My3Boys Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/13618342 NY is apparently looking to disallow the use of food stamps to purchase soda. What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Sounds good to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Pop has no nutritional value. I personally don't see an issue with the suggestion. And yes, we do go to ginger ale if someone is ill, but I can get a 1L bottle for $1, so it wouldn't be a hardship to pay cash for it when needed. We don't have food stamps in Canada. I wish we did. It would be a God send to ppl having specific funds for food. Last I checked, welfare barely covered the average rent, and thats the entire cheque...leaving next to nothing for food or bills. I also think this thread will go nuts, judging from past threads :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Meh. I have food stamps and if they want to disallow soda, whatever. It's not good for me anyway :lol:. I don't like it when people get all up in arms about food stamps being used for no junk food at all, ever, though. I deserve ice cream or chocolate on occasion as much as the next person, even if we have to use food stamps right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyhomemaker25 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) I understand the premise behind it, but really, soda is only one contributing factor. Edited June 2, 2011 by happyhomemaker25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I also think this thread will go nuts, judging from past threads :lol: :iagree: You may just want to search past Food Stamp threads for your answer. They all talk about junk food and food stamps. Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Perhaps they are trying to discourage items that aren't healthy? If that is the case, they would have to limit alot more stuff. This can be a hot topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susankenny Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I fully think it's a reasonable stance. Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) In MA you can't buy soda with food cards. You also can't buy juice that is not juice. So, no Capri Sun. ETA Nope. I am wrong. I checked. That's interesting, but I also don't have a problem with it. I wish people wouldn't, however. I think education is important. Edited June 2, 2011 by LibraryLover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flobee76 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I think that is just dandy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaMere Academy Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 it's not a nessecity so I agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Soda is crap. No one should drink it on a regular basis, imo, whether they're on FS or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJCMom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 On face value I don't see a problem with it. However, I have lived in places where soda is significantly less expensive than milk, and the water was so bad that I wouldn't drink it after two passes through a Brita. So, I understand why people in some parts of the country feel like soda is their best/only option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I'd be okay if soda just disappeared from the face of the earth! :D NY has just recently added a tax to sodas specifically. It caused a kerfuffle among natural "sodas" which are really sparkling juices. These were included in the tax, so some companies ended up changing the names of their products from natural sodas to sparkling juice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susankenny Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 On face value I don't see a problem with it. However, I have lived in places where soda is significantly less expensive than milk, and the water was so bad that I wouldn't drink it after two passes through a Brita. So, I understand why people in some parts of the country feel like soda is their best/only option. If your only consumption of fluids is soda though, that is SO bad for you! Soda is such crap, and I can't imagine my kids only intake of fluids being soda. I am confident that there are always better choices out there, regardless if you are on FS or not. Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 So... the idea is to tell adults that they can't buy soda with public funds, but to mandate that the children of those adults (Those receiving food stamps are likely to qualify for free lunch, am I correct?) that they are getting a healthy balanced lunch by serving them a hot dog on a white bun, with french fries (as a vegetable??) and a chocolate milk. Just checking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I've never thought of soda as any type of food; it's junk... I used to love it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 So... the idea is to tell adults that they can't buy soda with public funds, but to mandate that the children of those adults (Those receiving food stamps are likely to qualify for free lunch, am I correct?) that they are getting a healthy balanced lunch by serving them a hot dog on a white bun, with french fries (as a vegetable??) and a chocolate milk. Just checking. True dat. Although at dd's charter school they serve real food even for the reduced lunches, I know that's NOT the norm. At all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I think that guidelines make sense-similar to what is in place for school lunch programs (where food has to have a reasonable nutritional value, but that doesn't preclude cookies or ice cream being on the menu occasionally). Just don't choose the guidelines based on helping the dairy or poultry or frozen foods industries, which is what seems to be the case with school lunch menus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 So... the idea is to tell adults that they can't buy soda with public funds, but to mandate that the children of those adults (Those receiving food stamps are likely to qualify for free lunch, am I correct?) that they are getting a healthy balanced lunch by serving them a hot dog on a white bun, with french fries (as a vegetable??) and a chocolate milk. At least chocolate milk is better than soda. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susann Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 No nutritional value at all. I'd say no to being able to use food stamps to purchase. It doesn't mean people can't have it, just that you can't use food stamps to purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Reasonable. Soda has no nutritional value and is not a necessary item for a healthy diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 No nutritional value at all. I'd say no to being able to use food stamps to purchase. It doesn't mean people can't have it, just that you can't use food stamps to purchase. Exactly. Those of us on budgets often have to say No to wants like this because we can not afford it (And even sweets, ice cream, etc.) I see no problem with putting limits on what can be purchased with food stamps -- even if those limits do not always make complete logical sense (yet--in time maybe they will, maybe they won't). If you need to be fed by someone else, then yes you are going to be limited by what those "others" are willing to feed you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I'm all for it. I don't think that people's tax money should go to buying fizzy drinks. They have no nutritional value at all. Well done, NYC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJCMom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 If your only consumption of fluids is soda though, that is SO bad for you! Soda is such crap, and I can't imagine my kids only intake of fluids being soda. I am confident that there are always better choices out there, regardless if you are on FS or not. Susan It is bad for you. I agree. There are better choices for you when you live in a place where the grocery store you shop at is what you think of when you think of a grocery store: An entire aisle of seemingly unlimited beverage choices. When the only grocery store in town is the size of a small 7-11, and the shelves are never full, and the only beverage choices are milk at $10 a gallon or a 12-pack of soda at $4 a piece, and the water is undrinkable, what other choices do you have? I realize this isn't the case in most of the country. I was just saying that I have lived in places where this was the reality, so I understand how someone ends up feeling like soda is the best, most economical, choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I deserve ice cream or chocolate on occasion as much as the next person, even if we have to use food stamps right now. On what basis does anyone deserve ice cream or chocolate, particularly ice cream or chocolate purchased with my dime? Fully agree with the others who have pointed out the difference between wants and needs. Terri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 The simplest, and imnsho, fairest way to achieve that end would be to reclassify soda as "non-food"... which would also mean sales tax would be charged on it. :iagree: I'd also extend the non-food classification to cheese puffs, potato chips, cookies, candy, and ice cream. And anything else that's junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I have no problem limiting what people can buy with food stamps. I'm pretty liberal, but no one is forced to use food stamps, so if you choose to use them (which is totally cool with me and I am fine with my tax dollars being used to support the food stamp program) you agree to the limitations. WIC has a ton of restrictions on what you can buy, and no one gets all up in arms about that. (Well, except for my friend who was vegan and had a degree in nutrition and was told by her WIC office that she wasn't buying enough milk, so her kids weren't getting enough calcium, and when she talked to them about leafy greens, tofu, and almonds, they acted like she had three heads and lectured her about appropriate food choices.) I would be fine with limiting food stamps to actual food and not junk masquerading as food. Won't happen though, as the junk food lobby is too powerful. Tara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIE! Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Food stamps were very helpful to us before a few years ago. But I was AMAZED at all the junk we were allowed to buy and how much money was allotted to us each month. We tried to be responsible with it, and had quite a bit of surplus left over when we got off. We did buy some junk food though - especially for our kids' birthdays or other special holidays. The purpose of food stamps is to help people who couldn't otherwise afford it have the nutrition they need. It seems like tax dollars are wasted when they're going toward stuff that's not nutritious. However, once the government starts regulating they never seem to want to stop. What the government decides is healthy might not meet the needs of many individuals. So basically, I'm rambling. I'm fine with no more food stamps for soda. If people don't live near a good water supply, they can use their food stamps to buy bottled water. The government is providing a good service and it's up to them what to do with it. But I do cringe whenever the regulations start piling up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I'd also extend the non-food classification to cheese puffs, potato chips, cookies, candy, and ice cream. And anything else that's junk. :iagree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 We've had more time than not on the ragged edge of broke living. As I said earlier, there aren't food stamps in Canada, so that's not an option. I personally don't understand the idea of deserving junk food. Yes, a treat now and then is lovely, no doubt about it, but if its that important, why not use cash budgeted for that little treat, as opposed to food stamps? We lived 'deprivation style' as Wolf called it for years. Any