Weekend reading: SNAP reports

While Congress is trying as hard as it can to cut funding for SNAP and impose work requirements, it’s worth taking a look at some recent reports:

• The Nutritional Quality of Foods Acquired by Americans: Findings from USDA’s National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey outline possible influences on the foods Americans purchase or otherwise acquire, including consumer income levels, food stores/sources, food-source access, and participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Access the entire report here (41 pp.). A two-page summary is here.
• SNAP Versus Non-SNAP Household Food Acquisition Habits: A recent USDA Economic Research Service study found that SNAP households acquire about the same amount of calories per adult equivalent as non-SNAP households, while spending fewer dollars and relying more on school meals and food from family and friends. Read the findings here.
• How Far Do SNAP Benefits Fall Short of Covering the Cost of a Meal?  From the Urban Institute, this analysis explores the adequacy of SNAP benefits today. The analysis found the benefit does not cover the cost of a low-income meal in 99 percent of US continental counties. According to the analysis, the average cost of a low -income meal is $2.36. This is 27 percent higher than the SNAP maximum benefit per meal of $1.86, which takes into account the maximum benefit available to households of varying sizes.

Thanks to the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior for collecting these reports.  I’m a member.