Children in Black and Hispanic households experienced greater food insufficiency than other ethnicities during COVID-19 pandemic

On average, more than one in five Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic households with children reported that their children sometimes or often did not have enough to eat during the past week as of March 29, 2021. The Household Pulse Survey, which provides these food insufficiency estimates, was developed through a partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau to produce timely information on the economic and social effects of COVID-19 on U.S. households. Households were classified as having children with food insufficiency if the adult survey respondent said children in the household were not eating enough “sometimes” or “often” in the last 7 days because the household could not afford enough food. Up to 30.5 percent of Black non-Hispanic households with children experienced child food insufficiency during November 25–December 7, 2020, compared to 10.1 percent for White non-Hispanic households with children. Asian non-Hispanic and other non-Hispanic households with children experienced child food insufficiency at rates between these two groups. While the prevalence of child food insufficiency for all groups declined from peak levels by the end of March 2021, the disparities among ethnic groups remained. For more information on the Economic Research Service’s food security research, see the Food Security in the U.S. topic page on the website. See also the Food Sufficiency During the Pandemic trending topics page.

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