study shows how 42M recipients spend their food stamps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pasta, rice and beans are super cheap. You can get a box of whole wheat pasta for less than. $1.50 and it will last for multiple meals.

If you worked 2 jobs, and had to take the bus for both jobs, just how much time do you think you'd have to cook dinner from scratch?

My mother worked a low level job and cooked from scratched. She was up at 5am, worked, came home and finished prepping meals, then cleaned up. She finally finished at 9pm and then just went to bed. Rinse and repeat. She at least had a ride to work. She never helped us with hw or anything else. Too tired (and I don't blame her).

I'd like to see you be a low income person, work a low income job, take public transit to work, and cook from scratch.

I am now fortunate to wfh and earn a good income. So, we can cook from scratch and do most nights.

Are you serious? So throwing pasta in a pot of boiling water for 6-7 mins is cooking from scratch? Dumping a can of beans in a pot for five mins is too much work? Okay.

Are you serious? They may throw some mac and cheese in the microwave or whatever, but cooking pasta from "scratch" is more than just throwing in pasta in boiling water. And beans? Sure, they eat beans. But, are you suggesting that they eat beans as snacks ?

We're having pasta tonight. Saute some fresh vegetables with garlic and olive oil, topped with grilled salmon. I don't expect low income people to be able to whip that together as easily when they're working two jobs and taking public transport.

Should they eat plain pasta and rice and beans all the time, including for snacks? You want them to eat fresh fruits for snacks as if they have the time to buy fresh fruits that are perishable.

I'm not saying what they are doing is fine, but seriously , some of you have zero clue about what it's like to be poor, uneducated and live in an urban area.

We could just put this here on repeat. One thing conservatives are consistent about is not understanding a problem until it is a problem for them personally.

So did Michelle Obama not know what it’s like to be poor, uneducated, and live in an urban area?

Michelle Obama would know more about that than an UMC R white dude.

MO knew that this was an issue. It's also why she started the vegetable garden at the WH. She was trying to promote healthy eating.

Yet, when she tried to at least tackle unhealthy school lunches I recall Rs claiming it won't work because kids don't like that kind of crap food.

Yet, now we have Rs claiming that these same kids should not be eating unhealthy with money from tax dollars.

Childhood obesity is a problem. But, it's not just an easy "drink less soda" problem. Children in low income urban areas also cannot go out to play like, ride a bike, be in little league, etc.. like other children can.

Then there is education: uneducated parents like this don't realize just how unhealthy it is to drink so much soda. There are people who live in suburbia who drink a shlt ton of soda. Some people just don't like the fact that the poors are using tax money to buy soda rather than water.

They were right about that part. Sugar, fat, and salt covers up low quality ingredients and lack of cooking skill. UDSA pays less than $3 a meal. The quality is going to be crap and with nothing to hide it, kids noticed

Right, yet some people expect poor people to be able to cook delicious healthy meals at home? please. Even a lot of middle class people can't cook healthy, delicious meals at home.

I don’t expect people to cook a delicious, healthy meal at home. I don’t expect people to down a bag of Doritos and wash it all down with a 2 liter bottle of pop either. There is a reasonable, middle ground in there somewhere. There must be some common sense regulations and better education about food choices.

Why do you feel the need to control the poor?

People here are hateful and live in a bubble. It is disgusting.

Food banks are mostly boxed or canned foods because that is what keeps. Many poor people rely on processed foods because it's cheaper, plain and simple. You can get a package of yellow rice and that has a ton more flavor because the seasonings come with it.

People here can cook tasty food because they have a pantry of seasonings and oils the poor don't have. They also have access to a full working kitchen which the poor often lack.

When I delivered food to the poor from food banks I would stop by a store to grab milk because there was none included from the food banks.

The client I help with his shopping gets $35 a week. Because of the resource level he eats the same meals for breakfast each day. Yogurt, toast and milk. Lunches are a soda, sandwich, chips, a piece of fruit. Dinners are frozen meals, including a pizza some nights.

Which of these things would you take from him??? He can't drive, use a bus alone or go anywhere without help.

What else should he give up in his life to MAKE YOU SATISFIED he's not living it up on your dime??

You people are despicable.

I live in Hong Kong and these discussions are absolutely mystifying.

Poor people need yellow rice from a box? Poor people can’t cook rice because it is too hard?

Poor people cannot open a can or use hot plate?

Poor people need frozen dinner in box?

How did you come to believe these things?

