No Soda Bought With Food Stamps?

[KristinaBreece]

Oh please! This whole "my dime" garbage is just... garbage! It's not YOUR dime. It's the whole collective of taxpayers' dimes. What you put in isn't YOURS anymore! It belongs to the whole country. You do NOT get to pick and choose to fund this program or that program because it isn't your money anymore.

 

Laying claim to public money is a crude and selfish attempt to lay shame on people who need assistance. Did you ever stop to think that SHE put in HER dimes, too?? Is she not allowed to reap the benefits of the collective funds just like you? You may not be benefitting in the form of assistance, but you are benefitting every time you drive on a public road, use a public service or get a chance to cheer on your troops.

:iagree:

[Impish]

The dignity is having the choice to determine what your family will eat or drink.

Many families, without being on assistance, cannot afford to buy their choices. I don't see, honestly, how its taking someone's dignity away.

Because it's telling other people how to live in the minutiae of their lives. I would think you'd understand that.

Honestly, nope. Maybe I lack 'dignity' radar or something, I don't know. I get the feelings of being frustrated, etc, but I've never considered it a dignity issue. Perhaps I use different terms to think/express it, I don't know.

[angela in ohio]

Let's tell that single mom whos husband ran out on her and can't get a court date for child support in over a year that she can't let her son have some pudding. I cannot believe the selfishness in this thread or this people on this board. I mean her life don't suck enough does it? Let's make it worse by really showing her she is helpless. I hope when Jesus comes back he has some cash for a soda cause he sure won't get one around you all.

 

Just as I want what is best for my own dc, I want what is best for every dc. There is an epidemic of low SES children with life-threatening obesity, diabetes, etc. I think it is the opposite of selfishness to want better nutrition for these children. I would rather give more money and see them fed well, both in school and in their homes. I think it's selfish to not care about children who are starving (nutritionally) in low SES families. Who cares about mom's feelings; these kiddos' lives are literally at stake. (Note: I don't think restricting what can be bought is the best answer, I think reforming the system to get nutritious food directly to the children and educate the adults is the answer.)

 

Maybe some people haven't seen a child starving because mom and dad spent the food stamps on expensive food (or sold it for cash) the first week. Actually starving. There is no school breakfast or lunch during Christmas break, and dh's little students would lose 10 or more pounds over the break. Thankfully there are summer food programs for them. We would drop off bags of groceries at their houses over breaks, hoping the kiddos would get some of the food. Dh would feed them as much fruit, nuts, crackers, etc. as we could afford for his classroom on a teacher's salary. And his school was probably third or fourth from the top of the list of most impoverished schools in the district. I would cry myself to sleep wanting to take the kiddos and hide them at our house and feed them and protect them.

 

Nope. Not selfish.

[KatDilan]

Here's my take:

 

1. Other peoples taxes pay for my benefit. That is why they should have some say.:chillpill:

 

2. If I had enough food in my pantry to waste food stamps on non-food items like soda pop, why would I even qualify for food stamps?

 

3. Food stamps SHOULD NOT BE USABLE AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS! I'm a single mom and have three kids. Is only eating homemade an inconvenience? Yes! But for the price I pay for one meal at a fast food place I could feed us for the whole day! Again, if I could afford to do that, why would I even qualify for food stamps?:glare:

 

4. Food stamps SHOULD BE USABLE FOR FARMERS MARKETS, CO-OPS, and CSA's. Healthy food, reasonable prices, why the heck not?:confused:

 

5. And finally, not that I think food stamps should necessarily cover multi-vitamins, but why the heck can I buy candy, chips, and soda pop with them and NOT vitamins?:001_huh:

 

Just sayin'

[Scarlett]

You rock.

I don't like speeders and tailgaters. My dime helps pay for the highways, shouldn't I get a say on how people drive?

 

 

 

Government run institutions can't get their own nutritional standards straight.

 

:iagree: 7up is the one thing I want when I have an upset stomach. Which happens more when you under stress because of lack of money. Which happens when you on food stamps and feeling judged by the world because your dh is out of work. There's enough guilt associated with it.

 

:iagree:

 

:iagree:

 

:iagree: movies :svengo: how dare you!

 

You know what this whole thread ticks me off. My family has been on food stamps for the last year. We finally stopped the benefits, but we still have money left on our card. The allowance for our family size was very generous. We don't take that for granted. The food card allowance was way more than our grocery budget was before. My dh has been under/unemployed for the last year. Finally things are starting to roll again and we've cancelled our benefits, but they don't take away what it already on the card. We're middle aged, dh is 50 and he has worked since he was 18. This is the first time ever we have qualified or sought government help. It has been a blessing to us. We have a full fridge, freezer, and pantry. We've NEVER had that. NEVER. We're very frugal with our money. You know what I'm drinking a soda with lunch, bought with the food card. :001_huh: Don't die of shock. I also have fresh fruit that could never afford, I have meat in my freezer that I could never afford. I have spices and breakfast food. I even have an extra dark chocolate bar stashed in my desk drawer.

 

We are not ungrateful for what we've been given. We're not excited that we've had to utilize a service so many people feel the need to judge. I pray some of you are never in the situation where you need help, because by that point the government may have regulated it to ashes. I think I'll go buy a bottle of wine now, which I will have to pay with my own money. Have a great day everyone. :confused:

[KristinaBreece]

Many families, without being on assistance, cannot afford to buy their choices. I don't see, honestly, how its taking someone's dignity away.

 

Honestly, nope. Maybe I lack 'dignity' radar or something, I don't know. I get the feelings of being frustrated, etc, but I've never considered it a dignity issue. Perhaps I use different terms to think/express it, I don't know.

 

I think her point is that you can choose what you spend your money on, and you do so wisely, often with little to nothing left for what you think of as luxury items. Your neighbor may choose to spend her money on different things, and may choose to forgo things you think are important and spend on what you view as luxuries. But you've each retained that choice for yourselves.

