Lawmakers propose letting SNAP benefits pay for hot prepared foods

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pushing to change federal food assistance rules to allow families to buy hot, prepared foods with SNAP benefits.

The lawmakers have introduced what they are calling the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to purchase pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from grocery stores using their benefits.

Under current rules, SNAP does not cover hot prepared foods.

The proposal comes as state and federal lawmakers have long debated which foods should be eligible for purchase through the program.

Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia is among those backing the effort. He said allowing hot, ready-to-eat options would give families more flexibility when putting meals on the table.

"We have to give people the option to put a healthy, protein-dense choice on the table that actually tastes good and doesn't take an hour and a half to cook," Justice said in a statement.

According to federal data, nearly 42 million Americans rely on SNAP to help buy groceries.