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Seeing as our tax dollars go towards paying for food stamp cards, should there be limits on what can be purchased with them? I say we should cut out brand name products, soda, junk food snacks ie; Twinkies, Ho Ho's, etc, sugar cereals, etc. It should be used on nutritious foods, especially seeing as food stamps are mainly used for kids. I think we should have a say seeing as it's taxpayer money. In my teens, I worked at a grocery store. I witnessed daily what was purchased with FS. Most of it was food that is absolutely horrible for you and almost all of it brand name. If you want junk food, buy it with cash...not on my dime.
Now if we could only stop the other food stamp epidemic...people selling the card balances for cash.
being i'm an old man i remember the day when people had to go to the welfare store to purchase your food, I remember a few of my freinds with the big box of oats instead of oatmeal and so forth, I think we would benifit by going back to this system at least the money would go to food.
yes food stamps should go to a non brand name food that is just as good but at a reduced rate to the tax payer.
This is a major policy discussion and would not be easy peasy to change. But I also see a problem with Food stamps and what recipients are buying. The whole cycle of living "fat" for a couple of weeks and then having nothing for the next two seems to be a problem. Kind of disgusting and it is hard to empathize with welfare recipients when they so clearly abuse their handouts (and when children are in the picture).
From another perspective, I recall my days of working in West Philly. One afternoon I stepped into the local conveince store to grab a quick snack. The prices were practically double that I would see at the Trader Joes in my neighborhood a few miles away. I was not about to pay 4 dollars for a box of saltines!!! So, I really wondered how this "lower income" neighborhood I was working in managed to get by with such ridiculously hiked up prices.
Still don't know the answer.
The fish sandwiches in another part of West Philly were wonderfully priced. Otherwise, local citizens are gettin reamed.
Seeing as our tax dollars go towards paying for food stamp cards, should there be limits on what can be purchased with them? I say we should cut out brand name products, soda, junk food snacks ie; Twinkies, Ho Ho's, etc, sugar cereals, etc. It should be used on nutritious foods, especially seeing as food stamps are mainly used for kids. I think we should have a say seeing as it's taxpayer money. In my teens, I worked at a grocery store. I witnessed daily what was purchased with FS. Most of it was food that is absolutely horrible for you and almost all of it brand name. If you want junk food, buy it with cash...not on my dime.
Now if we could only stop the other food stamp epidemic...people selling the card balances for cash.
That's a little harsh, wanting to cut out brand name products. Not all generic foods taste as good as brand name ones.
This is a major policy discussion and would not be easy peasy to change. But I also see a problem with Food stamps and what recipients are buying. The whole cycle of living "fat" for a couple of weeks and then having nothing for the next two seems to be a problem. Kind of disgusting and it is hard to empathize with welfare recipients when they so clearly abuse their handouts (and when children are in the picture).
From another perspective, I recall my days of working in West Philly. One afternoon I stepped into the local conveince store to grab a quick snack. The prices were practically double that I would see at the Trader Joes in my neighborhood a few miles away. I was not about to pay 4 dollars for a box of saltines!!! So, I really wondered how this "lower income" neighborhood I was working in managed to get by with such ridiculously hiked up prices.
Still don't know the answer.
The fish sandwiches in another part of West Philly were wonderfully priced. Otherwise, local citizens are gettin reamed.
Sure you do. The low income people have fewer choices where to shop and since they are paying with food stamps stores feel they can hike the prices. The people in these areas do not have the resources to "shop around" for the best prices. So, they are in a position to be taken advantage of by the few businesses that stay in their community as there is little competition for the same few dollars. Next time ou drive through these areas take not of the gas prices and how they differ fom more afflent areas. In urban areas they are likely to be higher, in rural they are often lower.
Education is one of the keys. Many folks don't have a clue on balancing meals on a budget, never come close to the fruit & veggie daily recommended servings, and never read labels.
It should be used to buy whole raw food, nothing processed or packaged. If it doesn't have significant nutritious value, it shouldn't be covered.
And when those types of food are not offered at Dollar General, the gas station convenience store, or the only grocery store within 20 miles, then what?
This is a major policy discussion and would not be easy peasy to change. But I also see a problem with Food stamps and what recipients are buying. The whole cycle of living "fat" for a couple of weeks and then having nothing for the next two seems to be a problem. Kind of disgusting and it is hard to empathize with welfare recipients when they so clearly abuse their handouts (and when children are in the picture).
From another perspective, I recall my days of working in West Philly. One afternoon I stepped into the local conveince store to grab a quick snack. The prices were practically double that I would see at the Trader Joes in my neighborhood a few miles away. I was not about to pay 4 dollars for a box of saltines!!! So, I really wondered how this "lower income" neighborhood I was working in managed to get by with such ridiculously hiked up prices.
Still don't know the answer.
The fish sandwiches in another part of West Philly were wonderfully priced. Otherwise, local citizens are gettin reamed.
That's called a food desert, and they are common in urban areas. High prices, little to no fresh food available, and no supermarkets within reasonable distance make it very difficult (if not virtually impossible) for people in these areas to eat healthy foods. It's also one reason limiting foods purchasable on food stamps would be so problematic.
And when those types of food are not offered at Dollar General, the gas station convenience store, or the only grocery store within 20 miles, then what?
Not that many people live over 20 miles from a grocery store. And if they do, they should go once a month to the grocery store and stock up.
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