How much do you pay your Filipino maid? How many hours/days do they work/week? When was the last time they saw their family? When was the last time you were in the kitchen or did the shopping?

All interesting questions, but what about the actual argument that was made?

Someone in HK opining about as well as misconstruing arguments in this thread who probably hasn’t shopped or cooked for her family for years may not be the best placed to comment.

And unless you are an HK national, why didn’t you decamp to Singapore? IDK anyone taking posts in HK now.

Another attempt to talk about me, not the argument.

What does that say?

j

It says that your points don’t resonate because you don’t have a context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who in government is in charge of this? Food stamps should only pay for healthy food, none of this junk.

Yeah let's see how much healthy food $35 buys you.


Go ahead show us your menu for the week for 35 bucks. 21 meals. Go ahead. Show the prices for each item.

Make that work so shut it.

2lbs dry spaghetti, $2.16 (3,200 calories)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Spaghetti-32-oz/10534105

24oz meat spaghetti sauce, $1.70
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Flavored-with-Meat-Pasta-Sauce-24-oz/19758049
5lb rice, $3.52 (8k calories)
8lb pinto beans, $7.62 (12,500 calories)
42oz rolled oats, $3.98 (4,500 calories)
2x Can green beans, 70cents (1.40)
2x Can beets, 86cents (1.92)
2x Can carrots, $1.06 (2,12)
Can spam(generic) $2.18 (4.36)

$28.78, money left over… and food left over at the end of the week too.

That is 28k calories of food just from the spaghetti, rice, beans and oats, two weeks at 2k a day before adding the cans.

There are lots of ways to make it work…

1lb of frozen tilapia, $5.97.
3lb frozen chicken, $8.76.
1 lb bacon, $5.12

So the protein falls outside the budget. There are no herbs or spices to make the beans palatable. Ditto oil.

No real sources of calcium. No fruit.

A sure way to squelch a kid’s desire for veggies is to serve ones out of a can.

The pasta and meat sauce would probably make 2 of the 35 meals.

What is the breakfast menu?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t the snap benefits be limited to vegetables, pasta or meat?

The WIC program (Women, Infants and Children) is restricted to healthy-food only.

Apply the WIC restrictions to SNAP.

But expect pushback from the Corn-lobby, soda companies, junk food syndicates, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t the snap benefits be limited to vegetables, pasta or meat?

The WIC program (Women, Infants and Children) is restricted to healthy-food only.

Apply the WIC restrictions to SNAP.

But expect pushback from the Corn-lobby, soda companies, junk food syndicates, etc.

But, thanks to the conservative SCOTUS justices, corporations are people too. They have unlimited funds for "free speech" to buy their way into policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pasta, rice and beans are super cheap. You can get a box of whole wheat pasta for less than. $1.50 and it will last for multiple meals.

If you worked 2 jobs, and had to take the bus for both jobs, just how much time do you think you'd have to cook dinner from scratch?

My mother worked a low level job and cooked from scratched. She was up at 5am, worked, came home and finished prepping meals, then cleaned up. She finally finished at 9pm and then just went to bed. Rinse and repeat. She at least had a ride to work. She never helped us with hw or anything else. Too tired (and I don't blame her).

I'd like to see you be a low income person, work a low income job, take public transit to work, and cook from scratch.

I am now fortunate to wfh and earn a good income. So, we can cook from scratch and do most nights.

Are you serious? So throwing pasta in a pot of boiling water for 6-7 mins is cooking from scratch? Dumping a can of beans in a pot for five mins is too much work? Okay.

Are you serious? They may throw some mac and cheese in the microwave or whatever, but cooking pasta from "scratch" is more than just throwing in pasta in boiling water. And beans? Sure, they eat beans. But, are you suggesting that they eat beans as snacks ?

We're having pasta tonight. Saute some fresh vegetables with garlic and olive oil, topped with grilled salmon. I don't expect low income people to be able to whip that together as easily when they're working two jobs and taking public transport.

Should they eat plain pasta and rice and beans all the time, including for snacks? You want them to eat fresh fruits for snacks as if they have the time to buy fresh fruits that are perishable.

I'm not saying what they are doing is fine, but seriously , some of you have zero clue about what it's like to be poor, uneducated and live in an urban area.

We could just put this here on repeat. One thing conservatives are consistent about is not understanding a problem until it is a problem for them personally.

So did Michelle Obama not know what it’s like to be poor, uneducated, and live in an urban area?

Michelle Obama would know more about that than an UMC R white dude.

