The poll was commissioned by No Kid Hungry Texas and conducted by Aspect Strategic, surveying 1,126 Texas adults, including many parents of school-aged children, between August 26th and September 3rd, 2026. The margin of error is 3.1% overall.
About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. 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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