Talk me down...how realistic do you think the FDA cost of food plan is?

[Aura]

Thank you all. I feel much more validated now. LOL 

 

It might be beneficial to send the person who thinks they can do better shopping for groceries alone a few times.  ; )

:iagree:  I think the person who does the main shopping generally has a realistic view of the budget, and the one who doesn't should really learn to listen, or they might just be left with all the shopping (and cooking!) for a while.  ;)

[Zinnia]

The USDA numbers run true for us, too.  

[busymama7]

It must be too early in the morning. I can't figure out how much for us. Husband and I both under 50. 7 kids still at home ages 2,3,6,8,11,14 and 16. If someone can give me a range I can say if we fall in it. 😂

[abcmommy]

These threads always seem to degenerate into a contest of who can spend less and martyr themselves more.  I have only skimmed this and have not seen that so far so yay.

 

 

As someone who has been poor enough to receive food stamps and who may be again, I relish spending money liberally on decent food to feed my family when I can.  Generally we fall between thrifty and moderate, but I dont calculate and subtract things like cat food/ litter/ laundry soap etc.

 

 

[idnib]

They seem reasonable to me. We are in a very high COL area and while my household is on the spendy side for food, my sibling's family sticks to this level of food spending with no problems and my very good friend feeds a family of 8 high quality food (protein, whole grains, dairy and veg/fruit) at every meal using the thrifty level. They don't eat out at all but for allergen reasons, which helps the budget too.

[luuknam]

It must be too early in the morning. I can't figure out how much for us. Husband and I both under 50. 7 kids still at home ages 2,3,6,8,11,14 and 16. If someone can give me a range I can say if we fall in it. 😂

 

For the teens, you'd need to know if they're boys or girls.

[Katy]

I cannot imagine DH doing the regular grocery shopping.  For one thing, he hates errands.  For another, every time I send him for one thing, he may or may not come home with that thing, but he will come home with $30-40 worth of chips, dip, and a bag full of some expensive meat to grill. 

 

"They were having a sale, I decided to stock up."

 

Sure they were.  Sure they were.

[mommyoffive]

We spend around $150-230 a week on food for a family of 7.  

Most of the times it is under 200.   When it is over it is stock up on diapers, pullups, vitamins, paper stuff. 

But that cost is everything.   We don't buy food other places or have cow or anything like that. 

 

All of us are at home everyday so that is all of our meals.  We barely ever eat out.  Vacation and birthdays maybe.  So this is everything.  we could do a lot better.  Coupons and not buying certain things.  But we just don't dedicate the time to do this.  cooking from scratch or coupons.   I should though.  I am sure we waste lots of money doing it. 

 

 

[Seasider]

It might be beneficial to send the person who thinks they can do better shopping for groceries alone a few times. ; )

Yes! But have that person also first determine a menu and have a solid grocery list for avoiding cheap-out food, kwim? DH beat my first challenge to him by bringing home a week's worth of hot dogs, canned veges and processed packaged products. He was so proud of how little he spent, but....Fail! We will not eat like bachelors in survival mode! I don't demand everything organic, or specialty foods, but I don't want to feed my family crap just to boast about my frugal food budget.

[TX Native]

I cannot imagine DH doing the regular grocery shopping. For one thing, he hates errands. For another, every time I send him for one thing, he may or may not come home with that thing, but he will come home with $30-40 worth of chips, dip, and a bag full of some expensive meat to grill.

 

"They were having a sale, I decided to stock up."

 

Sure they were. Sure they were.

Are you sure we don't have the same husband living a double life?

[lynn]

I just looked at this and for just groceries with some organics, not including paper, cleaners or eating out its about right.

[waa510]

The thrifty to low-cost range is about where we fall. I think we fall somewhere in between the two. If it's moderate or higher, then there's something special going on like out-of-town visitors, a birthday BBQ, Christmas or Thanksgiving. We eat vegan though (not buying meat//dairy/eggs here saves me at least 75/wk on groceries) so that skews things a lot, IMO. Lentils, beans, frozen produce and fruit for smoothies...all that stuff is really cheap. We also don't drink soda so we don't have that to add in. 

