Are Harvest Boxes Making A Comeback?

According to Politico, the White House will re-up its call for replacing some SNAP benefits with a monthly "harvest box" of nonperishable foods like peanut butter and canned fruit — an idea widely panned by anti-hunger advocates and repeatedly rejected by lawmakers.  An administration official said the change would give states more room to innovate and deliver resources to recipients' homes more quickly.

The official suggested that because there's demand among high-income consumers for similar meal-kit-delivery services, it would also work for lower-income families.  The push for paring SNAP benefits comes as USDA is steaming ahead with its own regulatory changes that would result in lowering spending and participation in the program.  A rule set to take effect in April would crack down on states' ability to waive work requirements for certain SNAP recipients, booting, according to USDA, nearly 700,000 people from the program.

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