"It's the basic necessities that are going up in price," Mr Goff said, citing milk, bread, fruit and vegetables.
"People are living on the edge of the poverty line. I don't know how people on average wages can afford to eat meat."
Wairarapa Labour candidate Michael Bott said he had been talking to Wairarapa families and many were struggling to make ends meet.
"Those kids often haven't had breakfast because they couldn't afford it."
Supergran Marie McAnulty said members went to the food bank earlier this week and 10 food parcels were given away in one day.
She said an average food parcel contained staples like pasta, canned tomatoes and sausages.
Mr Goff also made a trip to The Ohorere Student Education and Transition Programme on Wednesday, where he spoke with concerned teachers, staff and other school principals.
The school is struggling to find the funding it needs by the end of this year.
"You're doing it on the smell of an oily rag," he said.
Teacher-in-charge Chris Webb said the school needed about $200,000 to stay open next year, "the reality is equipment needs upgrading".
Masterton Intermediate School principal Frazer Mailman said the school was the only one like it in the country, and was a place for children to go instead of being excluded from mainstream education.
"In the last 18 months that has extended to all children across Wairarapa," he said.
Mr Goff asked those who had been fighting for the school's survival to send him copies of correspondences with MPs so he can "follow up" on them.