MO knew that this was an issue. It's also why she started the vegetable garden at the WH. She was trying to promote healthy eating.

Yet, when she tried to at least tackle unhealthy school lunches I recall Rs claiming it won't work because kids don't like that kind of crap food.

Yet, now we have Rs claiming that these same kids should not be eating unhealthy with money from tax dollars.

Childhood obesity is a problem. But, it's not just an easy "drink less soda" problem. Children in low income urban areas also cannot go out to play like, ride a bike, be in little league, etc.. like other children can.

Then there is education: uneducated parents like this don't realize just how unhealthy it is to drink so much soda. There are people who live in suburbia who drink a shlt ton of soda. Some people just don't like the fact that the poors are using tax money to buy soda rather than water.

They were right about that part. Sugar, fat, and salt covers up low quality ingredients and lack of cooking skill. UDSA pays less than $3 a meal. The quality is going to be crap and with nothing to hide it, kids noticed

Right, yet some people expect poor people to be able to cook delicious healthy meals at home? please. Even a lot of middle class people can't cook healthy, delicious meals at home.

I don’t expect people to cook a delicious, healthy meal at home. I don’t expect people to down a bag of Doritos and wash it all down with a 2 liter bottle of pop either. There is a reasonable, middle ground in there somewhere. There must be some common sense regulations and better education about food choices.

Why do you feel the need to control the poor?

People here are hateful and live in a bubble. It is disgusting.

Food banks are mostly boxed or canned foods because that is what keeps. Many poor people rely on processed foods because it's cheaper, plain and simple. You can get a package of yellow rice and that has a ton more flavor because the seasonings come with it.

People here can cook tasty food because they have a pantry of seasonings and oils the poor don't have. They also have access to a full working kitchen which the poor often lack.

When I delivered food to the poor from food banks I would stop by a store to grab milk because there was none included from the food banks.

The client I help with his shopping gets $35 a week. Because of the resource level he eats the same meals for breakfast each day. Yogurt, toast and milk. Lunches are a soda, sandwich, chips, a piece of fruit. Dinners are frozen meals, including a pizza some nights.

Which of these things would you take from him??? He can't drive, use a bus alone or go anywhere without help.

What else should he give up in his life to MAKE YOU SATISFIED he's not living it up on your dime??

You people are despicable.

I live in Hong Kong and these discussions are absolutely mystifying.

Poor people need yellow rice from a box? Poor people can’t cook rice because it is too hard?

Poor people cannot open a can or use hot plate?

Poor people need frozen dinner in box?

How did you come to believe these things?

How much do you pay your Filipino maid? How many hours/days do they work/week? When was the last time they saw their family? When was the last time you were in the kitchen or did the shopping?

All interesting questions, but what about the actual argument that was made?

Someone in HK opining about as well as misconstruing arguments in this thread who probably hasn’t shopped or cooked for her family for years may not be the best placed to comment.

And unless you are an HK national, why didn’t you decamp to Singapore? IDK anyone taking posts in HK now.

Ignore HK. Obviously clueless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who in government is in charge of this? Food stamps should only pay for healthy food, none of this junk.

Yeah let's see how much healthy food $35 buys you.


Go ahead show us your menu for the week for 35 bucks. 21 meals. Go ahead. Show the prices for each item.

Make that work so shut it.

2lbs dry spaghetti, $2.16 (3,200 calories)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Spaghetti-32-oz/10534105

24oz meat spaghetti sauce, $1.70
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Flavored-with-Meat-Pasta-Sauce-24-oz/19758049
5lb rice, $3.52 (8k calories)
8lb pinto beans, $7.62 (12,500 calories)
42oz rolled oats, $3.98 (4,500 calories)
2x Can green beans, 70cents (1.40)
2x Can beets, 86cents (1.92)
2x Can carrots, $1.06 (2,12)
Can spam(generic) $2.18 (4.36)

$28.78, money left over… and food left over at the end of the week too.

That is 28k calories of food just from the spaghetti, rice, beans and oats, two weeks at 2k a day before adding the cans.

There are lots of ways to make it work…

1lb of frozen tilapia, $5.97.
3lb frozen chicken, $8.76.
1 lb bacon, $5.12

So the protein falls outside the budget. There are no herbs or spices to make the beans palatable. Ditto oil.

No real sources of calcium. No fruit.

A sure way to squelch a kid’s desire for veggies is to serve ones out of a can.

The pasta and meat sauce would probably make 2 of the 35 meals.

