I think people get the prepackaged stuff for a variety of reasons as others have already stated, but I do think some people get the junk food as a vice. It’s not shocking, being poor sucks.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.[/quote]

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down. [/quote]

Those are more or less accurate prices. All of those things are staples of my grocery list in DC. There has been inflation but storebrand pasta is about $1.50 a bag/box. Sausage is $5.99. Bell peppers are about $1 each. Decent pasta sauce is $3.99.

You're making excuses. Isn't learning how to use a stove an essential life skill? Learning how to boil pasta and cook rice are basic life tasks that everyone should know, don't present any risk for burning a house down, and are no more complex than cooking a frozen pizza.[/quote]

I'm not making excuses. I'm informing you of how actual poor people live and the logic that goes into their decision making process. You might not like it, but this is how it goes. And again, your prices are not accurate for 2025. Maybe they were a few years ago. [/quote]

Once again, the prices are accurate. Trader Joe's in Falls Church sells linguine for 99c per packet, chicken sausage is 4.99, bell pepper and garlic are cheap as well. [/quote]

You're lying. I live in Baltimore. Chicken sausage would be closer to $10, pasta closer to $1.25/box, bell peppers closer to $2 each, and garlic was $.90 a head last week. All of these little increases add up a lot, especially if you're not working with a lot of cash to begin with. [/quote]

I am not going to post again but I have no reason to lie on an anonymous message board. You can believe whatever the hell you want to believe. I will enjoy my chicken sausage at 4.99.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

People managed to feed themselves, even kids, before microwaves.

We aren't talking about before. We're talking about now, the world as it actually is.

And today, kids are capable of making themselves something to eat too. You think kids would starve if there were no more pizza rolls and ramen noodle cups?

Have you ever met a kid? If there's nothing but uncooked rice and dry beans in the house, they're more likely to just not eat, even if they theoreticallyknow how to cook them. Stop playing dumb and being cruel.

The parent can cook the food and leave leftovers already prepped on the table for them and they still won’t eat, or say they want junk food instead.

Junk food is like the first drug to kids

You think people working multiple jobs, single parents, caretakers of the elderly, have time to do from-scratch meal planning and prep?

I meal plan and prep and cook my meals from scratch. I buy my food in bulk. It saves a ton of money and time, but it took investments of time and money of front to be able to do this. I've been poor and my diet was very different, and I know that the economics are very different when you are short on time, space, energy, and cash. There's a reason they say it's expensive to be poor.

People will find time for what they consider a priority, unfortunately, my experience has been that majority of them don’t want to cook. I completely understand the shortage of time argument but people all over the world find time to cook because pre packaged is not an option.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.[/quote]

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down. [/quote]

Those are more or less accurate prices. All of those things are staples of my grocery list in DC. There has been inflation but storebrand pasta is about $1.50 a bag/box. Sausage is $5.99. Bell peppers are about $1 each. Decent pasta sauce is $3.99.

You're making excuses. Isn't learning how to use a stove an essential life skill? Learning how to boil pasta and cook rice are basic life tasks that everyone should know, don't present any risk for burning a house down, and are no more complex than cooking a frozen pizza.[/quote]

I'm not making excuses. I'm informing you of how actual poor people live and the logic that goes into their decision making process. You might not like it, but this is how it goes. And again, your prices are not accurate for 2025. Maybe they were a few years ago. [/quote]

Once again, the prices are accurate. Trader Joe's in Falls Church sells linguine for 99c per packet, chicken sausage is 4.99, bell pepper and garlic are cheap as well. [/quote]

You're lying. I live in Baltimore. Chicken sausage would be closer to $10, pasta closer to $1.25/box, bell peppers closer to $2 each, and garlic was $.90 a head last week. All of these little increases add up a lot, especially if you're not working with a lot of cash to begin with.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

People managed to feed themselves, even kids, before microwaves.

We aren't talking about before. We're talking about now, the world as it actually is.

And today, kids are capable of making themselves something to eat too. You think kids would starve if there were no more pizza rolls and ramen noodle cups?

Have you ever met a kid? If there's nothing but uncooked rice and dry beans in the house, they're more likely to just not eat, even if they theoreticallyknow how to cook them. Stop playing dumb and being cruel.

The parent can cook the food and leave leftovers already prepped on the table for them and they still won’t eat, or say they want junk food instead.

Junk food is like the first drug to kids

You think people working multiple jobs, single parents, caretakers of the elderly, have time to do from-scratch meal planning and prep?

I meal plan and prep and cook my meals from scratch. I buy my food in bulk. It saves a ton of money and time, but it took investments of time and money of front to be able to do this. I've been poor and my diet was very different, and I know that the economics are very different when you are short on time, space, energy, and cash. There's a reason they say it's expensive to be poor.

Anonymous wrote:They'll have to get a job. Stop mooching.

The majority of food stamp recipients are working parents who don't earn enough to feed all their kids. The 2nd most common recipients are disabled adults who cannot work due to a medical condition like multiple sclerosis or schizophrenia. Moreover, the job market is terrible now because Trump's policies fucked up our economy. It's difficult to find a job these days. These cuts will just result in more people starving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

Those are more or less accurate prices. All of those things are staples of my grocery list in DC. There has been inflation but storebrand pasta is about $1.50 a bag/box. Sausage is $5.99. Bell peppers are about $1 each. Decent pasta sauce is $3.99.

You're making excuses. Isn't learning how to use a stove an essential life skill? Learning how to boil pasta and cook rice are basic life tasks that everyone should know, don't present any risk for burning a house down, and are no more complex than cooking a frozen pizza.

