Major Changes Coming to SNAP in 2026

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called food stamps) is an important safety-net program that helps reduce hunger and decrease poverty among US households. At the same time, SNAP has significant flaws that make it inefficient, less effective than it could be, and in some cases harmful to upward mobility. However, recent actions by Congress combined with executive-branch decisions have set the stage for significant changes to SNAP in 2026.