I used to wonder this too, and it's a much more nuanced (like everything!) problem than just money/calories. But the point you make is more or less addressed in

I used to wonder this too, and it's a much more nuanced (like everything!) problem than just money/calories. But the point you make is more or less addressed in any literature or documentation on food issues in the US should you care to find it. I suppose here's the modern starting point for most people engaging with a topic they don't understand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_in_the_United_States