Solidarity through food: Coping with food insecurity among adolescent migrants in transit through Mexico and Central America

The food choices of migrants are frequently limited by lack of access to sufficient and adequate food. Food insecurity (FI) during adolescence has potential negative health consequences, however the experiences of FI of adolescent in-transit migrants have seldom been reported. To explore the experiences of FI of adolescent in-transit migrants and their ways of coping with it. Qualitative study, with 19 semi-structured interviews with adolescents (ages 13–19 years), in shelters for migrants in Mexico in 2022–2023. We followed a reflexive thematic analysis strategy. Most participants had experienced FI during the journey, and responded by limiting intake, choosing food according to price, seeking temporary work or asking for food or money in the streets. We defined “solidarity through food” as a central theme that summarized participants’ experiences of sharing food with other migrants, as givers or recipients. Solidarity through food was a response to FI, benefitting the more disadvantaged (e.g. young children, those who had been robbed). Despite their young age, interviewees took part in this, giving their food to others and restricting their intake to prioritize younger siblings. Solidarity through food was a form of generalized reciprocity, enacted not only among family members or friends, but extended to other migrants sharing the route. In further studies, it will be important to explore the role and nuances of food sharing as a practice of social exchange of responsibility and care, on adolescent migrants’ health, and in their psychological and relational development into adulthood. •We report on food-related experiences of a hard to reach and understudied population: adolescent in-transit migrants.•Food-sharing in the context of transient communities has seldom been described.•Sharing food with other migrants was a common response to food scarcity.•Participants shared food with family, but also with previously unknown migrants.•With this, adolescents took part in social exchanges of responsibility and care.