Protect SNAP Choice Day of Action - Iowa Hunger Coalition The Iowa Hunger Coalition is hosting a day of action to protect SNAP choice on Monday, March 24, from 11:00am-4:00pm at the Iowa State Capitol. We welcome you to join us for as long as you can wheneve...

The Iowa Hunger Coalition is hosting a Day of Action to Protect SNAP Choice on Monday, March 24 - learn more and RSVP here: www.iowahungercoalition.org/2025/03/22/p...

A few reflections on #snapchallenge25 so far:

- it's a lot harder than I remembered
- grocery shopping made me more nervous and anxious than I expected
- I'm incredibly fortunate to have a partner to help, nice kitchen equipment, and years of experience cooking
- not getting enough fruits and veg

Today I had peanut butter toast with banana for breakfast, a salami sandwich for lunch, and spaghetti and meatless meatballs for dinner.

On Monday, I had yogurt and a banana for breakfast, and leftovers for lunch (tofu bowl) and dinner (tacos). Also shared some popcorn with my daughter for an evening snack.

On Sunday, I made ground beef tacos for lunch and fried tofu rice bowls for dinner. Altogether it was nearly an hour and a half of meal prep, which I'm not sure how I would have done without my spouse watching our daughter. And of course I had to make chips and cheese that evening.

My meal plan included tacos, fried tofu rice bowls, spaghetti and meatless meatballs, peanut noodles, chili, and sandwiches. I got a frozen pizza just in case. Hardest part was choosing between snacks to get for my 4-year old daughter. The very last item I added to my cart was chocolate ice cream.

On Sunday, I went shopping at my local Aldi where I usually buy groceries. I had a top limit of $126 for the week, and made a meal plan and grocery list ahead of time. I had to make some tough decisions to stay within my budget. Here's my receipt:

I've been participating in the #snapchallenge25 since Sunday but have been bad about posting updates, so here goes.

This week, my family of three is limited to $18/day for all food and beverages (the average daily SNAP benefit is roughly $6/day).

Here's how it's been so far:

HSB 216, which would severely limit which foods Iowans could purchase with SNAP, has a subcommittee this Wednesday, February 26, at 12pm.

Iowa should stop trying to play the food police and instead invest in real solutions that will help SNAP participants and furthermore ALL Iowans have greater access to healthy, locally-grown food.

Not to mention, the definitions aren't very clear, raising questions about other products. Is applesauce okay, even if it has added cinnamon? Are hot dogs considered "real meat" if the definitions specifically refers to "muscle tissue?"

- frozen prepared foods
- granola bars and protein bars
- seeds and starter plants
- olive oil and other cooking oils
- infant formula and baby food varieties that are not included in the WIC-approved list
- much, much more

So what would be banned from SNAP under HSB 216? Well, it's quite a long list.

- spices, seasoning, salad dressing, and condiments
- salsa and pasta sauce
- bottled water, seltzer, coffee, and tea
- macaroni and cheese, hamburger helper, and ramen
- chips, crackers, and cookies

Yesterday, Iowa House HHS Chair introduced HSB 216, which seeks to enact sweeping food restrictions for SNAP. This bill pushes the false notion that low-income Iowans cannot be trusted to make the best food choices for their families.

this is the same basic dynamic as the way the media refuses to call him fascist or say Musk gave a Nazi salute: the thing that is being done has implications that cannot be faced, so it cannot be said to be happening

SSB 1012 is sponsored by Sen. Klimesh, who is the chair of Senate HHS. A subcommittee meeting has already been scheduled for next Wednesday, January 22 at 2pm - you can testify in person or online. Sens. Klimesh, Lofgren, and Trone Garriott are assigned to the subcommittee.

1st week of the Iowa legislature has wrapped up - thankfully to date we've only seen good bills introduced i/r/t hunger and food access

SSB 1012 - $1 million for Double Up Food Bucks

HF 59 - Grocer reinvestment fund and fruit and vegetable processing grant

SF 58 - Healthy School Meals for All

In December 2023, Sen. Chuck Grassley co-authored a letter with Rep. Chip Roy, calling for cutting SNAP benefits in the Farm Bill. The average Iowa SNAP household would have their monthly benefits slashed by over $70.

www.iowahungercoalition.org/2023/12/18/i...

So I asked why it was even worth engaging with her if the programming was disrespectful and inaccurate.

This was the response.

Changes in Americans’ Racial Attitudes Have Increased Support for Welfare Objective This article documents changes in Americans’ attitudes toward redistributive policy since 2012 and explores the extent to which we can rightfully credit the increases in support for govern...

Americans historically opposed government welfare b/c of racism (not wanting to help Black people).

New study shows: anti-Black racism has decreased, w/ within-person changes predicting more support for redistribution policies.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

#PrejudiceResearch

One of the Republican proposals to pay for extending Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy is to cut SNAP. This would slash benefits by $70/month for the average Iowa SNAP household. All while hunger and food insecurity continue to climb.

washingtonpost.com/business/2025/…

Summer EBT - Iowa Hunger Coalition Sign the Organizational Letter Calling on Gov. Reynolds to Participate in Summer EBT in 2025 Iowa has until January 1st to submit a Notice of Intent to USDA to operate Summer EBT in Iowa in 2025. The ...

The Iowa Hunger Coalition is circulating a sign-on letter for organizations calling on Gov. Reynolds to participate in Summer EBT in 2025. Nonprofits, faith communities, businesses, local govs, school boards, etc. - all are welcome to sign. Deadline 12/13.

www.iowahungercoalition.org/summer-ebt/

Summer EBT - Iowa Hunger Coalition Sign the Organizational Letter Calling on Gov. Reynolds to Participate in Summer EBT in 2025 Iowa has until January 1st to submit a Notice of Intent to USDA to operate Summer EBT in Iowa in 2025. The ...

The Iowa Hunger Coalition is circulating a sign-on letter for organizations calling on Gov. Reynolds to participate in Summer EBT in 2025. Nonprofits, faith communities, businesses, local govs, school boards, etc. - all are welcome to sign. Deadline 12/13.

www.iowahungercoalition.org/summer-ebt/

Pete Hegseth’s Secret History A whistle-blower report and other documents suggest that Trump’s nominee to run the Pentagon was forced out of previous leadership positions for financial mismanagement, sexist behavior, and being rep...

Pete Hegseth was forced to step down from both of the nonprofit advocacy groups that he ran in the face of serious allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety, and personal misconduct, @janemayer.bsky.social reports.

And Jesus entered the temple and said to the money changers, "You are an important part of the local economy and I'm looking forward to working with you"

Governor Reynolds, get serious about addressing food insecurity in Iowa | Opinion The simple fact is that when parents have more money for groceries, they can make more nutritious choices for their children, writes Luke Elzinga.

My op-ed in today's Des Moines Register

www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinio...

Trump selects budget chief to 'dismantle the Deep State’ The president-elect selected the author of a chapter of Project 2025 for a senior administration posting.

NEW: Trump selects Russ Vought, architect of Project 2025, to lead White House budget office

Vought helped Trump craft plans to purge the Justice Department, deploy the military to quash civilian unrest, & massively expand presidential power over spending

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Nope, not a surprise in the slightest.

USDA denies Iowa plan for delivery of summer food boxes The USDA said Iowa failed to provide “compelling evidence of the potential benefits of an untested alternative model.” Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa will reapply for a waiver under the new Trump adminis...

USDA has rejected Iowa's Summer EBT "waiver request" to operate a meal box program. Gov. Reynolds says the state will re-submit the request to the Trump administration.

www.thegazette.com/state-govern...