[ezrabean2005]

Maybe some people haven't seen a child starving because mom and dad spent the food stamps on expensive food (or sold it for cash) the first week. Actually starving. There is no school breakfast or lunch during Christmas break, and dh's little students would lose 10 or more pounds over the break. Thankfully there are summer food programs for them. We would drop off bags of groceries at their houses over breaks, hoping the kiddos would get some of the food. Dh would feed them as much fruit, nuts, crackers, etc. as we could afford for his classroom on a teacher's salary. And his school was probably third or fourth from the top of the list of most impoverished schools in the district. I would cry myself to sleep wanting to take the kiddos and hide them at our house and feed them and protect them. Nope. Not selfish.

 

How do you know the parents bought expensive food or sold it for cash? Do you genuinely believe this is done in the vast majority of households?

 

If my child loses weight (in your eyes) and you know I am on assistance, you want to take my child away?

 

Mostly rhetorical. *shrug*

Edited June 2, 2011 by ezrabean2005

[unsinkable]

*sigh*

 

The times my family have qualified for food stamps, we've been employed. Or, at least one of us. In any case, we've been working.

 

 

 

Good questions. I'm not defending soda as a quality food - or even a food at all. I am questioning the always present assumption in these threads of the percentage of abuse.

 

Where will "we" draw the line on determining the quality of food available to snap recipients? Ok, let's exclude soda.

 

What about PopTarts? They are not good food.

 

Ramen noodles? Cheap and filling, yes, but horrible for you.

 

What about mixed packages, such as lunchables?

 

Cereal. That's could get dicey. Some cereal would me most people's requirements for healthy. Others? Not so much. Where would you put the cut off.

 

We had a legend thread once here about food stamps and birthday cake. Would you exclude prepared cake? What about boxed cake? What about ingredients for cake? Sugar, for example?

 

Or, another angle.

 

I believe in a low carb diet as healthiest. I think added sugar to peanut butter is an atrocity. I think reliance on grain based foods (the basis of the food pyramid) leads to disease.

 

There are others who would feel feeding my children a burger, no bun, is irresponsible.

 

Who decides?

 

Here's the deal. If you don't buy into the stereotype/legend of rampant abuse, most people on food stamps are simply financially struggling. Trust me when I tell you that they don't need further indignity by having the government or homeschool moms on a forum tell them what is acceptable to buy in terms of feeding their family.

 

Check your news feed. The food pyramid was replaced as of today. :lol:

 

"My Plate" is the newest program to replace the pyramid.

 

I think I'll make a song in honor of it.

 

It will be sung to the tune of "My Humps."

 

"My plate! My plate! My healthy eatin' plate! Check it out!"

[vonfirmath]

:iagree:

 

This is why I groan when I hear about the government controlling what people eat.

 

The moment the government starts spending money, they start affecting whatever it is they spend that money on.

 

If the government should not be saying anything about what people eat, they should not be spending money on people's food.

[angela in ohio]

How do you know the parents bought expensive food or sold it for cash? Do you genuinely believe this is done in the vast majority of households?

 

If my child loses weight (in your eyes) and you know I am on assistance, you want to take my child away?

 

Because the kiddos (and sometimes parents) explained it in detail to dh. They actually thought he was really an oddity for not knowing how to manage in the inner city, and they (and sometimes their parents) would explain how he could do all sorts of thing he didn't know how to do (dh grew up dirt poor, but in the country, which requires a different skill set to survive.)

 

I didn't say I wanted to take any children away. I want to give food to children who lose weight consistently over every school break because they aren't getting even as much as the two meals they got during school time.

[KristinaBreece]

Here's my take:

 

1. Other peoples taxes pay for my benefit. That is why they should have some say.:chillpill:

 

Those receiving food stamps have, are, or will pay into the benefit systme, too. Why does their say count for less, just because they have to avail themselves of the system at a given point?

 

2. If I had enough food in my pantry to waste food stamps on non-food items like soda pop, why would I even qualify for food stamps?

 

There's a set amount, determined by income, that a family is allotted. Maybe they coupon like crazy, or budget their food purchases differently to allow for that treat. They won't get less because they budget better, or more because they budget worse.

 

3. Food stamps SHOULD NOT BE USABLE AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS! I'm a single mom and have three kids. Is only eating homemade an inconvenience? Yes! But for the price I pay for one meal at a fast food place I could feed us for the whole day! Again, if I could afford to do that, why would I even qualify for food stamps?:glare:

 

Umm... they're not. Some people who can prove they live in an environment without access to a refrigerator, microwave, or stove can use their FS benefits on specified low-cost prepared foods at set locations. This does not include fast food places. (At least in Ohio.)

 

4. Food stamps SHOULD BE USABLE FOR FARMERS MARKETS, CO-OPS, and CSA's. Healthy food, reasonable prices, why the heck not?:confused:

 

In my state, they can be used at Farmer's Markets if they're available. They're not available to everyone, though.

 

5. And finally, not that I think food stamps should necessarily cover multi-vitamins, but why the heck can I buy candy, chips, and soda pop with them and NOT vitamins?:001_huh:

 

Because the point of the FS program is to keep families from starving. All calories are not equal, but empty calories will keep you moving. Multi-vitamins are not a food.

 

Just sayin'

 

Just sayin'.

[elegantlion]

Here's my take:

 

1. Other peoples taxes pay for my benefit. That is why they should have some say.:chillpill:

 

2. If I had enough food in my pantry to waste food stamps on non-food items like soda pop, why would I even qualify for food stamps?

 

3. Food stamps SHOULD NOT BE USABLE AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS! I'm a single mom and have three kids. Is only eating homemade an inconvenience? Yes! But for the price I pay for one meal at a fast food place I could feed us for the whole day! Again, if I could afford to do that, why would I even qualify for food stamps?:glare:

 

4. Food stamps SHOULD BE USABLE FOR FARMERS MARKETS, CO-OPS, and CSA's. Healthy food, reasonable prices, why the heck not?:confused:

 

5. And finally, not that I think food stamps should necessarily cover multi-vitamins, but why the heck can I buy candy, chips, and soda pop with them and NOT vitamins?:001_huh:

 

Just sayin'

 

In our area you can not use food stamps at a restaurant, not that we've tried. You also can not use them for heated ready-to-go items in some stores. We were able to use it at a bulk food store and buy bulk healthy items.