What is the breakfast menu?

No, what it shows is that for $17.28 you get 28,000 calories of rice/beans/pasta/oats, enough for two weeks.

That means you only need $9 a week for those items, leaving $26 per week for meat, vegetables, oil, etc.

Bananas are .26 each. Gala apples are .69, an orange is .98. (All prices Walmart as before)

Go ahead and give yourself a dollar a day for fruit, $7.

1 gallon of vegetable oil is $10, enough to last weeks. (256 servings, 31,000 calories)

Spices, salt, etc, are a negligible expense on a per meal basis.

Remember we are talking about feeding a single adult here.

$35 a week is limiting but the idea that you can’t eat a healthy diet on it simply isn’t true. The diet will be light on meat, heavy on rice/beans/pasta and vegetables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pasta, rice and beans are super cheap. You can get a box of whole wheat pasta for less than. $1.50 and it will last for multiple meals.

If you worked 2 jobs, and had to take the bus for both jobs, just how much time do you think you'd have to cook dinner from scratch?

My mother worked a low level job and cooked from scratched. She was up at 5am, worked, came home and finished prepping meals, then cleaned up. She finally finished at 9pm and then just went to bed. Rinse and repeat. She at least had a ride to work. She never helped us with hw or anything else. Too tired (and I don't blame her).

I'd like to see you be a low income person, work a low income job, take public transit to work, and cook from scratch.

I am now fortunate to wfh and earn a good income. So, we can cook from scratch and do most nights.

Are you serious? So throwing pasta in a pot of boiling water for 6-7 mins is cooking from scratch? Dumping a can of beans in a pot for five mins is too much work? Okay.

Are you serious? They may throw some mac and cheese in the microwave or whatever, but cooking pasta from "scratch" is more than just throwing in pasta in boiling water. And beans? Sure, they eat beans. But, are you suggesting that they eat beans as snacks ?

We're having pasta tonight. Saute some fresh vegetables with garlic and olive oil, topped with grilled salmon. I don't expect low income people to be able to whip that together as easily when they're working two jobs and taking public transport.

Should they eat plain pasta and rice and beans all the time, including for snacks? You want them to eat fresh fruits for snacks as if they have the time to buy fresh fruits that are perishable.

I'm not saying what they are doing is fine, but seriously , some of you have zero clue about what it's like to be poor, uneducated and live in an urban area.

We could just put this here on repeat. One thing conservatives are consistent about is not understanding a problem until it is a problem for them personally.

So did Michelle Obama not know what it’s like to be poor, uneducated, and live in an urban area?

Michelle Obama would know more about that than an UMC R white dude.

MO knew that this was an issue. It's also why she started the vegetable garden at the WH. She was trying to promote healthy eating.

Yet, when she tried to at least tackle unhealthy school lunches I recall Rs claiming it won't work because kids don't like that kind of crap food.

Yet, now we have Rs claiming that these same kids should not be eating unhealthy with money from tax dollars.

Childhood obesity is a problem. But, it's not just an easy "drink less soda" problem. Children in low income urban areas also cannot go out to play like, ride a bike, be in little league, etc.. like other children can.

Then there is education: uneducated parents like this don't realize just how unhealthy it is to drink so much soda. There are people who live in suburbia who drink a shlt ton of soda. Some people just don't like the fact that the poors are using tax money to buy soda rather than water.

They were right about that part. Sugar, fat, and salt covers up low quality ingredients and lack of cooking skill. UDSA pays less than $3 a meal. The quality is going to be crap and with nothing to hide it, kids noticed

Right, yet some people expect poor people to be able to cook delicious healthy meals at home? please. Even a lot of middle class people can't cook healthy, delicious meals at home.

I don’t expect people to cook a delicious, healthy meal at home. I don’t expect people to down a bag of Doritos and wash it all down with a 2 liter bottle of pop either. There is a reasonable, middle ground in there somewhere. There must be some common sense regulations and better education about food choices.

Why do you feel the need to control the poor?

People here are hateful and live in a bubble. It is disgusting.

Food banks are mostly boxed or canned foods because that is what keeps. Many poor people rely on processed foods because it's cheaper, plain and simple. You can get a package of yellow rice and that has a ton more flavor because the seasonings come with it.

People here can cook tasty food because they have a pantry of seasonings and oils the poor don't have. They also have access to a full working kitchen which the poor often lack.

When I delivered food to the poor from food banks I would stop by a store to grab milk because there was none included from the food banks.

