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Little is known about junk food habits in low-income areas and how government food policies affect these choices. To experimentally investigate this we tracked individuals’ shopping baskets across a network of informal groceries in a disadvantaged community, and opened up a storefront in the same community to distribute food subsidies.

We discovered that the less affluent spend an exorbitant amount of money on packaged snacks, possibly indicating sub-optimal health investments. Intriguingly, when provided with food subsidies, their purchase of junk food declined, and they bought more complementary items like spices. This suggests that beyond filling individuals’ stomachs, subsidies may also encourage a shift in the nutritional decisions of the poor, from snacking outside towards home-cooked meals.

During this study, I spent several months in an impoverished community in India, forging personal connections with the local community.