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Food Stamps Restriction
Replies
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Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »In my state you can buy absolutely anything besides alcohol and cigarettes. Anything with a nutritional label on it qualifies. It is too easy to get them in my state. I have many friends on it who get 200 a month and are in school or who are not working but their husband does and they just lied on their application. WAYY too easy to take advantage of. I am all for food stamps for those who truly need it, but unfortunately many people 'work the system'.
Then your state needs to overhaul its program. The problem is with your state, not SNAP.
Most states would not allow students on SNAP unless they were 1) Not declared dependent on their parents taxes, 2) Paying for tuition and living expenses themselves, 3) Not receiving scholarship money. Any student considered a dependent would not qualify. Scholarship money would be factored in, just like earned income, and may reduce the benefit if the student was otherwise eligible.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Strawblackcat wrote: »I'm in favor of what someone else suggested a few pages ago by making SNAP work more like WIC. Nutritious items like fruits, vegetables, meats, while grains, and dairy items would be approved for purchase by the program, and items that didn't have approval (like cookies, crackers, soda, etc.) Would be paid for by the buyer's money. SNAP is meant to help people afford to buy enough food to eat. It's not meant to cover 100% of a person's food budget. If someone in SNAP wants to buy soda, that's fine, but they should use their own money to pay for that and use their SNAP benefits to buy actual food.
If my food budget is $20 and $10 of that is from SNAP, why does it matter I'm actually purchasing the soda with? If I use my SNAP to buy $2 worth of beans and then use my $2 that I didn't spend on beans to buy soda or vice versa, it's the exact same result.
It's one thing to need help feeding your family and another to ask for help feeding your family and then use that help for luxuries.13 -
No one has mentioned that many Fast Food places take benefits. You can get your quarter pounder, biggie fries, and a shamrock shake on benefits.
Taco Bell, Arby's, McDonalds, Churches, Dairy Queen, Dominoes, Wendy's, etc, etc.7 -
TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »No one has mentioned that many Fast Food places take benefits. You can get your quarter pounder, biggie fries, and a shamrock shake on benefits.
Taco Bell, Arby's, McDonalds, Churches, Dairy Queen, Dominoes, Wendy's, etc, etc.
No they do not.9 -
TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »No one has mentioned that many Fast Food places take benefits. You can get your quarter pounder, biggie fries, and a shamrock shake on benefits.
Taco Bell, Arby's, McDonalds, Churches, Dairy Queen, Dominoes, Wendy's, etc, etc.
Where? That's certainly NOT the case where I live.
"The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) defines eligible food as any food or food product for home consumption and also includes seeds and plants which produce food for consumption by SNAP households. The Act precludes the following items from being purchased with SNAP benefits: alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, hot food and any food sold for on-premises consumption. Nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, medicines and vitamins, household supplies, grooming items, and cosmetics, also are ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits."
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items6 -
TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »No one has mentioned that many Fast Food places take benefits. You can get your quarter pounder, biggie fries, and a shamrock shake on benefits.
Taco Bell, Arby's, McDonalds, Churches, Dairy Queen, Dominoes, Wendy's, etc, etc.
Not in my state.1 -
It is 100% the case where I live. In the south
http://firstquarterfinance.com/what-fast-food-places-take-ebt-food-stamps-snap/
http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_and_life/2011/09/food-stamps-for-restaurants-accepted-in-az-ca-fl-mi.html
It was done to allow people that live in "food deserts" to have availability to food.2 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »No one has mentioned that many Fast Food places take benefits. You can get your quarter pounder, biggie fries, and a shamrock shake on benefits.
Taco Bell, Arby's, McDonalds, Churches, Dairy Queen, Dominoes, Wendy's, etc, etc.
No they do not.
http://firstquarterfinance.com/what-fast-food-places-take-ebt-food-stamps-snap/2 -
TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »It is 100% the case where I live. In the south
http://firstquarterfinance.com/what-fast-food-places-take-ebt-food-stamps-snap/
Not for everyone and this makes sense... homeless people don't exactly have stoves and fridges.
“In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.” Note that based on the published information, the Restaurant Meals Program (as this initiative is known) is available only for homeless, elderly, or disabled recipients of EBT."10 -
TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
Did you read them or just posting links?5 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »It is 100% the case where I live. In the south
http://firstquarterfinance.com/what-fast-food-places-take-ebt-food-stamps-snap/
Not for everyone and this makes sense... homeless people don't exactly have stoves and fridges.