 

I also agree with pp about having the one who thinks the grocery bill can be lowered to do the shopping for a couple weeks. Dh and I disagreed on this point years ago too. I happened to get the flu one year which required him to go shopping with the kids a couple times so I could rest and he was honestly floored by the prices and bill by the end of the trips. Sometimes if you don't really get out there and see the prices it's easy to dismiss the actual costs. 

 

 

[Guest]

Those of you who have teens/young adults: how are you calculating? Are you totalling up the individuals and genders? I put a 1/2 figure for DD, who is at college most of the year, but I don't know what is "normal."

 

If it's totalled up by age range and genders, and if college girl is 50%, then we are usually beneath the thrifty numbers. However, there would always be goods I can't calculate in - how much money did it actually cost to have a garden? Do I factor in chicken feed and straw? How do I calculate portions for a quarter steer we bought two years ago but still use from our freezer? Do I include what I spent on new canning lids? See? It could get awfully persnickety.

[flyingiguana]

The numbers look fairly reasonable.

 

At times, I've been UNDER the "thrifty" amount out of necessity, but that has involved a lot of legumes and pasta and no fruits/vegetables that I couldn't pick up cheap.

 

Now that we're inching up toward the "liberal" category, it's mostly because of lots of fruits and vegetables and less refined starch. The meat adds too, but I still mostly get pretty cheap cuts of meat, even if we're eating more of it.  If I bought organic that would push us over even the "liberal" category.

 

Our grocery bill goes way down in the summer because of the farmer's market.  Although one has to be careful not to buy overpriced goodies along with the cheap produce.  I cannot send my husband alone.

[flyingiguana]

I'll add that I do not count the soda in our grocery budget.  That's not my addiction so I don't see it as food.  That has to go in another category.  I call it something like "Husband's Folly"  or "his entertainment".  (Maybe it should be added into the "dental" area of the budget, now that he knows what it's doing to his teeth)

 

I won't buy it when I'm at the store.  He has to make his own trip.  (Where he can see how much it costs)  I refuse to carry home colored bottles of overpriced water with added caffeine.

 

(I know.  We could have worse disagreements)

[luuknam]

I'll add that I do not count the soda in our grocery budget.  That's not my addiction so I don't see it as food.  That has to go in another category.  I call it something like "Husband's Folly"  or "his entertainment".  (Maybe it should be added into the "dental" area of the budget, now that he knows what it's doing to his teeth)

 

I won't buy it when I'm at the store.  He has to make his own trip.  (Where he can see how much it costs)  I refuse to carry home colored bottles of overpriced water with added caffeine.

 

Thing is though, that if he weren't consuming that, he'd have to consume those calories through other food (or consume fewer calories overall, but realistically, odds are that if he cut out the soda, your grocery budget would go up if you're not including the soda in the budget).

[SparklyUnicorn]

Thing is though, that if he weren't consuming that, he'd have to consume those calories through other food (or consume fewer calories overall, but realistically, odds are that if he cut out the soda, your grocery budget would go up if you're not including the soda in the budget).

 

Maybe.  Depends if it is diet or regular.

[EmseB]

Thing is though, that if he weren't consuming that, he'd have to consume those calories through other food (or consume fewer calories overall, but realistically, odds are that if he cut out the soda, your grocery budget would go up if you're not including the soda in the budget).

There's a reason calories from sugar drinks are often referred to as "empty calories". Because they aren't filling or providing nutrition and are generally unnecessary. People don't drink soda because they are hungry (generally).

[kiana]

There's a reason calories from sugar drinks are often referred to as "empty calories". Because they aren't filling or providing nutrition and are generally unnecessary. People don't drink soda because they are hungry (generally).

 

That doesn't mean that you can just cut the calories out of your diet without losing weight. Unless her husband needs/wants to lose the weight, he'd have to add more in from another source.

[luuknam]

There's a reason calories from sugar drinks are often referred to as "empty calories". Because they aren't filling or providing nutrition and are generally unnecessary. People don't drink soda because they are hungry (generally).

