9 ways to stretch your food budget when SNAP benefits get cut

Kevin Curry, founder of the Fit Men Cook fitness and food community, graduated from Harvard's Kennedy School in 2008 right into the recession and couldn't find work. He signed up for SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — and the caseworker's response stuck with him: "Don't be ashamed. This is a bridge from where you are to where you're going."

After the November 2025 government shutdown delayed SNAP funding and left 42 million recipients facing cuts and uncertainty, Curry started sharing practical strategies with his social media followers. NPR's Life Kit collected nine of them.

SNAP users can check if their state offers Double Up Food Bucks, which matches EBT dollars spent on produce — effectively doubling your fruit and vegetable budget. The USDA's National Hunger Hotline (1-866-348-6479, weekdays 8am–8pm ET) can find current food pantries near you, which is more reliable than googling since many listings go stale. Shopping multiple pantries is fine — different locations stock different items, and Curry says: "There is dignity in having choice and variety."

Many major chains (Albertsons, Aldi, Kroger) release markdowns on Wednesdays, and meat and bakery items get cut at end of day. Apps like Flashfood and Too Good to Go sell food that's close to expiring at steep discounts. Curry also suggests just asking the cashier — "Workers are people too. They know how it feels."

Curry's demonstration spent $16 on potatoes, ground turkey, an onion, a bell pepper, cheese, enchilada sauce, and a can of black beans — ingredients that produced baked potatoes stuffed with beans and turkey, savory waffles, cheesy bean dip, and a frittata.

Previously:

• "Groundless lifetime ban" prevents grocer with a drug-dealing conviction from serving neighbors who rely on food stamps
• Collectives and non-profits feed the hungry. Some people want to make it illegal.
• Groceries not cheaper yet, except these nuts