Why a 2023 SNAP Study Matters Right Now: Lessons for Today’s SNAP Cuts

A recently published study examining SNAP benefit cuts in 2023 offers timely insight into what many families are facing again today. Although the research focuses on Virginia households affected by the end of pandemic-era emergency SNAP allotments, its findings are especially relevant as new SNAP changes under H.R. 1 take effect.

The policy details differ, but the core question is the same:

What happens when families suddenly have less money for food?

What Families Experienced in 2023:

When emergency SNAP allotments ended in March 2023, families across Virginia saw sharp reductions in monthly benefits.

According to the study:

• More than 80% of families surveyed lost SNAP benefits

• Four in ten families surveyed lost more than $100 per month

  
  

These cuts occurred in a post-COVID economy where food prices remained high and household budgets were already under pressure. The impacts were immediate: food insecurity rose, families struggled to afford enough food, and fresh fruits and vegetable purchases became harder to afford due to higher cost. This research provides real-world confirmation of what predictive models had anticipated.

How Today’s SNAP Cuts Compare:

Under H.R. 1, SNAP reductions are expected to be deeper and longer-lasting than the 2023 cuts.

For Virginia families today:

• Average SNAP reductions are projected at $112 per month

• That equals about 31 meals per month, or roughly one meal per day

• An estimated 445,000–447,000 households are at risk of losing some or all SNAP benefits

  
  

Unlike the 2023 changes, which followed the end of temporary emergency benefits, today’s reductions are structural and ongoing, meaning their impacts may accumulate over time. 

Why the 2023 Findings are Relevant Today: The Virginia Fresh Match study shows what happens when SNAP purchasing power drops:

• Families shop less often and change where they shop

• Food insecurity increases

• Fresh produce becomes harder to afford

  
  

These patterns are not unique to the pandemic period. They reflect how households respond when food budgets shrink, regardless of the policy reason behind the cuts. The 2023 findings offer a preview of how families may respond again as new SNAP reductions roll out.

One of the most important lessons from the study is that nutrition incentives helped soften the blow of significant SNAP cuts. 

Families using Virginia Fresh Match:

• Maintained their fruit and vegetable intake despite SNAP cuts

• Continued using incentives at high rates

• Prioritized shopping where SNAP dollars could be stretched via VFM

  
  

The study suggests that nutrition incentive programs can help protect access to healthy food during periods of reduced SNAP benefits, even when overall food insecurity rises.

The study also highlights broader ripple effects:

• Changes in shopping habits affect farmers markets and local food retailers

• Reduced purchasing power threatens fresh produce sales

• Nutrition incentives help stabilize demand for locally grown food

As SNAP benefits are cut, programs like Virginia Fresh Match play a dual role, supporting both household food access and local food economies.

This research makes it clear that we have seen SNAP cuts before in Virginia, and we know how families in particular are affected. As new SNAP reductions take effect under H.R. 1, the experiences of Virginia families in 2023 offer valuable insight into what may lie ahead, and underscores the importance of protecting tools, like Virginia Fresh Match, that help families and communities weather these changes.