5/30/2023 0 Comments Food stamps benefitsAs of October, the average monthly benefit was around $243, according to government data, which is higher than usual, due to special pandemic-era allotments in most states that are slated to last for the duration of the public health emergency. The program covers around 42 million Americans, many of them families with children. In comparison, SNAP is pretty free-wheeling-and immensely beneficial. ![]() ![]() While WIC has great perks, including free infant formula, such barriers can keep people from tapping into the program. That means people are limited to brown rice instead of white rice and whole-grain bread rather than white. For example, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as WIC, heavily regulates what users are allowed to purchase in an effort to ensure families receive specific nutrients. “A lot of people on the coasts, especially in the Northeast, love to tell poor people how to lead their lives and what they should be eating,” Gundersen said.Īnd there’s reason to fear any big conversations around what SNAP should cover: More restrictive welfare programs don’t always work well for poor people, according to Gundersen. For example, Michael Bloomberg wanted to block New York City food stamp recipients from purchasing sugary drinks and soda when he was mayor, and politicians on both sides of the aisle have attempted to stop the program from applying to “junk food.” One possible reason why: Beginning a discussion on what SNAP should or shouldn’t look like opens up the possibility of “nanny-state people” cracking down on SNAP recipients’ choices even harder, Gundersen said. “In my opinion, it’s a dumb, dumb rule,” said Gundersen, who’s a professor at Baylor University. In Craig Gundersen’s 25 years researching the program, however, he hasn’t heard much discussion about whether it should be entirely eradicated. The level of convenience there is about the same, and probably even the cost, but one is prohibited and one is acceptable.” “Some things just don’t make sense-that you can buy a frozen meal from the freezer section and go home and put it in the microwave, and that’s OK, but if you prepare a salad at the salad bar, that’s not. “I think there’s room for certainly lessening the regulations to allow some prepared food,” Roof said. Brian Fitzpatrick to introduce a bill allowing SNAP benefits to be used for hot foods and certain prepared foods. ![]() Grace Meng and Bobby Rush joined with Republican Rep. During times of natural disaster and severe weather, state governors have also requested federal waivers to ensure people could use their food stamps on hot meals at certain retailers.Īny other changes, though, would likely require action from Congress. Some homeless, elderly, or disabled people can even use their food stamps at authorized restaurants if their home state opts into an initiative called the Restaurant Meals Program. “What’s kind of built into it is the idea that you shouldn’t be getting advantages that, say, a struggling lower-middle-class family is unable to get if they can’t afford prepared food, then somebody on food stamps shouldn’t be able to afford prepared food,” Roof said.Įxceptions to the rule do exist: Elderly people can use food stamps to purchase prepared food from certain organizations, while homeless people can purchase hot food from shelters and soup kitchens.
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