INTERACTIVE LOOK: More than 350,000 New Mexicans face food insecurity as meal costs climb
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The number of people facing food insecurity in New Mexico has been rising year after year.
According to Feeding America, more than 350,000 New Mexicans are facing challenges in getting enough food.
Feeding America says there are multiple factors that can contribute to food insecurity.
Food insecurity happens when families cannot access enough food due to lack of money or other essential resources. These factors can be linked to income, expenses, access to health care, and other barriers that prevent families and communities from obtaining enough food.
The 2025 Map the Meal Gap survey studied food insecurity in New Mexico and data shows more and more children and seniors are facing food insecurity with a food insecurity rate of 23.3% among children.
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While the SNAP threshold in New Mexico has risen from 165% to 200% of the federal poverty level, nearly 25% of New Mexicans facing food insecurity in 2023 still don’t qualify.
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At the county level, rural counties show a slightly higher rate of food insecurity than metro area counties like Bernalillo and Doña Ana counties. McKinley and Luna counties had the highest food insecurity rates in the state.
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The cost of meals is mixed year-by year.
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According to Feeding America, the average cost of a meal is calculated by taking the average dollar amount spent by food-secure individuals per week and is then divided by 21. This averages 3 meals per day at 7 days per week.
In New Mexico, the average cost of a meal rose from $2.95 in 2019 to $3.32 in 2023. The cost peaked at $3.71 in 2021.
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Many rural areas of New Mexico have higher per meal costs than more populated areas of the state.
Colfax and Taos counties have a per meal cost of over $4.00 while Bernalillo County has a per meal cost of $3.56.
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Despite this, Roadrunner Food Bank said New Mexico is doing better than neighboring states. “You look year over year and the numbers tick up a little bit and you’re like, oh, we’re doing worse. But the reality is in looking at the whole picture, we are actually holding pretty steady in the face of some challenges that have really hit some other states a lot harder,” Katy Anderson with Roadrunner Food Bank said.
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Anderson feels more work is needed to get more food on the plates of New Mexicans but is hopeful for the future. “A lot of really important and meaningful legislation that was put forward that I think is going to continue to impact us in a positive way in our state as we see other states potentially having more and more challenges. I think New Mexico is going to hold steady, in the face of, of issues. That’s a positive thing,” Anderson said.
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Dining and Cooking