Timing of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits and Families’ Home Food Environments

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are designed to buffer families from food insecurity, but studies suggest that most benefits are used by midmonth. In this study, we examined whether the home food environment varies across the SNAP benefits cycle among participating families . METHODS Participants in this mixed-methods study were 30 SNAP participants who were primary caregivers of a child ages 4–10 years. The home food environment was measured 1 week before SNAP benefit replenishment and again within 1 week after replenishment by using the Home Food Inventory. Household food insecurity was assessed by using the US Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey. Wilcoxon rank tests were used to evaluate changes in median Home Food Inventory subscales and food insecurity pre- to post-replenishment. Qualitative interviews with participating caregivers were conducted to explore contextual factors influencing the home food environment across the benefits cycle. RESULTS Participants had significantly fewer types of vegetables (median: 7.0 vs 8.5, median difference 1.73, 95% confidence interval: 0.5–2.5, P = .03) and higher food insecurity pre- versus post-replenishment (median: 4.0 vs 2.0, median difference 1, 95% confidence interval: 0.1–1.5, P = .03). Caregivers described employing a variety of intentional strategies to reduce cyclic variation in food availability. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that there is relatively limited cyclic variation in the home food environment among families participating in SNAP. This may be explained by a number of assistance programs and behavioral strategies caregivers used to make food last and buffer against scarcity. Future research should evaluate the relationship between the degree of home food environment changes and child health outcomes.

Food Insecurity in the Rural United States: An Examination of Struggles and Coping Mechanisms to Feed a Family among Households with a Low-Income

“…Many families struggled with getting their children to eat enough food or healthier meals. Families with a low-income often do not have the time or resources to cook specific meals for children, to experiment with different types of food, try foods multiple times, and have the added worry that if a child does not like a meal, it could be a waste of resources [54][55][56]. Participants in this study demonstrated additional obstacles for feeding children that are unique to food insecurity, along with the struggle of picky eaters [48,51,53,[57][58][59][60].…”

“…Affordability was mentioned frequently as a struggle to eat, despite most participants reported usage of formal support systems such as SNAP and WIC and informal support systems such as friends and family. This finding was not surprising as food insecurity is often driven by a lack of financial resources [4][5][6][54][55][56]. Particular to the rural context, participant's reliance on their network for food or financial support was notable.…”