States and the federal government offered additional supports to families during the COVID-19 public health emergency, including universal free school meals and enhanced nutrition benefits. The expiration of several of these programs in 2022, combined with rising consumer prices, means families likely have less money to spend on food.
Families’ ability to consistently afford a nutritiously adequate diet eroded considerably between 2021 and 2022. Researchers recommend policymakers closely monitor challenges that families may be facing and assess tools that may be available to help buffer food hardship in an era of record inflation and expiring safety net supports.
The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.
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