My opinion?
Meats valued under $6/lb, so no high value steaks/crab legs from grocery stores. Also small farm meats, including half/whole cows even though over $6/lb.
Staples such as butter, flour, oil, sugar, milk, etc.
Fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables/fruits with no added sugars or sodium.
One time benefit for a water filter system with monthly filter replacement.
Whole grain pastas.
Whole grain breads (although should be making their own for money conservation).
No sugar added condiments.
Cheese.
Honestly how food stamps were back in the 50s. You get x, y, z. Nothing more, nothing less. Its only substainable foods that are healthy. No buying energy drinks, chips, soda, candies, debbie cakes, etc.
So there is no published list? Your list looks fine to me, just asking if there is a national standard list since you make the case the WIC list isn’t a good list. Perhaps that then is the problem, there is no national list that is good?
YES! There definitely needs to be stricter guidelines on what can/should be purchased. Example: fruits, vegetables, meats, grains etc. Basically the core food groups. Candy, chips, energy drinks - unhealthy products should not be available for purchase with EBT. HEALTH IS WEALTH!
Great idea, can be straighforward to implement. SNAP can buy meats, butter, milk, cheese, fruits and vegetables (fresh, canned, frozen, dried), dried beans, lentils, and grains, bread, plain cereals like oats, cream of wheat or grits. Cannot be used to buy soft drinks, candy, packaged cookies, chips, and snack crackers, ice cream, bakery cakes, energy drinks. I also like the idea of a photo id to purchase food with SNAP to make it harder to sell the benefits for cash.
This would provide more food and nutrients for the $. It doesn’t make sense to promote obesity and chronic disease by subsidizing intake of ultraprocessed foods.
Yes!I am all for helping one another but at what point is it just hendering growth? Restrict it just like WIC. Certain items can be purchased. A family doesnt need chips, soda and candy to survive.
I’m gonna have to disagree on this one. I was once on food stamps and I think I should still have been allowed to buy myself snacks. Most people on food stamps are trying to survive and eat whatever they can, but also majority of people on food stamps are buying food for their family, not spending it all at a convenient store on candy and energy drinks. I don’t think I ever did that lol. This is America, land of the free. We can’t dictate what people choose to eat when they are at a low point in their life
Ok I understand your point, although see my point I am a 20y/o with many food allergies I work 3 jobs one of which I am an emt. I was never taught how to cook or prepare a meal. I am on food stamps and don’t always have time to go home and cook a meal or even bring leftovers to work. Being able to go to a gas station and grab something quick and easy to eat is necessary for my job. You also have no right to tell me what I can and cannot eat.
I think we should give them a small stipend to spend how they want but that we should have a box of healthy food delivered each week to their home, this way we know that the children in that house are receiving healthy meals. The issue with food stamps is that they often are sold for cash to be spent on drugs ect… and if a box of food, which we know is possible because a lot of people do this would mean that we know a child is eating a heathy meal. The small amount on the card would let them buy the snacks and extras that the box does not deliver.
The government needs to completely overhaul the food benefit programs. Legislative Branches need to terminate all the contracts currently in place.
RFK can help oversee the list of foods and production.
Musk can oversee distribution efficiently.
Random drug tests for all at DHHS offices. This should be immediately.
Government needs to produce their own generically labeled foods like it used to be. Limited to Meat, Vegs, Fruit, Dairy, and Bread (flour/Bk Soda/Bk Pwd). But absolutely no processed, junk, or soda.
Distribution should be out of the current DHHS offices twice per month. (Yes, if they can make it to appts to apply for benefits, they can make it once or twice a month to collect food, or distribution can be made via Uber (pd for by recipient) but they have to order their limited quantities via DHHS website)
Legislative Branches need to terminate all the contracts currently in place.
RFK can help oversee the list of foods and production.
Musk can oversee distribution efficiently.
They can, but it has to be economical for them to do so. They’re a business, not a chairity, so it has to make sense in the neighborhoods they’re in. That means the market has to be there, the pricing has to be there, the profit margin has to be there. If it is, they’ll see the value in paying to remodel their stores to accomodate it. If it’s not, they won’t.
The assumption in your first sentence is that people receiving charity should be free to do whatever they want with the charity. Other posters talk about using EBT benefits for junk food and candy, but the truth is they are also used for alcohol and tobacco. As a taxpayer, why should my tax dollars go to buy alcohol and tobacco for someone? Just asking.
This would be absolutely terrible for me. I’m on food stamps because I’m too ill to work, I don’t buy junk with my stamps, I buy healthy food only. I’m trying to eat healthy to save my life. All this would do is make it super inconvenient for me to buy healthy food. I’m fine with them just banning the ability to buy ice cream, candy, soda, chips, cookies, cakes, etc. Honestly, they should just ban that for everyone. If you want cookies, make them at home with less ingredients.
If all of the “government issued” food is produced “Healthy” how does this limit what you make at home? If they can’t distribute ‘fresh’ vegetables they could still allow those to be purchased at local markets.
