Understanding Hunger

Food Insecurity is the inability to access food in a consistent and socially acceptable manner to meet the family’s nutritional needs. Food insecurity is characterized by not having the financial means to buy or grow food, the need for emergency food assistance, and adults skipping meals. Food insecurity exists when the availability of nutritionally adequate food or the ability to access it on a consistent basis is uncertain or limited.

Hunger is the condition where both adults and children cannot access food consistently and have to reduce food intake, eat poor diets and often go without any food. Hunger is the physiological effect of food insecurity and is also defined as the uneasy or painful sensation that is caused by a lack of food.

Discussing hunger with members of your family, especially children, helps them build empathy and understanding for others. While food security can sound complex, everyone can relate to the feeling of hunger. 

Some questions to start conversations about hunger:

1. What does being hungry feel like for you?
2. Have you ever felt like you did not have enough food to eat?
3. What would you do to help someone who is hungry?

Children’s books that shed light on hunger and poverty: 

• Lulu and the Hungry Monster by Erik Talkin – Available on Amazon
• Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt – Available on Amazon
• One Potato, Two Potato By Cynthia DeFelice – Available on Amazon
• Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen by Dyanne Disalvo- Available on Amazon
• The Good Garden by Katie Smith Millway – Available on Amazon
• Katie’s Cabbage by Katie Stagliano- Available on Amazon
• A shelter in our car by Monica Gunning- Available on Amazon

• No Kid Hungry 
• Feeding America
• Montana Food Bank Network