An Analysis of the Affordability of Harvard, Mediterranean and DASH Eating Patterns for Individuals Enrolled in the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Our result suggests that reliance on fluid milk, allowance of more refined grains, starchy vegetables, red meat, added sugar and sodium and indifference toward food quality and freshness when calculating the maximum SNAP benefit reduces its cost in comparison to diets less reliant on fluid milk and more reliant on whole grains, fish, nuts, and fresh fruits and vegetables, a commonality shared by the HHEP, MED and DASH EPs. Health-centered alternative diets such as MED and DASH cannot be purchased with maximum allowable allocations of SNAP benefits, meaning that a poverty tax is placed on SNAP beneficiaries.