Food Hardship during the Covid-19 Pandemic and Great Recession

I compare the extent of food hardships in the United States among adults and seniors before and during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Food insufficiency increased three-fold compared to 2019, and more than doubled relative to the Great Recession. Food insufficiency among seniors increased 75 percent during the Covid period, but more than doubled when including reduced intake of food varieties. Receipt of charitable foods among disadvantaged adults spiked 50 percent in the Covid period, but the initial response among seniors was a sharp reduction, before rising. These patterns are consistent with strong social distancing measures enacted in response to the Pandemic.