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Analysis of actual transactions in a grocery store shows that households enrolled in the U.S. government's Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) purchase more unhealthy hedonic food, compared with households that do not receive SNAP benefits. SNAP households purchased more unhealthy hedonic food regardless of whether they used government funds or cash to pay for their purchases. Three follow-up simulated grocery shopping studies were designed to understand the mechanisms underlying this food consumption pattern by SNAP households. SNAP households, compared with households that do not receive SNAP benefits, reported stronger food craving. Stronger food craving was associated with lower unhealthiness perception of hedonic food. Overall, the results suggest that food cravings can reduce perceptions of unhealthiness and thus increase unhealthy food purchases. Interventions that reduce the effect of food cravings on shopping decisions might reduce unhealthy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Families participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) experienced barriers to accessing healthy food during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we do not yet understand how WIC participant food purchases shifted during the pandemic. Objectives: We aimed to describe the association between the initial shock of the pandemic in March 2020 and WIC shoppers' food purchases and changes in purchases before and during the pandemic at a top grocery chain and examine differences in these relationships by duration of WIC use. Methods: We used longitudinal food transaction data from WIC shoppers (n = 2,989,116 shopper-month observations from 175,081 unique WIC shoppers) from 496 stores in a top grocery store chain in North Carolina between October 2019 and May 2021. We used an interrupted time series design to describe the following: 1) the relationship between the initial shock of the pandemic and WIC shopper food purchases and 2) differences in purchases before and during the pandemic. To assess differences in purchases between shoppers consistently using WIC electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards and shoppers starting or stopping WIC EBT use during the pandemic, we used models stratified by WIC group. Primary outcomes were share (%) of total calories purchased from fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes (FV), processed foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Results: We observed small decreases in the share of total calories from FV (-0.4%) and small increases in the share of calories from processed food (1.1%) and SSBs (0.5%) purchased at this retailer when comparing the pre and post March 2020 periods. Compared with shoppers that started or stopped using WIC benefits during the pandemic, shoppers that used WIC benefits consistently had slightly higher FV and lower processed food and SSB purchases at this retailer. Conclusions: Future studies should examine whether additional supports for nutrient-dense food choices may be needed for families with low incomes in public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This excerpt is the chapter titled "The Cultural Appropriation of Collard Greens: Food Insecurity and the ClimateCrisis" from Before The Streetlights Come On: Black America's Call for Climate Solutions (BroadLeaf Publishing, 2023). The chapterlinks together climate crisis, policy, and food deserts. Produce inflation—like the absurd pricing of three collard green stalks in a health foods store, just miles from boundless fields of homegrown greens—is a phenomenon of global warming's effect on farming and its broad implications on the global food system. Such implications contribute to the growing number of food deserts across the US and their direct correlation to climate crisis and our current governmental food assistance program's shortcomings. Toney reveals Black Americans' response to this injustice, and how the nation at large can learn from the solutions being surfaced by the Black community, like vegan lifestyles, cruelty-free animal care, and home gardening. The very community disproportionately affected by climate crisis can lead the way in changing it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore perceptions of online grocery shopping and the online United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer card (EBT) program among Head Start caregivers. Three focus groups were conducted between December 2019 and January 2020. Most participants hadn't tried online grocery shopping. Concerns included others choosing perishables, receiving wrong items, and inappropriate substitutes. Perceived benefits included saving time, preventing impulse buys, and eating healthier. Results have broad applicability in the current COVID-19 pandemic where online grocery shopping and the online SNAP EBT program have rapidly expanded across the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant recent changes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is that the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandated the conversion of the program to an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system by October 1, 2020. This mandate has led to some technical challenges and policy issues. Focusing on the adoption of a generic price look-up (PLU) code, an important EBT mechanism intended to facilitate the redemption of fresh produce, this research examines how different mapping approaches in using the generic PLU code are associated with WIC participants' cash value benefit redemption. Using the redemption data of 121,021 Virginia WIC participants in 2015, the first year after the full implementation of the EBT system in Virginia, the authors identified three groups of WIC participants based on their exposure to the generic PLU code. Results show that WIC participants who had ever been exposed to the generic code tended to have a significantly higher fruit and vegetable redemption rate than those who had never experienced the generic code. The authors also conducted a qualitative study to provide insights regarding the potential mechanism underlying the hypothesized relationships. Relevant policy implications and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the U.S. e-commerce sector has expanded steadily since the beginning of the twenty-first century. Topics include examines in 2020, this sector accounted for several percentage of total retail sales nearing the global average of several percentage and represent increase over 2019; and considered a significant component underpinning this momentum is the growth of online food retailers and ordering services.

