Food Stamps

inskydiamonds

1. Bad food is also cheaper food. If you're living on a tight budget, food stamps included, it's not always practicable to buy fresh produce and good cuts of meat.

2. A lot of people who are poor also work A LOT, but the amount of money they make is still far too low to raise a family on. ****ty foods are also convenient foods. If you can just pop something in the microwave as opposed to cooking for an hour, I definitely understand.

I haven't ever been on food stamps, but I gained roughly 70 pounds when I was poor because of the quality food I was eating and the fact that I worked until 9 o'clock every night and didn't want to be on my feet all day and have to come home and cook.

Mickyboo1

I used to work in a grocery store. You'd be amazed to see what people buy with food stamps. For instance... $200 in food and spend $50 + on booze and cigs.

I've also worked in a grocery store. You can't buy booze and cigs with food stamps

I know you cant.

Mickyboo1

I know that food stamps don't buy beer and cigarettes, but my point is if they have enough cash for beer and cigarettes, they shouldn't be getting food stamps. Those $50 they spent on booze & ciggys could go towards their food, instead.

My point exactly.

1234terri

I think you need to be careful about the huge generalizations going on here. You saw one couple with poor food choices, thus 'all' people on food stamps have low self esteem. I've done case work with people who were about to become homeless, were single moms with kids with disabilities, etc. There is an entire layer of people living in poverty, or almost poverty in the US. The Anglo, 'middle class' is typically unaware of those beyond our radar, and it's easy to judge. People fall through cracks in our culture for all kinds of reasons. They might be choosing food that sure, gives comfort, fills up a family quicker than lean, healthy meals, or is cheaper, thus they can buy more of.

Plenty of folks pay cash for the same unhealthy, over processed foods; do you toss everyone into a bag of 'low self esteem'? I think a better attitude to have is to assume you don't know anything (really) about their personal story and not to make assumptions. This is a tough time for families, individuals and almost everyone in this country, economically.

kiminita

I used to work in a grocery store. You'd be amazed to see what people buy with food stamps. For instance... $200 in food and spend $50 + on booze and cigs.

I've also worked in a grocery store. You can't buy booze and cigs with food stamps

Ditto.




I always knew who the food stamp customers were by the mountain of crap in the cart, sad to say. WIC at least had restrictions on items.

P.S. Not saying this to be mean, but it was universally true when I worked in a grocery store in college.

I don't understand how YOUR UNIQUE and INDIVIDUAL observation could be universal. Did you work in every part of the country in all different types of neighborhoods?

mmocarr

Food is cultural. People learn how to eat from those around them. If those people are purchasing those items it is because it is what they know. just as we ate the way we did previously because it was familiar, comfortable, ect. Although it would be great if we had programs that educated people on ways to use food stamps to buy healthful foods to my knowledge there are none of those programs. Until I know what its like to feel the stress of feeding a family living below the poverty line I am not going to judge the fact that food choices are not their top priority.

Bmoney11239

in order for you to fully understand the mental state of a person that gets Public assistance you have to see what there hardship was or mental disorder. Not everyone on Food stamps is stupid or lazy, **** happends in life and everyone needs help from time to time. But when you are buying food, for 5-6 people you have to be concerned on the how much money you are spending on your items, one healthy dinner cost as much as 4 or 5 unhealthy ones. people survive on that stuff for years and some people have real problem that they cannot really work. So they have to rely on the govenrment. Now beer and ciggs are a completly different story, unless you have a real mental disorder or you are just ignorant from your teachings as a child, for some people they are not at fault. Try not to judge people for their actions and do research.

curlyclo

I think you need to be careful about the huge generalizations going on here. You saw one couple with poor food choices, thus 'all' people on food stamps have low self esteem. I've done case work with people who were about to become homeless, were single moms with kids with disabilities, etc. There is an entire layer of people living in poverty, or almost poverty in the US. The Anglo, 'middle class' is typically unaware of those beyond our radar, and it's easy to judge. People fall through cracks in our culture for all kinds of reasons. They might be choosing food that sure, gives comfort, fills up a family quicker than lean, healthy meals, or is cheaper, thus they can buy more of.

Plenty of folks pay cash for the same unhealthy, over processed foods; do you toss everyone into a bag of 'low self esteem'? I think a better attitude to have is to assume you don't know anything (really) about their personal story and not to make assumptions. This is a tough time for families, individuals and almost everyone in this country, economically.

Yes. This.

audram420

I'm not sure why this topic was even brought up...to cut down people that use food stamps and make bad choices. Maybe the OP should stand at the grocery store and educate these people instead of talking about them on a fitness website.
Sorry...I just think it's a topic made to start contraversy.

kiminita

in order for you to fully understand the mental state of a person that gets Public assistance you have to see what there hardship was or mental disorder. Not everyone on Food stamps is stupid or lazy, **** happends in life and everyone needs help from time to time. But when you are buying food, for 5-6 people you have to be concerned on the how much money you are spending on your items, one healthy dinner cost as much as 4 or 5 unhealthy ones. people survive on that stuff for years and some people have real problem that they cannot really work. So they have to rely on the govenrment. Now beer and ciggs are a completly different story, unless you have a real mental disorder or you are just ignorant from your teachings as a child, for some people they are not at fault. Try not to judge people for their actions and do research.

Yup.

paulaGetshealthy

Thank you for this. I am a sociologist...and yes, it is VERY important to look at the social conditions from which people arise, and what they DO and DO NOT have access to. Beer and cigarettes are expensive, but EVERYONE has their own vice. Middle class people probably have their own vice that are RELATIVELY the same price. Anyway, these observations are YOUR observations, and cannot be generalized.