The client I help with his shopping gets $35 a week. Because of the resource level he eats the same meals for breakfast each day. Yogurt, toast and milk. Lunches are a soda, sandwich, chips, a piece of fruit. Dinners are frozen meals, including a pizza some nights.

Which of these things would you take from him??? He can't drive, use a bus alone or go anywhere without help.

What else should he give up in his life to MAKE YOU SATISFIED he's not living it up on your dime??

You people are despicable.

I live in Hong Kong and these discussions are absolutely mystifying.

Poor people need yellow rice from a box? Poor people can’t cook rice because it is too hard?

Poor people cannot open a can or use hot plate?

Poor people need frozen dinner in box?

How did you come to believe these things?

How much do you pay your Filipino maid? How many hours/days do they work/week? When was the last time they saw their family? When was the last time you were in the kitchen or did the shopping?

All interesting questions, but what about the actual argument that was made?

Someone in HK opining about as well as misconstruing arguments in this thread who probably hasn’t shopped or cooked for her family for years may not be the best placed to comment.

And unless you are an HK national, why didn’t you decamp to Singapore? IDK anyone taking posts in HK now.

Ignore HK. Obviously clueless.

Oh definitely, we can tell whether their argument is strong based on where they are from. Better to ignore it completely!

[Anonymous]

Has anyone mentioned that the chips and soda crowd probably live in a food desert and are shopping at a neighborhood convenience store? That's what it sounds like. EBT clients should get a newsletter once in a while (by email) giving recipes and prices. Help educate people to make better food choices.

I have a relative who is profoundly disabled move an hour from me. He is in supportive housing for $740 per month, sharing an apartment with a heretofore stranger. He receives $960 per month in SSD. He only got food stamps about six months ago. It just got reduced to $58 per month. He just got a letter last week saying Virginia (thanks Youngkin) will stop paying his $125 copay for Medicaid. If you're counting, he has roughly $95 per month for medicines, personal care, and laundry and food beyond the $58 EBT. Federal guidelines say a male should spend at least $303 per month but again, they are giving him $58. He weighs 130 lbs.
https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Cost_Of_Food_Thrifty_Food_Plan_March_2024.pdf

I take him grocery shopping about every two weeks. I pay for his cell phone. He's trying to keep his food costs low by using recipes from the USDA website. Coupon clipping is useless since they are mostly for expensive brand name junk food and highly processed items. Protein is vital for people and a forever diet of rice, beans and pasta is pretty bad for them and would be terrible for diabetics. He has never bought sodas or chips or candy in my presence. For protein lately he's been getting whole chicken at Food Lion for $1.29/lb. and cutting it up to refreeze for several meals. Dollar Tree sells spices for $1.25 a jar. We sometimes both look at "Dollar Tree Dinners," on YouTube. This USDA site has links to recipes. https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/shopping-cooking-and-meal-planning/recipe-collection

[Anonymous]

That’s why stores have whole roasted chicken in their deli cases that can be bought with SNAP benefits and heated up at home.

So SNAP recipients are unable to heat up some chicken? That’s your point?

And instead of buying a chicken and heating it up for their kids, they buy a 12 pack of sugar soda and drink Coke for dinner? That’s your theory.

In VA someone on EBT can't buy pre roasted chicken. They have to buy it raw. Consider that homeless or motel dwellers can't bake anything. They need food they can cook in a microwave or toaster oven.

Certainly, some people abuse the food stamp system. Go after the frauds but don't starve the vast majority of people who need help with food. If we taxed billionaires, we could afford to feed our population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And it’s not pretty. Or healthy.

EPIC Report: Food Stamps: A Culture of Dependency
Matthew Dickerson
May 8, 2024
The story of the food stamp program is one of expanding enrollment, higher spending, benefit payments growing faster than inflation, little work by recipients, and ultimately, a greater dependence on taxpayers.

Food stamp enrollment has increased significantly, surging from 17.3 million individuals in 2001 to 42.1 million in 2023.

https://epicforamerica.org/blog/epic-report-food-stamps-a-culture-of-dependency/


— Coca-Cola, Sprite and other soft drinks are the most commonly-bought items via the $135 billion-a-year Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a new study says.

— Candy, potato chips, frozen pizza, ice cream, cookies, and other ultra-processed food dominates the top 20 items, says a report from the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC).

— Recipients spend much of their benefits on junk food, such as soft drinks, chips and other bag snacks, breakfast cereals, frozen handheld snacks, candy, frozen pizza, ice cream coffee creamer, and cookies.



