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Food insecurity hitting senior citizens, active military: ‘Absolutely crazy,' says chef and author

Robert Irvine joined "Fox & Friends" to discuss the effects of inflation on seniors and members of the military. He shared tips on how to lead a business through this time.

With inflation rising 0.5% from month to month, Americans everywhere are feeling the pressure in one way or another.

"I just officially gave up eggs," said on Boston-area senior citizen, who told FOX Business that a dozen eggs at her local grocery store cost over $5. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that inflation is up nearly 6.5% from last year — and many people are seeing this reflected in food prices. 

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"Restaurant: Impossible" host Robert Irvine joined "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday morning to discuss the serious issues of food insecurity for many across the country. 

"You can actually dine out cheaper than you can buy food, dine in and cook it yourself," said Irvine. 

The chef and founder of the Robert Irvine Foundation, which helps give back to military and first responder families, said seniors are seeing the negative effects of inflation. 

Irvine told co-host Steve Doocy that seniors cannot afford meat and dairy — leading many to show up at food banks across the country. 

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"Food banks have got more business today than we’ve ever had," Irvine said. 

Additionally, Irvine said that he was recently out helping over 1,000 active-duty military men and women who cannot afford to feed their families. 

Irvine also previewed his new book, "Overcoming Impossible," while giving his best tips for leading a business during tough economic times. 

His first tip was to build a team — and then to move to the next level. 

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Irvine suggested "empathetic leadership" as a mindset for business leaders, allowing yourself to really listen to the employees around you. 

"Listen to people who work with you," he said. 

This will not only help employees’ confidence: It will also help the leader better understand others’ thinking.

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He also recommended dropping the ego that may be present as a leader.

That ego, he suggested, could lead to people to resent the person in charge.

Lastly, Irvine said to trust people to do their job — noting that leaders should not try to take credit for other people’s work. 

"If you trust them to do their job, they will do it well," he said. 

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