Last month, New York state Senator Patty Ritchie introduced a bill that bans “luxury” foods, such as steak and lobster, as well as junk food like soda, ice cream, candy, cookies, and decorated cakes, from the grocery lists of people who receive benefits from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

And it’s not the only bill of its kind. Last year, state legislators in Missouri and Wisconsin pushed bills restricting which foods can be purchased with SNAP benefits.

But here’s the thing: Are people on SNAP, who receive an average benefit of $126 a month per person, really spending big government bucks on filet mignon?

In a word: No.

On average, households poor enough