CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Governor Reynolds says changes to SNAP will promote healthy eating and protect future generations from disease.
It would remove foods including soda and candy from SNAP, anything that people currently pay sales tax for at the grocery store.
The question is, are people on SNAP actually buying the unhealthy foods being taking out of the program?
“That stuff I don’t care about anyway.“ “The SNAP helps me provide staples that maybe I can’t get here or nothing comes in that week,” said two SNAP recipients.
These SNAP recipients TV9 spoke with said the changes to the program wouldn’t affect them at all.
The Iowa Hunger Coalition says the best way to get people to eat healthy food is to make healthy food cheaper. The nonprofit said the changes to SNAP carry the wrong message.
“Our elected officials, our state leaders don’t trust low income Iowans to make the best food choices for their family,” said Luke Elzinga, Iowa Hunger Coalition board chair.
So while the Governor says these changes to SNAP are a part of her initiative to make Iowa healthier. Some question whether the effort is being made in good faith.
“We don’t believe that this waiver request is going to increase health outcomes for folks because it does nothing to address the affordability and access issues around fresh fruits and vegetables,” Elzinga said.
The Iowa Hunger Coalition said the effort would have been better spent funding programs like Double Up Food Bucks, which gives SNAP recipients money to buy fresh fruits and veggies.
The Iowa Hunger Coalition also worries the discussion of making SNAP food options healthier will worsen the stigmas around people who participate in the program.
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