Healthy SNAP Act: Restricting junk food purchases and promoting nutritious options.
This Act changes the rules of the SNAP food assistance program by introducing a list of designated foods. This means program funds cannot be spent on sweets, ice cream, cakes, soft drinks, alcohol, or tobacco. Instead, the government will focus on promoting nutrient-rich foods that are often lacking in American diets, aiming to improve beneficiaries' health. State agencies can propose nutritionally equivalent food substitutions to accommodate cultural eating patterns.
Key points
Purchase Restrictions: SNAP funds cannot be used to buy soft drinks, candy, ice cream, cakes, pies, cookies, alcoholic beverages, or tobacco.
Designated Food List: The Secretary of Agriculture must create a list of foods allowed under SNAP, prioritizing items that promote health and contain necessary nutrients.
Regular Review: The list of allowed foods will be scientifically reviewed and updated at least every five years to reflect the latest nutritional science.
Cultural Flexibility: State agencies may propose food substitutions to accommodate local and cultural eating patterns, provided the substituted food is nutritionally equivalent.
Introduced
Citizen Poll