SNAP costs have exploded from $31 billion to $135 billion, his report says, using inflation-adjusted numbers.

Should the government adjust the benefits so that some foods or drinks are not covered? I would think at least making soda unable to be purchased on SNAP would be a good thing.

As a child and teenager I recall my mother using food stamps to pay for groceries. At that time she had to use cash for goodies like chips and cookies. The program should have remained as it was , food only. I guess once places like 7-11 and the corner stores were granted access to accept the stamps, junk food was inevitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pasta, rice and beans are super cheap. You can get a box of whole wheat pasta for less than. $1.50 and it will last for multiple meals.

If you worked 2 jobs, and had to take the bus for both jobs, just how much time do you think you'd have to cook dinner from scratch?

My mother worked a low level job and cooked from scratched. She was up at 5am, worked, came home and finished prepping meals, then cleaned up. She finally finished at 9pm and then just went to bed. Rinse and repeat. She at least had a ride to work. She never helped us with hw or anything else. Too tired (and I don't blame her).

I'd like to see you be a low income person, work a low income job, take public transit to work, and cook from scratch.

I am now fortunate to wfh and earn a good income. So, we can cook from scratch and do most nights.

Are you serious? So throwing pasta in a pot of boiling water for 6-7 mins is cooking from scratch? Dumping a can of beans in a pot for five mins is too much work? Okay.

Are you serious? They may throw some mac and cheese in the microwave or whatever, but cooking pasta from "scratch" is more than just throwing in pasta in boiling water. And beans? Sure, they eat beans. But, are you suggesting that they eat beans as snacks ?

We're having pasta tonight. Saute some fresh vegetables with garlic and olive oil, topped with grilled salmon. I don't expect low income people to be able to whip that together as easily when they're working two jobs and taking public transport.

Should they eat plain pasta and rice and beans all the time, including for snacks? You want them to eat fresh fruits for snacks as if they have the time to buy fresh fruits that are perishable.

I'm not saying what they are doing is fine, but seriously , some of you have zero clue about what it's like to be poor, uneducated and live in an urban area.

We could just put this here on repeat. One thing conservatives are consistent about is not understanding a problem until it is a problem for them personally.

So did Michelle Obama not know what it’s like to be poor, uneducated, and live in an urban area?

Michelle Obama would know more about that than an UMC R white dude.

MO knew that this was an issue. It's also why she started the vegetable garden at the WH. She was trying to promote healthy eating.

Yet, when she tried to at least tackle unhealthy school lunches I recall Rs claiming it won't work because kids don't like that kind of crap food.

Yet, now we have Rs claiming that these same kids should not be eating unhealthy with money from tax dollars.

Childhood obesity is a problem. But, it's not just an easy "drink less soda" problem. Children in low income urban areas also cannot go out to play like, ride a bike, be in little league, etc.. like other children can.

Then there is education: uneducated parents like this don't realize just how unhealthy it is to drink so much soda. There are people who live in suburbia who drink a shlt ton of soda. Some people just don't like the fact that the poors are using tax money to buy soda rather than water.

They were right about that part. Sugar, fat, and salt covers up low quality ingredients and lack of cooking skill. UDSA pays less than $3 a meal. The quality is going to be crap and with nothing to hide it, kids noticed

Right, yet some people expect poor people to be able to cook delicious healthy meals at home? please. Even a lot of middle class people can't cook healthy, delicious meals at home.

I don’t expect people to cook a delicious, healthy meal at home. I don’t expect people to down a bag of Doritos and wash it all down with a 2 liter bottle of pop either. There is a reasonable, middle ground in there somewhere. There must be some common sense regulations and better education about food choices.

Why do you feel the need to control the poor?

People here are hateful and live in a bubble. It is disgusting.

Food banks are mostly boxed or canned foods because that is what keeps. Many poor people rely on processed foods because it's cheaper, plain and simple. You can get a package of yellow rice and that has a ton more flavor because the seasonings come with it.

People here can cook tasty food because they have a pantry of seasonings and oils the poor don't have. They also have access to a full working kitchen which the poor often lack.

When I delivered food to the poor from food banks I would stop by a store to grab milk because there was none included from the food banks.

The client I help with his shopping gets $35 a week. Because of the resource level he eats the same meals for breakfast each day. Yogurt, toast and milk. Lunches are a soda, sandwich, chips, a piece of fruit. Dinners are frozen meals, including a pizza some nights.