“In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.” Note that based on the published information, the Restaurant Meals Program (as this initiative is known) is available only for homeless, elderly, or disabled recipients of EBT."
'And now, the rest of the story...'3 -
TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »No one has mentioned that many Fast Food places take benefits. You can get your quarter pounder, biggie fries, and a shamrock shake on benefits.
Taco Bell, Arby's, McDonalds, Churches, Dairy Queen, Dominoes, Wendy's, etc, etc.
No they do not. (Except Papa Murphy's Pizza because it is food to be taken home and prepared and eaten there). You can't even purchase a rotisserie chicken at a grocery store because it falls under the "hot food" restriction of the Food and Nutrition Act.5 -
There are already restrictions on food stamps- not hot deli food is the one that comes to mind. So why make a big deal over soda? Personally I love the WIC program- I was on it as kid, I've dealt with it as a cashier- it figures out how much a family of X needs, and then you get X amount of specific foods.3
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So what's the big deal about people on food stamps buying whatever food or drink they want? It can't be that they are incapable of making rationale choices in this regard or won't as the research I have seen indicates that SNAP and Non SNAP households make similar choices as a proportion of their spending. Should SNAP participants be held to a higher standard than Non SNAP and is so, why?
It's a theme on these boards that assigning moral labels to food is counter productive. Food isn't "good" or "bad". A calories is a calorie and so on. The overall context of the diet matters. However, in the context of a government programme this kind of moralising is a good thing? That doesn't make sense.23 -
OliveGirl128 wrote: »LJGettinSexy wrote: »GlassAngyl wrote: »Totally for it. And they should add all junk food items as well. Leave baking items and they can make junk from scratch...
Then you'd complain they were spending the money on steaks and shrimp, I here it all the time. Food is expensive for the working poor ( not making a living wage and not poor enough for aid) and soda is cheap. Natural and healthier choices are twice as much as junk food, or haven't you noticed
This is thrown out all the time, but many times it's just not true. I eat a very 'healthy' diet and I fit it in, along with the rest of my family's groceries, on a pretty small grocery budget. Beans, whole grains, frozen veggies, frozen chicken etc are all pretty inexpensive.
I've often wondered this because I hear it so often - then I see blogs like budgetbytes where she shows how to provide for a family of 4 (I think) with limited means; last night the meal I made (barley and sweet potato) cost me approximately $5 to make and resulted in over 3lbs of food that will last me a week (and all I used to cook it was a skillet)1 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »To be honest, I would like to see restrictions on SNAP to allow payments for nutrient dense foods only. Along with that, I would be willing to increase the amount of payments.
I'd be open to this kind of idea (make it more limited but increase the amount to help afford a greater variety of nutrient dense foods), and apparently surveys of those on SNAP indicate that they would too (see https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/11/should-food-stamps-buy-soda/281342/ and http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2013/08/food_stamp_choices_should_people_be_allowed_to_buy_junk_food_with_their.html).
I don't feel strongly about it either way, and would note that for most on SNAP it's supplemental, so whether you directly buy soda with it or not doesn't really determine whether you are still buying soda (if it's prohibited) or also buying vegetables (if it is not), etc. But I am kind of sympathetic to the idea that we shouldn't be in essence subsidizing the soda manufacturers, and this is arguably one way.
What I see as the problem with the "only nutrient dense food" idea is how do you define it and enforce it in any kind of reasonable way. The simple idea would be that it can't be used on anything not taxed as food (vs. other types of purchases), but in IL that leaves out prepared food, candy, and soda only.
So how would you work this proposal given realities?
Also, I am wary of it being used punitively (if you are poor you shouldn't get a birthday cake!) or motivated by stigma (the poor are fat and stupid) or a desire for more stigma (the ugly idea that buying on SNAP should be more obvious and embarrassing than it is), which I think are attitudes that permeate a LOT of discussion of these kinds of issues in the US.
I mentioned upstream in the thread that I would propose using the WIC guidelines to determine what items would qualify for SNAP benefits. The items that qualify for WIC are generally nutritious, but not premium products.
This link has listing of eligible foods by state and a brief description of the program
https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/links-state-agency-wic-approved-food-lists
For our non-US friends and those not familiar with the program, here is a brief description of the program from the above site.
