Food Coping Strategies Used by Food Pantry Clients at Different Levels of Household Food Security Status

Food coping strategies are integral to the development of food insecurity and hunger. Clients (n = 103) with children were surveyed at two food pantry sites in a metropolitan area to identify food coping strategies used at different levels of household food security status. Clients at higher levels of food insecurity used increasingly more drastic and risky ways to limit food given out in the household and to get more money for food. Suggestions for staff at food pantries and related services include reinforcing “teachable” coping strategies already used (e.g., stock up on food on sale) and lowering barriers to other strategies to help stretch food and food dollars.