ABSTRACT
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD SECURITY STATUS AND FOOD COPING STRATEGIES AMONG FAMILIES RECEIVING FREE NUTRITIOUS MEALS
At Brotonegaran Elementary School 1, Ponorogo
By : Nisrina Fauziah Balqish

This study examined the relationship between household food security status and hunger coping strategies among families participating in the Free Nutritious Meals program at Brotonegaran 1 Elementary School, Ponorogo. Food security status was defined as a family’s ability to obtain sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, while hunger coping strategies were the actions families take when facing food shortages.
A descriptive-analytic design was used with 153 parents or guardians selected by random sampling. Two validated instruments were administered: the Food Security Survey Module to assess food security status and the Hunger Coping Scale to measure coping strategies. Data were analyzed using statistical tests to evaluate associations between variables.
Results showed that 65 families (42.5%) were food secure, 71 families (46.4%) experienced occasional food shortages, and 17 families (11.1%) frequently experienced shortages. Regarding coping strategies, 94 families (61.4%) employed mild strategies, 44 families (28.8%) used moderate strategies, and 15 families (9.8%) used extreme strategies. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between household food security status and the level of hunger coping strategies (p < 0.05). Families with better food security tended to use fewer and less severe coping strategies, whereas those with greater food insecurity relied more on moderate to extreme strategies.
These findings highlight the importance of improving household food security in order to reduce the use of harmful coping strategies. Such efforts can be achieved through the optimization of the Free Nutritious Meals Program, as wellas through social assistance and food aid for low-income families.

Keywords: Food Security Status, Food Coping Strategies, Household Food Security, Free Nutritious Meals, Family.