Source: EconLog
by Craig Richardson
“Upon receiving their EBT card, SNAP recipients are eligible to buy any fresh or frozen food in grocery stores, but also are free to purchase candy, ice cream, soft drinks, donuts, chips, and even birthday cakes. If it’s a consumable food or drink item and non-alcoholic, it’s fine to put it in the grocery cart. Amazon even has EBT-eligible gift baskets overflowing with luscious chocolates, fine nuts, and toffees. Yet these same families can’t use their EBT card to purchase a freshly roasted rotisserie chicken, hot soups, steamed vegetables, warm pasta, or other prepared foods that are available for convenient takeaway at grocery stores. … This stems from a rosy idea in the 1964 legislation that families should come home from work and prepare a nutritious dinner. Banning hot food would encourage people to learn how to cook.” (02/13/25)
https://www.econlib.org/why-cant-food-stamps-be-used-for-a-rotisserie-chicken/