According to a report released by cereal giant Kelloggs, more than 20% of Irish adults admit they struggle to manage to their family’s weekly food budget while the same percentage reveal they have been forced to alter their family’s eating habits in order to stay within financial limitations.

Further to this, over half of the teachers surveyed for Kellogg’s Is the Food Divide Getting Bigger? study have reported that a worrying number of pupils arrive hungry to the classroom at least once a week.

The report, which shone a spotlight on Ireland’s worrying food poverty issue, revealed that, despite signs of economic recovery, low income families experience huge pressure when it comes to stretching their food budget while families with young children are under the most strain.

Many parents have acknowledged these issues with their children’s schools, with 77% of teachers, who participated in the study, revealing they have seen an increase in the number of children coming to school hungry in the last 12 months.

Commenting on the impact this can have on a child’s education, June Tinsley, Head of Advocacy at Barnados, said: “Arriving to school hungry affects children’s behaviour and mood impacting on their ability to learn and enjoy interactions with classmates and teachers. If hungry children aren’t given support to thrive, it can also have a knock-on effect on the wider class.”

Shedding further light on the issue, economist, Jim Power, said: “This report demonstrates that food affordability and food poverty are still issues for many. The overall trend in expenditure on food has reduced since 2008, from a high of €7.95 billion, reflecting the fact that many people have suffered income losses and quite simply do not have as much money to spend on food or anything else for that matter.”

Offering a possible solution to the issue, Ms. Tinsley said: “More widespread availability of breakfast clubs is needed as they are a proven way to help tackle the issue of food poverty.”

In addition to the aformentioned solution, Kelloggs outlines a number of measures within the report which they feel can play a role in addressing the worrying issue.

As well as welcoming support from local food banks and charities, the report suggests that schools should focus on food education while stressing the importance of acquiring useful culinary skills.

Kelloggs assert that if the issue of food poverty is to be addressed in any meaningful way, policymakers must work with NGO’s to address the matter.

Highlighting their own attempts at tackling the issue, managing director of Kellogs Ireland, Jim McNeill said: “We have a track record of supporting over 120 breakfast clubs in Ireland, over the past three years, this is something we will continue to do to ensure that all families can get a proper start to their day. Acknowledging and addressing the Food Divide now could create a buffer against the legacy of food poverty in our communities.”
 

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