New York City wants ban on soda bought with food stamps

[jen276here]

There are times I can't afford soda, but no one is buying it for me…… I say no candy, gum, soda, chips, cookies, or other junk that is completely unnecessary. Don't like it? Oh well….

[Smee]

But I thought food stamp recipients bought steak and lobster!
It seems a waste to wash down good prime rib with Mountain Dew.

[bali1228]

My gut reaction was "That doesn't sound like too bad an idea...." I mean, the WIC program is very specific in the products it allows, and that seems to work out okay.

I saw this topic discussed earlier today on another forum, and many posters were all for it, and some went further and said that cookies, chips, candy, and so on should be barred as well.
Then some said frozen meals and Chef Boyardee and Hamburger Helper.
And for gosh's sake, "these people" buy STEAK and LOBSTER too! They shouldn't be able to do that!

And, really, where does it stop? The more folks posting, the more foods and drinks were added to the "not with MY tax dollars!" list.
A single mom with three kids working two part time jobs trying to make ends meet (because in this economy, that's getting a lot more common) shouldn't be allowed, according to the posters on said other forum, to throw together a box of Hamburger Helper purchased on SNAP/food stamps.

Do some people abuse the system? Hell yes.
But, IMO, most are people like we are here, just trying to stretch their food budget and make the most out of what they've got. Almost 42 million Americans now receive SNAP - nearly 14% of our population. Statistically speaking, someone you work with, one of your neighbors, a family member or close friend receives assistance. When I think about the people I know, that I live near, the vast majority would just want to feed their freakin' family were they in need of SNAP.

I can easily see this soda thing heading down a slippery slope, and I don't like that. Another mayor in another city will tack something else on to the list, and another in another city will decide that only fresh chicken will be allowed because it's more nutritious than frozen chicken patties.

And, really, shouldn't Mayor Bloomberg be concentrating on improving the economy in his state so that more folks can get back to work and off the food stamps rather than spending how much time and how much money on his anti-soda crusade? Perhaps the money used for his shock-soda ads could have been better used towards a public works program of some sort that creates some jobs....

Well said!

[Smee]

Hey, it's called Hamburger Helper, not Hamburger Handout!

Heh, that was a Colbertism.

[jen276here]

Do you really think it is 'fair' (that magical word so many here love) that the government - ultimately my tax dollar - pay for someone's lobster when I can't afford it myself?

[Macaela25]

And for gosh's sake, "these people" buy STEAK and LOBSTER too! They shouldn't be able to do that!

If you were referring to my post, I mentioned steak and lobster/beans and rice to back up my opinion that money management classes should be mandatory....I don't recall expressing disdain over the fact that it was purchased in the first place.

I know this is HUTC, but you might want to at least attempt to keep things in context. If you were simply expressing your OWN opinion...well then, have at it.

[derketchup]

Not that I'm against restrictions on food stamps, but I don't agree with vouchers for particular types of products (i.e. milk, wheat products). There are many people who can't digest milk or wheat properly, so let's not pigeonhole them into losing food each month because they have no use for the product vouchers they're given.

My mother was in line at WalMart behind a tremendously obese woman who began to shout midway through her transaction that her food stamps weren't going to cover everything. Most of the items were cakes, cookies, ice cream, and potato chips...and several packs of soda. My mother swore there was nothing even remotely healthy in the mix.

Nutrition and money management classes should be required OFTEN to receive these benefits. Maybe food stamps should be set up like WIC, where as far as I understand so much is used towards milk, so much towards healthier cereal, etc. This would help with the obesity issue, as well as people buying steak and lobster the first of the month and beans and rice at the end of the month. Fresh fruits and veggies are expensive, but frozen and canned is better than nothing.

Some will say such regulation is too much government in people's lives...but if someone else is supporting you, you might have to give up some control.

[mom24stinkers]

My gut reaction was "That doesn't sound like too bad an idea...." I mean, the WIC program is very specific in the products it allows, and that seems to work out okay.

I saw this topic discussed earlier today on another forum, and many posters were all for it, and some went further and said that cookies, chips, candy, and so on should be barred as well.
Then some said frozen meals and Chef Boyardee and Hamburger Helper.
And for gosh's sake, "these people" buy STEAK and LOBSTER too! They shouldn't be able to do that!

And, really, where does it stop? The more folks posting, the more foods and drinks were added to the "not with MY tax dollars!" list.
A single mom with three kids working two part time jobs trying to make ends meet (because in this economy, that's getting a lot more common) shouldn't be allowed, according to the posters on said other forum, to throw together a box of Hamburger Helper purchased on SNAP/food stamps.

Do some people abuse the system? Hell yes.
But, IMO, most are people like we are here, just trying to stretch their food budget and make the most out of what they've got. Almost 42 million Americans now receive SNAP - nearly 14% of our population. Statistically speaking, someone you work with, one of your neighbors, a family member or close friend receives assistance. When I think about the people I know, that I live near, the vast majority would just want to feed their freakin' family were they in need of SNAP.

I can easily see this soda thing heading down a slippery slope, and I don't like that. Another mayor in another city will tack something else on to the list, and another in another city will decide that only fresh chicken will be allowed because it's more nutritious than frozen chicken patties.

And, really, shouldn't Mayor Bloomberg be concentrating on improving the economy in his state so that more folks can get back to work and off the food stamps rather than spending how much time and how much money on his anti-soda crusade? Perhaps the money used for his shock-soda ads could have been better used towards a public works program of some sort that creates some jobs....

As Bringonthewonder said I don't live in NYC or use EBT. However, if I did I might like to point out to hiz'onah tha Mayah, that orange and apple juice actually have the same amount of calories and sugar as Coke, nevermind that strawberry-kiwi stuff{waay more}, all of which I have in my fridge{someone call the nutrition police}. I also have some chocolate milk in my fridge, which I offer as a treat, but some people use as a healthy soda substitute{looking at my sister} and it has TWICE the calories and the same amount of sugar. Water is good, I send my daughter to school with a sports bottle full of it everyday...it doesn't mean the kid doesn't deserve a treat now and then .

Exactly. The glycemic response of fruit juice to soda is virtually identical, just because it has "fruit" at the front doesn't mean it's better or healthier. Chocolate milk??? Cows milk is for baby cows, not humans .


Why stop at Soda? Why not add Kool-aid, cheap juice, sugar, chocolate syrup to the list? Oh and those Monster drinks, Red Bull, Coffee drinks, etc. I have no doubt that if Soda gets banned the sale of other sugary beverages will go up.

[Macaela25]

Not that I'm against restrictions on food stamps, but I don't agree with vouchers for particular types of products (i.e. milk, wheat products). There are many people who can't digest milk or wheat properly, so let's not pigeonhole them into losing food each month because they have no use for the product vouchers they're given.

True...I hadn't thought of it from that angle. There are kids however, who have dietary restrictions, have allergies, need certain types of formula, etc. WIC works around those issues, so I don't see why different needs couldn't be met on food stamps. Vegans, for instance, would need higher allotments in other areas to replace meat.

It's not that difficult to get around.

[derketchup]

True...I hadn't thought of it from that angle. There are kids however, who have dietary restrictions, have allergies, need certain types of formula, etc. WIC works around those issues, so I don't see why different needs couldn't be met on food stamps. Vegans, for instance, would need higher allotments in other areas to replace meat.

It's not that difficult to get around.

It depends on how the system is set up. I never thought about it until I read a story about a homeless man with celiac's disease, and how he wound up working at the food bank every weekend so he could switch out the USDA approved items with food he could actually it. Since he went through donations they let him pick and choose what worked for him.