Evaluating the effectiveness of a state-level SNAP incentive program

When Eat Well, Be Well was launched in Rhode Island in January 2024, it was the first program of its kind in the country to offer a financial incentive for those in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to eat healthier.

All SNAP recipients were automatically enrolled in the program. Customers were awarded $.50 in SNAP benefits for every $1 spent on fresh fruits and vegetables purchased in person at participating retailers, with a maximum of $25 a month loaded onto customers’ electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards.

Study design and key findings

A team of researchers that included Maya Vadiveloo, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Health Sciences, studied the effectiveness of the Eat Well, Be Well program by measuring the diets of 364 Rhode Islanders before the program was rolled out and again 5–8 months after it was introduced. For comparison purposes, the researchers also tracked the diets of 361 people in Connecticut who weren’t enrolled in the incentive program.

“In comparing participants from Rhode Island and Connecticut who had a higher baseline intake of fruits and vegetables, those from Rhode Island increased their intake more than those from Connecticut,” said Vadiveloo. “We can likely attribute the difference to the Eat Well Be Well program, as that was the primary difference between the two states.”

While the program seemed to help increase fruit and vegetable intake among participants with a higher baseline, it noted no significant differences among those with a lower baseline consumption of fruits and vegetables. The results of the study were published in JAMA Network Open.

“People who were already eating more fruits and vegetables before the program increased their intake further, moving closer to recommended levels,” said Alison Tovar, the lead author of the study and associate professor in Brown University’s Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences. “In contrast, households with lower baseline intake showed little or no change.”

Barriers and program awareness

Vadiveloo explained that there could be several reasons why there wasn’t much, if any, intake increase among those who weren’t eating fruits and vegetables before the program.

“Individuals with lower intake at baseline may have been more likely to experience disadvantages, such as fewer transportation options, which could result in less access to participating stores, and lower overall income to purchase groceries,” said Vadiveloo. “Multiple factors could have contributed to the difference in the results.”

Prior to joining the faculty at Brown, Tovar was a faculty member in URI’s Department of Nutrition for 13 years. In conducting the study with Vadiveloo and other colleagues, Tovar noted that awareness of the Eat Well, Be Well program was low.

“Only about one in three participants could correctly describe what Eat Well, Be Well provides, and only about one in four said they had used the discount,” said Tovar. “That suggests the program design has potential, but implementation and communication are critical if we want to see population-wide improvements.”

Participant demographics and next steps

Besides being SNAP recipients and residents of Rhode Island or Connecticut, participants in the study had to be 18 years of age or older, English or Spanish speaking, and have access to email and a text-capable phone. The team collaborated with community partners to recruit participants. Most of the participants from each state were women—94% from Rhode Island and 96.4% from Connecticut.

The research team is currently analyzing data from a follow-up of the study, conducted 17–20 months after the initial research. Going forward, they will examine longer-term outcomes.

“We want to learn how these incentives affect entire households, including children, and we’re using qualitative interviews to learn directly from participants and stakeholders about what would make the program more usable and sustainable in their daily lives,” said Tovar.

Economic context and future considerations

While it’s not directly related to their study, Tovar said it’s important to consider factors that may alter the results of incentive programs.

“Rising food costs and stagnant SNAP benefit updates shape how families experience and value these incentives,” said Tovar. “If participants must shop at more expensive stores to access the discount, or if the incentive applies only to fresh produce, they may have to shift their shopping patterns in ways that make it harder to stretch benefits across the entire month.

“These broader economic pressures influence how likely households are to use the program and how meaningful the savings feel in practice. Future implementation efforts need to account for these realities, ensuring that incentives are accessible through the stores where families already shop.”