New Poll: Virginians Going Into Debt Over Rising Food Costs
Strong bipartisan support to make childhood hunger a priority in Virginia
[Contact: Hannah Robinson at 520-222-2808 or hrobinson@hodgespart.com]
RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 2, 2025) – Rising food costs are putting nearly half (45%) of Virginians into debt, according to a new poll from No Kid Hungry Virginia.
Household budgets are even worse for families with kids in public school, where 52% of parents report going into debt because of the food prices.
As consumers continue to navigate high living costs, No Kid Hungry Virginia asked more than 1,100 Virginians how grocery affordability is impacting their daily lives and families.
More than eight in ten Virginians (84%) say the cost of food is rising faster than their income, nearly identical to findings (83%) from 2024.
Six-in-ten (60%) adults and two-in-three (65%) families say they have to choose between buying enough nutritious food and affording other essentials, like paying for gas or transportation, utilities, rent or mortgage payments, health care for themselves or a child, education expenses and saving for retirement. The results suggest an increase from last year when 46% of Virginians reported making at least one challenging trade-off between food and another expense.
Over half of households with children (61%) report that their mental health has suffered due to food costs, while 48% say their physical health has declined. Nearly half of these families (49%) have skipped meals or eaten less to make ends meet and 57% report that it is hard to make sure that their household has enough nutritious food to eat.
“The latest numbers highlight the physical, mental and financial tolls food insecurity can have on families and communities,” said Sarah Steely, Director of No Kid Hungry Virginia. “Parents should never have to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their children. We must continue protecting and strengthening nutrition policies that connect students and families with healthy foods while supporting Virginia’s farmers, small businesses, and local economies.”
When asked how rising food costs have affected their household’s health and well-being, respondents shared that they are often forced to buy less fresh produce and protein because it is too expensive, to rely on packaged food because it lasts longer, or to cut back on portion sizes.
One mother from Halifax County explained: “We now buy what I call filler foods instead of eating wholesome, well-rounded, and healthy meals. When I cook for my family of five, it is too expensive to try to give everyone the portions they should have.”
Another respondent from Henrico County described the personal sacrifices she makes daily to ensure her children receive the nutrition they need: “I usually don’t eat much of anything. That in itself is mentally draining. Choosing to spend money to feed my kids instead of paying certain bills is stressful.”
Ending childhood hunger is a top priority for Virginians across the political spectrum. Among those surveyed, 70% of Republicans, 92% of Independents, and 96% of Democrats agree that addressing childhood hunger in Virginia should be a shared, bipartisan goal.
Other topline findings from the report include:
- Rising food costs impacts the middle class: More than half (51%) of households earning between $47,000 and $97,000 report going into debt to afford groceries.
- Food programs strengthen family budgets: Almost half (49%) of families utilize a food program such as a food bank, free school meals, SNAP or SUN Bucks throughout the year.
- Desire for next governor to solve child hunger: Most people (88%) want the next governor to take action to end child hunger.
No Kid Hungry Virginia commissioned the survey from Change Research, which surveyed 1,128 Virginia adults including many parents of school-aged children. The poll was fielded between August 11-18, 2025 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.4%.
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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.
