A new survey reported by CNN on 3/12/26 reveals that many Americans are skipping meals to pay for rising health care costs: “Roughly one-third of respondents – equivalent to more than 82 million Americans – said they have had to cut back on at least one daily living expense to cover their health care bills, according to the survey of nearly 20,000 adults.” The headline states that “skipping meals and cutting back on utilities” are strategies millions of Americans are using.
This staggering statement reflects what we already know: people move in and out of being food secure. Roughly 10% of people in Vermont utilize 3SquaresVT (SNAP). Yet, A 2022 UVM study found that two in five people in Vermont (yes, 40% of us) had experienced food insecurity at some point in the preceding 12 months.
In other words, a quarter of a million people in the Green Mountain State struggle to afford enough food at some point in a year. For many people, these are temporary challenges resulting from events like illness, stints of unemployment, or natural disasters. And for an increasing number of us, skyrocketing health insurance costs and medical bills are resulting in food insecurity.
Unfortunately, skipping meals and turning the heat down are too often the only remaining ways to cut costs to pay the bills.
We want all our neighbors to hear this: rather than skipping meals, please visit your local food shelf and/or join a community meal. Everyone deserves to eat. Food assistance is there for all of us.
Sometimes we need help. Other times, we are in a position to give help. If you have extra to spare, you can support Vermont Foodbank and its statewide network of food shelves and meal sites by making a gift.
Food insecurity is a solvable problem. While the bulk of the Foodbank’s work is distributing nourishing food every day, the team is also working at addressing hunger by advocating for policies that can ultimately end hunger.
Summer in Vermont brings a bounty of local food. Here are five ways to stretch your food budget and eat local—get seeds and seedlings for your garden, get discounts at your local co-op, find free coupons at farmers markets, find free coupons at farm stands, and get a discount on your CSA farm share.
It has been a busy few weeks in Montpelier and we've now crossed the mid-point of the Vermont state legislative session, called “crossover” under the golden dome in Montpelier.