As studies examining the effectiveness of food security interventions collectively are sparse, this review examined the most effective community-based and system-level interventions that have increased nutritious food consumption across food-insecure populations. Following PRISMA-guidelines, 22 articles included were classified into six categories: Educational and Behavioral Programs; Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Programs; Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer; Discounted Food Options; Emergency Food Assistance Programs; and Multicomponent Programs. This review concludes that future considerations for positively impacting food security and nutritious food intake should give attention to community and system-level multicomponent interventions that address the specific social and economic barriers facing the target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the relationship between cash value benefit (CVB) redemption outcomes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) across food processing types and socio-demographics. Design: Cross-sectional and panel analyses. Setting: Virginia. Subjects: 98,067 Virginia WIC households. Measures: CVB redemption rate. Results: The predominant share of CVB redemption was for fresh produce (77.3%). Non-Hispanic whites and blacks redeemed a smaller share of fresh produce than Hispanic participants (P <.001). Non-Hispanic black WIC households have a significantly lower CVB redemption rate than non-Hispanic white WIC households (β = −.008, P <.001). Households with a child participant tend to have a higher redemption rate (β =.01, P <.001). The redemption rates of fruits and of vegetables were positively correlated with household size. Conclusions: Minority status and household size were significantly related to CVB redemptions among Virginia WIC participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on supply side funding gaps inherent to financial inclusion schemes that threaten their efficacy and sustainability. We model the double bind problem that providers of banking services for the poor face as they struggle to achieve economies of scale to drive down average fixed financial infrastructure costs, while average account balances are low due to insufficient income. This model is applied to the Prime Minister Jan-Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) financial inclusion scheme in India, that was started in 2014. An innovative approach based on cross sectional bank level data from 2014 till 2017 is used to quantify the incentives and costs involved in targeting unbanked households. This gives a monetary estimate of the economic shortfalls or surpluses for participating banks, measured as bank balances relative to outlay costs and subsidies per PMJDY beneficiary. A lack of economic viability of PMJDY accounts is found in the majority of Indian public sector banks, a matter which is problematic in view of their extant financial fragility. We provide evidence for cross subsidization of rural bank accounts by urban accounts. We use fixed effects panel methods to determine what cost public sector banks bear and also quantify the extent to which account ineffectiveness is ameliorated by exogenous factors, primarily the tie up of PMJDY accounts with bio-metric Aadhar cards and electronic direct benefit transfer of G2P payments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: WIC provides food assistance to low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children ages 1- 4. A partial redemption (PR) occurs when a participant redeems only a portion of the prescribed benefit, thereby not obtaining the full nutritional benefit. We study the magnitude and determinants of PRs using electronic benefit transfer data.Design/setting: Statistical analysis of all WIC transactions from Feb 2016 to Nov 2018.Subjects: Oklahoma WIC participants.Measures: The probability of a WIC household fully redeeming a food category. A random effects probit model is used to study determinants of PRs.Analysis: Estimate the marginal effects of key variables on households' likelihood of full redemption: location-urban/rural, number of members in WIC, duration in the program, number of shopping trips, shopping venue, and prescribed foods.Results: Overall 18.5% of $ value of benefits are unredeemed, 29.3% excluding formula. Some foods have PRs > 40%. Only 17.3% of households fully redeem benefits in a given month. PRs increase with number of household members in WIC and duration of participation. PRs are lower for participants in rural locations, who shop more frequently, and who shop at WIC-specialized stores.Conclusions: Food packages with high PRs fail to impart prescribed benefits. Results pinpoint products and household characteristics associated with PRs, enabling targeted nutritional counseling and suggest food package choices need to be made with participant acceptance in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research shows that the way transfer income is disbursed can affect what households purchase with that income. In this paper, I provide evidence that disbursement technique can affect the timing of purchases as well. I examine the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which switched on a state‐by‐state basis from cash‐similar food coupons to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)—a secure debit card—from 1993 to 2004. I find that EBT mitigated boom and bust cycles in food spending associated with SNAP disbursement. This effect is entirely driven by households with children (about two thirds of the SNAP population), who experienced more severe cycles prior to EBT. The effect operates only through the intensive margin—the amount spent on food during a shopping trip—and not at all on the extensive margin—the likelihood of going food shopping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a P–Sn@G composite is synthesized using a direct high-energy ball milling (HEBM) method with P, Sn, and expanded graphite (EG). The in situ formed few layered graphene (FLG) prevents the formation of Sn4P3 and establishes strong Sn–C and P–C co-bonding in the resultant P–Sn@G composite. Excellent lithium storage is also revealed due to the key effect of FLG to benefit the electronic transfer and buffer expansion stress of the electrode from Sn and P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) placement at farmers' markets can reduce access disparities for low-income consumers. However, resources needed to operate EBT programs may challenge markets' business models. A conceptual model of factors impacting EBT program success was developed from literature, and an exploratory study conducted to assess the impact of model variables on market EBT sales.Design: Annual EBT sales data were obtained for all Hawai'i farmers' markets with EBT programs (n 22). Key