 

I know in our area it is somehow related to how things are coded when they scan. If I buy toothpaste along with my groceries it kicks it out as a toiletry item, which I can not use food stamps on. Toilet paper, pet food, and cleaning supplies don't qualify either.

 

To answer your #2 question, our benefit amount was very generous. It almost doubled what we had been budgeting for groceries. That amount had also included toiletries, pet food, and cleaning supplies. We were able to buy much more than we had been in a long time. Plus the benefits don't expire and roll over from month to month. When dh came home with the initial paperwork we realized our income before unemployment had almost qualified us for the maximum benefit. Sad, but true.

[ezrabean2005]

Just sayin'.

:iagree: Well said.:hurray:

[mommaduck]

Just as I want what is best for my own dc, I want what is best for every dc. There is an epidemic of low SES children with life-threatening obesity, diabetes, etc. I think it is the opposite of selfishness to want better nutrition for these children. I would rather give more money and see them fed well, both in school and in their homes. I think it's selfish to not care about children who are starving (nutritionally) in low SES families. Who cares about mom's feelings; these kiddos' lives are literally at stake. (Note: I don't think restricting what can be bought is the best answer, I think reforming the system to get nutritious food directly to the children and educate the adults is the answer.)

 

 

 

The reality is that the government won't give MORE money to a family to pay for BETTER foods. You get what you get and you make it stretch as far as you can. In some areas, this is easier to do with healthier foods. In other areas, it is not.

[Quiver0f10]

Here's my take:

 

1. Other peoples taxes pay for my benefit. That is why they should have some say.:chillpill:

 

2. If I had enough food in my pantry to waste food stamps on non-food items like soda pop, why would I even qualify for food stamps?

 

3. Food stamps SHOULD NOT BE USABLE AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS! I'm a single mom and have three kids. Is only eating homemade an inconvenience? Yes! But for the price I pay for one meal at a fast food place I could feed us for the whole day! Again, if I could afford to do that, why would I even qualify for food stamps?:glare:

 

4. Food stamps SHOULD BE USABLE FOR FARMERS MARKETS, CO-OPS, and CSA's. Healthy food, reasonable prices, why the heck not?:confused:

 

5. And finally, not that I think food stamps should necessarily cover multi-vitamins, but why the heck can I buy candy, chips, and soda pop with them and NOT vitamins?:001_huh:

 

Just sayin'

 

Thank you. great post.

[Cheryl in NM]

My teen eats 2 packages of Ramen noodles at a time and is hungry in an hour. If he eats a proper mix of protiens, carbs & vegs; he's hungry in 2-3 hours. Ramen may seem cheap but you have to eat a ton of it to satisfy hunger and then you are getting a ton of sodium and MSG. However, I sometimes use Ramen noodles to make fried noodles where I add veg and meat and my own spices, throwing their spice pack in the trash where it belongs. That is a more rounded meal. Add a salad and water and that's all you need nutritionally in a meal.

 

The way I would envision this system working is certain items, regardless of cost, would be allowed. Flour & baking supplies (even GF people have certain flours they can cook with), dairy, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, meats would all be allowed. You would receive a certain dollar amount and be able to purchase anything on the list in any quantity you wish. You would also receive nutritional counseling as well as financial counseling.

 

People in NM receive way more food stamps than are necessary. They frequently have excess even after buying junk food and then buy junk food for friends and family. So, those of you living in inner cities who don't receive enough food stamps to feed your families, come on out to NM, we'll feed you AND your neighbors! My college age sd receives $220 a month in FS. It costs me about $350 a month to feed my family of 3 as well as my sd because she still shows up to eat at my house and fill grocery bags from my pantry. She's feeding her friends with her FS. Her roommate receives the same amount. So for 2 college kids, they receive $440 a month. THAT is abuse in my opinion. I would love to have $440/ month given to me for food! Mostly because I can't afford to buy soda, chips, and ice cream with MY budget. Why do those on FS feel entitled to a way a life that the "working person not on assistance" can provide? Doesn't that make living on government aid something to strive for?

I am willing to help whomever I can, but I really have a problem with the sense of entitlement.

 

If the government is going to be in the business of feeding the masses then they need to be in the business of educating the masses. It is irresponsible to give people a blank check and step back and let them kill themselves with bad food choices. America's government programs have removed personal responsibility from her citizens. Don't beleive me? How about the "The best choice of beverage for my family is soda based on the choices I have" posts? In a later post, that poster had bottle water air lifted in. I couldn't afford that and I'm not a food stamps. If you are living in an area where you can't support your family you need to move. Anyone here ever read Grapes of Wrath? People would pack up their cars and move or walk and move. If you are on the brink of starving for real, then you need to take drastic action. If you are going to starve because you chose to live on credit cards to purchase NIKES and XBOXES, that is your tough luck. Fix it. Get another job to pay for your mistakes. Certainly, DON'T complain about the FREE food you are receiving. You are NOT entitled to it!

 

:rant:

[ezrabean2005]

I think your reasoning makes sense, but, as I understand it, it is an issue of what is legally defined as "food". If candy, chips, and soda are legally defined as food and vitamins aren't then the former are purchasable w/ food stamps and the latter aren't.

 

To fix that, you would have to fix the legal definition of "food". ...which I think might be a spectacular idea. :)

 

The food lobbyist groups would fight hard on this one!

[mommaduck]

Here's my take:

 

1. Other peoples taxes pay for my benefit. That is why they should have some say.:chillpill:

 

Sigh

 

2. If I had enough food in my pantry to waste food stamps on non-food items like soda pop, why would I even qualify for food stamps?

 

Sometimes people have extra after doing their shopping for the month. Sometimes that is all that is left on the shelf at the store (see the Alaska posts).

 

3. Food stamps SHOULD NOT BE USABLE AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS! I'm a single mom and have three kids. Is only eating homemade an inconvenience? Yes! But for the price I pay for one meal at a fast food place I could feed us for the whole day! Again, if I could afford to do that, why would I even qualify for food stamps?:glare:

 

They aren't usable at fast food restaurants. Where did you get this idea :confused: Now I have *heard* that you can use it at Subway for a cold sandwich, but that's only hearsay...and that's no different than paying more for a smaller sub at the deli in the grocery.

