The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, has long been a lifeline for millions of low-income Americans, helping them put food on the table during tough times. In 2025, however, the program faces unprecedented changes that threaten to disrupt the lives of over 40 million recipients. A sweeping budget reconciliation bill passed by the House of Representatives in May 2025 proposes cuts of nearly $300 billion to SNAP over the next decade, marking the largest rollback in the program’s history. These cuts, combined with stricter work requirements and restrictions on what foods can be purchased, are already causing alarm among families, advocates, and local businesses. For many American households, the sudden reduction in aid could mean choosing between groceries and other essential expenses, exacerbating food insecurity and economic strain.
The Scale of the SNAP Cuts
SNAP serves over 42 million Americans each month, providing an average of $187 per person to purchase groceries. The program is a critical anti-hunger tool, particularly for families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities, who make up about 90% of recipients. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the proposed cuts would reduce SNAP funding by approximately $290 billion through 2034, a nearly 30% reduction in the program’s budget. This would result in an estimated 3.2 million people losing access to benefits entirely, while millions more would see their monthly allotments shrink significantly.
The cuts are part of a broader budget reconciliation effort, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” aimed at offsetting the cost of extending tax cuts from the Trump administration’s first term. House Republicans argue that the reductions target “waste, fraud, and abuse” in the program, but critics, including the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), contend that the changes will harm the most vulnerable Americans. “The House Republican plan would take away food assistance for millions who struggle to afford the high cost of groceries, including families with children and other vulnerable people with low incomes,” said Ty Jones Cox, vice president for food assistance policy at CBPP.
How the Cuts Affect Families
The proposed changes to SNAP include several key provisions that will directly impact households. One of the most significant is the expansion of work requirements. Currently, able-bodied adults without dependents, aged 18 to 54, must work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month to receive benefits for more than three months in a three-year period. The new bill extends this requirement to adults up to age 64 and includes parents with children over the age of 6. This means that caregivers who were previously exempt may now face the loss of benefits if they cannot meet the work threshold.
For families like that of Rook Smith, a college student in Oregon, these changes could be devastating. Smith, who receives about $300 a month in SNAP benefits, relies on the program to cover food costs while juggling school and part-time work. “It would start changing the calculation from ‘how do I make this stretch to meet my needs?’ to ‘how much food do I need to eat in order to survive?’” Smith told NPR. For parents like Church, a rural Oregon mother who left her job to care for her children, one of whom has high needs, the new rules pose an additional challenge. Finding childcare in her area is nearly impossible, and her family’s $450 monthly SNAP benefit is a critical part of their budget.
Another change involves shifting a portion of SNAP funding to states. Starting in 2028, states would be required to cover 5% to 25% of SNAP benefit costs, depending on their error rates in administering the program. States would also need to pay 75% of administrative costs immediately upon the bill’s passage. Critics warn that many states, already stretched thin, may be unable to cover these costs, leading some to scale back or even abandon their SNAP programs. In Wisconsin, for example, the Department of Health Services estimates that the state could lose $314 million in federal funding, forcing difficult choices about how to sustain the program.
Restrictions on Food Purchases
In addition to funding cuts, the Trump administration has introduced policies to restrict what SNAP recipients can buy. In June 2025, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that three more states—Utah, Idaho, and Arkansas—would join others in banning the purchase of sugary foods and drinks with SNAP benefits. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also proposed extending these restrictions to ultra-processed foods, citing concerns about chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. While these measures aim to promote healthier diets, critics argue they create unnecessary stigma and bureaucratic hurdles for recipients.
“Controlling how the poor eat is a paternalistic response to a problem that is not based in SNAP recipients’ inability to make good decisions about healthy foods,” said Valerie Imbruce, director of the Center for Environment and Society at Washington College. A 2024 study by PlushCare found that unhealthy foods are consistently cheaper than healthy options, making it harder for low-income families to afford nutritious groceries without adequate benefits. Restricting food choices without increasing benefit amounts could further limit access to affordable food, especially as food prices have risen by 23.6% between 2020 and 2024, according to the USDA.
Economic and Social Impacts
The proposed SNAP cuts don’t just affect recipients; they ripple through local economies. SNAP benefits are spent at grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and small businesses, supporting jobs and economic activity. In 2020, SNAP created nearly 200,000 grocery industry jobs and an additional 45,000 jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation. According to the National Grocers Association, reductions in SNAP funding could threaten these jobs and the billions in wages and tax revenue they generate. Rural grocery stores, which rely heavily on SNAP customers, would be particularly hard hit.
SNAP also plays a critical role in reducing poverty and food insecurity. In 2023, the program lifted more than three million people out of poverty, including nearly two million people of color. Black and Hispanic households, which are more likely to rely on SNAP due to systemic economic disparities, would be disproportionately affected by the cuts. In 2023, 23.3% of Black households and 21.9% of Hispanic households experienced food insecurity, compared to 9.9% of non-Hispanic white households. The proposed cuts could exacerbate these disparities, pushing more families into hunger.
Children are particularly vulnerable. SNAP reduces food insecurity among children by about 30%, and research from Children’s HealthWatch shows that benefit reductions are linked to higher risks of developmental delays, poor health, and maternal depression. “SNAP is one of the most effective tools we have to fight food insecurity and inadequate access to enough food,” said Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP Deputy Director at Children’s HealthWatch. Cutting benefits could reverse decades of progress in improving child health and development.
What’s Next for SNAP?
The budget reconciliation bill still needs Senate approval, and there is hope among advocates that the proposed cuts could be scaled back. Some Republican lawmakers, particularly those representing high-SNAP-participation districts, have expressed concern about the cuts’ impact. “While we fully support efforts to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse, we must ensure that assistance programs—such as SNAP—remain protected,” a group of GOP lawmakers wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
However, with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress, the bill faces fewer obstacles than it might have in a divided government. If passed, the cuts could take effect as early as October 2025, though the USDA would likely issue advance notices of any changes. For now, SNAP recipients are advised to keep their information updated with their state’s SNAP office and monitor updates through the USDA’s SNAP website.
Table: Impact of Proposed SNAP Cuts by State (Estimated Annual Funding Loss, 2028)
|
State |
Estimated Annual SNAP Funding Loss ($M) |
Affected Households (Thousands) |
|---|---|---|
|
California |
1,200 | 1,500 |
|
Texas |
900 | 1,200 |
|
New York |
800 | 1,000 |
|
Florida |
700 | 900 |
|
Pennsylvania |
636 | 800 |
|
Wisconsin |
314 | 400 |
|
Georgia |
500 | 650 |
|
Illinois |
450 | 600 |
|
Ohio |
400 | 550 |
|
Michigan |
350 | 500 |
A Call to Action
As the Senate debates the budget bill, advocates urge Americans to contact their representatives to oppose the SNAP cuts. “Now is not the time to take food away from seniors, children, veterans, and working families,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas. For families relying on SNAP, the stakes are high. The program’s ability to respond to economic downturns, like recessions, has historically stabilized communities. With economic analysts predicting a 60% chance of a recession in 2025, cutting SNAP could leave millions more vulnerable.
For those at risk of losing benefits, local food banks and community organizations offer some support, but they cannot replace the scale of federal assistance. Families are encouraged to verify their eligibility and explore other resources, such as Double Up Food Bucks, which increase SNAP dollars for fresh produce. As the nation grapples with rising food costs and economic uncertainty, protecting SNAP remains critical to ensuring no American goes hungry.