<p>Bobmom–I don’t see anywhere that you *yourself *were judged. I do see that some people judged your implied reaction, but of course, you explicitly asked them to in your first post. So I’m confused why you think it’s odd.</p>
<p>
I honestly wouldn’t consider it my business to make judgments about what they were buying. I might think to myself, “yikes, that’s probably not what you should be eating,” but I would think it with concern, not judgment.</p>
<p>nearly every time I’m at the grocery store I see people buying all sorts of junk foods with food stamps. I don’t think you should be able to buy potato chips and soda and flavored, colored popcorn with taxpayer money. I’ve seen people buying lunchmeat that costs $12 a lb with food stamps. </p>
<p>Disclaimer: I got Wic for a couple of YEARS and also foodstamps. It would NEVER have occurred to me to buy anything other than REAL FOOD. I don’t think you should be able to buy prepared foods (like take out sandwiches) with foodstamps. My food budget is about $45 a week for 1. And this has been for the past couple of years that I’ve been able to track my spending better. I just bought 2 lbs of steak sandwich meat at the italian deli for $8.50. Add a couple of rolls for $2 and an onion for $0.50 and cheese for $1.50 and you have 4 overflowing sandwiches for $12.50. Would cost AT LEAST double that to ‘order out’.</p>
<p>The mentality of convenience is very expensive.</p>
<p>Just one more comment and then I’m going to stay off this thread because I didn’t mean to get people so upset.</p>
<p>I have to agree with zoosermom that we have to be honest with ourselves about our own biases and baggage. </p>
<p>I would never judge that 300 pound person that was buying donuts and cookies, because I have been overweight and have had to go to the store to get things for kids parties and school and the looks that I got were not pleasant. So, I was just wondering if people were more harsh on their judgements of a person in this situation, than in the other.</p>
<p>It was easier for me to wonder why someone needing assistance would be buying an expensive coffee than making it at home where it were cheaper since I have not been in that situation.</p>
<p>So, it does make sense that it’s easier to judge if we’ve never been in that situation and I for one will try to be a little more understanding.</p>
<p>Besides if you want to look at the overweight person and judge them for what they buy then you should look at every person buying alcohol and tobacco and judge them for poisioning their bodies as well. Where does it end? Let’s judge the mothers who buy disposable diapers that are ruining the earth, everyone who buys styrofoam, people who buy 6 packs of soda because the plastic ring things kill birds (or fish?). </p>
<p>My point earlier is you can sit around and watch people and make judgement all you want, if that is how you want to spend your energy. I bet I could come up with a reason to feel negative about every single person I see, if I tried. Save your judgement for those closest to you who you know are ruining the earth/wasting taxpayer dollars/ruining their bodies and leave the poor strangers around you alone. :D</p>
<p>I agree with applicanot – we are seeing something, but we have no understanding of it. </p>
<p>With all the things to get upset about, I’d put this pretty far down on the list. The percentage of kids graduating from high school who need to take remedial reading in college? That energizes me. This - not so much.</p>
<p>Bobmom:
Thanks for the clarification.
I, for one, have always been bemused by people (not on food stamps) who come into my office (that has a really snazzy coffee-machine) clutching a Starbucks coffee cup. But then, perhaps they had no time to make coffee before setting off for work; or perhaps, like in my S’s apartment, there is no space on the pocket handkerchief-sized kitchen counter for a coffee machine. Who knows?</p>
<p>bobmom post #44 … that is a keeper and I am glad you asked since you were able to turn the question (and the er ah snippy) answers into a positive.</p>
<p>Sometimes it IS great to stop and ask the question, sometimes the answer one hears is different than one expected. Still, it was a good question to get people thinking. </p>
<p>If this were my thread, I’d be done with it by now, too… I’d think that comments re subsidy v businesses should be over in the POLITICAL THREAD NOW (sorry for the shout).</p>
<p>I have never noticed the person ahead of me paying with food stamps, but when the line is moving slow, I tend to look at what is in that cart and make my judgements…not like
i " you are too fat to buy those tasty cakes " but I have to resist the urge to tell them to go to BJ’s instead because they are wasting their money…</p>
<p>I wonder too what people are thinking about my cart when I have nothing but Coco Krispies and snack food and no produce…</p>
<p>My funny sister has a weird habit of throwing things in the carts of others to see their reaction when they check out and have adult diapers …you would never guess she would do such a thing , but shopping to her is a recreational activity</p>
<p>I think that passing judgment on what people buy is a political issue, especially when couched in terms of “taxpayers’ money.”<br>
As for the specifics of subsidy for agribusiness, EK’s post was very illuminating as to why fresh food is less easily available than starchy products to people on food stamps.
