Rising Grocery Costs Have Some Shoppers Skipping Meals
Half of respondents in a Self Financial survey said food prices had led them to miss meals. The findings describe difficult choices, though they cannot establish how widespread those experiences are.
Buying cheaper brands can stretch a grocery budget. Skipping a meal means cutting back on food itself.
In an August survey commissioned by Self Financial, 50.6% of respondents said they had skipped meals because of rising food costs. The survey included 1,035 U.S. adults, but its participants were heavily concentrated among women and people ages 29–44. Its results describe those respondents’ experiences, rather than establishing that half of all Americans are missing meals.
The findings arrive as affordability remains a major concern before the November midterm elections. For Los Angeles households struggling to buy enough food, they also point toward an immediate need: finding assistance before another meal is cut.
What shoppers are cutting—and what prices show
Respondents described making several changes because of food costs. Along with missing meals, 57.3% reported reducing portion sizes, while 64.7% said they were buying fewer fruits and vegetables.
Financial pressure affected other parts of their lives, too. Asked which areas of a healthy lifestyle their finances had affected most, 28.1% selected mental health and stress management, slightly more than selected physical activity and fitness. That question concerned financial pressures generally; it did not isolate grocery costs or establish a medical diagnosis.
The survey captures reported choices. Federal inflation data measure something different: how prices change over time.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that grocery prices were 1.8% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, despite falling 0.1% that month. Prices for food away from home, including restaurant meals, rose 3.5% over the year.
Those figures help explain why a small monthly decline may offer little relief at checkout. It means prices fell slightly from August, not that they returned to what shoppers paid several years ago.
Slower inflation can create similar confusion. When the inflation rate eases, prices may still be rising, just more slowly.
A household’s grocery spending is different again. The total depends on prices, how much food it buys and which products it chooses. Spending less can mean finding a bargain. It can also mean bringing home less food.
Affordability weighs on the election
A separate New York Times/Siena poll released October 21 found that 69% disapproved of President Donald Trump’s handling of the cost of living. Disapproval of his handling of gasoline prices reached 73%.
“Voters are dissatisfied with both the Democratic and Republican parties,” Siena Research Institute Executive Director Don Levy said. He added that voters trusted Democrats more on several issues, including the economy and cost of living.
The poll documents dissatisfaction heading into the midterms. It does not connect individual voting intentions to missed meals: Siena and Self Financial surveyed separate groups and asked different questions.
Keeping those findings separate matters. One describes voters’ judgments of the administration. The other describes food choices reported by a limited sample of adults. Together, they show different dimensions of affordability concerns, without proving that grocery bills alone determine a vote.
Where to find food help in Los Angeles
If there isn’t enough money for groceries, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank’s pantry locator lets residents search by address for nearby food pantries.
Contact the pantry before making the trip. Distribution dates and times can change, according to the food bank.
The same page links to CalFresh application information and California’s Women, Infants and Children program, known as WIC. Each program has its own eligibility requirements.
Parriva’s reporting on food-assistance changes and demand at Los Angeles food banks provides additional context for households that depend on benefits to buy groceries.
The survey’s clearest finding is limited but consequential: respondents reported eating less because of cost. For households facing that choice now, locating a nearby pantry and confirming its next distribution is a concrete first step.
