SNAP Benefits: What the Passage of the Hot Foods Act Could Mean for Families
Written by
Josephine Nesbit
Edited by
Daria Uhlig
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More than 100 lawmakers are pushing for the passage of the Hot Foods Act in the 2023 Farm Bill, legislation that could allow SNAP recipients to buy hot and prepared foods using their benefits.
U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia is leading the bipartisan effort, calling on the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee leadership to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to purchase hot food products at grocery retailers through the program, the Augusta Free Press reported.
“Hundreds of thousands of Virginia households rely on SNAP to feed their families. But right now, an outdated provision prevents SNAP recipients from using their benefits to purchase hot foods — meaning working parents can’t purchase a hot sandwich or rotisserie chicken from the grocery store,” Spanberger said.
Currently, SNAP rules prohibit the use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot and prepared foods. Disaster SNAP — which provides replacement benefits to SNAP recipients who lose food in a disaster — is the only exception.
According to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), these rules create unnecessary barriers to food security and better health and well-being for SNAP households, especially for older adults, those living with a disability, those experiencing homelessness and those experiencing specific challenges cooking meals.
The ban on hot prepared foods also reinforces “time poverty” that low-income households face, especially parents working multiple jobs, FRAC added. A 2021 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed that 30% of SNAP participants noted a lack of time as a barrier to making healthy meals from scratch.
If the Hot Foods Act passes, over 41 million SNAP recipients could use their benefits to purchase hot, ready-made meals for immediate consumption.
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