Protein on Foodstamps?

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  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    shell1005 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    The rules for what you can buy with food stamps is you can buy anything that is classified as food as long as it is not heated & pre-prepared.

    However not all stores accept food stamps. They have to sell milk, bread and eggs or they aren't able to accept SNAP. So if you bought protein powder at the grocery store in their health food sections, you could buy it with food stamps. If you went to GNC, you would not be able to use your food stamps there.

    Actually, many places accept ebt cards (food stamps) for pre-prepared food. The 7-11 by me will let you buy pizza and stuff. Many bodegas around here also accept ebt stamps.

    Then they are breaking the law. If the food is warm, you cannot use SNAP to buy it. I don't question that it happens. I can tell you a bunch of local places in Boston that sell things that they aren't supposed to using SNAP, but it doesn't make it within the guidelines.

    We use the stupid example all the time when talking about how the system is broken and not user friendly. If there is a burrito in the warming case in the front...you cannot use SNAP, if you buy a frozen burrito and then bring it to the 7-11 microwave and zap it, you can.

    I never said they weren't breaking the law. Around here there doesn't seem to be a strict control over places that accept them and for what (I have seen people buy beer with them). There are just too many places that accept them and too many people on them.
  • krazgrl
    krazgrl Posts: 86 Member
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    elphie754 wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    The rules for what you can buy with food stamps is you can buy anything that is classified as food as long as it is not heated & pre-prepared.

    However not all stores accept food stamps. They have to sell milk, bread and eggs or they aren't able to accept SNAP. So if you bought protein powder at the grocery store in their health food sections, you could buy it with food stamps. If you went to GNC, you would not be able to use your food stamps there.

    Actually, many places accept ebt cards (food stamps) for pre-prepared food. The 7-11 by me will let you buy pizza and stuff. Many bodegas around here also accept ebt stamps.

    Hey all. I work for my local government and investigate welfare fraud (Food Stamps and Cash Assistance). Let me help shed some light.

    The places that accept EBT for prepared food is allowable for those receiving Cash Assistance (Not Food Stamps). This includes programs like General Relief and here in CA, CalWORKs (a program geared for underincome families with children). With these programs, people can buy toiletries, prepared foods, you name it and it's still loaded on to an EBT card (Electronic Benefits Transfer) like an ATM/Debit card.

    Those who have Food Stamps (CalFresh in CA), you cannot purchase prepared foods or go to fast food chains that advertise "EBT Accepted Here". Those are for the Cash Assistance folk. You can buy any and all fresh food and it's accepted at Costco - you just can't buy a prepared rotisserie chicken, but you can buy the raw ones! :smile:
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Dry beans, and tofu. Tofu is usually $1.99 for a 16oz (1lb block)
    And eggs.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    With Google and a calculator you can figure out what food or protein powder has the lowest cost per gram of protein. I suspect that soy or whey protein powder will be cheapest.
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Chicken breast at the local grocery stores near me is usually only $1.99 a pound. Plenty of protein and much tastier than the powders.

    Edited to add -
    Oops, nevermind as I just saw you don't eat much meat. Plenty of other great suggestions on here though and it sounds as if you're getting plenty of protein on current diet (per USMCMP - who knows her stuff!).
  • kmsoucy457
    kmsoucy457 Posts: 237 Member
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    NaturalNancy wrote: »
    Dry beans, and tofu. Tofu is usually $1.99 for a 16oz (1lb block)
    And eggs.
    Second this. If you're not a meat eater and you're looking to supplement the protein you get from dairy ,these are the way to go.
    Bulk whey and soy powders are great, too if you prefer to drink your protein instead of eating it. Best bang for your buck will be in the bulk section, and imo there isn't a whole lot of difference between unflavored protein brands. I love everything Bob's Red mill puts out.
  • tlskim
    tlskim Posts: 16 Member
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    Samrny wrote: »
    I'm trying to find a better or second job so I can get off foodstamps, but in the meantime...

    Can you buy protein with FS? I know I can buy bulk unflavored whey and soy protein from Winco's Bulk Bins, is that good enough? Which one is better? Soy is Bob's Redmill brand, the other one is unbranded, if that matters.

    But can you buy like tubs of protein at Winco or other grocery stores that take FS? What brands if so would you recommend?

    Would it be more economical to try and get my protein from whole food sources? I don't eat much meat...


    Please don't bash me for how I'm trying to lose weight on FS, you might make me cry since I'm a sensitive one.

    Have you tried Vegetarian or Vegan sources of Protein?

  • tlskim
    tlskim Posts: 16 Member
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    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20718479,00.html

    Try looking for Vegan or Vegetarian sources of protein.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    NaturalNancy wrote: »
    Dry beans, and tofu. Tofu is usually $1.99 for a 16oz (1lb block)
    And eggs.

    Cottage cheese. Nice with fruit or if you can blend it smooth it helps make a nice creamy scrambled egg. You can make cottage cheese pancakes, too, and they are very tasty - similar to a ricotta pancake and not lumpy like you may be thinking.

    OP, please don't feel sensitive about accepting help that you need. We all need help sometimes, monetary or no. You need it, you take what's available, and you use it for whatever you need to get back on your feet. That's why it's there.
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Beans

    Rice and beans
  • AddieOverhaul
    AddieOverhaul Posts: 734 Member
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    Beans have been mentioned but also lentils! I prefer lentils personally and they can also be bought in bulk pretty cheap. Also using chick peas you could make your own hummus as well to add some protein to your snacks.
  • sylkates
    sylkates Posts: 173 Member
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    shell1005 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    The rules for what you can buy with food stamps is you can buy anything that is classified as food as long as it is not heated & pre-prepared.

    However not all stores accept food stamps. They have to sell milk, bread and eggs or they aren't able to accept SNAP. So if you bought protein powder at the grocery store in their health food sections, you could buy it with food stamps. If you went to GNC, you would not be able to use your food stamps there.

    Actually, many places accept ebt cards (food stamps) for pre-prepared food. The 7-11 by me will let you buy pizza and stuff. Many bodegas around here also accept ebt stamps.

    Then they are breaking the law. If the food is warm, you cannot use SNAP to buy it. I don't question that it happens. I can tell you a bunch of local places in Boston that sell things that they aren't supposed to using SNAP, but it doesn't make it within the guidelines.

    We use the stupid example all the time when talking about how the system is broken and not user friendly. If there is a burrito in the warming case in the front...you cannot use SNAP, if you buy a frozen burrito and then bring it to the 7-11 microwave and zap it, you can.

    I thought that the laws for how food stamps work vary widely from state to state.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    Why waste what little money you have on something like whey. I get a lot of my protein from chick peas, lentils, I eat a lot of sardines (especially when they are on sale @10 for $10.00, I buy them up and stock pile - and I am not on food stamps. Peanut butter, you need to learn to read food labels. I look for foods high in protein and iron and the ones above are plentiful.

    As someone mentioned hummus, I make my own and its far better than the crap they sell in the stores and not hard to make at all. Chick peas is relatively cheap especially when they are on sale you can get 4 for $5.00.
  • ccnagain
    ccnagain Posts: 50 Member
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    @makingmark -Completely off topic but I sure do miss home (EC) even though I'd never want to live there again.

    And I agree with lentils...they can be made so many ways and are so super yummy! I didn't even know I liked them until about 2 months ago when someone brought a lentil soup to church. :smile:

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