"If this is your first time being poor..."

According to the USDA, 18 million Americans experienced food insecurity in 2024, the latest year from which data is available. Groceries cost about a third more than they did about seven years ago, and more Americans are struggling to make the cheapest groceries last through the week, or stretching whatever’s left in the pantry so they don’t go to bed hungry. That’s given rise to a new genre of affordable cooking content on social media, including Kiki Rough’s “recession recipes.” Producer Alice Wilder saw Rough’s videos in her own feed and wanted to understand why they were striking such a nerve, so she flew out to Indiana where she lives and spent some time with her. This week on the show, Reema Khrais and Wilder chat about what the trip taught her about food insecurity in the United States, and why Rough is still struggling to feel financially secure, even after going viral.A few takeaways from the episode: Affordable cooking content is growing in popularity: As more and more Americans experience food insecurity, they’re turning to social media for help. Rough’s target audience is a group she calls “first time poor,” people who are reckoning with their new economic reality and struggling to put food on the table.There are many barriers to accessing affordable food: SNAP benefits have an uncertain future and aren’t always a reliable source of food. Many people also aren’t familiar with the foods that they might receive at a food bank, or know how to cook them. People experiencing food insecurity often face judgement: Rough has discussed policies that prevent SNAP recipients from buying so-called “junk food,” like cake mix: “I don't care what assistance programs say that you can have access to, everyone deserves a birthday.” To critics who say that her recipes aren’t nutritious, she says, “You don't know what they have access to. You don't know if they have 50 cents in their bank account. I'm just here to make sure that they eat.”We want to hear about the recipes that have gotten you through hard times– send them to us at uncomfortable@marketplace.org. Or you can share any thoughts and questions in the form below.