 

True, but there are also people who have a healthy weight and drink one or more sodas a day and aren't gaining weight. If they quit drinking those sodas, they'd be losing weight, so they'd have to replace the calories, i.e. spend more on other things with calories in them.

[Noreen Claire]

For my family of 6 - DH, myself, and four boys 2, 4, 7, & 20 - the table gives monthly values of about $880 (thrifty) to $1730 (liberal).

 

Looking at our budget, I spend around $850/month for buying groceries, which probably includes 1/4-1/2 of our detergents, paper goods, etc. However, it does not include:

-pizza takeout every Friday night;

-drive-through burgers for the kids once a week;

-DS20's work lunches and out-with-friends meals/snacks that he buys himself;

-DH's dinner between job #1 and job #2 twice a week; and

-DH's alcohol.

 

We do pay a premium for milk/cream/eggs that are delivered weekly by the last local dairy, which is probably $25-30 per week. We usually only drink milk & water at home and the kids eat fresh fruit like crazy. We do not eat nearly enough vegetables! I do use coupons, stock up on sales, and I shop at the local supermarket as well as BJs (big box store). I make >75% of all meals/treats from scratch and we keep very little junk food in the house.

[EmseB]

That doesn't mean that you can just cut the calories out of your diet without losing weight. Unless her husband needs/wants to lose the weight, he'd have to add more in from another source.

But this would lead me to think that drinking soda to maintain weight is a bigger problem. In other words, if one cuts out soda and loses so much weight that they are unhealthier without the soda than with the soda, something else is clearly going on.

 

I'm not overweight and haven't been. I've cut soda out of my diet in the last five years. I didn't suddenly start eating more or have significant weight loss, but I did realize how bad all that sugar was making me feel. The calories in the soda were not supplying me with nutrition that I had to make up for after I cut it out. It was wholly unnecessary.

[luuknam]

But this would lead me to think that drinking soda to maintain weight is a bigger problem. In other words, if one cuts out soda and loses so much weight that they are unhealthier without the soda than with the soda, something else is clearly going on.

 

I'm not overweight and haven't been. I've cut soda out of my diet in the last five years. I didn't suddenly start eating more or have significant weight loss, but I did realize how bad all that sugar was making me feel. The calories in the soda were not supplying me with nutrition that I had to make up for after I cut it out. It was wholly unnecessary.

 

If you didn't lose weight, you probably did gradually eat a bit more. One can of coke a day has enough calories that it adds up to over 15lbs of fat in a year.

[kiana]

But this would lead me to think that drinking soda to maintain weight is a bigger problem. In other words, if one cuts out soda and loses so much weight that they are unhealthier without the soda than with the soda, something else is clearly going on.

 

I'm not overweight and haven't been. I've cut soda out of my diet in the last five years. I didn't suddenly start eating more or have significant weight loss, but I did realize how bad all that sugar was making me feel. The calories in the soda were not supplying me with nutrition that I had to make up for after I cut it out. It was wholly unnecessary.

 

If you didn't lose a significant amount of weight over 5 years without soda, then you almost certainly added more elsewhere. You probably didn't realize it -- most people don't -- but you compensated for them in some way. 

[EmseB]

Ok, so I'll grant that I probably don't understand my own experience with quitting soda and what I was actually eating.

 

But, I stand by my claim that if someone is only at or maintaining a healthy weight because they are drinking soda everyday, so much soda that it is a line item in the monthly grocery budget, then there is a bigger problem. Again, this is only if someone ends up less healthy *without* soda. The number of people in the first world who would suffer for giving up soda and not replacing the calories has to be vanishingly small.

 

But I kinda feel silly arguing that most people don't need the calories they are getting from sugar drinks, to be honest.

[luuknam]

Ok, so I'll grant that I probably don't understand my own experience with quitting soda and what I was actually eating.

