Question about EBT food stamps

[RogersParkGuy]

Originally Posted by rissak234

Why do a lot of you people on food stamps have to spend every penny on junk food? As a cashier, I only see people with EBT buying complete junk... frozen pizzas, gushers and fruit by the foot, candy, ramen noodles, chips, sodas... And not one single vegetable item, no foods that need preparation other than a microwave or boiling water. Even the meats are already prepared and frozen, like Tyson chicken fingers. Is it that hard to just make food? It is cheaper to get veggies and fruits and raw meats anyway. You waste our tax payers dollars on complete junk, because to you, it tastes good and it's free. Lazy and greedy people is what is ruining America.

But broadly speaking, people's food habits are not formed through a process of rational analysis. This is true among people from all income levels. I recently overheard the following conversation between two men at a coffee shop in an upscale neighborhood:

"Did you ever get a chance to check out Hamburger Mary's [an upscale "burger boutique"]?

"Yeah, but I was disappointed."

Oh, it wasn't good?"

Oh, no. It was very good. But when I go out, I expect great."

People crave what they've grown up with, and what a lot of poorer people have grown up with is junk food. The main reason they've grown up with junk food is because that is what was available, and what they could afford.

Even in large cities like mine (I live in Chicago), poorer neighborhoods are often "food deserts"--i.e. they have plenty of fast food franchises and junk food, but few well-stocked grocery stores. Where quality food is available, it tends to be expensive. Compare the price of good quality meat and fresh fruits and vegetables to macaroni and cheese or ramen noodles. If you're on a tight budget, it just makes more economic sense to buy "bad" food, because you can feed more people on less money.

Blaming people for their poor choices may help you feel superior, but it doesn't really address the problem.