Changes in key food purchasing practices of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-eligible older adults following SNAP benefit receipt.

Abstract

Little is known about how the utilization of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest federal food assistance program, affects food purchasing practices (FPP) among low-income older adults who typically have low SNAP participation rates. This study examined changes in FPP of SNAP-eligible non-participating older adults as they became SNAP recipients. A longitudinal mixed-methods approach was employed to assess six key FPP constructs among 10 SNAP-eligible non-participating older Georgians (median age: 65.5 [IQR 62.5, 73.25], 80% female, 100% African American) at three time points: (a) before SNAP benefit receipt, (b) 1 month after SNAP benefit receipt, and (c) 3 months after SNAP benefit receipt. Data were collected using individual in-depth interviews, interviewer-administered surveys, food purchase receipt collection, and grocery shopping trip observations. Appropriate exploratory and descriptive data analyses were conducted. Changes occurred in all six FPP constructs following SNAP benefit receipt. Participants shopped primarily at supermarkets, reporting shopping fewer times per month, while increasing the number of purchases per trip. Participants supplemented their SNAP benefits with their own money, reported spending more on groceries, purchased more types of foods, and employed strategies like comparison shopping. The findings suggest that SNAP benefit receipt affects FPP of low-income older adults and that identifying changes in key FPP related to SNAP benefit receipt could inform strategies to maximize the impact of SNAP benefits on improving food security and nutrition of low-income older Americans.