special/junk food was a very rare treat. No coffees out, pizza, nada. Just plain couldn't afford it. We would have been very grateful to have help feeding our family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 On what basis does anyone deserve ice cream or chocolate, particularly ice cream or chocolate purchased with my dime? Fully agree with the others who have pointed out the difference between wants and needs. Terri I have no problem limiting what people can buy with food stamps. I'm pretty liberal, but no one is forced to use food stamps, so if you choose to use them (which is totally cool with me and I am fine with my tax dollars being used to support the food stamp program) you agree to the limitations. WIC has a ton of restrictions on what you can buy, and no one gets all up in arms about that. (Well, except for my friend who was vegan and had a degree in nutrition and was told by her WIC office that she wasn't buying enough milk, so her kids weren't getting enough calcium, and when she talked to them about leafy greens, tofu, and almonds, they acted like she had three heads and lectured her about appropriate food choices.) I would be fine with limiting food stamps to actual food and not junk masquerading as food. Won't happen though, as the junk food lobby is too powerful. Tara One problem with severely limiting food stamps is that many people who receive food stamps do *not* live in communities with easy access to what most of us think of as a normal grocery store. When you are applying something to the entire community you must think beyond your own challenges and experiences. There are some interesting initiatives out there to try to help close this gap. But, those are not prevalent or regular enough yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susankenny Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 It is bad for you. I agree. There are better choices for you when you live in a place where the grocery store you shop at is what you think of when you think of a grocery store: An entire aisle of seemingly unlimited beverage choices. When the only grocery store in town is the size of a small 7-11, and the shelves are never full, and the only beverage choices are milk at $10 a gallon or a 12-pack of soda at $4 a piece, and the water is undrinkable, what other choices do you have? I realize this isn't the case in most of the country. I was just saying that I have lived in places where this was the reality, so I understand how someone ends up feeling like soda is the best, most economical, choice. Eh. I don't buy it. I live in a town that is ultra tiny. I have to drive 24 miles to the next town to visit a WalMart, Home Depot, Movie Theater, etc. Our only grocery store is a small corner market. We have healthier choices than soda here, and they are not 2-3x more expensive. I do not believe people drink soda because it is the only viable option. I believe people drink it out of choice, not necessity. Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Eh. I don't buy it. I live in a town that is ultra tiny. I have to drive 24 miles to the next town to visit a WalMart, Home Depot, Movie Theater, etc. Our only grocery store is a small corner market. We have healthier choices than soda here, and they are not 2-3x more expensive. I do not believe people drink soda because it is the only viable option. I believe people drink it out of choice, not necessity. Susan Rural grocery stores are more likely to carry fresh foods than convenience stores in the inner city. These are entirely different challenges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 There is a lot more wrong with the food stamp system than just soda, but it's a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJCMom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Eh. I don't buy it. I live in a town that is ultra tiny. I have to drive 24 miles to the next town to visit a WalMart, Home Depot, Movie Theater, etc. Our only grocery store is a small corner market. We have healthier choices than soda here, and they are not 2-3x more expensive. I do not believe people drink soda because it is the only viable option. I believe people drink it out of choice, not necessity. Susan The places I lived that were like this were in rural Alaska. There was no "driving 24 miles to the next town." The only way in and out of town was by bush plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 On what basis does anyone deserve ice cream or chocolate, particularly ice cream or chocolate purchased with my dime? Fully agree with the others who have pointed out the difference between wants and needs. Terri Also my hubby's dime, who's working full-time and paying taxes to support it, and my own dime for years of taxpaying up until August of last year. I'm quite fine paying taxes to help out others, and to now be helped out by it for a while until hubby finishes his degree. If they chose to regulate those, so be it, but if they give me X amount for food stamps and I feed my family well and have enough left for some ice cream, I don't see that as a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susankenny Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 The places I lived that were like this were in rural Alaska. There was no "driving 24 miles to the next town." The only way in and out of town was by bush plane. Okay. Giving you the benefit of the doubt. You live in a town where people must drink soda. Now, what percentage does that account for of families on food stamps? Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susankenny Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Rural grocery stores are more likely to carry fresh foods than convenience stores in the inner city. These are entirely different challenges. You're right. Soda is a necessity. How dare the government do this! I'm outraged now. Susan;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 The places I lived that were like this were in rural Alaska. There was no "driving 24 miles to the next town." The only way in and out of town was by bush plane. They didn't carry tea or coffee? Koolaid? Juice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 On what basis does anyone deserve ice cream or chocolate, particularly ice cream or chocolate purchased with my dime? Fully agree with the others who have pointed out the difference between wants and needs. Ugh. I haven't read all of the responses yet, but that is such a distasteful statement, IMO. I really think it's just gross for you (general you) to make such statements to people. Guess what? It's "my dime" too and I don't give a darn what someone on food stamps buys as long as they're feeding their family. Not my business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) I personally don't understand the idea of deserving junk food. Yes, a treat now and then is lovely, no doubt about it, but if its that important, why not use cash budgeted for that little treat, as opposed to food stamps? Because generally, if you budget extra, they remove that amount from your food stamp amount so you don't have the extra anymore. We changed some things so we could have $60 of cash a month, where previously essentially every penny went to bills. Food stamps responded by dropping our food stamp amount by that $60, so we now have to use the cash to cover the basic foods instead. No extra. The only extras that are allowed are one-time amounts, like getting a bit of birthday present money or a tax return, and if some remains after a month it must be reported & drops your food stamp amount accordingly. Extra cash isn't really allowed in the system, at least in our state. I know every state is different. (Although FTR, I'm almost glad they did that, because we used the cash to buy into a produce co-op so we can have decent produce at a better price. They didn't accept food stamps so we couldn't do that before.) Edited June 2, 2011 by LittleIzumi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwickimom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 wonderful. When we are broke (like currently) but dont qualify for food stamps, we do not buy soda and other junk because we know that we cant afford to. I am all for the food stamp program helping those who need it, but I dont think you need soda to survive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 One problem with severely limiting food stamps is that many people who receive food stamps do *not* live in communities with easy access to what most of us think of as a normal grocery store. When you are applying something to the entire community you must think beyond your own challenges and experiences. There are some interesting initiatives out there to try to help close this gap. But, those are not prevalent or regular enough yet. :iagree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJCMom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Okay. Giving you the benefit of the doubt. You live in a town where people must drink soda. Now, what percentage does that account for of families on food stamps? Susan I don't live there anymore. They are all on subsistance with the exception of the school employees, whichever family owns the store, and if the town was big enough to have a post office that was separate from the store, the person who worked at the post office. There was no industry in the bush villages I lived in, so everyone was on what they called subsistance. I have no idea if there were food stamps that were separate from the cash benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dulcimeramy Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 In Indianapolis even the inner city 7-11 grocery stores have bottled water. It might cost as much as soda, but they absolutely have it anywhere they have soda. Don't forget, soda manufacturers are in on the bottled water market. If you can get Coke, you can get Dasani. If you can get Pepsi, you can get Aquafina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 From the article: Officials say it's about helping people make the right choices. I cringe when our right to self determination is trambled on in order to help us make the "right" choices. What the government decides is healthy might not meet the needs of many individuals. :iagree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 You're right. Soda is a necessity. How dare the government do this! I'm outraged now. Susan;) I have no problem limiting soda. In fact, I would be fine with classifying it as a non-food and/or applying tax to it in states without tax on food. And I'm a soda drinker. I'm just saying that eliminating *all* junk would make it hard for people in some areas. Did you read the links I offered? Are you interested in really talking about it? Because I have more information on this, but I'm not going to dig it up if you aren't honestly interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJCMom Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) They didn't carry tea or coffee? Koolaid? Juice? Sure. Whether or not it was always stocked at the store is another matter. You could go there one day and have coffee, tea, ect. (one kind of coffee, tea, etc.) and go there in a couple of days and it's all gone. And there were times that the next bush order wouldn't come for a month or more. The days the bush orders arrived were always a big deal. :D Also, keep in mind that the water was really undrinkable. And, those things take water to make, so you're not only buying the coffee or whatever, you're also having to buy bottled water to make it. Seriously, even after two passes through the Brita it was still visibly brown. It was disgusting. Edited June 2, 2011 by EJCMom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 There are some interesting initiatives out there to try to help close this gap. But, those are not prevalent or regular enough yet. What a great article! Thank you for sharing. The food distribution problem in the US is not insignificant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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