The specific objective of this paper is to determine expenditure patterns of rural households with a view to evaluating factors which make households more food secured. Expenditure patterns of households participating in the Farmer Support Programme of DBSA were analysed and compared with no-participants in two areas, Lebowa and Venda. It is evident from the results of this study that a high proportion of rural households in Lebowa and Venda food insecured. Results also show that the provision of support services to subsistence farmers will help alleviate food insecurity.