Which of these things would you take from him??? He can't drive, use a bus alone or go anywhere without help.

What else should he give up in his life to MAKE YOU SATISFIED he's not living it up on your dime??

You people are despicable.

He gets SSI or SSDI?

He lives in Section 8 housing?

He is on medicaid or medicare?

How does he only qualify for $140 per month SNAP? He must have other income that brings his SNAP down. What other income does he have?

Disabled. No income. Just SSI and Medicaid. He rents a room in a home with the SSI.

Ok, how much is his room rental? Does he pay utilities? What are his expenses? His medical care is fully covered. He gets $943 per month in SSI, plus $140 from SNAP. His total is $1,083 and he only has $35 a week for food?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Pasta, rice and beans are super cheap. You can get a box of whole wheat pasta for less than. $1.50 and it will last for multiple meals.

If you worked 2 jobs, and had to take the bus for both jobs, just how much time do you think you'd have to cook dinner from scratch?

My mother worked a low level job and cooked from scratched. She was up at 5am, worked, came home and finished prepping meals, then cleaned up. She finally finished at 9pm and then just went to bed. Rinse and repeat. She at least had a ride to work. She never helped us with hw or anything else. Too tired (and I don't blame her).

I'd like to see you be a low income person, work a low income job, take public transit to work, and cook from scratch.

I am now fortunate to wfh and earn a good income. So, we can cook from scratch and do most nights.

Are you serious? So throwing pasta in a pot of boiling water for 6-7 mins is cooking from scratch? Dumping a can of beans in a pot for five mins is too much work? Okay.

Are you serious? They may throw some mac and cheese in the microwave or whatever, but cooking pasta from "scratch" is more than just throwing in pasta in boiling water. And beans? Sure, they eat beans. But, are you suggesting that they eat beans as snacks ?

We're having pasta tonight. Saute some fresh vegetables with garlic and olive oil, topped with grilled salmon. I don't expect low income people to be able to whip that together as easily when they're working two jobs and taking public transport.

Should they eat plain pasta and rice and beans all the time, including for snacks? You want them to eat fresh fruits for snacks as if they have the time to buy fresh fruits that are perishable.

I'm not saying what they are doing is fine, but seriously , some of you have zero clue about what it's like to be poor, uneducated and live in an urban area.

We could just put this here on repeat. One thing conservatives are consistent about is not understanding a problem until it is a problem for them personally.

So did Michelle Obama not know what it’s like to be poor, uneducated, and live in an urban area?

Michelle Obama would know more about that than an UMC R white dude.

MO knew that this was an issue. It's also why she started the vegetable garden at the WH. She was trying to promote healthy eating.

Yet, when she tried to at least tackle unhealthy school lunches I recall Rs claiming it won't work because kids don't like that kind of crap food.

Yet, now we have Rs claiming that these same kids should not be eating unhealthy with money from tax dollars.

Childhood obesity is a problem. But, it's not just an easy "drink less soda" problem. Children in low income urban areas also cannot go out to play like, ride a bike, be in little league, etc.. like other children can.

Then there is education: uneducated parents like this don't realize just how unhealthy it is to drink so much soda. There are people who live in suburbia who drink a shlt ton of soda. Some people just don't like the fact that the poors are using tax money to buy soda rather than water.

They were right about that part. Sugar, fat, and salt covers up low quality ingredients and lack of cooking skill. UDSA pays less than $3 a meal. The quality is going to be crap and with nothing to hide it, kids noticed

Right, yet some people expect poor people to be able to cook delicious healthy meals at home? please. Even a lot of middle class people can't cook healthy, delicious meals at home.

I don’t expect people to cook a delicious, healthy meal at home. I don’t expect people to down a bag of Doritos and wash it all down with a 2 liter bottle of pop either. There is a reasonable, middle ground in there somewhere. There must be some common sense regulations and better education about food choices.

Why do you feel the need to control the poor?

People here are hateful and live in a bubble. It is disgusting.

Food banks are mostly boxed or canned foods because that is what keeps. Many poor people rely on processed foods because it's cheaper, plain and simple. You can get a package of yellow rice and that has a ton more flavor because the seasonings come with it.

People here can cook tasty food because they have a pantry of seasonings and oils the poor don't have. They also have access to a full working kitchen which the poor often lack.

When I delivered food to the poor from food banks I would stop by a store to grab milk because there was none included from the food banks.

