Food stamps should not be used for junk food

This the the kind of stinking thinking that is eroding your freedom that you whine about in other threads. You are not entitled to have an attitude about what someone else eats, or how they pay for it. Who do you think you are?

Today it is you trying to dictate to her how she should live. Tomorrow it is someone else telling you how to live, because it is you and your well meaning "it's for her own good and besides I pay for it" attitude that enables that dictator in the future to breathe down your neck. Why can't people see this?????? Freedom is just that, it is unconditional, any attempts to qualify it, change it into something else, get it??

reply to post by Erectus

We have three mouths to feed in my home. My wife works, I'm a grad student with no income, and we have a 5 yr old. We do not recieve food stamps. Since we choose to live in a decent place we are rather poor. We must watch our money very, very closely. It is sometimes said that poverty forces people to eat unhealthily. That isn't the least bit true. We eat a lot of beans, cabbage, home made bread, home made soups, etc. We shop at the farmers market in the Summer to save money. We buy in bulk so that when we shop we can shop for deals instead of all the things we are out of. We eat really good on very little money because we actually cook things besides frozen pizza, nachos, and hamburgers.

Boy, you guys set a very good example for people.

My hats off to you and your family. Tough, I'm sure, but you seem to have a good mind set.

Good luck to you ~~~

PEACE

reply to post by Thunder heart woman


YEP, American means every American even on welfare and food stamps.

Its called no double standards,

whats in your cupboard?

BTW I only spend mine on the finest cuts of aged Beef, its what is for dinner, I sell whats left over of the food stamps and buy Rare Eagle 10yr old Bourbon

Many states right now allow fast food restaurants like KFC, McDonalds, and Chinese food to take food stamps.

I dont think that its fair to blame people for their food choices if there are so many accessible ways to get other things. Its those that want the money that are the ones at fault. In larger cities and urban areas its almost impossible to find places that sell organic foods, or are just way to expensive, and their food stamps will go over better with less healthy food.

Organic carrots- $2.99

Frozen carrots- $0.99


You would be quicker to buy the $2.99 carrots if you knew that you were getting paid next week. People are forced to buy a large bulk of food, and their choices have to be a months worth in one day. How many people do you know that are NOT on welfare do this?


In a situation where you have to make that money last its hard to do. I think that if they gave food stamps weekly as opposed to monthly that might help as well.

Here’s a quick list of fast food restaurants in states that already accept food stamps for restaurant meals:

Michigan:

Church’s Chicken

Kentucky Fried Chicken

McDonald’s

Subway

Grandma’s Famous Chicken

Eight Mile Pancake House

Mr. T’s BBQ

Vito’s Pizza

California:

Jack in the Box

Subway

El Pollo Loco

Papa Murphy’s Pizza

Florida

KFC

Taco Bell

Pizza Hut

Papa Murphy’s Pizza

Arizona

Domino’s Pizza

Golden Corral

Southern Cuisine

Rally’s Hamburger

abcnews.go.com...

Peace, NRE.

back in the 70's and 80's they had something called "commodities" and gave actual food to people ... I guess they did foodstamps as well, I don't know. I do know that my mom always found people to buy the "government cheese" from after they got their commodities because that was REALLY GOOD cheese and we loved it but didn't qualify for it.
Maybe they should do things like that instead of letting people go buy whatever in the world they want. The foodstamps are for food to feed the family and kids, not for junk food that's not good for them at all.

I can agree with any kind of meat, hamburger, chicken, even steak and shrimp if that's what they buy. I can agree with any condiments, frozen dinners for those who aren't great cooks, breakfast cereals and so on, but there are some things that shouldn't be allowed:
Candy bars
Soda
chips
snack cakes

all those things that are desert and snack type things. They aren't necessary for meals, they aren't healthy and they shouldn't be using food stamps to buy them. It really wouldn't take that much work to make a list of things that are allowed and things that aren't. They could go by sugar content alone and take care of most of it.
The families could use foodstamps to buy the actual food they are going to eat and then use whatever extra money they have to buy the snacks they want instead of wasting it on drugs or cigarettes or going to the bar or whatever else they do. .... granted, many families treat them the way they're supposed to be treated and there's nothing wrong with "splurging" every now and then, but junk food all the time, every time is absolutely ridiculous!

There are a lot of people who "sell" their foodstamps too. They sell $100 worth for $50. The people buying them get things half price and the sellers get to convert their foodstamps to cash. It's illegal and shouldn't be allowed.
If the government isn't capable of regulating it, maybe it should be done away with and replaced by something they can regulate such as commodities or foodbanks or something of that nature.
I don't have the answers, but I do have some complaints.

reply to post by Thunder heart woman


Dear Thunder heart woman,

My husband is a baker at our local grocer and he has told me about the type of day old food that the food banks will pick up for people. One time, they asked him if they could take a big bag of sweet rolls that was 4 days old to pass out. He warned them that they had gone rock hard and was no longer selling quality. Yet they took them anyway. I don't want to get going on the quality of food they pass out. It bothers me. He has taken to throwing out the awful foods before the food bank gets there, and leaving them more quality food, just because his conscience can't handle knowing that people are eating bad food.