I'm so not against food stamps! My problem is not with people who are on food stamps! I have friends who are on food stamps who truly need it to get by. And yes, I agree there are reasons why these people are obese, which in my opinion don't have much to do with education, but more with the fact that they are already living perhaps unhappy lives, so they use food to comfort them (as I used to do), or they don't find time to make healthy meals. HOWEVER, I think people should only satisfy their vices if they can afford it! Why should I, a tax payer, have to pay for someone's food when they have enough money for booze, cigarettes, a flat-screen TV, etc. If they have enough money for that, they have enough money to pay for their own food. It's ridiculous.

kiminita

I think you need to be careful about the huge generalizations going on here. You saw one couple with poor food choices, thus 'all' people on food stamps have low self esteem. I've done case work with people who were about to become homeless, were single moms with kids with disabilities, etc. There is an entire layer of people living in poverty, or almost poverty in the US. The Anglo, 'middle class' is typically unaware of those beyond our radar, and it's easy to judge. People fall through cracks in our culture for all kinds of reasons. They might be choosing food that sure, gives comfort, fills up a family quicker than lean, healthy meals, or is cheaper, thus they can buy more of.

Plenty of folks pay cash for the same unhealthy, over processed foods; do you toss everyone into a bag of 'low self esteem'? I think a better attitude to have is to assume you don't know anything (really) about their personal story and not to make assumptions. This is a tough time for families, individuals and almost everyone in this country, economically.

Yes. This.

Word.

We need to question the system rather than the actions of the people in it!!!

skinnnyxoxo

I don't think you need much of an education to realize that chips, soda, and pizza for dinner will result in rapid weight-gain. But yeah, I agree that maybe healthier food is cheaper, but the money is free to them, so I don't think they do it for the fact that it's cheap. BUT who am I to judge. I used to be obese, and even though I wasn't on food stamps, I constantly made unhealthy choices because food made me happy. Maybe people on food stamps already have low self-esteem and are ashamed, so they stuff themselves just like I did?

uhhhhhhhh NO.
NOT EVERYONE IS LIKE YOU SWEETHEART

skinnymeinaz

But yeah, I agree that maybe healthier food is cheaper, but the money is free to them, so I don't think they do it for the fact that it's cheap.

Healthy food costs more than unhealthy food and food stamps don't pay for alcohol & non-food items. And yes, the money is free to people who have food stamps, but $300-$400/month is not a lot for food for a family. Trying to get as much food for as cheap as possible is a real concern.

I agree with this quote because $300- $400 is not a lot for a family. I also agree with kiminita (these are your observations).

Healthy foods are more expensive. I know because I am trying to help my family eat better and the bill for my grocery list compared to my mom's is much higher. I try to tell her healthier foods and she tells me that she can't afford it on what they get. They are retired and live on a limited income. She also lives in a small town so not as much price add matching

kiminita

Thank you for this. I am a sociologist...and yes, it is VERY important to look at the social conditions from which people arise, and what they DO and DO NOT have access to. Beer and cigarettes are expensive, but EVERYONE has their own vice. Middle class people probably have their own vice that are RELATIVELY the same price. Anyway, these observations are YOUR observations, and cannot be generalized.

I'm so not against food stamps! My problem is not with people who are on food stamps! I have friends who are on food stamps who truly need it to get by. And yes, I agree there are reasons why these people are obese, which in my opinion don't have much to do with education, but more with the fact that they are already living perhaps unhappy lives, so they use food to comfort them (as I used to do), or they don't find time to make healthy meals. HOWEVER, I think people should only satisfy their vices if they can afford it! Why should I, a tax payer, have to pay for someone's food when they have enough money for booze, cigarettes, a flat-screen TV, etc. If they have enough money for that, they have enough money to pay for their own food. It's ridiculous.

You are projecting though and you CANNOT speak for them! You don't REALLY know the reasons they are buying what they are buying, and their lifestyles. It is impossible to be objective because we are ALL speaking from SOME perspective.
P.S. I never accused you of being against foodstamps, either. I'm just asking you to look at differently, not just from your perspective.

audram420

Our tax money goes to a lot of other crappy things besides food stamps. Just saying.

magdamccraven

As an obese person with a bachelors degree in education who is currently disabled and on food stamps, I am somewhat offended.

I don't think you should be paying so much attention to what they have in their cart or how they are paying.

I'm not trying to start an argument really, I am not. Your generalizations are irritating to me. If I want to have a frozen pizza or have $10.00 to spend on a pack of cigs and choose to do that instead of buy 5 pounds of broccoli just ring it up.

Jorra

Not only poor people buy junk food. I can understand being upset because they are using essentially other people's money to buy junk food. However, if there is no restriction on what they can buy, they will buy what they want just like anyone else. Also, less healthy food IS cheaper in most cases. It is also easier to buy pre-made processed food when you don't have time to cook. A lot of people on food stamps work long hours to make enough money to survive and they don't have time or the know-how to cook a healthy meal.

As for having money for alcohol and cigarettes, just because you are on food stamps doesn't mean you have NO money. If they have a little extra from their job, they can do with it what they want. If their way of relaxing is with alcohol and nicotine, fine.

kiminita

Our tax money goes to a lot of other crappy things besides food stamps. Just saying.

DAMN STRAIGHT. Like Wallstreet bail-outs

crazygirl78

Wow, you must have really been stalking those poor people to have such a report on their grocery experience! Obviously they have issues you would not understand unless you have been there. They don't need you staring them down while they shop.