food insecurity
noun
plural food insecurities
: the fact or an instance of being unable to consistently access or afford adequate food
The USDA defines food insecurity as a household's inability to provide enough food for each person to live an active, healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity can also occur when there is an abundance of processed, pre-packaged, calorie-dense foods, because these foods do not contain adequate nutrition.—
The Northeast Mississippi (Tupelo) Daily Journal
The Northeast Mississippi (Tupelo) Daily JournalThe federal government often allocates funds to help citizens facing food insecurity and other socio-economic hardships …—Yssis Cano-Santiago
Yssis Cano-SantiagoThis past year has laid bare concerns about food insecurities in this country. The pandemic has led to shortages in the grocery store on essential items like toilet paper and meat.—Amanda Radke
Amanda RadkeExamples of food insecurity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In New York, half of the aging population experienced food insecurity in the last year.
—Jessica Goodheart, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Many of the mothers at Shine come from backgrounds of poverty, food insecurity and other traumas.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2024
The nonprofit has worked to address food insecurity in the area for the past decade and works in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
—Cristina Larue, arkansasonline.com, 22 Dec. 2024
Those fighting food insecurity have appealed to Congress to extend federal SNAP replacement benefits in the end-of-year spending package.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for food insecurity 
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Jessica Goodheart, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Many of the mothers at Shine come from backgrounds of poverty, food insecurity and other traumas.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2024
The nonprofit has worked to address food insecurity in the area for the past decade and works in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
—Cristina Larue, arkansasonline.com, 22 Dec. 2024
Those fighting food insecurity have appealed to Congress to extend federal SNAP replacement benefits in the end-of-year spending package.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for food insecurity
Dictionary Entries Near food insecurity
Cite this Entry
“Food insecurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/food%20insecurity. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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