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This is an excuse I hear overweight and obese people make time and time again. Farmers markets aren't that pricey and provide fresh produce for cheap, skip the carbs and eat meat, fruits, veg, little dairy. You'll lose weight and find that a bushel of apples is cheaper than that 24 pack of Cola.
In the days before public assistance, my grandparents probably made enough money to keep a roof over their heads and the heat and lights on. But, they probably had little left over for enough food to feed a family, and yet, we ate good on every visit. How? They kept a garden in the growing season to grow tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, beets, peppers, probably some stuff I've forgotten. When the season was over, they canned enough to last well into the winter. Then, my grandfather fished, he enjoyed it, but they needed and enjoyed the seafood. In the fall, he hunted small game, their freezer was always pretty well stocked with rabbit, quail, duck. Then my grandmother would buy flour (cheap) and make fresh breads and cakes. To say you can't eat well on little money? Poor excuse, it's a skill that can be learned.
I certainly wasn't defending nor promoting the circumstances or lifestyles of either the beneficiaries of the U.S. snap program nor the program in and of itself. And for the record I do not believe that I indicated that one cannot eat well on little money, I merely posted an online piece concerning the subject.
Having said that, you are speaking in terms of your grandparents whose living circumstances were/are very far removed from todays standards, customs, and living environments.. There may very well be people who receive many government benefits who do not have access to rural living to grow a garden or live in an urban area that has a 'community garden'. Hunting, fishing (?), yes, that may be out of the question for many recipients as well, and it may be precisely the way that rural recipients pass their time during the appropriate seasons for growing supplemental fruits and vegetables, fishing, and hunting. however there are many (I'm sure) who are not interested at all in learning any of your aforementioned "skills"
Also, I believe the article accompanying my post is where the gentleman indicated he found it difficult to eat healthy (what he apparently was accustomed to) on $29.00 a week.
Like many subjects that we discuss here at city-data, there may be many sides to many stories here so it doesn't seem reasonable to paint an entire population (regardless of their 'story') with one broad stroke of the brush. Yep, that's all I 'got' for ya!
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