The max SNAP benefits for a family of four is $443. My wife and I spend more than that in a month and we do NOT eat extravagantly.
If you cook from scratch, I believe food budgets go a little further. Here are some numbers I got off the ND website:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefit Computation Sheet
ND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES/FSP
SFN 362 (Rev. 03-06)Household Size
41. Gross monthly earned income. $400.00 2. Multiply line 1 by 80% and enter here $320.00 3. Monthly unearned income $0.00 4. Add Line 2 and Line 3 $320.00 5. Expenses: a. Farm loss offset - averaged $0.00
b. Standard Deduction $163.00 c. Monthly medical costs for elderly/disabled household members
Total Medical: $0.00 minus 35.00 =Not Elderly or Disabled d. Dependent care costs $0.00 e. Child support paid to non-household members: $0.00 Total Lines 5a thru 5e. $163.00 6. Subtract Line 5 from Line 4. $157.00 7. Shelter costs: a. Rent or mortgage $500.00 b. Property tax and homeowners insurance $0.00 c. Plus HLSU - $590, LUSA - $217, MU - $181, TL - $36 $0.00 d. TOTAL $500.00 e. 1/2 of Line 6. $78.50 Subtract Line 7e from line 7d
(up to allowable maximum)$421.50 8. Subtract Line 7 from Line 6.
(net adjusted income)$0.00 9. Enter Thrifty Food Plan for household size $632.00 10. Multiply Line 8 by 30% $0.00 11. Subtract Line 10 from Line 9 and round down by dropping cents. $632.00 12. NET BENEFIT. $632.00