I am afraid that I may have caused you to misunderstand me. We do not take expired food. We buy food and distribute it. We buy food that is quite healthy prior to expiration, what we get is what is excess that we get at a great discount on. Sometimes it is sweetened cereal and we distribute that. In fact, I am glad when we can get some candy or soda because we don't get it often. I liked candy as a kid and just because you are poor doesn't mean you shouldn't get some once in a while.

I want you to know that I absolutely believe your heart is in the right place. I really do understand. I also believe in not having strings attached to subsistence living. I believe in offering healthy food and anything else I can get that will keep people from being hungry. If all I have is a candy bar, I will give it out. I would prefer to give out a carrot; but, I will give out what I have. Not arguing with your heart, just talking about how things are. Peace.

Originally posted by Iamschist
This the the kind of stinking thinking that is eroding your freedom that you whine about in other threads. You are not entitled to have an attitude about what someone else eats, or how they pay for it. Who do you think you are?

Today it is you trying to dictate to her how she should live. Tomorrow it is someone else telling you how to live, because it is you and your well meaning "it's for her own good and besides I pay for it" attitude that enables that dictator in the future to breathe down your neck. Why can't people see this?????? Freedom is just that, it is unconditional, any attempts to qualify it, change it into something else, get it??

Then people should have the FREEDOM to not buy other peoples junk food and not be required to pay their healthcare bills. This isn't about telling people what they can and can't do with their own money, why didn't you get that?

Originally posted by NoRegretsEver
Organic carrots- $2.99

Frozen carrots- $0.99


You would be quicker to buy the $2.99 carrots if you knew that you were getting paid next week. People are forced to buy a large bulk of food, and their choices have to be a months worth in one day. How many people do you know that are NOT on welfare do this?


In a situation where you have to make that money last its hard to do. I think that if they gave food stamps weekly as opposed to monthly that might help as well.

Peace, NRE.

Organic Carrots - $2.99

Bag of Potato Chips - $3.29

Don't make it out like it's not a CHOICE, because it is. It can't be denied, these people are making the choice to buy garbage instead of healthier food. All the mental gymnastics in the world can't make that any less true.

I don't understand what you are getting at with the "Must spend all my food stamps in one day!" slant either. As far as I know, there is no state in the country where food stamps are not good for the entire month, not just a day.

Originally posted by phroziac
Please remember that a lot of people buy all their food stamp food once a month as they get food stamps once a month. They also could have a lot more kids than came with them. How much junkfood do you eat in a month? Michigan recently expanded food stamps to be usable at fast food joints...but only if you have kids. Wtf?

Anyway i agree with you. But remember these are gods chosen people and they are entitled to free money from the government, paid for by you.

Their foodstamp card is filled once a month, but they can use it throughout the month, just like a debit card. They don't have to spend it all at the same time.... unless they actually bought the foodstamps from somebody else and have to give the card back to them after that shopping trip

reply to post by TedHodgson
I believe so. In many of the cases where it comes down to not eating real food, the kids can't cook for themselves, and mama ain't cooking for them, so junk food it is.

reply to post by maus80


What I am saying is that people would be less willing to buy junk if they had a weekly budget as opposed to monthly. When you go to the store you cannot impulse buy, because you spent what you had for the week.

Peace, NRE.

Originally posted by Infi8nity

Originally posted by phroziac

Originally posted by TedHodgson
reply to post by Infi8nity

 

Come to think of it I wonder if you get more food stamp value if you are terminally ill?

If that's the case people should deliberately contract something nasty so they can nibble Foie gras and practice synchronized swimming in a warm pool of Kopi luwak all paid for by food stamps!

Here in michigan it just goes by number of people and income. Im not sure if thry take age of kids into account though. I used to get the maximum amount allowed in 09 and it was like 300 a month. Just for me. Its honestly kind of a lot and encourages unhealthy choices if you ask me.

Is 300= to 300 dollars?

Yes sorry. Thats a lotta money for food....

Originally posted by Infi8nity

Originally posted by snarky412

Originally posted by TedHodgson
reply to post by Thunder heart woman

 

Is it really possible to live off a healthy, nutritious, varied and above all expensive diet on food stamps?

Last time i checked a bottle of Natural finest orange soda was AT LEAST thrice the price of the Junk equivalent.

Case of water at Wally World ...... $3.96

Healthy and cheap.....

Should you even be able to buy liquid with food stamps? What do you need soda and juice for when you got tap water?

Up here, they allow you to buy those big fountain sodas at the gas stations on the EBT card.

Originally posted by Iamschist
This the the kind of stinking thinking that is eroding your freedom that you whine about in other threads. You are not entitled to have an attitude about what someone else eats, or how they pay for it. Who do you think you are?