 

4. Food stamps SHOULD BE USABLE FOR FARMERS MARKETS, CO-OPS, and CSA's. Healthy food, reasonable prices, why the heck not?:confused:

 

Agreed!

 

5. And finally, not that I think food stamps should necessarily cover multi-vitamins, but why the heck can I buy candy, chips, and soda pop with them and NOT vitamins?:001_huh:

 

For the same reason you can't buy cough drops with them...but you can buy horehound and lemon drop candies.

 

Just sayin'

 

:)

[KristinaBreece]

My teen eats 2 packages of Ramen noodles at a time and is hungry in an hour. If he eats a proper mix of protiens, carbs & vegs; he's hungry in 2-3 hours. Ramen may seem cheap but you have to eat a ton of it to satisfy hunger and then you are getting a ton of sodium and MSG. However, I sometimes use Ramen noodles to make fried noodles where I add veg and meat and my own spices, throwing their spice pack in the trash where it belongs. That is a more rounded meal. Add a salad and water and that's all you need nutritionally in a meal.

 

The way I would envision this system working is certain items, regardless of cost, would be allowed. Flour & baking supplies (even GF people have certain flours they can cook with), dairy, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, meats would all be allowed. You would receive a certain dollar amount and be able to purchase anything on the list in any quantity you wish. You would also receive nutritional counseling as well as financial counseling.

 

People in NM receive way more food stamps than are necessary. They frequently have excess even after buying junk food and then buy junk food for friends and family. So, those of you living in inner cities who don't receive enough food stamps to feed your families, come on out to NM, we'll feed you AND your neighbors! My college age sd receives $220 a month in FS. It costs me about $350 a month to feed my family of 3 as well as my sd because she still shows up to eat at my house and fill grocery bags from my pantry. She's feeding her friends with her FS. Her roommate receives the same amount. So for 2 college kids, they receive $440 a month. THAT is abuse in my opinion. I would love to have $440/ month given to me for food! Mostly because I can't afford to buy soda, chips, and ice cream with MY budget. Why do those on FS feel entitled to a way a life that the "working person not on assistance" can provide? Doesn't that make living on government aid something to strive for?

I am willing to help whomever I can, but I really have a problem with the sense of entitlement.

 

If the government is going to be in the business of feeding the masses then they need to be in the business of educating the masses. It is irresponsible to give people a blank check and step back and let them kill themselves with bad food choices. America's government programs have removed personal responsibility from her citizens. Don't beleive me? How about the "The best choice of beverage for my family is soda based on the choices I have" posts? In a later post, that poster had bottle water air lifted in. I couldn't afford that and I'm not a food stamps. If you are living in an area where you can't support your family you need to move. Anyone here ever read Grapes of Wrath? People would pack up their cars and move or walk and move. If you are on the brink of starving for real, then you need to take drastic action. If you are going to starve because you chose to live on credit cards to purchase NIKES and XBOXES, that is your tough luck. Fix it. Get another job to pay for your mistakes. Certainly, DON'T complain about the FREE food you are receiving. You are NOT entitled to it!

 

:rant:

 

There are a lot of things that aren't taken into account when figuring FS totals. It's a federal program, so the dollar will stretch further in some places than others.

 

I sincerely hope you never find yourself in an area short on jobs with your DH suddenly unemployed. I also hope that you've never made a less than perfect financial choice, because that is what you're yelling at people for: Needing help, sometimes through their own mistakes, sometimes through no fault of their own whatsoever.

[angela in ohio]

The reality is that the government won't give MORE money to a family to pay for BETTER foods. You get what you get and you make it stretch as far as you can. In some areas, this is easier to do with healthier foods. In other areas, it is not.

 

Obviously, I know that's not the way it works. I am saying that I would be willing to pay more taxes if they would change the system.

[KatDilan]

Just sayin'.

 

First of all, I am on food stamps in CA. I am talking from my own personal experience.

 

I am not saying that we should have less say, I too paid into the system when I was employed. I am saying that everyone who pays into the system should have a say.

 

In CA there are many fast food restaurants that accept food stamps, and we are not in a "nutritional desert" by any means. Although, as you mentioned, we cannot buy "prepared" items, like a hot chicken, at the grocery store.

 

As for amount of food stamps $? My children and I live well below the poverty level. We barley make ends meet each month because my separated husband pays me half what he is supposed to be paying in child support. We get just enough food stamps to live on oatmeal, pb&j's, and pasta EVERY DAY. Maybe its just cost of living in CA, but I can't imagine having enough extra to buy soda & such.:001_huh: It would mean reducing my children to ramen.

[Mejane]

People in NM receive way more food stamps than are necessary.

 

Yeah, there's really something wanting about allocation of benefits. Here in CT, a family of four receives $668/month as the maximum benefit. That's more than twice what I spend for our family of four, and we eat well but not fanatically so. What I could buy for $668 boggles my mind.

[mommaduck]

My teen eats 2 packages of Ramen noodles at a time and is hungry in an hour. If he eats a proper mix of protiens, carbs & vegs; he's hungry in 2-3 hours. Ramen may seem cheap but you have to eat a ton of it to satisfy hunger and then you are getting a ton of sodium and MSG. However, I sometimes use Ramen noodles to make fried noodles where I add veg and meat and my own spices, throwing their spice pack in the trash where it belongs. That is a more rounded meal. Add a salad and water and that's all you need nutritionally in a meal.

 

The way I would envision this system working is certain items, regardless of cost, would be allowed. Flour & baking supplies (even GF people have certain flours they can cook with), dairy, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, meats would all be allowed. You would receive a certain dollar amount and be able to purchase anything on the list in any quantity you wish. You would also receive nutritional counseling as well as financial counseling.

 

People in NM receive way more food stamps than are necessary. They frequently have excess even after buying junk food and then buy junk food for friends and family. So, those of you living in inner cities who don't receive enough food stamps to feed your families, come on out to NM, we'll feed you AND your neighbors! My college age sd receives $220 a month in FS. It costs me about $350 a month to feed my family of 3 as well as my sd because she still shows up to eat at my house and fill grocery bags from my pantry. She's feeding her friends with her FS. Her roommate receives the same amount. So for 2 college kids, they receive $440 a month. THAT is abuse in my opinion. I would love to have $440/ month given to me for food! Mostly because I can't afford to buy soda, chips, and ice cream with MY budget. Why do those on FS feel entitled to a way a life that the "working person not on assistance" can provide? Doesn't that make living on government aid something to strive for?

