By Robin D. Everson
SNAP the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program previously known as Food Stamps has been assisting 41 million Americans with funds to provide food. It began in the late 1930s as America emerged from the Great Depression. It became permanent when, in 1964, President Johnson signed the Food Stamp Program legislation approved by Congress.
During the 2020 global pandemic, Congress approved additional funds as people were sheltered-in-place and unable to work. With more people at home instead of the workplace or at school, it was necessary to provide extra funds as children who normally receive school lunches were unable to receive them. The extra $95 a month was considered a godsend to those who were financially strapped and unable to pay for food. With fewer people working in the food production industries and more demand for food, food prices increased. Unfortunately, the extra $95 was not permanent and those additional funds ended in March 2023.
In October 2023, SNAP recipients received a cost-of-living bump. That bump could be considered a tiny pimple as for some it meant receiving an additional $10 per month in food benefits. The price of food continued to increase and inflation was a clear issue.
From a food industry perspective, manufacturers didn’t want to raise prices and risk losing customers loyal to their brands. Their solution was to redesign the packaging and make it smaller but keep the price the same as the larger package. This was the beginning of shrinkflation.
It didn’t take long for the people to see that their money wasn’t going as far as it used to. People who had relied heavily on SNAP to provide them with food were now in a predicament to use funds that were allotted for rent, utilities, clothing, medicine, and gasoline to put towards the shortfall in food.
Shrinkflation wasn’t just an issue that affected food. Shrinkflation was seen in everything from laundry detergent, and cleaning products to toothpaste, trash bags, and pet food. If it was sold to the public, then it was at risk of being redesigned to a smaller package and the price remained the same, or sometimes the price increased.
As people were sheltering in place, the need for food delivery services skyrocketed and companies like Shipt and Instacart saw their businesses boom. Even ride-share companies like Uber saw increases in their business as they provided food delivery services as part of their UberEats division.
Amazon’s Fresh grocery division also saw their orders increase and it was clear from their website that the price of food was a premium. Even the minimum order to escape costly delivery charges went up. It went up so much that people looked to other ways to get their necessary groceries. The minimum order amount to receive free delivery was $150. That is a tremendous amount to spend for a single person just for food. From personal experience, I didn’t use Amazon Fresh for two months because the minimum was too high. I wasn’t the only one and Amazon lowered its minimum delivery from $150 to $100. Lowering the minimum didn’t make food more affordable. Prices are still way out of line with the funds available to pay for them.
Here are a few examples of shrinkflation. Gatorade redesigned its 32-ounce bottle to a 28-ounce bottle. Also, grocery store chain ALDI which is known for its low prices redesigned packaging on products it carries. Even chocolate fan favorites like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have gone from 1.6 ounces to 1.5 ounces.
As the world slowly emerges from the pandemic and some people return to work there are still many more struggling to find suitable, stable employment. The decision to pay for food or pay for medicine is a serious problem.
What can one do when faced with rising food costs along with rising costs of everything around them?
Get smarter about food choices.
Here are seven tips to help you provide food for you and your family.
- Check out local food banks. Many companies donate surplus food to local food banks. What can be a tax write-off for them can be a bonus for you in providing staple goods like rice, beans, boxed meals, and sometimes fresh produce.
- Expand your menu. If what you receive from a food bank is food you’ve never heard of like Indian or Asian-inspired boxed meals, try it. Make one or two meals a week experimental food night.
- Shop at Farmers Markets. Many Farmer’s Markets take food stamps. To successfully do this window shop the market to see what vendors you would like to purchase items from and then go to the market office with a dollar amount that you would like to spend. The market office will issue you coins that represent dollars so won’t have to swipe your EBT card at different merchants. You will only swipe it once at the market office.
- Grow your own. This works well for herbs like chives, cilantro, parsley, and basil. While it is easier to grow a larger variety in the spring and summer months, you can still grow some items indoors during the winter months.
- Save your SNAP funds for fresh produce. Since food banks don’t always get fresh produce, your SNAP funds can be used at grocery stores for fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Buy basics in bulk. Items that you regularly buy are usually cheaper when purchased in bulk or large sizes. For example, a 40-ounce container of old-fashioned oats costs around $1.99 and can last for two months. Beans range from 79 cents to $2.00 a pound, last about a week, and can be used in a variety of dishes from refried beans to chili.
- Eat Whole Food. Making legumes/beans, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains most of the food you buy and consume will reap health benefits. Plus, they are cheaper to buy. The only reason why chicken, beef, pork, and fish are considered somewhat affordable is because of government subsidies. If you eat a whole-food, plant-based diet, you will be able to make your food budget last longer and you will benefit your health from the enriched vitamins and minerals that come from consuming whole foods.
We are in a different world than we were in 2020. Many things have changed, and we will also need to, not only to make it but thrive.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK206907/
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/short-history-snap
President Johnson signing legislation Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service
As a food and wine journalist, Robin’s diet was not conducive to good health. She had Type 2 diabetes and a host of other health issues. After adopting a healthy, whole-foods, plant-based diet she quickly became diabetes-free. Robin shares her interesting and unique view of the vegan lifestyle as the editor for The Only Vegan At The Table. www.theonlyveganatthetable.com