 

But, I stand by my claim that if someone is only at or maintaining a healthy weight because they are drinking soda everyday, so much soda that it is a line item in the monthly grocery budget, then there is a bigger problem. Again, this is only if someone ends up less healthy *without* soda. The number of people in the first world who would suffer for giving up soda and not replacing the calories has to be vanishingly small.

 

But I kinda feel silly arguing that most people don't need the calories they are getting from sugar drinks, to be honest.

 

We're not arguing you need the calories in soda. We're arguing that they should be counted as part of the grocery budget, because most people will end up consuming more calories from actual food if they cut out the soda.

Edited October 1, 2016 by luuknam

[Elizabeth 2]

If it's totalled up by age range and genders, and if college girl is 50%, then we are usually beneath the thrifty numbers. However, there would always be goods I can't calculate in - how much money did it actually cost to have a garden? Do I factor in chicken feed and straw? How do I calculate portions for a quarter steer we bought two years ago but still use from our freezer? Do I include what I spent on new canning lids? See? It could get awfully persnickety.

From just a financial portion, anything that contributes to feeding your household would be included. When I buy jam at the store, I am paying for the jar as well. So if I want to see if it's more economical to can my own, I have to include the cost of the canning supplies. Many of them last for years so I have to consider amortization, (jar, canner, lid lifter,etc) but I do have to consider the cost to make an accurate accounting. Spreadsheets are my friend. ðŸ˜

 

I did. I noticed that where we lived previously, the thrifty plan wouldn't feed us, even with every single food saving technique factored in. Now, I get luxuries and still don't hit the thrifty level. COL definitely makes a difference.

[Excelsior! Academy]

One thing I noticed is those with larger families seem to find the thrifty plan as adequate moreso than average or smaller families.  Perhaps  the per person "savings" from more people is greater than the 10% than the chart says.

 

Yes! 

 

It might be beneficial to send the person who thinks they can do better shopping for groceries alone a few times.  ; )

 

Yep!  Though, they may be come home with extras like pop tarts (hypothetical situation of course ;) ) and wonder why the budget was blown.

[EmseB]

We're not arguing you need the calories in soda. We're arguing that they should be counted as part of the grocery budget, because most people will end up consuming more calories from actual food if they cut out the soda.

Ok, I was responding to the other poster who said those calories would need to be replaced. Misunderstanding!

 

OTOH, if I was cutting out soda to save money (and I have had times in my life where every dollar was accounted for and $10 for soda was not an option) I would not increase my grocery budget for more food because...I cut out soda to save money. So I'd just end up consuming less calories overall.

[kiana]

Ok, I was responding to the other poster who said those calories would need to be replaced. Misunderstanding!

 

OTOH, if I was cutting out soda to save money (and I have had times in my life where every dollar was accounted for and $10 for soda was not an option) I would not increase my grocery budget for more food because...I cut out soda to save money. So I'd just end up consuming less calories overall.

 

I am in no way, shape, or form arguing that soda is a desirable source of calories. 

 

But I am arguing that anything that contributes calories to the diet should be counted as part of the food budget, and that if weight loss is not acceptable, the calories need to be replaced. I do not see why this is even debatable. If weight loss is acceptable, of course they do not need to be replaced. But not everyone has spare weight that they are ok with losing. 

Edited October 1, 2016 by kiana

[EmseB]

I am in no way, shape, or form arguing that soda is a desirable source of calories.

 

But I am arguing that anything that contributes calories to the diet should be counted as part of the food budget, and that if weight loss is not acceptable, the calories need to be replaced. I do not see why this is either confusing or debatable. If weight loss is acceptable, of course they do not need to be replaced.

Ok, I guess I just haven't known anyone who is subsisting on soda calories to the point where they can't stop drinking soda without negative consequences. It is beyond my experience. I guess I don't know anyone who drinks soda that regularly that also could not survive without the calories, now that I'm really thinking about it.

 

 

I guess I see the point of counting it separately from food. I see it the same as candy or beer or wine. It's recreational, a luxury, an extra. If people are buying that stuff, their basic caloric needs are already being met.