I am willing to help whomever I can, but I really have a problem with the sense of entitlement.

 

If the government is going to be in the business of feeding the masses then they need to be in the business of educating the masses. It is irresponsible to give people a blank check and step back and let them kill themselves with bad food choices. America's government programs have removed personal responsibility from her citizens. Don't beleive me? How about the "The best choice of beverage for my family is soda based on the choices I have" posts? In a later post, that poster had bottle water air lifted in. I couldn't afford that and I'm not a food stamps. If you are living in an area where you can't support your family you need to move. Anyone here ever read Grapes of Wrath? People would pack up their cars and move or walk and move. If you are on the brink of starving for real, then you need to take drastic action. If you are going to starve because you chose to live on credit cards to purchase NIKES and XBOXES, that is your tough luck. Fix it. Get another job to pay for your mistakes. Certainly, DON'T complain about the FREE food you are receiving. You are NOT entitled to it!

 

:rant:

Wow! Just plain WOW! What a lot of broadbrushing ASSUMptions! Sure, there's plenty of jobs out there where people can make more. This country isn't really in a crisis. Women on here don't really have husbands that have lost jobs and lost homes. They must just be lying and the real issue must surely be high tastes and credit cards!

 

Lovely, just lovely.

 

Yes, there are people that abuse things...there always will be. But don't punish the masses for the few. Also, financial counseling does not do anything when one doesn't have a job or one is working their butt off at a job and there aren't higher paying jobs. Especially if that person is already living debt free and no frills. We've been there! When we were in that spot we saw three financial counselors (and we weren't even on food stamps though we should have and could have been). All three told us that they could not help us. In fact, they said we were accomplishing what they themselves could not!

Edited June 2, 2011 by mommaduck

[KristinaBreece]

First of all, I am on food stamps in CA. I am talking from my own personal experience.

 

I am not saying that we should have less say, I too paid into the system when I was employed. I am saying that everyone who pays into the system should have a say.

 

In CA there are many fast food restaurants that accept food stamps, and we are not in a "nutritional desert" by any means. Although, as you mentioned, we cannot buy "prepared" items, like a hot chicken, at the grocery store.

 

As for amount of food stamps $? My children and I live well below the poverty level. We barley make ends meet each month because my separated husband pays me half what he is supposed to be paying in child support. We get just enough food stamps to live on oatmeal, pb&j's, and pasta EVERY DAY. Maybe its just cost of living in CA, but I can't imagine having enough extra to buy soda & such.:001_huh: It would mean reducing my children to ramen.

 

I think it has a LOT to do with cost of living in CA, actually. The FS program is a federal program, much like the federal minimum wage. And, like the fed. minimum wage, doesn't take into account the cost of living in a give area, AFAIK. I would get more with the same amount here in Ohio, but I know that my friends in Tennessee would be able to stretch that amount even further than I am.

[AmyTompkins]

If you accept a gift/loan/ or pretty much anything not acquired on your own, you are bound to the choices of the giver. In his case it is technically the American people. However, never fear, our trusty government is going to take your money, share it with others *and* decide the parameters! Awesome! :lol:

[ezrabean2005]

Why do those on FS feel entitled to a way a life that the "working person not on assistance" can provide? I don't think most do. And what makes you assume that the person on FS is not working?

 

If the government is going to be in the business of feeding the masses then they need to be in the business of educating the masses. Agreed.

 

In a later post, that poster had bottle water air lifted in. I couldn't afford that and I'm not a food stamps. That doesn't make anyone a better or worse person.

 

If you are living in an area where you can't support your family you need to move. Anyone here ever read Grapes of Wrath? People would pack up their cars and move or walk and move. If you are on the brink of starving for real, then you need to take drastic action. So cut off FS and let them starve until they move? How are they going to move? What if they don't have a job waiting for them in New Mexico? Should we just shuffle people who are less lucky than us into someone else's backyard? What problem does that solve? It's just geography at that point.

 

If you are going to starve because you chose to live on credit cards to purchase NIKES and XBOXES, that is your tough luck. Fix it. Get another job to pay for your mistakes. Certainly, DON'T complain about the FREE food you are receiving. You are NOT entitled to it! Everyone makes mistakes in life. Sometimes they aren't mistakes and they just USED to make more money (when they bought the Nikes and Xboxes). So now we should also legislate footwear of those in need of help? (Kidding!)

 

 

Speaking of shoes, this is a great story....

 

One day, my DH and I were at a grocery store in December. We are in MN so there was a lot of snow on the ground. A man who appeared to be homeless was there.

 

My DH went to him very quietly (I didn't even know he was doing it at the time) and asked him if he'd like to change shoes. My DH had just bought two pairs of new tennis shoes and he was wearing one of the pairs. I only knew what happened because they changed shoes and DH wore the man's holey, stinky shoes home. He did it so discreetly so the man wasn't embarrassed at all.

 

I was blown away when I saw what real kindness is. I was also very humbled because that would never occur to me. But it has made me more aware of being able to look at another person and instead of judging, trying to do something.

[mommaduck]

Obviously, I know that's not the way it works. I am saying that I would be willing to pay more taxes if they would change the system.

 

Got it. Honestly, our system does need revamping in many ways. But picking and choosing foods for everyone isn't it.

[Audrey]

I didn't want to enter into this fray, but I can't stop thinking about it. Here's what I think: The government takes your money in taxes to pay for food stamps at the point of a gun, because, if you don't pay your taxes they will eventually come and get you, and they will have guns. I know that's dramatic, but it's also true, and should help people realize exactly how much freedom we have lost with our current tax system. So, if the government uses money it has forcibly confiscated from other people, then surely it should be able to dictate what can be purchased with it. I don't mind helping people with my tax dollars, and I give to charity. BUT I REALLY think it's wrong to allow people to buy things with absolutely no nutritional value (ie soda and candy) with food stamps.

