What is Food Insecurity?
Photo Credit: Pexels, Julian Jagtenberg
Welcome to the very first post of our Table Talk 101 Blog Series—a new space created by Saturday Morning Breakfast (SMB) to spark conversations and share resources about hunger, community support, and the power of connection! Each week, our Table Talk 101 series will highlight important topics related to food, community wellness, and the ways you can make a difference. Think of it as an extension of our Saturday breakfasts, where we nourish minds and hearts as well as bodies.
Understanding Food Insecurity
At SMB, we serve over 150 guests every Saturday in McMinnville, but hunger in our community doesn’t just mean empty stomachs. It also includes invisible barriers that many of our neighbors face every day.
Food insecurity is a state where individuals or households experience limited or uncertain access to adequate food for a healthy and active life. Signs of food insecurity may look different for everyone. Many households experience food insecurity in different ways. In the U.S., “about 18 million households were food insecure at some point in 2023” (USDA).
Some of this is driven by an inability to afford food: low-income households are especially vulnerable. For example, “among households below the federal poverty line, nearly 39% reported food insecurity in 2023” (USDA). Others may simply not have enough food, with meals running out before the end of the week or month due to financial constraints. Many rely on low-cost, low-nutrition foods, which often leads to poor food quality; a lack of nutritious options contributes to long-term health risks and higher prevalence of diet-related illnesses (PMC).
Disruptions in food supply, like losing access to transportation, to stores, or to meal-programs, also significantly contribute to food insecurity. A 2025 study found that one-third of respondents missed grocery trips because they did not have affordable transportation (MDPI). And for those without a vehicle or reliable public transit, even proximity to a store may not help if they can’t get there easily (CDC).
Finally, systemic barriers like housing instability, job loss, low wages, and lack of community support also play a central role in preventing families from achieving stability and consistent nourishment. Households with children are affected at higher rates: about 17.9% of households with children were food insecure in 2023 (USDA). These systemic factors are often what entrench food insecurity over time, rather than occasional hardships.
Food insecurity isn’t always visible. It affects children, families, seniors, and working adults alike. In Yamhill County alone, approximately 14.5% of children are food insecure (Feeding America).
“Behind every statistic is a story, and behind every story is an opportunity to unbind yourself from a set narrative. If we continue doing what we’ve always done, we’ll continue seeing the same results. And if the majority of people assume someone else will step up to make a difference, change will never happen. Real progress begins when each of us chooses to get involved with the causes that align with us so that we can all create lasting solutions and resilient people.”
Why Table Talk 101?
We believe that awareness is the first step toward action. The Table Talk 101 Blog Series and our accompanying social media series are designed to:
Educate the community about issues like hunger and poverty.
Share updates on SMB’s programs and events.
Highlight resources available to those in need.
Inspire action—volunteering, donating, or spreading the word.
Just like the conversations you might have while sitting down to a shared meal, we hope Table Talk 101 will create a space for dialogue, learning, and connection.
How You Can Get Involved
Read and Share → by following our weekly posts on the Table Talk 101 Blog and share them on social media to raise awareness.
Volunteer → by joining us on Saturdays to serve meals and connect with neighbors.
Support the sustainability of SMB → by becoming a Saturday Sponsor and providing tools and nourishment to hundreds of local people.
We can break the cycle of food insecurity and build a stronger, healthier community where everyone has a seat at the table! Stay tuned for next week’s Table Talk 101 post, where we’ll explore more about how food insecurity affects children and families—and what we can all do to help.