[Guest]

From just a financial portion, anything that contributes to feeding your household would be included. When I buy jam at the store, I am paying for the jar as well. So if I want to see if it's more economical to can my own, I have to include the cost of the canning supplies. Many of them last for years so I have to consider amortization, (jar, canner, lid lifter,etc) but I do have to consider the cost to make an accurate accounting. Spreadsheets are my friend. ðŸ˜

 

I did. I noticed that where we lived previously, the thrifty plan wouldn't feed us, even with every single food saving technique factored in. Now, I get luxuries and still don't hit the thrifty level. COL definitely makes a difference.

Yeah, but I was more wondering what people *in this thread* were doing to arrive at their family's costs. I know I'm not the only family that doesn't have the family configurations as described in the charts, so how do you calculate a total - are you adding 17-yr old son's individual cost, 52 yo male cost, 45 yr old female, etc? I was wondering how people are getting their family's target when the people are different ages/genders and college kid who is only eating at home less than half the year.

 

But I am also noting that, yeah, even the more meticulous among us are not usually going to have an absolute cost purly for food, no matter how that food arrives at one's table.

[Guest]

Ok, I guess I just haven't known anyone who is subsisting on soda calories to the point where they can't stop drinking soda without negative consequences. It is beyond my experience. I guess I don't know anyone who drinks soda that regularly that also could not survive without the calories, now that I'm really thinking about it.

 

 

I guess I see the point of counting it separately from food. I see it the same as candy or beer or wine. It's recreational, a luxury, an extra. If people are buying that stuff, their basic caloric needs are already being met.

I agree with you. For the purposes of my explicit budget, I never calculate DH's beer-drinking in my grocery budget. For one thing, I never purchase it out of household money; he buys his own beer, keeps it in his own garage fridge, and drinks it mostly in his own garage. I actually chuckled when the poster said soda goes in "Husband's Folly" category, because that is how I view DH's beer. If he gave up beer entirely, I doubt that would translate to eating more steak to make up the calories. It would only be a good thing if he eliminated those frequent cans of calories without replacing them otherwise. He is trending fatter in his over-50 life and I would say it is 85% beer-calorie related.

 

Also, if I buy special beverages or food for a party, that doesn't go in my food grocery category, either. It goes in "Gifts/Parties." I'm not wrecking my food budget because we're hosting a party and I'm not cheapin' out and buying a sad bag of Aldi pretzels and making a bowl of Kool-Aide to try and keep my food budget from being trashed for the month. :D

[IfIOnly]

I don't care what others spend or how. I spend $250 a week for 7 people. I buy food at wholesale, co-ops, and restaraunt supply places primarily. We don't usually eat organic or free range or whatever. We do eat balanced meals with plenty of protein and veggies and some fruit (with breakfast each day and sometimes for a snack too). I could spend more on food right now but choose not too.

 

Eta: that includes alcohol in moderation too.

Edited October 2, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[IfIOnly]

Forgot, the thrifty plan would be $1422.4. If I spent $400 more on food a month, honestly, we would eat out more of maybe give food away or put it in saving, not increase my grocery budget.

[IfIOnly]

Our total is so low because of the bolded. We cook from scratch and purchase meat by 40# box. I can get a 50# bag of potatoes from the local restaurant supply store for less than $20. We haven't used Bountiful Baskets recently, but you can get really good organic fruits and vegetables for a good price.

 

Truly grocery prices are like real estate prices...location, location, location.

Yes! Although I know I'm fortunate to have these places locally. We buy usually buy our meat (hamburger, chicken breast, fryers) in cases from Costco and other places. 50 pounds of red potatoes for $12 here. Every where is more expensive for red potatoes but a steal at our local restaraunt supplier. Costco has pork loin and ham for $1.99 a pound, etc.

[busymama7]

For the teens, you'd need to know if they're boys or girls.