Perhaps this whole thread should have started in the politics and election forum, which I have decided to avoid. But it is not up to individual posters to police what others say in response to an invitation to comment.</p>
<p>okay…I confess. the funnybones are for me…not my 12 yr old daughter :D</p>
<p>Last summer, I grew so much produce, that I only had to buy a few things- this year I am planning to grow even more. :D</p>
<p>To take the energy this thread has tapped, and increase food choices to low income families, I suggest supporting local urban agriculture.</p>
<p>[Make</a> a Difference & Change the World | Help End Poverty](<a href=“http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.734899/]Make”>http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.734899/)</p>
<p>With regard to surplus produce, someone in our city has decided to start collecting produce that people buy (or growers donate) and turning it over to foodbanks so that the needy can have more fresh produce. This is one of the few vehicles that have recently been created for this and has so far been a resounding success. It does take persistence and her manpower to collect & deliver the produce (keeping it at the appropriate temperature until it can be delivered).</p>
<p>Congrats, EK4 on your bumper crop and even bigger crop to come!</p>
<p>Luckily for people on foodstamps, they now give people a debit card to use, so that judgmental busybodies are less able to scan their purchases and sniff over them daring to buy the occasional bottle of diet soda or a once-monthly bag of chips. Sheesh.</p>
<p>
Does it vary by state which foods can be purchased with food stamps? Years ago (high school) I was a supermarket cashier, and only certain items could be purchased with food stamps (soda not allowed, juice had to be 100%, etc., no candy, etc.). Are there no limitations now? Or does it vary by state?</p>
<p>Nowadays it’s difficult to even see who is using food stamps, since they have debit cards in my state (as I suspect they must in most states). The only clue is when purchases are separated (the cigarettes are paid for separately, for instance).</p>
<p>I don’t think you can buy junk food with food stamps. However, what you might be seeing is that food stamps are used to buy the staples, and personal money is being used to buy the other stuff.</p>
<p>I just don’t like seeing people buy cartons of cigarettes with regular money and then use food stamps for food. If you’re income is low enough for food stamps, then you need to quit smoking. Sorry if that sounds judgmental, but there’s something wrong with spending $60+/week on cigarettes, but then not be able to afford to buy your food.</p>
<p>
My church has a community garden. We work with the local homeless shelter to prepare the produce for use by people in need. One of the things I’m most proud of (I think this is cool) is that we provide actual plots of land (I’m in NYC so this is a huge novelty) for needy people who’d rather grow their own produce than just receive baskets. </p>
<p>Here’s my rant:
My nextdoor neighbor is voluntarily unemployed (he has a very specific skill with license that’s in great demand) and smokes like a chimney. His son is the same age as mine, but doesn’t play sports, go on school trips or have appropriate clothing because they have no money. I was home sick last week and while I was cooking I looked out the kitchen window to see the dad come home with a 12-pack of Bud. Between at least a pack of cigarettes a day and the beer (with no job), the child could have everything if the money were used for him. The child is also hugely overweight because they eat junk food and dad is too busy boozing to take him out to exercise.</p>
<p>
Your sister sounds a little unbalanced…</p>
<p>I am reminded of the New Jersey woman who had received public assistance and caused a commotion in the TV news when an anomynous caller announced that she had been on a trip to an Atlantic City casino, where she enjoyed a burst of good luck and won a sizeable jackpot (not in the millions, however). The anomynous caller was quite indignant. As it turned out, the woman was treated to the AC trip by a friend and spent little or no money of her own. When asked by a reported about the propriety of a public assistance recipient being in a casino, she replied something to the effect of ‘am I not allowed to enjoy myself?’ Of course the authorities huffed and puffed and threatened to attach some of her winnings. But her explanations turned out to be true. The whole trip was a gift to her and her visit to AC was a one time endulgence.</p>
<p>Not sure how this transcended from WIC to foodstamps. They are two completely different programs.
WIC - Women, Infants and Children is a Nutrition program for pregnant/breastfeeding women, infants and children to the age of 5.
It may surprise many of you to know that a family of 4 can make $40,000/year and qualify for WIC. WIC provides vouchers for certain foods to elevate the nutrition of women, infants and children - milk, cheese, certain cereals, juice and eggs. Some programs have vouchers for seasonal fresh produce as well. You can’t buy steak or candy with WIC. In order to receive the vouchers, women must go in person each month and meet with a nutrition counselor. They (if pregnant or breastfeeding) and their children will be weighed and a blood count will be done to check for anemia.
You as a taxpayer, reap the benefits of preventive care for babies, small children and pregnant mom’s who are on the cusp financially.<br>
There are many working parents who qualify for and are on WIC.</p>