Table 3.
Foods increased or decreased in children's meals by caregivers in reaction to food insecurity among their children (n=525)1
| Decrease | Increase | |
|---|---|---|
| Total mentions of decreasing or increasing foods (percent of total mentions) | 563 | 802 |
|
| ||
| All foods | 5 (0.9) | 0 (0) |
|
| ||
| Baby food or formula | 3 (0.5) | 0 (0) |
|
| ||
| Dairy | 21 (3.7) | 12 (1.4) |
|
| ||
| Milk | 14 (2.5) | 8 (0.9) |
| Cheese | 2 (0.4) | 3 (0.3) |
| Yogurt, pudding or ice cream | 3 (0.5) | 0 (0) |
| All dairy products | 2 (0.4) | 1 (0.1) |
|
| ||
| Fats or oils | 2 (0.4) | 0 (0) |
|
| ||
| Fruits | 32 (5.7) | 4 (0.4) |
|
| ||
| Fruit | 20 (3.5) | 4 (0.4) |
| Fresh fruit | 4 (0.7) | 0 (0) |
| Fruit juice | 8 (1.4) | 0 (0) |
|
| ||
| Grains and starches | 63 (11.2) | 365 (45.5) |
|
| ||
| Breads | 17 (3.0) | 33 (4.1) |
| Rice | 20 (3.5) | 76 (9.4) |
| Cereals | 6 (1.1) | 27 (3.3) |
| Potatoes | 7 (1.2) | 27 (3.3) |
| Oatmeal | 0 (0) | 8 (0.9) |
| Pasta | 2 (0.4) | 17 (2.1) |
| Noodles | 1 (0.2) | 140 (17.4) |
| Pancakes | 0 (0) | 2 (0.2) |
| Grits | 0 (0) | 29 (3.6) |
| Crackers or popcorn | 0 (0) | 4 (0.4) |
| All grains and starches | 10 (1.8) | 2 (0.2) |
|
| ||
| Junk food and sweets | 34 (6.0) | 14 (1.7) |
|
| ||
| Snacks | 10 (1.8) | 2 (0.2) |
| Junk food | 6 (1.1) | 0 (0) |
| Dessert or sugar | 9 (1.6) | 3 (0.3) |
| Sugar-sweetened beverages | 7 (1.2) | 6 (0.7) |
| French fries or potato chips | 2 (0.4) | 3 (0.3) |
|
| ||
| Mixed foods | 16 (2.8) | 152 (18.9) |
|
| ||
| Cold cut sandwiches | 2 (0.4) | 28 (3.4) |
| Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches | 0 (0) | 22 (2.7) |
| Any sandwich | 1 (0.2) | 40 (4.9) |
| Burritos, tacos, pizza, hot pockets or TV dinners | 4 (0.7) | 16 (1.9) |
| Casseroles, canned entrees, canned foods or hash | 1 (0.2) | 10 (1.2) |
| Soup or chili | 0 (0) | 17 (2.1) |
| Hamburger or tuna helper or mac and cheese | 3 (0.5) | 19 (2.3) |
| Side items | 5 (0.9) | 0 (0) |
|
| ||
| Protein foods | 321 (57.1) | 208 (25.9) |
|
| ||
| Meat (non-specific type) | 254 (45.0) | 8 (0.9) |
| Eggs | 6 (1.1) | 12 (1.4) |
| Beans | 4 (0.7) | 52 (6.4) |
| Fish | 5 (0.9) | 12 (1.4) |
| Hot dogs | 4 (0.7) | 47 (5.8) |
| Peanut butter | 2 (0.4) | 3 (0.3) |
| Beef | 14 (2.5) | 21 (2.6) |
| Chicken or turkey | 22 (3.9) | 43 (5.3) |
| Pork or bacon | 10 (1.8) | 10 (1.2) |
|
| ||
| Vegetables | 66 (11.7) | 40 (4.9) |
|
| ||
| Vegetables | 57 (10.1) | 30 (3.7) |
| Canned vegetables | 1 (0.2) | 7 (0.8) |
| Fresh vegetables | 8 (1.4) | 3 (0.3) |
|
| ||
| Water | 0 (0) | 7 (0.8) |
Each participant could list multiple increases or decreases within and across each of the food groups. There were 1,365 total increases or decreases mentioned from 525 participants. Primary food group categories are listed alphabetically, and subcategories are listed in descending order. Caregivers were asked “You mentioned that sometimes your family has to rely on a few low-cost foods to feed your children because there was not enough money to buy food. How do you change the meals in your household when this occurs?” or “You mentioned that sometimes you have to cut the size of your children's meals because there was not enough money for food. Tell me about the foods you usually cut.” if they affirmed either “We relied on only a few kinds of low-cost food to feed our children because we were running out of money to buy food. Was that often, sometimes, or never true for you in the last 12 months?” or “In the last 12 months, did you ever cut the size of any of the children's meals because there wasn't enough money for food?” (response options: yes or no) in the US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Survey Module.