Both boys

[LisaKinVA]

My husband was just asking me about our food budget.  It's about $300/week for 7, plus a raw fed dog -- assuming little to no eating out.  With a bit better menu planning/preparations I can get it substantially lower (especially in the spring and summer, when fresh produce here is abundant and cheap -- $25 for fresh fruits and veggies would essentially feed us for a week).  I really need to get back into my prepping/menu planning -- so I can put more of our budget into travel ;)

 

 

[frogger]

My food budget used to be awesome. I was probably one of those vying for first place in how little can you spend per person. Of course, my kids were little. Now they are all ravenous monsters and two people in my family are low carb and I refuse to give up fruit and diary which are very expensive where I live. I can't say how much I spend without a lot of extra calculations since I can and freeze turkey, salmon, and moose. I should probably find my way back to buying potatoes, carrots, and cabbages back at farms. But yes, the calculations for jars, freezer bags, pressure cookers etc. need to be added in.

[Garga]

I cannot imagine DH doing the regular grocery shopping.  For one thing, he hates errands.  For another, every time I send him for one thing, he may or may not come home with that thing, but he will come home with $30-40 worth of chips, dip, and a bag full of some expensive meat to grill. 

 

"They were having a sale, I decided to stock up."

 

Sure they were.  Sure they were.

 

 

 

 

Are you sure we don't have the same husband living a double life?

 

A triple life! He's over here, too. And he comes back with junk food for my boys who struggle with gaining weight. Hmm.

 

Anyway--I'm surprised at the chart. We fall in the thrifty to moderate category even with buying things like toilet paper and makeup items and everything you can get at a grocery store. I often feel a sense of unease when I'm shopping, thinking I'm overspending and if only I was more clever, I'd figure out a way to spend less. Now I realize that I'm right on target--maybe even under. What a relief!

[DawnM]

I haven't tracked for a while.  As DH has gotten raises, we have spent more on food and not stressed as much.  

 

Now that I am working, DH has actually asked if we could spend some MORE on food and get some organic, etc....

 

We are a family of 5.  I can spend as little as $500-$600 if I really, really budget and we eat a LOT of potatoes, rice, pasta and buy vegetables at the discount Hispanic place (not close by), buy only loss leaders and plan our food menu from that, etc......  There ARE ways to make it cheap.

 

However, now that I am working full time, I don't have TIME to do that.  I buy once every 2 weeks from Costco (and sometimes send DH with a a list) and once alternating weeks from the grocery store.  The grocery store isn't a supplement, it is to get stuff I can't get at Costco.  

 

I think we now spend about $1000-$1200, but that does include pet food, all toiletries, and paper goods.  I just can't take the time to separate those out and figure out the budget.  

 

My guess is that we spend $45 on pet food, $10 on pet treats, $15 on TP, Kleenex,  and paper towels, $10 on dish soap, dishwashing detergent, laundry soap and dryer sheets, and an additional $20-$30 on shampoo, bar soap, facial lotion, make  up, conditioner, etc....

 

That would make it about $100 on non-food items.

[kiana]

Also, if I buy special beverages or food for a party, that doesn't go in my food grocery category, either. It goes in "Gifts/Parties." I'm not wrecking my food budget because we're hosting a party and I'm not cheapin' out and buying a sad bag of Aldi pretzels and making a bowl of Kool-Aide to try and keep my food budget from being trashed for the month. :D

 

Haha, this I totally agree on. It's not feeding YOUR family. It's feeding your friends. It shouldn't be in your food budget! 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I think if someone is drinking a case or two of soda a week, it's probably going to be about $10 to $12 bucks.  In terms of comparing weekly grocery budgets, I don't think that $10 to $12 is going to make that much of a difference. When looking at the weekly thrifty plan for a family of four, $12 still only puts the family about a third of the way between thrifty and low cost. 

 

That's a high estimate I'd say.  If you buy what is on sale you can get sometimes 4-5 cases for that price.

[SparklyUnicorn]

That may be.  I was trying to estimate a little high in terms of what someone might spend....but I was also thinking brand name. A case of 24 cans of Coke or Pepsi tends to run about $5 or $6 depending on the sales at the time. 

 

I was thinking brand name too.  But I wasn't sure of what you considered a case.  Most cases are 12, but yeah they have some larger 24 packs.

