The true cost of the holidays

As the High Holidays approach, Israeli families are preparing their festive meals. But this year, the joy of gathering around the holiday table is clouded by an uncomfortable truth: it’s becoming harder and harder for many households to put nutritious food on the table and at the same time, too much of what is bought ends up being thrown out.

According to new data from Leket Israel and BDO, the average Israeli household will spend about NIS 3,900 (approximately $1,050) on food this holiday season — a 20% increase compared to just a few years ago. Of that, roughly NIS 600 ($160) worth of food, much of it fruit and vegetables, will be thrown away. Nationally, that adds up to an astonishing NIS 1.4 billion ($380 million) in wasted food during Tishrei alone. At a time when the cost of living is already at historic highs, this kind of loss is not just wasteful, it is devastating.

The consequences of these rising costs and mounting waste don’t stop at the holiday table. A survey conducted by Leket Israel and the Midgam Research Institute among parents of elementary school children paints a troubling picture: 35% of parents said they have had to cut back on food items for their children’s school meals due to rising prices. One in three said the cost of food is the primary factor in deciding what to put in their child’s sandwich. Even more alarming, one in five parents — and nearly one in three in lower-income households — admitted they skip healthier options altogether because they simply cannot afford them.

This is not just about economics, it’s about health. When a family chooses a cheaper, less nutritious option because the price of fresh produce has become prohibitive, children feel the impact directly. Lunchboxes, once filled with vegetables and balanced meals, are increasingly shaped by what families can afford rather than what children need. In fact, while two-thirds of parents still strive to send what they consider a healthy meal, 66% admit their main priority is just ensuring their child isn’t hungry, even if it means compromising on nutrition.

And so, we face a painful contradiction. On the one hand, we are throwing away hundreds of millions of shekels’ worth of food each holiday season. On the other, more and more families cannot provide their children with the nutrition they need, either at home or at school.

This is where Leket Israel steps in. Ahead of the holidays, Leket Israel will distribute fresh food packages to 65,000 families across the country, each one filled with traditional holiday staples, ensuring dignity alongside sustenance. For 2,000 families, including evacuees still displaced, Leket will provide hot, nutritious holiday meals, because no family should sit around an empty table.

Beyond the holidays, Leket is working daily to bridge the gap between food waste and food insecurity. Through programs like Leket Briut – Nutrition Education, children gain both access to fresh fruit and vegetables and the knowledge of how to eat healthily, so that every child – regardless of family income – can go to school with a meal that nourishes both body and mind.

This holiday season, as we reflect on abundance, solidarity, and renewal, it is worth remembering that the true test of our society is not how much we consume, but how much we share. Rising prices and wasted food threaten the health and dignity of too many families. But by rescuing surplus food and redirecting it to those in need, by educating children and supporting parents, Leket Israel is showing that there is another way, one that ensures no one is left behind at the holiday table.

Shana Tova.