The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been under fire since its budget calculation was based on an outdated formula that does not reflect how people actually eat. The program, which provides food assistance to millions of Americans, uses a subsistence-level diet as the basis for determining how much recipients can spend on groceries each month.
Experts say that the Thrifty Food Plan, which has been in use since 1975, relies on unrealistic and out-of-date ideas of American eating habits. As a result, recipients typically end up using 80 percent of their benefits in the first half of each month, leaving them struggling to make ends meet.
SNAP is facing significant budget cuts under President Trump’s signature legislation, with some lawmakers calling for the program to be completely eliminated. The plan has been criticized for its time-consuming and complex cooking methods, which can be difficult for recipients to follow.
Advocates argue that SNAP should be serving more Americans, not fewer, and that the current funding constraints are limiting its effectiveness. With millions of Americans relying on the program, experts warn that the cuts could have serious consequences for those who need it most.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/dining/snap-recipients-government-shutdown.html