#econofnyc class
Initially, I wanted to challenge Blake on the importance of the scale of SNAP, providing food assistance for New Yorkers at or below 130% of the poverty line. However, after researching the particulars, it is clear that the program is far from perfect.
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SNAP does in fact reach a huge audience: 38 million people nationwide in 2019 alone. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Research, 1 in 7 New Yorkers participated in SNAP in 2019, 26% of which had an income at or below 50% of poverty. https://bit.ly/3iF97nO 
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However, I agree that investing in food pantries is an essential way to ease the purchase and distribution of cheap bulk food to existing local networks. Furthermore, I found that SNAP benefits are calculated off outdated food plans rooted in nutritional inequality.
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After researching Blake’s claim that SNAP does not adequately address food prices in NYC, I found that SNAP food prices are calculated based on the Department of Agriculture’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP).
https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/usda-food-plans-cost-food-reports-monthly-reports
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Looking into this pricing, the TFP outlines a monthly “thrifty plan” of $671.30 for families of 4, while the equivalent “liberal plan” is more than double that, at $1,337.60 per month. These stark differences led me to question the specifics of food choice allotment…
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I understand that healthy foods are normal goods, meaning that, for example, higher-income people can afford to eat more fruits, seen in the 2007 data used to calculate SNAP rates:
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However, why isn't nutrition objective? Babies on a “thrifty” plan are allocated 1.58 lbs of whole fruits weekly, compared to the 3.66 lbs that babies on a “liberal” plan get. Also, why use the euphemism “thrifty”? This phrasing implies an individual choice in caloric intake.
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