H.R. 2512 — Hot Foods Act of 2025

This section revises SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) definitions to permit the use of benefits to purchase hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption (previously ineligible except at certain nonprofit establishments serving the elderly, disabled, or homeless). (As background, SNAP provides food purchasing assistance to low-income households via electronic benefit transfers at authorized retailers, with eligible foods historically limited to those intended for home preparation and consumption.) Specifically, the section (1) amends the definition of eligible food to include such hot foods while excluding only alcoholic beverages and tobacco (previously also excluding hot foods except pursuant to clauses (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), and (9)); (2) revises the definition of retail food store to encompass establishments selling food for home or immediate consumption, requiring that certain stores derive not more than 50% of total gross sales from hot foods; and (3) expands the items included in sales calculations under the restaurant definition to encompass hot foods (thus, potentially classifying more establishments as restaurants, which are generally ineligible to accept SNAP unless specially authorized).