A push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the U.S. program that helps low-income families pay for nutritious food has been tried before—but it may soon get a boost from new Trump administration officials.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly confirmed Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, and Brooke Rollins, the new Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary, have both signaled that they favor stripping such treats from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Kennedy has been most vocal, calling for the government to stop allowing the nearly $113 billion program that serves about 42 million Americans to use benefits to pay for “soda or processed foods.”
But removing certain foods from SNAP—known for years as food stamps—isn’t as simple as it sounds.
The program is run by the USDA, not HHS, and is administered through individual states. It is authorized by the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which says SNAP benefits can be used for “any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol, tobacco and hot foods, including those prepared for immediate consumption.
Excluding any foods would require Congress to change the law—or for states to submit waivers to restrict purchases. Over the past 20 years, lawmakers in several states have proposed stopping SNAP from paying for bottled water, soda, chips, ice cream, decorated cakes and “luxury meats” like steak.
In the past, Agriculture Department officials rejected the waivers, saying in a 2007 paper that no clear standards exist to define foods “as good or bad, or healthy or not healthy.” In addition, restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated and costly. And they might not change recipients’ food purchases or reduce conditions such as obesity.
Anti-hunger advocates point to research that shows SNAP recipients are no more likely than other low-income Americans to buy sugary drinks or snack foods. And they say that limiting food choices undermines the autonomy and dignity of people who receive, on average, about $192 a month—about $6.31 per day.
This article and video were provided by The Associated Press.
[Martina Santos shopping in a grocery store]
Martina Santos (interview): “I use SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to buy my necessities in the supermarket.”
[Santos shopping]
Martina Santos (interview): “Before, I used to eat candy, yes, why not? And buy me a soda. But not anymore.”
[Santos using an EBT card to purchase groceries]
Martina Santos (interview): “I started to eat healthy because all my family suffering from high blood pressure and heart disease. And I need to take care of myself because I need to live lots longer.”
[Food being bagged]
[Santos swiping her EBT card]
Martina Santos (interview): “For me, SNAP is to be used toward healthy food, to get people to avoid all the disease they’re having around right now.”
[West Side Campaign Against Hunger food distribution site]
[Woman accepting a bag of food]
Greg Silverman (interview): “We have a large number of people who are eligible for food stamps, whether it’s the parents and their children and their families. And people use a wide array of tools to feed their families throughout the month. They come to pantries, they use SNAP benefits.”
[Cartons of milk]
[Bin containing bags of food to be distributed]
Greg Silverman (interview): “We find a lot of this question of restricting choice is – to me, it’s counterintuitive. People know what’s best to do with their dollars for their health and for what their family wants. The problem is that their dollars don’t go far enough.”
[Tent over food distribution site]
Greg Silverman (interview): “You know, maybe you’re shopping for groceries, and you want to buy a soda with your SNAP benefits because, guess what, it’s your kid’s birthday and you want to have some–a sweet treat when you make a cake for your kid. Like, these are choices that people should be able to make.”
[Santos volunteering at West Side Campaign Against Hunger]
Martina Santos (interview): “Right now is difficult because everything is expensive. Right now is ridiculous. One dozen eggs, 12-13 dollars. It’s totally upside down. These food stamps are not helping like the way they’re supposed to be helping, because it’s not enough to be the whole month. You need to go out, to go into the pantry and to get, like, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit, like here.”
[Santos volunteering at West Side Campaign Against Hunger]
Greg Silverman (interview): “We have a health issue in this country. So if you want to fix the health issue, give people the dollars they need to buy the healthy food that they want.”
[Sign]
Greg Silverman (interview): “I don’t really think that individual choice is where we’re going to make public health outcomes better.”
[Food on shelves at a grocery store]
[WIC sign]
This script was provided by The Associated Press.