Food stamps? opinions

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

I used cleavage and strategic use of a smilie to get a good deal on having my car fixed the other day.

 

Works for getting a warning instead of a ticket for speeding, too.:001_smile:

[Mejane]

I've got to disagree. I was vegan for six years, only ate healthy, whole foods and was literally hungry all day long. I could eat and eat and eat.

 

Yes. Fruits and veggies are so easily digested, you're hungry again in ten minutes. A nice, big steak or McDonald's cheeseburger stays in your system... well, pretty much forever. :D

Edited April 25, 2010 by Mejane

[Perry]

The belief that filling bellies in the moment has nothing to do with how much you spend on food is the problem! If you eat nutrient-rich food, you will eat less overall, and therefore spend less. If you just fill your belly now with junk food, you will be hungry again and eat more junk food! The whole point of being hungry is that your body is craving nutrients.

A High Price for Healthy Food

 

 

 

Healthy eating really does cost more.

That’s what University of Washington researchers found when they compared the prices of 370 foods sold at supermarkets in the Seattle area. Calorie for calorie, junk foods not only cost less than fruits and vegetables, but junk food prices also are less likely to rise as a result of inflation. The findings, reported in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, may help explain why the highest rates of obesity are seen among people in lower-income groups.

The scientists took an unusual approach, essentially comparing the price of a calorie in a junk food to one consumed in a healthier meal. Although fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients, they also contain relatively few calories. Foods with high energy density, meaning they pack the most calories per gram, included candy, pastries, baked goods and snacks.

The survey found that higher-calorie, energy-dense foods are the better bargain for cash-strapped shoppers. Energy-dense munchies cost on average $1.76 per 1,000 calories, compared with $18.16 per 1,000 calories for low-energy but nutritious foods.

The survey also showed that low-calorie foods were more likely to increase in price, surging 19.5 percent over the two-year study period. High-calorie foods remained a relative bargain, dropping in price by 1.8 percent.

Although people don’t knowingly shop for calories per se, the data show that it’s easier for low-income people to sustain themselves on junk food rather than fruits and vegetables, says the study’s lead author Adam Drewnowski, director of the center for public health nutrition at the University of Washington. Based on his findings, a 2,000-calorie diet would cost just $3.52 a day if it consisted of junk food, compared with $36.32 a day for a diet of low-energy dense foods. However, most people eat a mix of foods. The average American spends about $7 a day on food, although low-income people spend about $4, says Dr. Drewnowski.

But it’s easier to overeat junk food, Dr. Drewnowski adds, both because it tastes good and because eaters often must consume a greater volume in order to feel satisfied. Still, even those who consume twice as much in junk food calories are still spending far less than healthy eaters.

“If you have $3 to feed yourself, your choices gravitate toward foods which give you the most calories per dollar,’’ said Dr. Drewnowski. “Not only are the empty calories cheaper, but the healthy foods are becoming more and more expensive. Vegetables and fruits are rapidly becoming luxury goods.â€

 

[Perry]

Energy-dense munchies cost on average $1.76 per 1,000 calories, compared with $18.16 per 1,000 calories for low-energy but nutritious foods.

 

I wonder what foods they included here. If this is all we ate, it would cost over $30 a day per person. I spend a lot on food, but not THAT much.

[Renee in NC]

I wonder what foods they included here. If this is all we ate, it would cost over $30 a day per person. I spend a lot on food, but not THAT much.

 

I think we all eat a variety of foods.

 

85/15 ground beef has 975 calories and costs roughly $3 per pound.

 

Apples have roughly 800 calories per pound for about $1.29

 

Macaroni and cheese (boxed) is 1664 calories per pound (not including the milk or butter) and costs about 60 cents.

 

Lettuce, OTOH, has about 90 calories per pound and costs $2

 

So, it would take 10 pounds of lettuce to equal the beef and 16 pounds to equal the mac and cheese.

 

It's a math thing, more than anything. No one eats 10 pounds of lettuce, KWIM?

