Many farmers markets provide meals help packages, making farmers markets extra reasonably priced choices for communities. Learn extra about easy methods to use SNAP at farmers markets.
Unfortunately, many Americans are meals insecure (greater than 10%), and shouldn’t have entry to quite a lot of contemporary, wholesome meals decisions that match their cultural and private meals preferences. One approach that Americans are capable of battle starvation is by making use of for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This meals help program gives forty-five million Americans with month-to-month advantages that can be utilized to buy groceries and cut back the quantity of meals insecurity the family is experiencing. The excellent news is that SNAP {dollars} could also be used at native farmer markets as a strategy to allow households have entry to contemporary, regionally grown produce.
What is SNAP?
SNAP is among the USDA’s meals help packages that may assist households transfer away from starvation and meals insecurity. Individuals who meet the necessities for SNAP can apply within the state they at present stay in. The variety of folks which can be residing in your family, your month-to-month revenue, and variety of sources you will have decide the utmost month-to-month allotment that you could be obtain.
Households that obtain SNAP advantages are allowed to buy fruit, greens, dairy merchandise, breads, cereals, meat, fish, and poultry at grocery shops that take SNAP advantages. Individuals are usually not allowed to buy alcohol, vitamin dietary supplements, ready-to-eat prepackaged meals, or pet meals with SNAP advantages. These guidelines have been established to encourage households to succeed in for extra healthful choices. In the previous few years, SNAP individuals have been allowed to make use of their funds at native farmers markets.
SNAP at Farmers Markets
Being ready to make use of SNAP advantages at farmers markets has enabled extra contemporary, regionally grown produce to be bought by extra households. In 2017, twenty-four million SNAP advantages have been redeemed at farmers markets throughout the U.S. Although this quantity solely makes up about one p.c of redeemed advantages from individuals, increasingly people on SNAP are touring to their native farmers market to buy produce, construct relationships with farmers, and be taught the place meals comes from.
Double Dollar Benefits
When SNAP individuals use their advantages on the market, they’ll obtain double greenback tokens. These tokens are a reward for spending cash on the market. Individuals can obtain as much as twenty {dollars} in matched funds that can be utilized to buy extra produce on the market.
Benefits of SNAP Approved Markets
Participants who use their advantages at farmers markets are capable of take pleasure in regionally grown produce that’s scrumptious and nutritious. Also, it permits members to be taught extra about what produce is in season, how farmers produce meals, and the number of produce that’s accessible to take pleasure in. Not to say that this program helps households have entry to nutrient-rich meals which will assist fill in any nutrient gaps of their present weight-reduction plan. Plus, the advantage of connecting with group and the native meals system is promising!
To be taught extra about native meals, try these different blogs:
Making Local Foods Affordable
5 Benefits for Eating Local
The Many Benefits of Learning How to Grow Your Own Food
Written by Michelle Naragon, dietetic intern with Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN
Resources
Bolen, E. (2020). SNAP Boosts Retailers and Local Economies. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-boosts-retailers-and-local-economies
N.A. (2021). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Farmers Market Coalition. https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/advocacy/snap/
N.A. (2021). What Can SNAP Buy? USDA. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items