The WIC target population are low-income, nutritionally at risk:
Pregnant women (through pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after birth or after pregnancy ends).
Breastfeeding women (up to infant’s 1st birthday)
Nonbreastfeeding postpartum women (up to 6 months after the birth of an infant or after pregnancy ends)
Infants (up to 1st birthday). WIC serves 53 percent of all infants born in the United States.
Children up to their 5th birthday.
Benefits
The following benefits are provided to WIC participants:
Supplemental nutritious foods
Nutrition education and counseling at WIC clinics
Screening and referrals to other health, welfare and social services
I'm sure there would have to be some modifications to the items approved to meet the nutritional needs of other members of the population, but I feel this would be a good start. Plus qualifying items are already identified in the systems of retailers.4 -
It would appear for many people that poor = incapable of making any good decisions ever, whether financial or dietary. Poor = lower moral, ethical and intelligence standards. Poor = must have their life controlled if they dare need financial assistance.
Humans are great.34 -
VintageFeline wrote: »It would appear for many people that poor = incapable of making any good decisions ever, whether financial or dietary. Poor = lower moral, ethical and intelligence standards. Poor = must have their life controlled if they dare need financial assistance.
Humans are great.
Controlling what you can purchase with via assistance is hardly what you describe here.12 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »It would appear for many people that poor = incapable of making any good decisions ever, whether financial or dietary. Poor = lower moral, ethical and intelligence standards. Poor = must have their life controlled if they dare need financial assistance.
Humans are great.
Controlling what you can purchase with via assistance is hardly what you describe here.
So thinking there is a need to "control" what people on assistance can buy doesn't smell of that in any way at all to you?11 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »GlassAngyl wrote: »Totally for it. And they should add all junk food items as well. Leave baking items and they can make junk from scratch...
How does this make any sense?
@Chef_Barbell, most ppl on welfare make excuses for their weight citing that junk food cost less than healthy foods. They plug their ears and "lalalala" when you show them the cost between a bag of carrots and one candy bar. I'm not against people eating junk.. I am against pre-packaged junk and people spending all their stamps on that instead of feeding their families healthy options. Baking items cost less in the long run than buying packages of chocolate chip cookies. You get more for your dollar. I feed a family of 8 on a $500 budget. When it was just my family and NOT my bros family too, cost me 200-300$ a month to feed my family healthy home baked meals. My family complained I was starving my kids because my cupboards and freezer was filled only with items that had to be cooked.. nothing quick and simple. My kids are so use to eating this way, they don't "snack" .. they cook.
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GlassAngyl wrote: »Chef_Barbell wrote: »GlassAngyl wrote: »Totally for it. And they should add all junk food items as well. Leave baking items and they can make junk from scratch...
How does this make any sense?
@Chef_Barbell, most ppl on welfare make excuses for their weight citing that junk food cost less than healthy foods. They plug their ears and "lalalala" when you show them the cost between a bag of carrots and one candy bar. I'm not against people eating junk.. I am against pre-packaged junk and people spending all their stamps on that instead of feeding their families healthy options. Baking items cost less in the long run than buying packages of chocolate chip cookies. You get more for your dollar. I feed a family of 8 on a $500 budget. When it was just my family and NOT my bros family too, cost me 200-300$ a month to feed my family healthy home baked meals. My family complained I was starving my kids because my cupboards and freezer was filled only with items that had to be cooked.. nothing quick and simple. My kids are so use to eating this way, they don't "snack" .. they cook.
Why do you think people on assistance only buy junk?7 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »It would appear for many people that poor = incapable of making any good decisions ever, whether financial or dietary. Poor = lower moral, ethical and intelligence standards. Poor = must have their life controlled if they dare need financial assistance.
Humans are great.
Controlling what you can purchase with via assistance is hardly what you describe here.
So thinking there is a need to "control" what people on assistance can buy doesn't smell of that in any way at all to you?
Smell of thinking they have low morals, ethic and intelligence? No. He!! no.6 -
Not an answer to the question (and I've said this on other posts before), but I still don't comprehend why so many poor people buy soda. Hauling groceries without a car is enough of a P.I.T.A without hauling jugs of what is essentially water with a tiny amount of added ingredients. Kool-aid/Tang/etc at least comes in tiny portable packets or a small jar. And especially with the wider availability of on-tap and pitcher-type water filters to combat the rust-etc taste of the water in many old apartment buildings.1
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Chef_Barbell wrote: »GlassAngyl wrote: »Chef_Barbell wrote: »GlassAngyl wrote: »Totally for it. And they should add all junk food items as well. Leave baking items and they can make junk from scratch...
