Mealtimes are special times in Texas. It's around the breakfast or dinner table that we share the stories of what we hope our day will be or what our day was all about. Every day from Austin to Amarillo and Waskom to Wichita Falls and all points in between there is a discussion about food. Texans don't just eat to live, we live to eat and that shows up in some of our favorite recipes.

Photo by Peter Bravo de los Rios on Unsplash
Photo by Peter Bravo de los Rios on Unsplash
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But for many Texans who are home cooks the "what's for dinner" question is often curtailed by the question "what can we afford" for dinner. Almost one in eight residents of the United States gets some kind of food assistance. In Texas, that number equates to about 10% of the state's population, so any change in benefits is a big deal in Louisiana.

United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
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If proposed legislation passes many Texas SNAP users will see a significant change in their current benefits. No, the dollar amount and their food purchasing power will not change. What will change are the different kinds of foods and types of foods that your SNAP benefits will pay for. 

Under the Healthy SNAP Act, those who receive SNAP benefits will no longer be able to use government money to buy junk food. The proposed changes to SNAP benefits would exclude the purchase of soft drinks, ice cream, and prepared desserts such as pies, cakes, cookies, and other similar products.

Food.com
Food.com
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While this might sound harsh, the facts surrounding the bill make pretty good sense. About 20% of all SNAP spending goes toward junk food. About 75% of adults and 33% of American children are currently overweight or obese. Perhaps curtailing the ability to purchase unhealthy foods would help make great strides in the overall health of our nation.

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