informant interviews (n 19), along with records review, were performed to gather data on model variables. Exploratory analysis was conducted to estimate the impact of individual model variables on EBT sales.Setting: Farmers' markets accepting EBT in the state of Hawai'i.Participants: Market managers and EBT program partners (n 19).Results: Markets engaging in community partnerships $\left( {{\mkern 1mu} {\mkern 1mu} \Delta \overline x = \$ 852} \right)$, consumer education $\left( {{\mkern 1mu} {\mkern 1mu} \Delta \overline x = \$ {\rm{598}}} \right)$, social media promotion $\left( {{\mkern 1mu} {\mkern 1mu} \Delta \overline x = \$ {\rm{732}}} \right)$ or EBT incentives $\left( {{\mkern 1mu} {\mkern 1mu} \Delta \overline x = \$ {\rm{5}}0{\rm{9}}} \right)$ averaged higher sales than markets not reporting these practices. Sales increased by $3 for every ten additional SNAP-participating households and decreased by $35 for each competing EBT-accepting supermarket, grocery or farmers' market within the market's access area. Sales increased by $137/vendor for each additional hour/week the market was open.Conclusion: Factors suggested by the model, particularly community engagement and partnership, marketing methods, consumer base and competition for EBT sales in the market area substantively affected EBT sales. Assessing these factors may identify markets with the greatest chance of EBT success and suggest ways to strengthen struggling EBT programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Partnerships to Improve Community Health Project focused on making improvements to farmers' markets, including adding welcome signs and accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Electronic Benefit Transfer as a payment option. To evaluate these efforts, we examined the associations between farmers' market shopping frequency and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among farmers' market customers before and after establishing improvements at three time points between 2015 and 2017. After Year 1, there was a significantly higher proportion of high FV purchasers in farmers' markets with more amenities (57.3%) versus markets with fewer amenities (41.1%) (odds ratio = 1.92, 95% confidence interval = 1.14, 3.25). After Year 2, there was a greater proportion of customers that were high FV purchasers in markets that accepted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Electronic Benefit Transfer (SNAP/EBT) (64.9%) when compared to those surveyed in markets that did not accept SNAP/EBT (30.3%) (OR = 4.26, 95% CI = 1.77, 10.24). Customers' produce consumption decreased from 4.99 servings/day in 2015 to 4.48 servings/day in 2016 and went back up to 4.86 servings/day in 2017 (p = 0.09). Body mass index (BMI) was inversely associated with frequency of shopping at farmers' markets (p value = 0.01). Results indicate that adding SNAP/EBT to farmers' markets may bolster customers' FV purchases, and shopping at farmers' markets with enhanced amenities more frequently may be associated with a lower BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although nearly all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are redeemed, a moderate share of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) benefits go unredeemed. Some hypothesize that the redemption rate differences are due to the lower density of WIC-authorized retailers. For the 2012 Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children sites, this paper finds no consistent evidence of a relationship between redemption rates and retailer proximity. In fact, households often travel past the closest participating retailer to redeem their benefits. These findings are consistent with recent "food deserts" literature, which suggests that correlations between retailer environment and nutritional outcomes are not causal. Rather, it appears that differences in redemption rates may be related to the restrictions on what foods can be redeemed in what form with WIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • eWIC reduces time and potential stigma for WIC recipients. • Transition to eWIC increased household WIC benefit redemptions. • Introduction of eWIC had no impact on purchases of other goods. • There is potential for states to partner with grocers to improved WIC redemptions. Abstract Evidence shows that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is underutilized. WIC enrolls 52.7% of eligible persons and participants claim a fraction of available benefits. Researchers suggest that people underutilize WIC because of the time needed to enroll in and use WIC and because participants may believe that, if others notice them participating in WIC, community members will stigmatize them. Recently enacted policies may reduce both time costs and potential for stigma associated with WIC. Congress mandated that, by 2020, all states disburse WIC benefits through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (eWIC) system. Given that eWIC reduces the time required for each transaction and and makes it more difficult to identify beneficiaries, we expect WIC redemptions to increase. In addition, eWIC might also increase the chance WIC recipients choose non-WIC foods for redemption increasing non-WIC expenditures. To measure the impact of eWIC on WIC redemptions and non-WIC food expenditures we analyze data on grocery expenditures of 11,887 WIC-participating households in one state over the period it implemented eWIC. We find that, after beneficiaries began redeeming WIC benefits through eWIC, spending on non-WIC eligible foods did not change but redemptions of WIC benefits increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses how CARES of Farmington Hills, Michigan, responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. CARES is a front-line food pantry that serves nine cities in Michigan. Before the pandemic, the pantry operated as a client-choice, self-serve food pantry. However, when the pandemic hit, the distribution process changed to a drive-up system with no personal contact. Volunteers also had to adapt to new roles and responsibilities. CARES was able to build relationships with food suppliers and obtain grants, which helped reduce the cost of food. Additionally, CARES became licensed as a Bridge Card store, allowing them to accept SNAP EBT payments. The clothing room was converted into the new SNAP store, which offers lower-cost prices for families with Bridge Cards. Any profits made from the store will be used to supply food for the free pantry. CARES hopes to restore the client-choice pantry once the pandemic is over. Throughout the pandemic, CARES also provided volunteers for mobile food pantries in their parking lot. Overall, CARES demonstrated flexibility and responsiveness in meeting the increased needs of their community during the pandemic. [Extracted from the article]