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This bill would change what foods can be bought with SNAP benefits by having the Agriculture Secretary create a clearer list of approved food and food products. It would block some items that are now often seen as less healthy, such as soft drinks, candy, ice cream, and prepared desserts, while giving the federal government a regular role in deciding which foods should count. The goal is to steer SNAP toward healthier choices that better match nutrition science, public health needs, and the eating habits of different communities.
- The Secretary would have to issue rules within 180 days of the law taking effect to spell out which foods are allowed under SNAP.
- When making that list, the Secretary would need to consider foods that help fill common nutrition gaps in U.S. diets and support better health for SNAP users.
- The bill says the food choices should, as much as possible, have reasonable levels of fat, sugar, and salt.
- The food list would be reviewed at least every 5 years, and states could ask to substitute culturally familiar foods if the replacement is nutritionally similar and approved by the Secretary.
Official Summaries
Healthy SNAP Act of 2025
This bill amends the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to redefine the foods eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.
Under the bill, SNAP benefits may not be used for soft drinks, candy, ice cream, or prepared desserts, such as cakes, pies, cookies, or similar products.
Further, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must designate by regulation foods and food products to include in the SNAP definition of the term food. USDA must consider food and products that (1) based on nutrition research, contain nutrients lacking in the diets of people in the United States; and (2) promote the health of the population served by SNAP, based on relevant nutrition science, public health concerns, and cultural eating patterns. USDA must also, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the fat, sugar, and salt content of the food and food products are appropriate. At least every five years, USDA must review and amend the list.
In addition, prepared meals purchased with SNAP benefits must have nutritional values consistent with standards developed by USDA for the list of food and food products.
A state agency may substitute different foods for food USDA designated under this bill, with USDA approval, so long as the foods are nutritionally equivalent; this is permitted to allow for different cultural eating patterns.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 561 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 561
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require the Secretary to
designate food and food products to be made available under the
supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 13, 2025
Mr. Lee (for himself, Mr. Cramer, and Mrs. Britt) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require the Secretary to
designate food and food products to be made available under the
supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Healthy SNAP Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FOOD UNDER SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Definition of Food.--Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(k)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``except alcoholic beverages, tobacco'' and
inserting ``designated by the Secretary under section 4(d),
except any alcoholic beverages, tobacco, soft drinks, candy,
ice cream, prepared desserts such as cakes, pies, cookies, or
similar products''; and
(2) by striking ``clauses'' and inserting ``paragraphs''.
(b) Designated Food.--Section 4 of the Food and Nutrition Act of
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2013) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Designated Food.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall designate
by regulation the foods and food products that shall be
included in the definition of the term `food' under section
3(k)(1).
``(2) Considerations.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall--
``(A) take into consideration food and food
products that--
``(i) based on nutrition research, contain
nutrients lacking in the diets of people in the
United States; and
``(ii) promote the health of the population
served by the supplemental nutrition assistance
program, based on relevant nutrition science,
public health concerns, and cultural eating
patterns; and
``(B) to the maximum extent practicable, ensure
that the fat, sugar, and salt content of the food and
food products is appropriate.
``(3) Review of available foods.--As frequently as
determined by the Secretary to be necessary to reflect the most
recent scientific knowledge, but not less frequently than once
every 5 years, the Secretary shall--
``(A) conduct a scientific review of the food and
food products designated under paragraph (1); and
``(B) amend those foods and food products, as
necessary, to reflect nutrition science, public health
concerns, and cultural eating patterns.
``(4) Prepared meals.--Prepared meals described in section
3(k) shall have nutritional values consistent with regulations
developed by the Secretary under this subsection.
``(5) Cultural cuisines.--To allow for different cultural
eating patterns, State agencies may, with the approval of the
Secretary, substitute different food for food designated under
paragraph (1) subject to the condition that the different food
is nutritionally equivalent to the substituted food.''.
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