The federal government shutdown will deliver its harshest blow yet, threatening food aid for millions of Americans as funding for the nation’s largest nutrition program runs out.

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — a lifeline for low-income households — will expire Nov. 1, cutting off support for more than 40 million Americans and sending shockwaves through the nation’s food economy.

For families living paycheck to paycheck, the loss of SNAP benefits could mean skipped meals and growing reliance on food banks already stretched thin.

SNAP households reflect a broad cross-section of America, spanning working families, retirees and those facing economic hardship. Benefits vary from household to household based on income, family size and essential living e

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