I'm not making excuses. I'm informing you of how actual poor people live and the logic that goes into their decision making process. You might not like it, but this is how it goes. And again, your prices are not accurate for 2025. Maybe they were a few years ago.

Once again, the prices are accurate. Trader Joe's in Falls Church sells linguine for 99c per packet, chicken sausage is 4.99, bell pepper and garlic are cheap as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

These were the exact prices at Falls Church Trader Joe’s this past weekend, I bought these items so I can confidently say the prices are correct.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

People managed to feed themselves, even kids, before microwaves.

We aren't talking about before. We're talking about now, the world as it actually is.

And today, kids are capable of making themselves something to eat too. You think kids would starve if there were no more pizza rolls and ramen noodle cups?

Have you ever met a kid? If there's nothing but uncooked rice and dry beans in the house, they're more likely to just not eat, even if they theoreticallyknow how to cook them. Stop playing dumb and being cruel.

The parent can cook the food and leave leftovers already prepped on the table for them and they still won’t eat, or say they want junk food instead.

Junk food is like the first drug to kids

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

People managed to feed themselves, even kids, before microwaves.

We aren't talking about before. We're talking about now, the world as it actually is.

And today, kids are capable of making themselves something to eat too. You think kids would starve if there were no more pizza rolls and ramen noodle cups?

Have you ever met a kid? If there's nothing but uncooked rice and dry beans in the house, they're more likely to just not eat, even if they theoreticallyknow how to cook them. Stop playing dumb and being cruel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

People managed to feed themselves, even kids, before microwaves.

We aren't talking about before. We're talking about now, the world as it actually is.

And today, kids are capable of making themselves something to eat too. You think kids would starve if there were no more pizza rolls and ramen noodle cups?

Yes. You’d be surprised how long kids can go without food without any issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If MAGAs are the majority of SNAP and they voted against it, then it should be cut.

Honestly, this might have to be the thing to do. Blue states will come in to rescue their people. Let the red state MAGAs learn some valuable lessons about the their voting history. Same with their insurance premiums.

The D’s can only try to save people from themselves for so long.

Giving people handouts is not saving people from themselves. We as Democrats should be putting community farms around neighborhoods, planting fruit trees in public parks, bringing back home ec, teaching children in schools how to plant a garden, teaching them how to cook, so the next generation isn’t as dependent on a failing system. Giving them money to buy ultra processed garbage food isn’t saving them from anything.

I'm a minority and not waiting to be rescued. I taught my kids to cook and bake starting 4 years old. They do enjoy candy but can make cookies and sandwiches or toast, salads and simple dishes like tomato sauce with herbs, omelette or pigs in a blanket. I just need to supervise the oven. We also started a small backyard garden patch. It just takes time.

That’s great that you do that but kids automatically are drawn to junk food o matter what. It’s the colorful packaging and the sugar content. Sometimes a poor parent on SNAP feels guilty and can only afford treats for their kids if they come in a neon blue, green, or red bag and it’s loaded with sugar.

There’s also the social impact here. A house full of snacks and candy will keep the kids at home at least while the parent is at work. The parent does not want the kid on the streets or with shady characters (always shady characters in poor /working class neighborhood). You’d be surprised how many criminals’ first bat at crime was stealing candy because everyone else had it and their parents couldn’t or didn’t give it to them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

People managed to feed themselves, even kids, before microwaves.

We aren't talking about before. We're talking about now, the world as it actually is.

And today, kids are capable of making themselves something to eat too. You think kids would starve if there were no more pizza rolls and ramen noodle cups?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Asian and African countries, low income people cook from scratch and the meals are simple and mostly healthy, they simply can't afford processed or pre packaged food. You will be hard pressed to find a low income Asian who is overweight or obese, They do however have the cooking skills thanks to their parents or extended family. I have always wondered (not in a judgmental way) why poor Americans don't have basic cooking skills when they are the ones who stand to benefit the most from such skills.

Yes, I have seen the aforementioned EBT grocery hauls on TikTok, all the women have functioning kitchens, it seems for a lot of people buying processed and pre packaged food is a choice.

It doesn't take a lot of expense to cook fresh beans, rice with a small salad or some roasted vegetables. Lots of vegetables are not expensive. Pasta cooked in olive oil with come sausages, garlic + bell pepper is a $10 meal for the family. Good oil can be bought in bulk on EBT. Two packets of linguine 99c each at Trader Joe's, chicken sausage $4.99, 1 head of garlic @ 30c, 2 bell peppers for $1.50 and oil + seasonings bought in bulk which can last months.

These are not accurate grocery prices, at least not in any metro area. Also, again you ignore the lack time, space, and cooking skills cooking from scratch requires. Often, poor kids are home alone feeding themselves, while their parent(s) is at job #2 or even 3. They buy them things they can easily microwave, with low risk of burning the house down.

Those are more or less accurate prices. All of those things are staples of my grocery list in DC. There has been inflation but storebrand pasta is about $1.50 a bag/box. Sausage is $5.99. Bell peppers are about $1 each. Decent pasta sauce is $3.99.

You're making excuses. Isn't learning how to use a stove an essential life skill? Learning how to boil pasta and cook rice are basic life tasks that everyone should know, don't present any risk for burning a house down, and are no more complex than cooking a frozen pizza.

I'm not making excuses. I'm informing you of how actual poor people live and the logic that goes into their decision making process. You might not like it, but this is how it goes. And again, your prices are not accurate for 2025. Maybe they were a few years ago.

Anonymous wrote:The majority of people on food stamps voted for this. They can starve for all I care.
When they see their kids starving, they might learn something and start using a brain cell or two.

How evil of you. Some people voted for this. Many different. No children did. You sick fck.