 

 

It's not only "dramatic," it is overwrought, untrue and frankly starting to sound like a familiar one-note-song. :glare: And there are not enough of these :001_rolleyes: smilies to express myself accurately on that.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Audrey

[KristinaBreece]

Speaking of shoes, this is a great story....

 

One day, my DH and I were at a grocery store in December. We are in MN so there was a lot of snow on the ground. A man who appeared to be homeless was there.

 

My DH went to him very quietly (I didn't even know he was doing it at the time) and asked him if he'd like to change shoes. My DH had just bought two pairs of new tennis shoes and he was wearing one of the pairs. I only knew what happened because they changed shoes and DH wore the man's holey, stinky shoes home. He did it so discreetly so the man wasn't embarrassed at all.

 

I was blown away when I saw what real kindness is. I was also very humbled because that would never occur to me. But it has made me more aware of being able to look at another person and instead of judging, trying to do something.

 

That will make me think twice the next time I see someone who needs money & is wearing new shoes. Bless you! :grouphug:

[mommaduck]

Speaking of shoes, this is a great story....

 

One day, my DH and I were at a grocery store in December. We are in MN so there was a lot of snow on the ground. A man who appeared to be homeless was there.

 

My DH went to him very quietly (I didn't even know he was doing it at the time) and asked him if he'd like to change shoes. My DH had just bought two pairs of new tennis shoes and he was wearing one of the pairs. I only knew what happened because they changed shoes and DH wore the man's holey, stinky shoes home. He did it so discreetly so the man wasn't embarrassed at all.

 

I was blown away when I saw what real kindness is. I was also very humbled because that would never occur to me. But it has made me more aware of being able to look at another person and instead of judging, trying to do something.

That is cool. Love your DH. We've been hurting poor as well, but would still buy a meal, buy socks, etc for the homeless. My husband has a big heart for them. So many assumptions are made by people about any class lower than them :( Anyone ever hear of the "working poor"? They exist. They work their butts off in the factories (what is left of them) and other places. Many would love an opportunity to make more money. But look! There are all these people coming out of colleges and there aren't any jobs for them either. Many of them are ending up...oh, in the factories and other such jobs...educated working poor.

[Cheryl in NM]

There are a lot of things that aren't taken into account when figuring FS totals. It's a federal program, so the dollar will stretch further in some places than others.

 

I sincerely hope you never find yourself in an area short on jobs with your DH suddenly unemployed. I also hope that you've never made a less than perfect financial choice, because that is what you're yelling at people for: Needing help, sometimes through their own mistakes, sometimes through no fault of their own whatsoever.

 

I HAVE been on FS and I HAVE made poor financial choices that put my family in harms way. That is why I feel the need to remove the wool from some peoples eyes. My poor decisions did NOT make ME a VICTIM. It did not ENTITLE me to government assistance. Assistance is nice, but follow the rules and don't complain. If you want soda improve your situation. I've got news for you. If the choice was homeschool and go on FS or get a job to help support my family; I'd get the job. Again, I live in an area where there is gross abuse of the system. You can walk into almost any home of a FS recipient in this state and see kids in namebrand clothes, big screen tvs and xboxes. I agree that people need help sometime and I'm fine with that. I am totally okay with using FS to help, but it is a stepping stone. FS are not meant to be a way a life and where I'm from, they are a way of life. It's dispicable and I can't believe the numbers of people that defend that lifestyle. None of my posts have said that I have a problem with someone in true need accepting help. I've even offered a suggestion to help improve the system.

 

If my DH lost his job today, we would have to sell almost everything we own. We would then both obtain minimum wage jobs and be able to keep a roof over our heads. Again, in our area, there are plenty of min. wage job because so many people feel that they are better than to work those jobs. If we couldn't keep our house, then we would move in with relatives. If we have these options, why would we go on government assistance? People should do everything they can to take care of their own situation before asking for assistance. That's all I'm saying. Sometimes that means staying with a MIL that disapproves of you. That would definitely encourage me to find a better job quicker. If I had to take government assistance, I wouldn't (and didn't) complain about what I was allowed to purchase. You do better and improve your situation. That's all I'm saying.

[KristinaBreece]

I didn't want to enter into this fray, but I can't stop thinking about it. Here's what I think: The government takes your money in taxes to pay for food stamps at the point of a gun, because, if you don't pay your taxes they will eventually come and get you, and they will have guns. I know that's dramatic, but it's also true, and should help people realize exactly how much freedom we have lost with our current tax system. So, if the government uses money it has forcibly confiscated from other people, then surely it should be able to dictate what can be purchased with it. I don't mind helping people with my tax dollars, and I give to charity. BUT I REALLY think it's wrong to allow people to buy things with absolutely no nutritional value (ie soda and candy) with food stamps.

 

You would like to live in a society with... NO taxes? How about no cops or roads?

[sassyscrapperinid]

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.

 

:iagree: COMPLETELY!

[Mrs Mungo]

I think it has a LOT to do with cost of living in CA, actually. The FS program is a federal program, much like the federal minimum wage. And, like the fed. minimum wage, doesn't take into account the cost of living in a give area, AFAIK. I would get more with the same amount here in Ohio, but I know that my friends in Tennessee would be able to stretch that amount even further than I am.

 

The only geographical exceptions are for Alaska and Hawaii because they are *so* much more expensive.

 

The government takes your money in taxes to pay for food stamps at the point of a gun

 

That sort of rhetoric makes most people write off your opinion. It doesn't sound dramatic, it is old hat and a bore to people who have long been involved with politics.

[Mejane]

I was blown away when I saw what real kindness is. I was also very humbled because that would never occur to me. But it has made me more aware of being able to look at another person and instead of judging, trying to do something.

 

It is great that your dh did that. I once chased down a man in taped-up shoes and took him to Payless to get a new pair. I was a social worker. I give to charity. I also think there should be some oversight of FS and other benefits provided by the high taxes we pay. You can be a "good" person and still think people should be accountable and use resources wisely.

[6packofun]

I understand the soda thing and am OK with that, although our state allows it so far. I'm even OK with other "luxury" type food items being nixed like whole lobster or caviar. lol That could get complicated, however, because who gets to decide what is a luxury food?

