A 1977 policy change created the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), a state opt-in program that allows homeless individuals without kitchens to purchase prepared meals using SNAP benefits, with eligibility later expanded to include disabled individuals, the elderly, and their spouses.
January 01, 1977
high
temporal
Creation and intended purpose of the Restaurant Meals Program as an exception to SNAP's hot-food restriction.
When SNAP was established in 1964, hot foods or foods ready for immediate consumption were ineligible for purchase under the program, whose main mission was to provide staple foods to be prepared at home.
January 01, 1964
high
temporal
Initial eligibility rules for SNAP purchases.