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Social Programs

Here is What Food Stamp Recipients Buy

Food stamp recipients spend significant portions of their allotments on junk food.

Social Programs Policy Rapid Response BlogMay 16, 2024 By Matthew Dickerson

Food stamp recipients spend significant portions of their allotments on junk food.

Top Items Purchased with Food Stamps
Rank Item Purchased Rank Item Purchased
1 Soft Drinks 11 Candy
2 Fluid Milk 12 Infant Formula
3 Ground Beef 13 Frozen Pizza
4 Bag Snacks 14 Refrigerated Juices/Drinks
5 Cheese 15 Ice Cream
6 Baked Breads 16 Coffee and Creamers
7 Cold Cereal 17 Cookies
8 Fresh Chicken 18 Water
9 Frozen Handhelds and Snacks 19 Shelf Stable Juice
10 Lunchmeat 20 Eggs/Muffins/Potatoes
Source: USDA.

As explained by Angela Rachidi and Thomas O’Rourke at the American Enterprise Institute, the food stamp program “has no nutritional standards, allowing participants to purchase any food or beverage product intended for consumption, except alcohol. As a result, data show that sizable portions of SNAP dollars purchase nonnutritious foods, such as sugary beverages and ultra-processed foods, which can lead to poor health.”


Read the EPIC Report: Food Stamps: A Culture of Dependency.

Author

Matthew D. Dickerson

Matthew D. Dickerson

Director of Budget Policy

Matthew D. Dickerson is Director of Budget Policy at the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC). Dickerson is recognized as an expert on fiscal policy issues, including the budget, appropriations, and entitlement reform. His articles have been featured in the Wall Street Journal , the Miami Herald , National Review , the Sacramento Bee , the Washington Times , the Baltimore Sun , The Hill , the Washington Examiner , and other outlets. Prior to joining EPIC, Dickerson served as Senior Policy Advisor on the staff of the House Budget Committee, where he helped lead development of the fiscal year 2024 budget resolution. He has a dozen years of experience on Capitol Hill, including as a senior staffer with the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the caucus of conservatives in the House of Representatives. Under four different RSC chairmen, Dickerson held senior level roles including Policy Director and Senior Policy Staff. Additionally, he served as Legislative Director and other policy positions for the late Congressman C.W. Bill Young (R-FL), a former Chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. During his tenure at The Heritage Foundation, Dickerson was Director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget. In this capacity, he oversaw a team of budget analysts and economists researching diverse subjects including spending, entitlements, budget process, tax, labor, pensions, and infrastructure issues. He has also been a Policy Manager at Americans for Prosperity, where he supervised a team of fellows and analysts covering a variety of federal and state policy issues. Dickerson is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and History.

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