If you’re struggling to provide enough nutritious food for you and your family, you’re not alone. Reach out and get the support you deserve.
If you’re worried about the rising costs of food, you’re not alone. In the most recent survey conducted by Blue Star Families, one of the top concerns facing military families is food insecurity and the rising cost of food. Whether you’re eating less than you should or you’re worried about affording healthy food for your family, there are steps you can take and resources you can access to help you manage.
Learn more about food insecurity, how to stretch your budget, and what resources are available to support you and your family.
Food Insecurity
Do you sometimes wonder where your next meal will come from? Do you worry about running out of food before your next paycheck? Do you feel forced to rely on cheap, unhealthy options to feed your family? If so, you may be experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity means having limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food.
Food insecurity can negatively affect the physical and mental health of adults and children, as well as the readiness of Service members. According to Blue Star Families and its most recent Military Family Lifestyle Survey, food insecurity among active-duty military families has increased. Active-duty military respondents who are categorized as having low or very low food security increased from 16% to 28% since 2023. Twenty-two percent of the survey’s active-duty respondents said they ate less than they thought they should in the past year because there wasn’t enough food, and 30% said that they sometimes or often could not afford to eat balanced meals.
It’s important to remember
that food insecurity isn’t a personal failure of any kind – it can happen to anyone, and with the rising costs of food, it’s happening more often. The unique challenges that Service members and their families face, like spouse unemployment and underemployment, childcare costs, moving expenses, and more, can all contribute to food insecurity.
Making small changes to stretch your budget and accessing support and resources are important steps you can take to ensure your family’s nutritional needs are met.
Tips for Stretching Your Food Budget
- Meal plan. Planning out your meals can help you stretch your budget. Meal planning saves you from the cost of last-minute, expensive takeout or restaurant meals, and you can use the same ingredients in different ways throughout the week to save even more money. For example, one large pack of chicken can be divided into several meals, such as a stir-fry, tacos, wraps, and more. Get more meal planning and prepping tips from TriWest health coaches.
- Learn to use less expensive, healthy ingredients. Look closely at your grocery store receipts. Many of us plan meals around meat or other more expensive ingredients, but there are several less expensive, healthy options out there. For example, many legumes and beans have just as much protein and fiber as more expensive meats, and frozen fruits and veggies often preserve many of the same nutrients as fresh ones for less money. Try inexpensive foods like lentils, beans, oats, and canned tuna to stretch your budget and still get the right nutrients to fuel your body. Nutrition.gov offers several tips for healthy eating on a budget.
- Use coupons. Sometimes looking through coupons can feel like a hassle, but using coupons can save you several dollars every time you shop. Download your favorite store’s app and see what coupons are available before you shop. Look at the flyers in your mailbox and see what deals are being offered. Plan your weekly meals around what you see and consider buying and freezing extra items when they’re on sale.
- Shop your commissary. Get nutritional food at low prices by using your commissary benefit. Save by shopping commissary store brands, using manufacturer coupons, and looking through the weekly sales flyer. These same tips can be used if you live off base. Shop your local store’s brands to get the same products for less, use coupons (both store and manufacturer coupons), and check out their weekly flyer. In addition, check out the discount grocery stores in your area. These stores are becoming more popular as food prices rise. You may be surprised how much you can save on items such as fresh produce and pantry staples when you avoid the big-box grocery stores.
- Consider your choices.
Instead of just looking at your grocery store receipt, consider looking at ways to cut back in other areas by examining your daily choices. You may find it’s time to reach out to TRICARE’s tobacco cessation program, so you can stop spending money on nicotine. You may find you’re ready to implement a dry month to see if you can save money by removing alcoholic beverages from your budget. These two choices are great options for your overall health as well. In addition, consider how to get the most nutrition out of each purchase. While a bag of chips and a soda may seem cheaper than a healthier snack upfront, this choice may leave you hungrier and less satisfied than if you had planned a more protein-packed, nutritious snack. Healthy Homefront’s article Eating Healthy for Less has ideas, recipes, and resources to help you make healthy choices for less. - Access support. Sometimes, no matter how far you stretch your food budget, it just isn’t enough. As a member of the military community, there are several resources available to support you and your family. Don’t hesitate to reach out. Check out the resources below to get the support you deserve.
Resources
Nutrition Assistance Programs – The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers several nutrition assistance programs to increase food security, reduce hunger, and provide nutrition education. These programs serve one in four Americans during the course of a year, so you aren’t alone if you reach out. Learn how to apply to 16 different federal nutrition assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, National School Breakfast and Lunch programs, Emergency Food Assistance, and more.
Food pantries – Anyone who needs extra help affording food can visit a food pantry. A food pantry collects food from food banks and gives it directly to people for free. While visiting for the first time may seem scary, you’ll find friendly volunteers ready to help. After figuring out what your needs are, volunteers can help you get the right amount of food for your family and connect you to other programs as well. Find a food pantry near you.
Military OneSource – Military OneSource offers a wide range of services for Service members and their families, including Health and Wellness Coaching, financial counseling, and a Community Resource Finder to help you locate food banks and community resources by state.
Blue Star Families – Blue Star Families is committed to helping military and Veteran families experiencing food insecurity. The Nourish the Service Program shares information about chapter area food pantries, military-specific financial assistance, several additional food assistance programs, and more.
Additional programs – Depending on your location, organizations like the United Services Organization or the Armed Services YMCA may offer free meals or food assistance.
If you’re struggling to provide enough nutritious food for you and your family, you’re not alone. Reach out and get the support you deserve.