No family should ever have to choose between hunger and dignity. Iowans deserve the flexibility to use their nutrition benefits on warm, ready-to-eat meals that make life a little easier – especially for working parents.
That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Hot Foods Act, a bipartisan, commonsense bill that would give families the flexibility to use their SNAP benefits on warm, ready-to-eat meals. Whether it’s a rotisserie chicken, hot soup, or a warm sandwich—these are simple, nutritious meals that too many Americans are currently restricted from purchasing with their food assistance.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps over 40 million Americans put food on the table. However, an outdated rule prevents recipients from using their benefits to buy hot foods—even though they can buy the cold or frozen version of the exact same meal. That makes no sense.
Bottom Line: Modernizing SNAP benefits to cover hot foods helps ensure all Iowans have access to the meals they need, when they need them.