[nmoira]

I wonder what foods they included here. If this is all we ate, it would cost over $30 a day per person. I spend a lot on food, but not THAT much.

That is a bit odd. We spend way more than I'd like on food, and come nowhere near that figure.

 

From the abstract:

 

Energy density of all items was calculated and prices were expressed as $/100 g edible portion and as $/1,000 kcal. Foods were stratified by quintiles of energy density and the differences in energy cost and in percent price change were tested using analyses of variance.

The price per 1000 kcal would be a bit misleading, as I don't want to even imagine eating 1000 kcal of broccoli in a sitting! [And I'm not one to use exclamation marks willy nilly.] I'd guess that protein staples like beans, rice, etc, would fall either in the middle or towards the energy rich end and not make for such dramatic numbers. I don't think many out there (who aren't intentionally starving themselves) subsist on a diet entirely composed of low energy dense foods.

[nmoira]

 

It's a math thing, more than anything. No one eats 10 pounds of lettuce, KWIM?

*shudder*

[Pink Fairy]

It's a math thing, more than anything. No one eats 10 pounds of lettuce, KWIM?

 

Not without lots of blue cheese dressing and croutons.

[Renee in NC]

Not without lots of blue cheese dressing and croutons.

 

Then you won't need all that lettuce!:D:lol:

[Quickbeam]

OMGosh, are we talking about blue cheese on lettuce now? Because if we are, I am sooo in. I never got iceburg lettuce as a child, and now I can't get enough. It's like cardboard infused with fresh, cool water;)

[3and3]

I just spoke with social worker we will be recieving $442 a month in FS I am soo relieved. I was trying to decide if I should pay elec bill or get food this week. Problem solved I think this will cover most of the month. I usually spend $700 month but that includes diapers and paper products. So over $400 mo just on food may work for the whole month. :)

 

We also qualified for medical for the whole family. So if I can convince my DH to drop ins from work which cost over $90 a week we would be really close to making it. WOW I knew we were poor, but I didn't know we were that poor. :001_huh:

[EarleneW]

Good for you! That was good news I am sure!

[Mrs Mungo]

I just spoke with social worker we will be recieving $442 a month in FS I am soo relieved. I was trying to decide if I should pay elec bill or get food this week. Problem solved I think this will cover most of the month. I usually spend $700 month but that includes diapers and paper products. So over $400 mo just on food may work for the whole month. :)

 

We also qualified for medical for the whole family. So if I can convince my DH to drop ins from work which cost over $90 a week we would be really close to making it. WOW I knew we were poor, but I didn't know we were that poor. :001_huh:

 

I'm so glad that you're receiving the help that you need! :grouphug:

[Haiku]

We also qualified for medical for the whole family. So if I can convince my DH to drop ins from work which cost over $90 a week we would be really close to making it. WOW I knew we were poor, but I didn't know we were that poor. :001_huh:

 

Just a head's up: where I live, if you can get health insurance through your job (even if it's hella expensive), you can't qualify for medical assistance through the state.

 

Tara

[3and3]

The SW told me if I decided to drop the ins to let her know. So I think we can still get medical if we dropped it. Not sure if hubby will agree to it though.

[Pretty in Pink]

That is great news, and what a relief for you!

[hsmom]

AWESOME for you! I did not read this whole thread 37 pages was well too much. Also I know from experience where it probably went anyways.

 

I believe life happens and some are less fortunate than others. Hey we pay A LOT in taxes and never get to use it, so I see it as at least someone else is. At least there is a family who really needs it and children are not going hungry.

[joannqn]

WOW I knew we were poor, but I didn't know we were that poor. :001_huh:

 

That was my response when I found out we qualified for aid. I didn't even think we were poor until the state sent me a letter saying we may qualify and to call this number. Until that day, I just thought I was bad at managing our income.

 

For most of last year, we qualified for $650 a month in food stamps. I never spent all of it, and wished I could use our left over on diapers and toilet paper. I don't understand the complaints of people saying you can't feed a family with food stamps. My experience is that the food stamp allowance is very generous.

