One quarter of Irish families say they don't have enough food to feed their children.
A survey by Barnardos found 26% of parents haven't been able to put meals on the table over the past year as the cost-of-living crisis bites.
The study conducted by Coyne Research on behalf of the children's charity also found 41% of families with children living at home reported consciously cutting back on food spending as the cost-of-living crisis is forcing families to choose between food and other essentials, such as energy costs.
Barnardos is reporting a marked increase in demand, with parents who've not previously used its services looking for food parcels with staples like bread, milk, cheese and ham so they can make school lunches.