A growing number of children in single-parent households are eating two meals or fewer a day during school holidays, as rising food and utility prices place additional pressure on families already struggling to make ends meet, according to a survey by Tokyo-based nonprofit Good Neighbors Japan.
The group surveyed 2,105 parents and guardians in early June, all of whom use its food bank program “Good Gohan,” which distributes free groceries to low-income single-parent households. Around 96.1% of respondents were women, and 53.5% were in their 40s. Many families said the absence of school-provided lunches during long breaks leaves them unable to cover rising food costs.
For 61.3% of respondents, household finances become “much harder” during school holidays, while 36.4% reported that things become “somewhat harder.” The most common coping mechanism at 62.9% was for parents to reduce their own food intake, with some noting that even their children had started holding back.
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