The client I help with his shopping gets $35 a week. Because of the resource level he eats the same meals for breakfast each day. Yogurt, toast and milk. Lunches are a soda, sandwich, chips, a piece of fruit. Dinners are frozen meals, including a pizza some nights.

Which of these things would you take from him??? He can't drive, use a bus alone or go anywhere without help.

What else should he give up in his life to MAKE YOU SATISFIED he's not living it up on your dime??

You people are despicable.

He gets SSI or SSDI?

He lives in Section 8 housing?

He is on medicaid or medicare?

How does he only qualify for $140 per month SNAP? He must have other income that brings his SNAP down. What other income does he have?

Disabled. No income. Just SSI and Medicaid. He rents a room in a home with the SSI.

Ok, how much is his room rental? Does he pay utilities? What are his expenses? His medical care is fully covered. He gets $943 per month in SSI, plus $140 from SNAP. His total is $1,083 and he only has $35 a week for food?

Man, just look at what you wrote. This income is well below poverty level.

And all these squealing DCUMers who make $400K whining about today's grocery prices, but telling others eating on $35 a week is easy peasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it’s not pretty. Or healthy.

EPIC Report: Food Stamps: A Culture of Dependency
Matthew Dickerson
May 8, 2024
The story of the food stamp program is one of expanding enrollment, higher spending, benefit payments growing faster than inflation, little work by recipients, and ultimately, a greater dependence on taxpayers.

Food stamp enrollment has increased significantly, surging from 17.3 million individuals in 2001 to 42.1 million in 2023.

https://epicforamerica.org/blog/epic-report-food-stamps-a-culture-of-dependency/


— Coca-Cola, Sprite and other soft drinks are the most commonly-bought items via the $135 billion-a-year Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a new study says.

— Candy, potato chips, frozen pizza, ice cream, cookies, and other ultra-processed food dominates the top 20 items, says a report from the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC).

— Recipients spend much of their benefits on junk food, such as soft drinks, chips and other bag snacks, breakfast cereals, frozen handheld snacks, candy, frozen pizza, ice cream coffee creamer, and cookies.



SNAP costs have exploded from $31 billion to $135 billion, his report says, using inflation-adjusted numbers.

Should the government adjust the benefits so that some foods or drinks are not covered? I would think at least making soda unable to be purchased on SNAP would be a good thing.

As a child and teenager I recall my mother using food stamps to pay for groceries. At that time she had to use cash for goodies like chips and cookies. The program should have remained as it was , food only. I guess once places like 7-11 and the corner stores were granted access to accept the stamps, junk food was inevitable.

How long ago was this? I was a grocery cashier in the mid 90s (when food stamps were paper and came in a booklet the recipient had to tear out in front of the cashier or they were void.) Soda, candy, chips, etc. were always eligible for food stamps when I worked at the grocery store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who in government is in charge of this? Food stamps should only pay for healthy food, none of this junk.

Yeah let's see how much healthy food $35 buys you.


Go ahead show us your menu for the week for 35 bucks. 21 meals. Go ahead. Show the prices for each item.

Make that work so shut it.

2lbs dry spaghetti, $2.16 (3,200 calories)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Spaghetti-32-oz/10534105

24oz meat spaghetti sauce, $1.70
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Flavored-with-Meat-Pasta-Sauce-24-oz/19758049
5lb rice, $3.52 (8k calories)
8lb pinto beans, $7.62 (12,500 calories)
42oz rolled oats, $3.98 (4,500 calories)
2x Can green beans, 70cents (1.40)
2x Can beets, 86cents (1.92)
2x Can carrots, $1.06 (2,12)
Can spam(generic) $2.18 (4.36)

$28.78, money left over… and food left over at the end of the week too.

That is 28k calories of food just from the spaghetti, rice, beans and oats, two weeks at 2k a day before adding the cans.

There are lots of ways to make it work…

1lb of frozen tilapia, $5.97.
3lb frozen chicken, $8.76.
1 lb bacon, $5.12

So the protein falls outside the budget. There are no herbs or spices to make the beans palatable. Ditto oil.

No real sources of calcium. No fruit.

A sure way to squelch a kid’s desire for veggies is to serve ones out of a can.

The pasta and meat sauce would probably make 2 of the 35 meals.

What is the breakfast menu?

WTH is going to eat canned green beans?! That’s not healthy, it’s full of sodium.

[Anonymous]

People who are not on food stamps eat this garbage. Is it really surprising that people on food stamps do too?