Food Insecurity in USA: SNAP Restrictions and Rising Hunger

Rising Hunger and SNAP

• 14% of U.S. households were food insecure in 2023.

• Hunger stays high: 1 in 4 L.A. families struggle to afford food.

• 2.4 million SNAP recipients face losing benefits next year from stricter work rules.

• USDA dropped the long-standing national food survey this year.

State SNAP Purchase Restrictions

• SNAP purchase restrictions are multiplying. Six new waivers now let states ban items from SNAP.

• Florida will bar soda, sweetened drinks, candy and desserts from SNAP starting April 2026.

• Other states follow: proposals in Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere would block "junk food" from food aid.

• Audits find roughly 20% of SNAP spending goes to sugary snacks and candy.

• States justify bans as health policy, but critics warn it tightens the nutrition safety-net.

Government Shutdown Strains Food Aid

• A 43-day federal shutdown last fall froze SNAP payments, leaving millions in limbo.

• Local food banks saw demand jump ~25% after SNAP paused.

• Emergency food programs like TEFAP and LFPA were also cut off, shrinking supplies for pantries.

• Food banks scrambled: many shifted focus to fresh produce since it became vital and easier to source.

• The gap in federal support means you fill the need. Nonprofit food banks rely on donors to cover shortfalls.

Food Waste and Policy Challenges

• In the US, about 40% of food is wasted each year. That is 120 billion meals—more than enough to feed all 47 million hungry Americans.

• Yet 13.5% of households still faced food insecurity in 2023.

• Policies under the Trump administration have compounded waste. For instance, canceled food aid programs and farmworker crackdowns have left crops to rot.

• Grocers offered discounts for SNAP clients during the shutdown, but USDA forbade it so all shoppers pay the same. This illustrates how policy hurts both hunger and efficiency.

How Nutrition Programs Help

• Federal nutrition programs save lives. Research shows CalFresh (California’s SNAP), WIC, and school meals cut hunger and poverty.

• Without CalFresh, an estimated 857,000 more Californians would live in poverty.

• School meals and WIC together keep hundreds of thousands of families afloat.

• Local food banks and emergency programs (TEFAP, LFPA) supplement SNAP during crises. Your donations fuel these food programs when budgets shrink.

What You Can Do

• Donate or Volunteer. Your support of local food banks and nutrition assistance programs directly feeds hungry families. A single cash gift provides dozens of meals.

• Advocate. Write your lawmakers. Support full funding for SNAP benefits and oppose restrictive waivers, which cut off healthy food access.

• Spread the Word. Share this newsletter and encourage neighbors to use SNAP or food pantries if needed.

• Choose Healthy. If you or someone you know uses SNAP, focus on nutritious staples. Every dollar counts.

Food insecurity in the USA is solvable if we act. You hold part of the solution. Protect nutrition safety-net programs and support local food banks so your neighbors do not go hungry.