How does this make any sense?
@Chef_Barbell, most ppl on welfare make excuses for their weight citing that junk food cost less than healthy foods. They plug their ears and "lalalala" when you show them the cost between a bag of carrots and one candy bar. I'm not against people eating junk.. I am against pre-packaged junk and people spending all their stamps on that instead of feeding their families healthy options. Baking items cost less in the long run than buying packages of chocolate chip cookies. You get more for your dollar. I feed a family of 8 on a $500 budget. When it was just my family and NOT my bros family too, cost me 200-300$ a month to feed my family healthy home baked meals. My family complained I was starving my kids because my cupboards and freezer was filled only with items that had to be cooked.. nothing quick and simple. My kids are so use to eating this way, they don't "snack" .. they cook.
Why do you think people on assistance only buy junk?
And that they are proportionately fatter than the general population and ergo are making poorer food choices.5 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »It would appear for many people that poor = incapable of making any good decisions ever, whether financial or dietary. Poor = lower moral, ethical and intelligence standards. Poor = must have their life controlled if they dare need financial assistance.
Humans are great.
Controlling what you can purchase with via assistance is hardly what you describe here.
So thinking there is a need to "control" what people on assistance can buy doesn't smell of that in any way at all to you?
Smell of thinking they have low morals, ethic and intelligence? No. He!! no.
The rhetoric of them not feeding their kids properly and instead buying junk. That says they have poor morals because they care more about junk than the health of their family.7 -
Not an answer to the question (and I've said this on other posts before), but I still don't comprehend why so many poor people buy soda. Hauling groceries without a car is enough of a P.I.T.A without hauling jugs of what is essentially water with a tiny amount of added ingredients. Kool-aid/Tang/etc at least comes in tiny portable packets or a small jar. And especially with the wider availability of on-tap and pitcher-type water filters to combat the rust-etc taste of the water in many old apartment buildings.
Because they like it? Same as anyone else. Poor people are humans too.8 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »Not an answer to the question (and I've said this on other posts before), but I still don't comprehend why so many poor people buy soda. Hauling groceries without a car is enough of a P.I.T.A without hauling jugs of what is essentially water with a tiny amount of added ingredients. Kool-aid/Tang/etc at least comes in tiny portable packets or a small jar. And especially with the wider availability of on-tap and pitcher-type water filters to combat the rust-etc taste of the water in many old apartment buildings.
Because they like it? Same as anyone else. Poor people are humans too.
I have a filter jug. The filters aren't cheap (could be different in the US). I happen to not buy soda, I use squash/concentrated juice you add water to but I'm not judging those who might buy the odd can/bottle or whatever.2 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »It would appear for many people that poor = incapable of making any good decisions ever, whether financial or dietary. Poor = lower moral, ethical and intelligence standards. Poor = must have their life controlled if they dare need financial assistance.
Humans are great.
Controlling what you can purchase with via assistance is hardly what you describe here.
So thinking there is a need to "control" what people on assistance can buy doesn't smell of that in any way at all to you?
Smell of thinking they have low morals, ethic and intelligence? No. He!! no.
The rhetoric of them not feeding their kids properly and instead buying junk. That says they have poor morals because they care more about junk than the health of their family.
Rhetoric and excluding a few items from being purchased with food stamps are not the same.7 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »It would appear for many people that poor = incapable of making any good decisions ever, whether financial or dietary. Poor = lower moral, ethical and intelligence standards. Poor = must have their life controlled if they dare need financial assistance.
Humans are great.
Controlling what you can purchase with via assistance is hardly what you describe here.
So thinking there is a need to "control" what people on assistance can buy doesn't smell of that in any way at all to you?
Smell of thinking they have low morals, ethic and intelligence? No. He!! no.
The rhetoric of them not feeding their kids properly and instead buying junk. That says they have poor morals because they care more about junk than the health of their family.
Rhetoric and excluding a few items from being purchased with food stamps are not the same.
What exactly is the benefit then of changing a program that already works? Of course if it's not because people can't make their own nutritional decisions?6
This discussion has been closed.
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