When there is no food, people are really creative and find new ways to survive. They look for alternatives and keep going, even when things are tough.

Eat less or lower-quality food—or not eating at all

Sometimes, people may eat smaller amounts of food to make it last longer, like having just a small piece of bread instead of a whole sandwich. When food is hard to get, people might eat rice or beans more often because they are cheaper than other foods like meat or fruits. Some people may have to eat foods like plain rice because they don’t have enough money to buy their favourite meals. And when there is nothing to eat, people just skip breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Ask the neighbours for help

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Have you ever tried this? You’re super hungry, and go to your neighbour, saying, 'Hey, if I clean your shoes, can you give me something to eat?' People help each other with food and work together as a team when times are tough! But here’s the tricky part: even if everyone helps each other out, it’s not enough in the long run. It’s kind of like sharing one pizza slice among all your friends—it works at first, but eventually, the slice is just too small for everyone to get a full bite!

Foraging

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Foraging is like going on a treasure hunt in nature to find things we can eat! When people don’t have enough food, or just want to try something fresh and natural, they can look around their environment for wild plants, fruits, nuts, and even mushrooms. In some parts of the world, people have been foraging for thousands of years! For example, kids might collect wild berries, gather nuts, or find edible leaves like dandelion greens. It’s important to only pick foods you know are safe, though, because some plants are not good for eating. However, foraging is unreliable and takes a lot of energy and time to collect enough food to feed your family.

• Have you ever had to eat smaller meals or simpler foods to make things last?
• Is there a time when you’ve eaten the same food again and again because it was the only thing available?
• Have you ever asked someone for food when you were really hungry, like a friend or a neighbor?
• If you had to skip a meal to save food, which one would you skip? Why?
• Have you ever found any wild plants or fruits around your home that are safe to eat? What did you find?
• If you went on a nature treasure hunt to find food, what would you hope to discover?