 

I don't buy soda regularly, but sometimes I'll get the sale deal where per case they are dirt cheap, but they make you buy 5 twelve packs or something crazy like that.  Which is annoying, but that's another discussion.

[SparklyUnicorn]

What's especially annoying is dealing with the damn bottle deposit stuff.  Seems most of the country doesn't even do it.  Here they do it on all beverages except juice.  They do it on water too.  So that's an extra annoyance.  It makes buying that stuff less interesting.

 

 

[flyingiguana]

Because inquiring minds seemed to want to know:

 

It's diet soda.

 

Possibly, the sugar substitute is tricking his body into using the calories he is eating more efficiently, but I think the research is not yet conclusive on that.  Still, if that is the case, he doesn't need the extra calories.  (Or if it were non-diet.)  Otoh, if he didn't get his caffeine fix from expensive soda, he'd probably eat a lot more chocolate and cookies.  Which would probably be in the grocery budget.

 

eta: Also, it's rarely bought on sale.  My husband doesn't go into a store and see it on sale and think, oh yeah, I'm gonna need that.  Should stock up.  It's more of an emergency trip to the store when he realizes he doesn't have his "fix".  And I WILL NOT buy it on sale because I don't want to carry that much.  My cart is usually full with other stuff too.

 

 

Does soda count as food in the budget?  Does it only count if it's bought at the grocery store?  What if he buys it from a vending machine or at a fast food place because I didn't bother to pick any up while at the store?  Is it my folly to skip buying it at the store for him if it drives him to buy it at a much more expensive place?

 

Just because I was interested in, I looked up the current SNAP regulations.  Soda does count as food for food stamp purposes.  They don't seem to make a distinction between diet and non-diet.  Although perhaps one could argue that non-diet is exactly food?  Unless water is classed as a nutrient?  Can one buy water with food stamps.

 

Also, apparently most live animals cannot be purchased with food stamps.  Except live lobsters and other shellfish.  There seems to be a bit of a cultural bias there.  Unless the thinking is that the only reason one would purchase a live goat to slaughter would be if you were having a party and meant to feed a bunch of people who were not food stamp recipients.

 

Lobsters, I guess, are single serving items.

 

I did not know one could buy seeds for the garden with food stamps.  And pumpkins.

 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items

 

 

Edited October 2, 2016 by flyingiguana

[regentrude]

What's especially annoying is dealing with the damn bottle deposit stuff.  Seems most of the country doesn't even do it.  Here they do it on all beverages except juice.  They do it on water too.  So that's an extra annoyance.  It makes buying that stuff less interesting.

 

I wish that were standard throughout the country.

Back home, it has been the norm for decades; you just take the bottles back to the store and return them via machine.

I really hate the bottle waste. We have switched to soda stream and rarely purchase any bottled beverages, but I see tons of bottles thrown in the trash at events. A small deposit would be an incentive to recycle.

[flyingiguana]

I wish that were standard throughout the country.

Back home, it has been the norm for decades; you just take the bottles back to the store and return them via machine.

 

I'm going to date myself, but when I was little even in the US a bottle deposit was the norm.  I didn't get an allowance, but I could keep whatever I got from returning bottles to the store for my parents. 

 

Although perhaps the incentive for going to cans in the US was to avoid the hassle of returning bottles.

[kiana]

I did not know one could buy seeds for the garden with food stamps.  And pumpkins.

 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items

 

Yes. And a lot of farmer's markets have tokens so that you can use food stamps to buy food there. The one near my mother's has a two-for-one actually (you cash in $20 in food stamps and get $40 worth of tokens) -- I'm not sure how common this is.

[regentrude]

We're not arguing you need the calories in soda. We're arguing that they should be counted as part of the grocery budget, because most people will end up consuming more calories from actual food if they cut out the soda.

 

So would you argue that wine should count, too? Because there are calories in wine that I would have to eat of I were not drinking the wine... only any other source of these calories would be vastly cheaper than the wine, and the calories we consume via wine are negligible compared to actual food.

I do not consider wine part of  the grocery budget; it is a frivolous luxury item.