SNAP and Food Consumption

Hilary W. Hoynes, Leslie McGranahan, Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

This chapter describes the relationship between SNAP and food spending. It presents the neoclassical framework for analyzing in-kind transfers such as SNAP, which unambiguously predicts an increase in food spending, and follows with an explanation of the SNAP benefit formula. The chapter then presents new evidence from the Consumer Expenditure Survey on food spending patterns among households overall, SNAP households, and other subgroups of interest. Results show that a substantial fraction of SNAP households spend an amount that is above the program's needs standard and that small families are more likely than large families to spend more on food than the needs standard amount. Actual benefit levels are smaller than the needs standards, and most families spend more on food than their predicted benefit allotment. Because of this, the neoclassical model implies that most families treat their benefits like cash.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSNAP Matters
Subtitle of host publicationHow Food Stamps Affect Health and Well-Being
EditorsJudith Bartfeld, Craig Gundersen, Timothy Smeeding, James P Ziliak
Pages107-133
Number of pages27
StatePublished - 2015

Publication series

NameStudies in Social Inequality

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