The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has long been a crucial lifeline for millions of Americans facing food insecurity. Each year, approximately 42 million people rely on SNAP to meet their food needs. However, recent proposals from the Trump administration and Congressional leaders to roll back SNAP benefits nationwide are raising alarms, with many wondering how these cuts would impact their local communities. New data from the Urban Institute sheds light on just how significant the gap between SNAP benefits and local food costs could become if these cuts move forward.
A proposed rollback of the 2021 update to the Thrifty Food Plan — which determines the amount of SNAP benefits — would leave recipients with insufficient support to meet even the most basic meal costs in any U.S. county. According to the Urban Institute, the average meal cost would surpass the maximum SNAP benefit by 51%, leaving recipients on average $105 short per month.
