Posted on 01/15/2017 7:12:22 AM PST by Drew68
What do households on food stamps buy at the grocery store?
The answer was largely a mystery until now. The United States Department of Agriculture, which oversees the $74 billion food stamp program called SNAP, has published a detailed report that provides a glimpse into the shopping cart of the typical household that receives food stamps.
The findings show that the No. 1 purchases by SNAP households are soft drinks, which accounted for 5 percent of the dollars they spent on food. The category of ‘sweetened beverages,’ which includes fruit juices, energy drinks and sweetened teas, accounted for almost 10 percent of the dollars they spent on food. “In this sense, SNAP is a multibillion-dollar taxpayer subsidy of the soda industry,” said Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. “It’s pretty shocking.”
For years, dozens of cities, states and medical groups have urged changes to SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to help improve nutrition among the 43 million poorest Americans who receive food stamps. Specifically, they have called for restrictions so that food stamps cannot be used to buy junk food or sugary soft drinks.
But the food and beverage industries have spent millions opposing such measures, and the U.S.D.A. has denied every request, saying that selectively banning certain foods would be unfair to food stamp users and create too much red tape.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
In my former life as a county sanitarian, I inspected many welfare houses for various reasons. One place had no food in it at all. The fridge contained three Coronas and a box of baking soda. The food shelves in the kitchen contained a box of baking soda. That’s all.
I asked the master of the house what he fed the kids (of which there were several). His reply (with a look of incredulity at my lack of knowledge) was, “When they get hungry, I give ‘em a dollar and they go over to the liquor store and get a hot dog.”
There seemed to be plenty of money for cigarettes and pot, though.
My main point, though, is that these folks regard this state of affairs as normal.
In the olden days, when someone could not provide for their family, they could sign up at the county court house and get “commodities”, a box of government food stuffs. No choice on what you got.
Many people would be too ashamed to sign up. Others had no problems because it freed up personal cash to buy beer and cigarettes at the county line.
Then came L B Johnson and the welfare acts. Soon you could put a down payment on a brand new car with Food Stamps!
Oh, really? The government used to limit food stamps to real food such as fruit juice was ok to buy but not flavored drinks. Why is it now days they can use EBT cards at restaurants? I can't afford to go to restaurants but I'm footing the bill for the freeloaders to go. There is no reason the government can't grow up and place responsible rules on the gimmedats.
Hey, how about linking the food stamp computers with the healthcare computers? That way when the food stamp computer talks with the healthcare computer and sees that little Johnie has high cholesterol, diabetes, and is overweight, food items that allegedly contribute to little Johnie’s condition cannot be purchased.
But why stop there? If everybody is mandated to buy healthcare insurance, why should people who are physically fit have to pick up the tab with high premiums for those who eat a diet of crap and spend lots of time (and money) at the doctor’s office. Why not issue a healthcare card that can also be used at the grocery store to ‘reward’ those who eat ‘healthy’ by giving them reduced prices in the checkout line. After all, the super duper computer created by merging the healthcare database and the healthy choice food rewards program card knows best. Our overlords won’t even need to go to a cashless society to gain control, the lower food costs offered by enrolling in the program will be enough incentive for most. (Sarcasm- off)
Instead of handing out money, hand out MRE’s. If it’s good enough for the troops, it’s good enough for welfare.
My stepson worked as a cashier. He could have saved them the trouble of doing the study...could spot an EBT cart at 100 yards. Amazing if you think about it.
Compare the urban immigrant Mexican area with the urban natural born American area. Same with suburban contrast.
My wife shops at the Mexican Supermercado. 40% of the store is fresh food. 10% is milk-baloney-eggs. 10% is beans, rice and dry raw food to be cooked. 10% is cooking pots for and items for real cooking. Under 1% is frozen food. Under 1% is chips and candy.
Watch the cash register line. Under 10% of these very poor people use EBT/SNAP/WIC. In contrast stand in line at the Wallmart I buy at. 90% of the sales are Benefit cards. And 99% of the customers are Natural Born Americans.
When both parents are working, preparing meals becomes a little more difficult.
The dirty little secret that we're not supposed to know about is that with a little financial planning and discipline, both parents don't really need to work. I've managed on E6 military pay to keep my wife at home where she raises our three kids and cooks healthy meals. I can still afford to make a house payment, two car payments and have some of the niceties. We just don't waste money.
My Russian wife, who believes in traditional values, loathes junk food and doesn't like eating out at restaurants. I've been blessed!
I see carts piled high with meat.
I was told of a person who was not disclosing her true living conditions, where she and her illegitimate child were actually living with the father, but were collecting welfare payments and other subsidies even though he has a good job.
I know of people that do that too. And it’s certainly not just blacks — some whites do it too.
“But why stop there? If everybody is mandated to buy healthcare insurance, why should people who are physically fit have to pick up the tab with high premiums for those who eat a diet of crap and spend lots of time (and money) at the doctor’s office.”
Slippery slope,judging lifestyle.
.
They ate better on the plantations.
The person I was referring to is white; that much I do know.
My choices=My money.
What they don't tell you, is that ON TOP of food stamps, most of these families with kids, are also getting school breakfasts and lunches, provided from government programs.
Eliminate having to pay for breakfasts and lunches for 20+ days a month, that makes that $ 127 go a lot farther.
No one forces you to take Food Stamps.
Their dairy I work at makes Jungle Juice. Probably high on that list
Call me a radical cross trainer. In the 70s, I’d had my fill of homemaking classes so MADE the school let me take Agriculture. The male teachers didn’t appreciate me in there so wouldn’t let me weld projects because it wasn’t ladylike but had me teach the boys to weld. Go figure that out. I still think it’s hilarious they had to go back to the architect to add a girls’ restroom and changing room to the new building plans. Of course, today, why not change clothes right there in the middle of the classroom and line potties along one wall, huh.
Yes, thankfully, daughter doesn’t have to rely on millennial boyfriends to change her tires.
Since when have liberals been against more red tape?! Are they serious?! What about all that red tape from EPA edicts? Obamacare red tape? California is drowning in red tape and the Rats keep coming up with more. This is why politicians and bureaucrats have such a poor reputation.
I was five years old at the time, but I will never forget being in the grocery store with my Grandmother, who was a staunch LBJ democrat, and she saw the lady in line with food stamps in hand at check out and her cart was filled with junk food.
My Grandmother stated, no you don’t, and took all the junk food out.
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