Today it is you trying to dictate to her how she should live. Tomorrow it is someone else telling you how to live, because it is you and your well meaning "it's for her own good and besides I pay for it" attitude that enables that dictator in the future to breathe down your neck. Why can't people see this?????? Freedom is just that, it is unconditional, any attempts to qualify it, change it into something else, get it??

No one is taking away the woman's freedom to buy what she wants. She has the freedom to use her own cash money on junk food. The children don't have a choice though. They have to eat whatever is put in the cart for them.

Should this woman be free to feed her children into juvenile diabetes?

Should I have thrown a tantrum when I couldn't buy sugar puffs with my WIC voucher, when it says I can only get cheerios?

The point I'm trying to make here is, with WIC you follow rules. You are told what you can and can't get, and because you are asking for WIC, you must follow their rules. I propose we do the same thing for other food benefits.

Anyone who thinks its wrong for that woman to blow her food stamps on junk food for her and her children is a [SNIP] idiot and should be force fed kfc till you explode.

its none of your business what she or her kids consume, if she wants to clot their arterries or give em diabetes then its her call, not yours.
you god damned people need to worry about your own families, and stay the hell out of everyone else s business

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Why do I need to mind my own business when I'm paying for it?

Originally posted by AQuestion
reply to post by Thunder heart woman

 

Dear Thunder heart woman,

My husband is a baker at our local grocer and he has told me about the type of day old food that the food banks will pick up for people. One time, they asked him if they could take a big bag of sweet rolls that was 4 days old to pass out. He warned them that they had gone rock hard and was no longer selling quality. Yet they took them anyway. I don't want to get going on the quality of food they pass out. It bothers me. He has taken to throwing out the awful foods before the food bank gets there, and leaving them more quality food, just because his conscience can't handle knowing that people are eating bad food.

I am afraid that I may have caused you to misunderstand me. We do not take expired food. We buy food and distribute it. We buy food that is quite healthy prior to expiration, what we get is what is excess that we get at a great discount on. Sometimes it is sweetened cereal and we distribute that. In fact, I am glad when we can get some candy or soda because we don't get it often. I liked candy as a kid and just because you are poor doesn't mean you shouldn't get some once in a while.

I want you to know that I absolutely believe your heart is in the right place. I really do understand. I also believe in not having strings attached to subsistence living. I believe in offering healthy food and anything else I can get that will keep people from being hungry. If all I have is a candy bar, I will give it out. I would prefer to give out a carrot; but, I will give out what I have. Not arguing with your heart, just talking about how things are. Peace.

Thanks for clarifying this. I still cannot agree with buying sweetened cereals and handing out candy bars. There are better choices than this. Can you believe my 9 year old has never had a soda? She's never had one soda her entire life because her father and I won't allow it. She gets candy on holidays, that's it. Other than this, we stock the fridge with fruit and veg. She snacks on that. Sometimes, we keep granola and yogurt around.

Instead of candy bars, pass out an apple. Most kids love apples, and they will get to love the sweetness that fruit provides.

You know what is really sad? Jamie Oliver tried to go into the public schools and change some of the ways that our children are fed, and he met resistance with the "this is M'erica and we can feed our kids crap" crowd. He has some great resources on how we can pull it together for our kids in this country, and I do believe we got to start with our kids. I got a chance to meet with him when he visited the rez to talk to our women about preparing healthy meals on little money. I learned so much it turned my world around. I grew up in poverty, so I'm very picky about what my kid eats.

I just want to add, if you contact an apple orchard about helping kids get apples, you'll be shocked at how much they want to donate during the season. We have a cherry orchard down the road where they donate cherries every year.

If kids get used to the sweet taste of fruit, they will literally crave it. When my daughter's friends come over they get excited to open the fridge and see a container of blueberries.

I can pay $2.99 for a decent container of blueberries fresh. It's $3.45 for a bag of chips or package of sweet rolls here.

Originally posted by Thunder heart woman
Why do I need to mind my own business when I'm paying for it?

Were all paying for it, so get over yourself

A relative of mine was out of work for almost two years, diagnosed with MS, could barely even get out of bed, very, very sick. Since she had no children, had an education and always worked her entire life, she didn't qualify for any assistance of any kind whatsoever and was turned down for disability. She was basically homeless other than her family taking care of her (no husband), unable to work at all, extremely depressed after 5 deaths in the immediate family within 3 years time and they said NO. She FORCES herself to work for just barely over minimum wage now after making around $60,000 a year before because she has to be out a lot.

At the same time, there was an in-law who is more than capable of working, in her mid-to late 20's, her children draw an SS check because their father had passed away (overdosed) so she got that automatically. She chooses to not work, draws additional foodstamps and welfare, sleeps around with every man who will provide her a pill and sells her foodstamps to whoever she can find to buy them so she can use the money to buy more pills. Where's the fairness in that? Where's the justice in it?

I'm completely and utterly disgusted with the system and have no respect for it at all.

How about we just put a weight-limit for an EBT?