The national average cost of food is higher than the plan’s estimates by around 49%. The plan does not reflect the reality of the cost of food. The actual allotment in Ohio is averagely 253 while the plan’s budget is averagely 649. These figures show a huge difference from the plan's forecast. It means that the needy residents of Ohio cannot achieve even the bare minimum in nutrition needs. The allotment money is less than the plan’s budget by around 70%. The difference between the plan's cost, national average, and allotment figures reveals that the plan is ambitious in its design may not achieve its goals. It makes the plan's implantation flawed, compromising the quality of life for these people.
The Thrifty Food Plan is great idea aimed at helping the needy to acquire basic nutrition for their families. Low-income families get to have a way to supplement their income and keep their families healthy. The benefits from this program cannot are critical. However, in comparison to the actual cost of living versus what the program offers, it is still inadequate and does not entirely cover the cost of food for many families. Nutrition is an essential need; poor nutrition impacts the individual and also affects the economy as whole through high medical bills and lost manpower. The authorities should, therefore, aim at making the SNAP program a success. The project has been insightful on the actual cost of living, the different prices for the basic needs from state to state, and the government's effort to address poverty.
The program has many positives. It aims at reducing poverty and hunger and harmful effects of poor nutrition to the community. The program is also extensive reaching different people from different areas and responding to their particular needs. Also commendable is the program's flexibility to respond to needs with the provision of food possible even with as short as 24 hour’s notice. It also uses established outlets which can be accessed by beneficiaries.
The biggest challenge with the program is its inadequate purchasing power. The amount allocated cannot adequately buy food for families for the whole period; on the other hand, the amount allocated is not enough to supply quality balanced diet for a whole month. On this, it fails to accomplish what it is set out to do.
The Thrifty Food Plan policy should be changed to address particular problems with its current state. To begin with, the list of food used should be revised to reflect what is available and usable according to each region. Using unrealistic foods makes it impractical. The foods given also lack variety which goes against the prescribed guidelines. The program should also not assume availability, affordability, and transportation of the food items. Another factor not considered is the availability of facilities for use, and the time to prepare the food. Some of these assumptions have cost and quality impacts and should be reviewed. In addition to this, the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan is more than the amount allocated to beneficiaries in some parts of the country. Which makes the program unrealistic. Further to this, the list of food does not take into consideration the existence of special dietary needs in some families; needs which would, in most cases, drive the cost up.
The other solution is to upgrade the program to use the second plan level, the Low-Cost Food Plan, which appears more comprehensive, to be the basis for SNAP allotment. Alternatively, the components of the Thrifty Food Plan can be reviewed to reflect needs, availability, practicability, and variety. All these proposed changes impact the budget in a great way and would require planning. However, the changes would improve the health, well- being, and productivity of the populace.
The differences in costs have also been seen to vary depending on the place of purchase. Surprisingly, inner-city shopping centers and smaller stores charge more for the same goods (Nnnakwe 2012). These are the areas where those who depend on food aid live in. The government could mobilize communities to give consideration to those using food stamps to pay reasonable prices for food.
Also noted in the allocation, bigger households receive less allotment per person, calculated based on the economies scale. The formula is, however inadequate since consumption varies from one individual to another, and for some households, the higher number of persons may not necessarily translate to lower levels of expenditures due to different needs of the family members. The Thrifty Food Program should, therefore, be reviewed to take into account these discrepancies with reality to provide the needy with a practical solution to poverty and hunger.
References
Nnakwe, N. E. (2012). Community Nutrition: Planning Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, 2nd Ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning: Burlington, MA.
