Food Insecurity Rises in WA State: Stress Prevails With Expensive Groceries

I remember as a child getting invited to a beach party. I was so excited to go with a new friend I had made from school, who had moved in next door to us.

My friends' mother politely asked my Mom if I could join them for a family beach day, just five miles away at our local beach.

My mom answered, of course, but when the neighbor requested my mother pack me a sack lunch, my mom replied..."Gosh, could I borrow some bread and Peanut butter?"

We were very poor, and my mom, who was married at the time, was working very hard, as was my stepfather, but we still had little to no money for anything extra, let alone the basics.

I recall being so embarrassed, and the neighbor had a very disturbed look on her face, while she replied, "Can you pack her something else?"

My mother then had to explain that she had to wait until payday before she could buy any more food, and we were down to next to nothing.

We often ate things like 'Mayonnaise & Mustard" sandwiches. As I recall those times, my heart aches for my Mom, who tried so hard to provide for us, but lacked the skills needed to make a good living.

My point is NOT to make you feel sorry for me quite the opposite! I'm sure my struggles as a child have given me resilience. And the one thing I have learned is how little you actually NEED to survive.

That said, I want those who are struggling right now due to the high cost of living to know you are not alone.

Many people are hugely in debt, and many are struggling with even the basic necessities. This is a tough year.

• 78% of those surveyed felt that prices increased in the past month, and 82% were worried about future price increases.
• 70% of food-insecure respondents reported reducing their food quantity and quality due to high costs.
• Among the 55% of surveyed respondents who used food assistance in the past month, individuals used a variety of programs tailored to different life stages and needs, with food banks/pantries, SNAP, and school meals among the most-used programs.
• Stress, anxiety, and depression were more common among food-insecure households, with 84% of food-insecure households reporting high stress.
• Groceries were the most common expense reported as hard to afford in the past month, followed by housing, according to the latest WAFOOD survey. Rising food prices and the expiration of pandemic-era assistance programs have intensified economic pressures on households statewide.

Marie Spiker, assistant professor in the UW Department of Epidemiology and adjunct assistant professor in DEOHS, emphasized the value of state-specific data.

“The WAFOOD surveys allow us to see who is struggling the most and how economic pressures impact food spending, mental health, and diet quality,” she said. “Among our 5,528 survey respondents, a third of households earning $75,000–$150,000 reported food insecurity, highlighting the challenge for families not eligible for federal assistance.”

Additional information and past WAFOOD findings are available on the UW WAFOOD project page.

And an added note: One thing I've learned in this life is that 'a miracle can happen overnight" and "it's always darkest before the dawn!"

Don't forget that! Things are bound to get better!