The House voted Thursday to let Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries use their benefits to buy hot rotisserie chicken, approving a bipartisan amendment to the broader farm bill. The measure passed 384-35, reflecting broad support for updating the program's rules.
For years, SNAP funds have been restricted to foods that recipients can prepare at home, excluding hot prepared items like rotisserie chicken. This change, tucked into the farm bill, marks a significant shift in how the program defines eligible purchases.
The amendment builds on earlier Senate efforts led by Sens. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who introduced a measure to modify the 2008 Food and Nutrition Act. Their proposal would specifically add "hot rotisserie chicken" to the definition of food.
Capito argued the move addresses real-world needs. "Allowing SNAP recipients to purchase hot rotisserie chicken is a simple, practical step to make the program work better for the people it serves," she said. "For seniors, working families, and those without reliable access to cooking equipment, this is about convenience and dignity. With multiple states—including West Virginia—already requesting flexibility in this area, this bill brings SNAP in line with real-world needs while making smart, efficient use of taxpayer dollars."
The legislation now heads to the Senate as part of the farm bill, where its fate remains uncertain. Some lawmakers see it as a first step toward broader reforms. Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) has pushed her Hot Foods Act, which would allow SNAP to cover all hot, prepared foods, not just rotisserie chicken. "Everyone should be able to buy a hot meal, with or without a Costco membership (or even liking chicken). That's why my Hot Foods Act lets SNAP cover ALL hot, prepared foods!" she wrote earlier this week.
Meng's broader proposal has drawn attention as a more expansive alternative to the chicken-focused amendment, signaling a potential divide in how far Congress is willing to go in modernizing SNAP. The debate touches on longstanding tensions over program integrity and nutritional standards, with some conservatives wary of expanding benefits for prepared foods.
The farm bill, which authorizes SNAP and other agriculture programs, is a massive piece of legislation that typically passes with bipartisan support but can become a vehicle for contentious policy fights. The rotisserie chicken amendment's easy passage suggests it may be one of the less controversial elements in this cycle.
As the bill moves to the Senate, advocates for broader SNAP reforms are watching closely. The outcome could set a precedent for whether Congress views hot food purchases as a reasonable expansion of the program or a slippery slope toward more significant changes.
