Nearly 30% of South Dakotans Skip Meals
A first-ever state food assessment finds many residents stretching their budgets, with holiday food giveaways set for November 21.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Nutrition
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Have rising grocery prices caused you or your household to skip meals this year?
The South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative released its first-ever state food landscape assessment, finding that nearly thirty percent of South Dakotans surveyed skipped a meal to stretch their budget. The report matters to readers across the state as food costs rise ahead of the holiday season.
Why it matters
Rising grocery and fuel costs are making it difficult for some South Dakotans to afford food ahead of the holiday, and the assessment puts a state-level measure on food insecurity that had not been documented in this form before. Feeding South Dakota reports that food price increases are also reducing donations it receives, squeezing the supply available to families who need it.
The assessment pairs new survey data with interviews and feedback from families, grocers, and communities across South Dakota. Nearly thirty percent of the South Dakotans surveyed reported skipping a meal to stretch their budget, while Feeding South Dakota reports spending double its food budget.
The players
South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative
A statewide coalition focused on nutrition and food access that produced the first-ever South Dakota food landscape assessment.
Feeding South Dakota
The state's largest hunger-relief organization, distributing food in every county of South Dakota through pantries and mobile distributions.
The details
The report was produced by the South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative, a group of which Feeding South Dakota is a member. It combines survey results with direct input from families, grocers, and community members to describe how food access works across the state. Feeding South Dakota distributes food in every county, so its spending pressures reflect needs statewide rather than in a single city.
Timeline
November 2026: Thanksgiving season begins as rising food costs strain South Dakota families.
November 21, 2026: Thanksgiving meal giveaways take place in Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
December 2026: Holiday demand is expected to bring an uptick in people at mobile distributions and food pantries.
Health Landscape
This first-ever food landscape assessment from the South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative sets a state-level baseline for measuring food insecurity in South Dakota. Future editions will be able to show whether the share of residents skipping meals to stretch their budgets is rising or falling.
If you are facing tight food budgets this holiday season, Feeding South Dakota's Thanksgiving giveaways and pantry distributions are available to help. Anyone whose meals feel uncertain should talk with a physician or dietitian about nutrition planning that fits their situation.
The takeaway
Nearly thirty percent of surveyed South Dakotans skipping meals shows that food insecurity reaches well beyond a few households. If your budget is stretched, Thanksgiving giveaways on November 21 in Sioux Falls and Rapid City are an option to know about, and donations to Feeding South Dakota are being matched this month by the Greg and Pam Sands Foundation.
What happens next
Holiday demand at mobile distributions and food pantries is expected to rise through December 2026.
Further reading
For more on how food access shapes daily eating choices, browse our Nutrition coverage.
More information
Learn how to give or support the work at Feeding South Dakota's donation and giving options.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dakotanewsnow.
Live Poll
Have rising grocery prices caused you or your household to skip meals this year?