 

BUT, to say that people who use food stamps shouldn't be allowed to get a box of cake mix, frosting and a container of ice cream for their kids' birthday just because those things are not healthy and someone else might use their food stamps to stock up on an ice cream or chocolate sale is pretty stupid and mean, IMO.

[Audrey]

That sort of rhetoric makes most people write off your opinion. It doesn't sound dramatic, it is old hat and a bore to people who have long been involved with politics.

 

 

What is with that old hat anyway? :glare: That's twice in this week alone from posters with not many posts.*

 

 

 

 

 

* "Not many posts" being a relative term of course.

[KatDilan]

You would like to live in a society with... NO taxes? How about no cops or roads?

 

Now lets not start THAT debate. That is a WHOLE NOTHER CAN OF WORMS! :lol:

[ezrabean2005]

It is great that your dh did that. I once chased down a man in taped-up shoes and took him to Payless to get a new pair. I was a social worker. I give to charity. I also think there should be some oversight of FS and other benefits provided by the high taxes we pay. You can be a "good" person and still think people should be accountable and use resources wisely.

 

Agreed. It wasn't really related to the FS discussion at all. It was because someone mentioned shoes and I like the story.

 

It wasn't about who is a good person or bad person.

If it helps, I judge you to be a good person.;)

Edited June 2, 2011 by ezrabean2005

[justamouse]

The only problem I have with soda consumption is that it feeds the corn industry which needs to shrink, I think.

[NavyWifeandMommy]

I say do ban all the empty calories and only allow healthy foods. IMO if you don't like the rules/restrictions than don't apply for the food stamps or stop receiving them. It's goverment aid not a paycheck to do with what you want with. You don't like than do something about your living situation.

[AmyTompkins]

This is an interesting and inflammatory topic! Here are some thoughts on a post I read. I tried to "multi-quote", but I need a clue, apparently!

 

"You would receive a certain dollar amount and be able to purchase anything on the list in any quantity you wish."

 

Noble, but naive. Someone has to pay for this pie-in-the-sky ideal... and it is you and me. Personally, I cannot afford to buy healthful foods in any quantity that I want for my own family so it seems ridiculous to ask people in that position (probably most Americans) to do so for other people. It isn't realistic, who is *actually* going to pay for it?

she still shows up to eat at my house and fill grocery bags from my pantry. She's feeding her friends with her FS... I really have a problem with the sense of entitlement.

 

It sounds like you are enabling the entitlement you claim to have a problem with. Why is she filling up on your pantry items (unless you are at gunpoint, of course) if she is being dishonest with my tax dollars and yours? Where did she get the idea that these values are acceptable?

 

If the government is going to be in the business of feeding the masses then they need to be in the business of educating the masses.

 

Newsflash: These are the same entities who *are* educating our masses. With your tax dollars. Congratulations, it's not working.

 

 

[KristinaBreece]

I HAVE been on FS and I HAVE made poor financial choices that put my family in harms way. That is why I feel the need to remove the wool from some peoples eyes. My poor decisions did NOT make ME a VICTIM. It did not ENTITLE me to government assistance. Assistance is nice, but follow the rules and don't complain. If you want soda improve your situation. I've got news for you. If the choice was homeschool and go on FS or get a job to help support my family; I'd get the job. Again, I live in an area where there is gross abuse of the system. You can walk into almost any home of a FS recipient in this state and see kids in namebrand clothes, big screen tvs and xboxes.

 

I'm sorry that's what you're seeing, but it is ridiculous to lump everyone receiving assistance into that category.

 

Also, something to keep in mind. My MIL spends ridiculous amounts of money on clothing for my kids. Money I don't have & wouldn't spend if I did on name brand clothing. Since we struggle to pay our bills, should I take that gift away from my children?

 

I agree that people need help sometime and I'm fine with that. I am totally okay with using FS to help, but it is a stepping stone. FS are not meant to be a way a life and where I'm from, they are a way of life. It's dispicable and I can't believe the numbers of people that defend that lifestyle. None of my posts have said that I have a problem with someone in true need accepting help. I've even offered a suggestion to help improve the system.

 

If my DH lost his job today, we would have to sell almost everything we own. We would then both obtain minimum wage jobs and be able to keep a roof over our heads. Again, in our area, there are plenty of min. wage job because so many people feel that they are better than to work those jobs.

 

That's great that that's the case in your area. It is NOT the reality here, or in many places throughout the country.

 

If we couldn't keep our house, then we would move in with relatives. If we have these options, why would we go on government assistance? People should do everything they can to take care of their own situation before asking for assistance. That's all I'm saying. Sometimes that means staying with a MIL that disapproves of you. That would definitely encourage me to find a better job quicker. If I had to take government assistance, I wouldn't (and didn't) complain about what I was allowed to purchase. You do better and improve your situation. That's all I'm saying.

 

And your situation is YOUR situation. You can't apply the same "if x, then y" statements to every other person's life. Minimum wage jobs in my area (even if DH & I collectively worked 4 of them) wouldn't cover the cost of living in our area. We have no option but to make it where we are. There is no one to take us in, nothing else we can cut, and no job I can take right now that wouldn't cost my wages and then some in day care for my kids. I don't think you understand how lucky plays a part in one's circumstances in this economy.

[Cheryl in NM]

Wow! Just plain WOW! What a lot of broadbrushing ASSUMptions! Sure, there's plenty of jobs out there where people can make more. This country isn't really in a crisis. Women on here don't really have husbands that have lost jobs and lost homes. They must just be lying and the real issue must surely be high tastes and credit cards!

 

Lovely, just lovely.

 

Yes, there are people that abuse things...there always will be. But don't punish the masses for the few. Also, financial counseling does not do anything when one doesn't have a job or one is working their butt off at a job and there aren't higher paying jobs. Especially if that person is already living debt free and no frills. We've been there! When we were in that spot we saw three financial counselors (and we weren't even on food stamps though we should have and could have been). All three told us that they could not help us. In fact, they said we were accomplishing what they themselves could not!

 

Again, I'm an talking about abuses. You naturally assume that everyone on FS needs them and have no responsibility in the situation they are in. So you and I are on opposite extremes in this issue. I see abuse of the system everywhere I turn in my state. Financial counseling, while didn't help you, would help a majority of the people I'm talking about here. We can only talk about our own experiences and the things we've seen. So to discount my opinions because you haven't seen what I'm talking about isn't helpful. I haven't discounted your opinions.

