Poor eating habits.

LeonaB17

I try to mind my own business bc sometimes I am the person buying junk and I dont want people judging me! Most of the time I buy healthy food - but I am not perfect and I have weak moments sometimes. And if anyone judges me for what I buy- well they can kiss my butt.

As far as food stamps go..I have never used them and have been fortunate enough to have never needed to. I understand there is a need for assistance such as this, but I am bothered that some people clearly abuse the system.

freshmenthesis

LucianaMilk---

Unhealthy food is cheap because it is precisely that --cheap food. Healthy foods have more of the "real" things that your body needs and those cost more to make than than the junk that is mainly produced by corn products. We understand quality in cars and other items- food is no different you get what you pay for.

femmerides

I think the same thing about overweight shoppers as I do about underweight shoppers who are filling their carts with ****. "That sucks for them"

Food stamps only bother me when I see my tax money going into red bull and candy. If they legit need food stamps and are feeding their families then I fine with it. Its when they buy **** with food stamps and tvs with unemployment insurance that really piss me off.

this is why i approve of WIC more than EBT. WIC tells you what you can and cannot buy. EBT lets you buy anything. If my tax dollars are paying for your food, please eat healthy. thanks!

femmerides

I think the same thing about overweight shoppers as I do about underweight shoppers who are filling their carts with ****. "That sucks for them"

Food stamps only bother me when I see my tax money going into red bull and candy. If they legit need food stamps and are feeding their families then I fine with it. Its when they buy **** with food stamps and tvs with unemployment insurance that really piss me off.

this is why i approve of WIC more than EBT. WIC tells you what you can and cannot buy. EBT lets you buy anything. If my tax dollars are paying for your food, please eat healthy. thanks!

or feed your family the proper nutrition they need.

LucianaMilk

I don't know, but the price of food it is a bigger problem than this.

The nature world offers us a range variety of food without high costs . It is a wise system
I think that the interest of big companies of fast food comes first and besides field camps are being replaced by cattle farms.

At the end it costs more for us in basic food rice, wheat etc

I truly believe that is why people eat so badly

3dogsrunning

I am not even American, we don't even have "food stamps" here, but questions - how do you regulate what they can and can't buy? Olive oil - healthy. Chicken - healthy. Whole wheat bread - healthy. You can bread the chicken and fry it in the oil, not such a healthy meal. Is cheese healthy or not? Eggs? Butter is fine in moderation, but can be very unhealthy, is that out? What constitutes healthy and who decides what makes a healthy food?

You can still become overweight and unhealthy by eating too much "healthy" food. You can use "healthy food" and still prepare unhealthy meals.

And what about the ones who are healthy, but want a treat. Little old grandma on social assistance can't buy sweets to go with her tea?

ETA- and that is not even addressing the issue of the cost of "healthy" food.

skinnnyxoxo

I don't care what people spend the food stamps on. It's there body, their money to buy their food. They need to feed themselves, and if unhealthy food is cheaper than they should buy whatever they want to fill their stomachs up. Yes, I do glance at people's shopping carts, but I don't judge. It's not like I'm perfect, so I have no right to do so. And as for the issue of the government regulating the type of food people buy, are we going to let the government control our diet now?

BrewerGeorge

It never even crossed my mind to look in others' carts. My wife would say I'm too self-centered for that. I say I'm just concentrating on what's important. I also couldn't give a damn what others think of my choices. Again, it's never crossed my mind.

kristelpoole

I don't care what people spend the food stamps on. It's there body, their money to buy their food. They need to feed themselves, and if unhealthy food is cheaper than they should buy whatever they want to fill their stomachs up. Yes, I do glance at people's shopping carts, but I don't judge. It's not like I'm perfect, so I have no right to do so. And as for the issue of the government regulating the type of food people buy, are we going to let the government control our diet now?

If you don't think that the government has a hand in controlling what the vast majority of people eat, you have a lot to learn.

And also, no, it is not exactly "their money" since it comes from taxpayer dollars.

However, it is their body, and they can do with it what they will.

As of June 2009, the average monthly benefit was $133.12 per person. Are you honestly telling me that a family of four can't eat healthily for $532/month? Seriously?

And if 1 in 8 Americans and 1 in 4 American children are utilizing SNAP then how much money do you think the average American taxpayer is paying for these people to eat. (Let it be known, that I have ZERO issue with having a food assistance program in general.)

SNAP participants consume less produce and healthy options and purchase at least 40% more sugar-sweetened beverages than any other consumer group.* We here all know that getting your calories from sugary beverages does absolutely nothing for your health. In addition, they are by no means necessary to your diet. Water is. (*From the American Journal for Public Health)

Maximilian Schmeiser, an economist with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, noted that each additional year of SNAP participation increases the BMI of women and men by 1.6 BMI points (2009). The Economics and Human Biology journal uses an example that an average American woman, 5 feet 4 inches tall, will be 5.8 pounds (2.6 kg) heavier if she is on SNAP than someone who is SNAP eligible, but not receiving food assistance.

This is right there on Wikipedia with credible references.

Hence the conversation about educating the masses on nutrition. Whoever brought that up was on the right track.

bcattoes

I am not even American, we don't even have "food stamps" here, but questions - how do you regulate what they can and can't buy? Olive oil - healthy. Chicken - healthy. Whole wheat bread - healthy. You can bread the chicken and fry it in the oil, not such a healthy meal. Is cheese healthy or not? Eggs? Butter is fine in moderation, but can be very unhealthy, is that out? What constitutes healthy and who decides what makes a healthy food?

You can still become overweight and unhealthy by eating too much "healthy" food. You can use "healthy food" and still prepare unhealthy meals.

And what about the ones who are healthy, but want a treat. Little old grandma on social assistance can't buy sweets to go with her tea?

ETA- and that is not even addressing the issue of the cost of "healthy" food.

Everything you say is true. There are some things beyond the control of what you purchase. But there are some things you can control. Alcohol is prohibited for example. But other things that are never healthy such as candy, soda, etc are permitted.