 

Glad your approval came just when you needed it.

[seibert4kids]

From what I know, going on food stamps doesn't have anything to do with social services looking into your family situation. With WIC, you do have to have "check-ups" for your kiddos in their offices, but not with the food stamps.

If you need to do so for a time, I'd say go for it. It will eliminate a lot of stress on your family. It is a government program, yes, but so is public school (in my opinion).

[Renee in NC]

That was my response when I found out we qualified for aid. I didn't even think we were poor until the state sent me a letter saying we may qualify and to call this number. Until that day, I just thought I was bad at managing our income.

 

For most of last year, we qualified for $650 a month in food stamps. I never spent all of it, and wished I could use our left over on diapers and toilet paper. I don't understand the complaints of people saying you can't feed a family with food stamps. My experience is that the food stamp allowance is very generous.

 

Glad your approval came just when you needed it.

 

I agree that it is very generous, especially if you have a very low income. I think the complaints that you can't feed a family with food stamps come from people in the middle or higher incomes (in the food stamp barackets.) The assumption is that low income families spend 30% of their income on food. That means as your income increases, the food stamp benefits drop quickly.

 

I knew a family where the father was a cop and there were 9 total in the family. They received less than your family because his income was about $35K per year. They still struggle with food because there was no way they could spend much of their income on food. There were two Type-1 diabetics in the family, so they had to keep insurance through his job (expensive) and they had more medical expenses than most. Food stamps won't take that into consideration.

 

Benefits did increase quite a bit last year as well (part of one of the stimulus bills.) I think it also depends on where you live - groceries are much less in some places than others, but with the exception of AK and HI, the benefit amount is the same. That means that some families can eat lobster and steak on food stamps while others most certainly cannot.

[jazzyfizzle]

Wonderful! I am so glad you qualified and help is on the way. Now you can sleep easier.

 

:grouphug:

[unsinkable]

I just spoke with social worker we will be recieving $442 a month in FS I am soo relieved. I was trying to decide if I should pay elec bill or get food this week. Problem solved I think this will cover most of the month. I usually spend $700 month but that includes diapers and paper products. So over $400 mo just on food may work for the whole month. :)

 

We also qualified for medical for the whole family. So if I can convince my DH to drop ins from work which cost over $90 a week we would be really close to making it. WOW I knew we were poor, but I didn't know we were that poor. :001_huh:

 

:grouphug: I am glad this is working out.

[dansamy]

We spent some time on both WIC and FS. I was breastfeeding and staying home after our third was born. Even with not paying a "real" daycare, just my sis watching my kids, it was getting too expensive to pay someone else to take care of 3 children. So, I quit my $9/hr job while DH worked full time and went to school full time. We had WIC and FS to cover the gap. I cloth diapered because water at our apt was included in our rent. I wasn't paying for water, just the electricity and the soap. Washing cloth for 3 was much less expensive than buying disposables. Both programs helped for the season of life that we needed it. Now, DH and I are both finished with school and we're able to provide a decent, but not extravagant, way of life.

[3and3]

Just had to share for the first time in years. I can relax! There is enough food in the house for the next 2 weeks including fruit and lots of veggies. I finally don't feel like I have to tell the kids not to eat too much:glare: I know we have enough $ to go shopping in 2weeks because of the FS. I really wish I did this years ago.

 

I am seriously on the verge of tears. I had no idea how stressed I have been about how I was going to feed the family. Not to mention I was able to buy healthy things. :)

 

Thanks for all of your encouragement :D

[LibraryLover]

Good for you! Even better for you kids! Well- nourished kids are a critical part of a healthy society. Take it and use it well! :)

[phathui5]

Thank goodness. I'm glad to hear that your family has what they need to be nourished and healthy.

[bookfiend]

Blessings and peace to your home!

[RoughCollie]

That's great news. It must be a huge relief.