MEMPHIS, Tenn. – American families are spending a bigger portion of their paychecks on food than they have in the past three decades.

“Prices have gone up and wages have remained the same,” said Sam Roffwarg, a downtown Memphis resident.

Inflation is cooling: Food is only about 2.6 percent more expensive than last year, according to the Consumer Price Index. 

However, the same data shows food grew about 25 percent more expensive between 2019 and 2023.

“This is terrible,” said Professor Elena Delavega, a University of Memphis professor who studies poverty. “Families have very little room in the budget for these increases. And food is something that they can’t cut.”

According to the USDA, a family of four needed $979.90 a month to afford a thrifty and healthy diet in January 2024.

By contrast, a family of four needed $840.40 a month to afford a healthy diet in July 2021.

Professor Delavega told FOX13 that families might purchase processed and unhealthy foods to stay within their budgets.

“You can eat for less money, but then you would be compromising your health,” she explained. “So the diabetes explosion that we’re having and the obesity explosion that we’re having is because people are not able to afford healthy foods.”

“It’s absolutely remarkable the challenges that families are facing, just trying to meet the basic needs of their children,” said Katie Growden, the state manager for the Save the Children Action Network.

Anti-hunger advocates in Nashville are pushing for lawmakers to pass a bill that would provide for free breakfast and lunch for all public and charter schools in Tennessee.

“Children are going hungry in Tennessee,” Growden said. “It is a desperate feeling. It’s a desperate situation. I know I personally experienced this as a child and I know the impact that it had on me.”