Interesting, why not start branding and labeling better that more products that have high content of X
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a stopped clock is right twice a day
Yeah I absolutely hate this guy, but agree with this. I don't know it just seems so logical. Others arguments replying to you aren't convincing at all.
Those things are unhealthy, but restricting them is policing what poor people eat. It's stigmatizing. Also, people will still buy these things because they're addictive. So they'll be paying out of pocket for it rather than using their SNAP benefits. It's a lose-lose.
Yeah, if the goal was actually to make people eat healthier, he'd be trying to limit the availability of those items to everyone, not just poor people.
Or not bow to special interests and support research on the negative health affects of these things.
Change SNAP from money to a system that says "X gets _lbs of raw meat, _pieces of fresh vegetables, _pieces of raw fruit etc". The inventory systems in stores know what is being rung up so I don't see why it couldn't work. It also means SNAP automatically adjusts for inflation and regional pricing. Probably won't stop people selling their SNAP for cash though.
Or he'd be increasing the availability of healthy food instead of taking things away
No matter how available it is, people just eat what they like. If society is paying for it, might as well make it healthy
I dont get your argument. How's it stigmatizing? Why should someone be able to spend it all on energy drinks and starburst? Just doesn't make sense.
I support aggressively increasing food stamps for anyone in need. But I'd also support aggressive regulation, like no candy and shit. It just makes sense to me but maybe I'm missing something.
People on food stamps aren't buying these things because it's fun, but because it's cheap, easy calories because they're homeless or working three jobs and don't have the time to cook real food. The clock is not right here.
No, they are buying them because they want to. I used to buy milk and cereal. It has sugar, but it's 3 grams per serving instead of like 15.
Don't tell me you don't have time to pour a bowl of milk
Let them buy what they want you damn Nazi.
Next it will no sugary cereal, just oats and gruel for the peasantry.
"Ingredients only, no finished products. You want to eat? Work for it!"
It's not what every snap user wants. It's just that garbage products are calorie dense and need little to no preparation, and those things absolutely matter when working several jobs or being homeless and convincing someone to let you use their address because a permanent address is necessary.
More calories per dollar for things like rice beans pasta. It's a bit more complicated than that.
Convenience is king when you are constantly burned out and sleep deprived and "just need something good enough and easy"
You're assuming that people have the time and space to prep rice, beans and pasta. Not everyone does.
I think if we remove the cooked food restriction it would make sense
I'd also like to see how he addresses food deserts. I already saw an article suggesting 18-65 are going to lose benefits.
You might also be living on the street or in a car and not have the means to actually cook.
Yeah, I'd say the bigger issue is low income people not having time to cook, and/or not having the ability to get to a decent grocery store.
Fucking hell, have you ever tried to live on rice and beans? You need half a dozen spices and salt just to make it taste like not sadness, plus prep time, prep space, prep bowls and pots, and then you need to wash everything. Compared with a frozen meal that cooks in the microwave and a disposable tray for serving, there's really no contest. A "rice and beans" lifestyle requires a stay-at-home partner who soaks beans and washes dishes.
It's a great frugal tip to stretch your grocery dollars, but if you're poor, it's not a moral failing to go with a cheap frozen meal.
I wish more people understood this. Beans are so good, but only if you can devote hours to them.
I know this outside of the scope of the discussion, but you can cook dried beans in a instant pot in about an hour.
Obviously that's still going to be a struggle for anyone where time/space/equipment are a huge factor. But it's a big difference from letting them soak overnight.
Insta pot can help, but I don’t feel it add much value in the overall cook. Sautéing, caramelizing, deglazing, etc. takes time that no home-use kitchen gadget is going to help with. Soaking beans overnight is not the problem, as much as actual time it takes to make a meal. Planning, purchasing ingredients, prepping, cooking, cleaning…insta-pot is not worth the hype iykyk
It's just one of the myriad of recommendations people make because they don't understand the problem. People think that the simple trick that worked for them would solve similar problems for everyone. Worse, they get angry when their advice is met with resistance. It's like Napoleon feeding the alpacas.
You can make a relatively tasty rice with beans with canned beans and bit of salt in 10 minutes - if you are feeling fancy adding parsley will even move it to tasting good. I'm starting to suspect all the corn syrup is damaging american's taste buds beyond repair.
I lived on easy hamburger helper. Everything is in the package, just cook some ground beef in a pan and mix the rest of the stuff in.
It's not that hard, guys. You don't need to eat candy to survive
That shit is full of sodium and really bad for you. Once they target sugar, what do you suppose is next?
Oh good, we'll have slightly less sugar-related inflammation while we all fucking die of bird flu
Let them eat roadkill.
Alaska does this (admittedly it's a separate system from snap) and most communities seem happy with the system.
What goon-affiliated product will they be able to purchase with food stamps instead? Lee Greenwood Bibles? My Pillows?
I used to live in a kinda poor area. Lots of people on some sort of program. And that program had really restrictive rules about what you can and cannot buy. For example, you could buy Skippy peanut butter but not Skippy light peanut butter (whatever that is). It caused great confusion for the people who needed food, huge amounts of labor for the poor grocery person, and a long wait for the other shoppers in line - just so the government can save a few cents. Unbelievable.
I thought it was already blocked? 🤔
Huh, guess not.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items
Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:
Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchase.
Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).
Foods that are hot at the point of sale
Any nonfood items such as:
Pet foods
Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies.
Hygiene items, cosmetics
There was time in my life when most of my food came from a public pantry. I know it's not the same as stamps, bit same principle.
Anyway, birthday rolls around; didn't think anything of it cuz I was in the "it's just another day..." phase of life, and even if I wanted to do something for it, I wouldn't have been able to afford it. Roll up to the pantry for that week's pickup, and they break out a fucking cake and a hand-written birthday card! Nothing crazy - maybe 6-inch diameter, enough for the wife and I to split. But that shit pulled my ass right out of a depression spell like nothing else came close to before or since.
When I finally got a reliable income coming in and paid off the critical stuff and got a little bit of savings, my first 'splurge' was a $1k donation to that pantry with a note saying that their assistance pretty much single-handedly saved me from homelessness and probably from suicide; and enabled me to take the steps I needed to get the job I have now and ultimately become self sufficient.
Food is more than just nutrients; and junk food is more than just food that's junk.
And pantries are bad ass. If anyone reading this is struggling and not yet using one, GO SEE IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE! Many people are resistant to ask for help prior to hitting absolute rock bottom, but a little help now (even if you only-kind-of need it) could save you from needing a LOT of help later. They're also an awesome source of info on local resources - whatever your unique situation is, they can probably point you in the right direction to start getting shit under control.
...I should make another donation - shit's extra fucked nowadays.
I bet it would feel very different if you just used food stamps to buy your own cake