 

I didn't want to enter into this fray, but I can't stop thinking about it. Here's what I think: The government takes your money in taxes to pay for food stamps at the point of a gun, because, if you don't pay your taxes they will eventually come and get you, and they will have guns. I know that's dramatic, but it's also true, and should help people realize exactly how much freedom we have lost with our current tax system. So, if the government uses money it has forcibly confiscated from other people, then surely it should be able to dictate what can be purchased with it. I don't mind helping people with my tax dollars, and I give to charity. BUT I REALLY think it's wrong to allow people to buy things with absolutely no nutritional value (ie soda and candy) with food stamps.

 

It's not only "dramatic," it is overwrought, untrue and frankly starting to sound like a familiar one-note-song. :glare: And there are not enough of these :001_rolleyes: smilies to express myself accurately on that.

 

If I don't pay my taxes, the government will put a lien on everything I own and eventually put me in jail. That is NOT a voluntary system!

 

The way I change the system is to exercise my vote and to try to get others to see things my way so that when they exercise their vote as well, our viewpoint will win out over someone elses. This is how our country was set up. As bad as it is, it's still the best country to live in, IMO.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

You can walk into almost any home of a FS recipient in this state and see kids in namebrand clothes, big screen tvs and xboxes.

 

We're on FS and SSI (social security disability) as our only income. My kids have nice clothes, a Wii, DSs with games, and we have a DVR and netflix (shared acct with my step brother). Why? Because my family insists on getting us "stuff" and refuses to help or contribute in any way to things we could really use. Kids ask for books for bdays, but will get DS or Wii games.

 

My cousin and family are well off with 2 boys a little older than my son. Guess where he gets his nice looking, brand name clothes from?

 

I have an older friend that likes to spoil me. He bought me a laptop, but he also helped pay a ticket (on a vehicle I had sold. New owner never registered it, so ticket was issued on VIN which was registered to me).

 

We do have a flat TV, but only because my stepmother bought it as a moving present. I would not let her get us one bigger than 32" which is what she got.

 

I personally know people who abuse the system, but don't assume we all are.

[Mrs Mungo]

I say do ban all the empty calories and only allow healthy foods. IMO if you don't like the rules/restrictions than don't apply for the food stamps or stop receiving them. It's goverment aid not a paycheck to do with what you want with. You don't like than do something about your living situation.

 

So, should the commissary remove all unhealthy foods from their shelves and stop subsidizing those items for us? When we lived in Hawaii I shopped almost exclusively at the commissary because it cost about half of what it would at a local store. Should they only do that for healthy items?

[justamouse]

Is it cocktail hour yet?

 

 

 

I need a dessert recipe with little to 1 stick of butter-anyone?

Edited June 2, 2011 by justamouse

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

We're on FS and SSI (social security disability) as our only income. My kids have nice clothes, a Wii, DSs with games, and we have a DVR and netflix (shared acct with my step brother). Why? Because my family insists on getting us "stuff" and refuses to help or contribute in any way to things we could really use. Kids ask for books for bdays, but will get DS or Wii games.

 

My cousin and family are well off with 2 boys a little older than my son. Guess where he gets his nice looking, brand name clothes from?

 

I have an older friend that likes to spoil me. He bought me a laptop, but he also helped pay a ticket (on a vehicle I had sold. New owner never registered it, so ticket was issued on VIN which was registered to me).

 

We do have a flat TV, but only because my stepmother bought it as a moving present. I would not let her get us one bigger than 32" which is what she got.

 

I personally know people who abuse the system, but don't assume we all are.

 

How despicable! A stepmother, other family members, and an older gentleman friend will buy luxuries for you all but will not assist with the necessities of life! What are they trying to teach you and your children?

 

How very sad.

[Cheryl in NM]

Is this the irresponsible dsd you have previously spoken of? Thanks for comparing the rest of us to her.

 

You talked about moving away for a better job. My parents did that. After the oil industry tanked in LA, my dad couldn't find a job and we were on food stamps. He had a friend working in another state who got my dad on at his company, so we moved. We were doing fine there until my mom had a difficult pregnancy which forced her to be on bedrest. She didn't lose her job, but she wasn't getting paid. She also racked up thousands upon thousands of dollars in medical bills, despite having "good" insurance. I guess my mom should have known better than to have that baby. I'll be sure to tell her and my sister that some random lady said those bills were their fault. They'll love that! At the same time, my dad's industry started tanking. He worked less and less hours because there was no work. Eventually they had to declare bankruptcy and move back to LA. Within months of moving, my dad lost his job and my mom was suprised my the appearence of my youngest sister. Again, daarn people having babies they can't afford. The nerve. So back to food stamps.

 

I'm sorry you know like 3 people who have things you don't because they abuse the system. But please, don't dare judge everyone. I pray to God you never find yourself in a situation which requires you to seek assistance, and I pray even harder that you aren't friends with someone like yourself.

 

Yes, and I didn't compare her to everyone else on FS, I used her as an example. I have repeatedly stated in my posts that this is the norm in NM. My experience is all I have to add to this conversation. The same with you. Getting hurt feelings and taking offense doesn't solve a situation. We all speak from our experiences. Abuse in the systems affect everyone in the system. NM can't be the only state where abuse is the norm. And if you actually looked at Mrs. Mungo's links about the food desert you would see that NM actual has more food desert areas than most places on either coast or in any big city in America. I can tell you from experience that there is a Walmart or grocery store in almost every small town in NM. If the corruption were cleaned out there would be more funds for those who actually need them. Restricting purchases on soda is a start in the right direction, IMO.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Cheryl in NM
grammar

[Joanne]

Quote:

3. Food stamps SHOULD NOT BE USABLE AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS!

Are they!??!! Eeek. I hadn't thought they covered any kind of prepared food....

 

I feel it is important to point out that food stamps are not usable at fast food restaurants.

 

They are usable, however, at convience stores if you are buying "food items" such as milk, cheese, chips, cookies (packaged, not the baked premium kind).