Charlotte Tuttle

Expenditure Response to Increases in In-Kind Transfers: Evidence from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Economic theory predicts that households who receive less in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits than they spend on food will treat SNAP benefits as if they were cash. However, empirical tests of these predictions draw different conclusions. In this study, we reexamine this question using recent increases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, the largest of which was due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. We find that increases in benefits cause households to increase their food budget share by more than would be predicted by theory. Results are robust to a host of specification tests.

Time to eat? The relationship between food security and food-related time use

OBJECTIVES In the present analysis, we seek to establish a relationship between time spent on food-related activities and food security status as well as between time spent on these activities and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called the Food Stamp Program) participation and benefit level. DESIGN After matching similar households using Coarsened Exact Matching, we estimate the relationship between food-related time, food insecurity and SNAP participation and benefit level using a comprehensive data set that combines two subsets of the Current Population Survey from years 2004-2010: the Food Security Supplement and the American Time Use Survey. SETTING City, suburban and rural areas of the USA. SUBJECTS Non-institutionalized US population over the age of 15 years. Total sample size is 10 247 households. RESULTS In single households, food insecurity and SNAP participation are associated with 20% more time in meal preparation and 13% less time eating. Similarly, in married households, SNAP participation and benefit level are associated with 32% less time in meal preparation while food insecurity is associated with 17% less time eating and 14% less time in grocery shopping. CONCLUSIONS A significant relationship exists between time spent on food-related activities and food insecurity and SNAP. This implies that federal and state government may need to consider the time constraints many low-income households face when reforming food assistance programmes.

Ready-to-Eat Cereal Intake is Associated with an Improved Nutrient Intake Profile among Food Insecure Children in the United States

Food insecurity affects a significant percentage of US children. Food insecurity affects households through limited intake and by reducing dietary quality. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal and nutrient intake, the Healthy Eating Index, and adiposity by food secure status in children. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2008 were analyzed to categorize children ages 4 to 12 as either food secure or not food secure and as either those who eat cereal or those who do not eat cereal. Results indicated that cereal consumption was associated with a better nutrient intake profile and Healthy Eating Index for food secure and nonsecure children. Enhanced nutrient intake was greater among the food insecure children who ate cereal relative to food insecure children who did not eat cereal. These results suggest that access to foods rich in nutrition but low in cost, such as RTE cereal, may positively impact the nutritional effects of food insecurity.