A bipartisan Congressional coalition has introduced legislation that would blaze a new sales channel for restaurants, convenience stores and other food-away-from-home establishments.
The bill would reverse the longstanding prohibition against using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to pay for hot ready-to-eat meals. Currently, the aid can only be used to purchase cold or uncooked foods.
“Millions of American families rely on SNAP daily to put food on the table. It simply doesn’t make sense to restrict them from using their benefits to buy hot meals while allowing them to buy the exact same type of meal cold or frozen,” Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) said in introducing the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The proposal, known as the Hot Foods Act, was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Michael Bennett (D-CO).
Co-sponsors to date include Republicans in both chambers of Congress. It currently has 78 co-sponsors in total.
The use of SNAP benefits to pay for hot ready-to-eat foods has been prohibited because of fears the recipient would indulge in lavish restaurant meals instead of securing basic sustenance for themselves and their families.
Changing the law could have a significant impact on restaurants. Because take-and-bake pizza concepts sell chilled pies that are baked at home and hence are covered under SNAP rules, representative chains like Papa Murphy’s has collected as much as 15% of its revenues from participants in the aid program. The percentage dropped to 8.8% last year after benefits were cut.
“How Americans shop and eat has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, but SNAP policy hasn’t kept up with the times,” said Henry Armour, CEO of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). “The Hot Foods Act is a commonsense solution that gives low-income families the same flexibility that other consumers enjoy when purchasing meals.”
The legislation has been endorsed by NACS and such nonprofit groups as the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), First Focus Campaign for Children, Feeding America and Hunger Free America.
However, passage is less than a certainty. This congressional session marks the second time the act has been introduced in the House.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.