My dad recently shared with me that according to a New York Times article, it's looking as if people will no longer be able to purchase soda with foodstamps in the near future.
Part of me is ecstatic about this. I gave up soda a year ago and have zero regrets. There's no health benefits to drinking it and that stuff makes me bloat to next tuesday. On the other hand, one of the great things about foodstamps is that it gives you the freedom to eat what you want to. If people want to blow their foodstamp balance on chips and cookies, they can. If they want to spend it on fruits and vegetables, they can do that, too.
Thoughts? That is, if anyone is still out there reading this...
update: I'm fully moved in to my new apartment now, and the gas is getting set up on tuesday! get ready for some recipes, folks!
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Good. Soda does not have any benefit. The point of food stamps is to feed yourself and get proper nutrition. Soda is a luxury. I'm not interested in paying taxes so someone can drink something that contributes to bad health and tooth decay. Even worse if they're feeding it to their kids.
ReplyDeleteI fully support paying taxes to government programs so people won't starve and be malnourished, but as a luxury item, pay for it with your own money if you want it that bad!
I do feel like sodas are, as usagmaro wrote, a luxury item (and an unhealthy one at that). But I also worry about where that line is drawn-- what is "unhealthy" and "luxury" enough to be banned, and what's not? There is some gray area.
ReplyDeletePink, spiky dragonfruit is a healthy fruit-- but one fruit costs as much as 3 bunches of bananas because it isn't mass-produced. Plain white bread isn't exactly a health food, but it's the cheapest and easiest-to-find bread option for most people. What about potato chips? Chocolate? Fish?
LOL, this is why I'm not a politician. I can't make up my mind!
And congrats on your new apartment! Looking forward to some more recipes :-)
I don't disagree with either of you. I am an AmeriCorps VISTA finishing up within the month. I, too, have at times purchased a diet soda with foodstamps. (bad, I know.) I didn't even know you could until a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteBut the point is, we can't judge what others do with their money given to them through EBT. You're right that white bread is cheaper, and 3 bunches of bananas are better then spiky dragon fruit.
The reason for EBT, or SNAP, or WIC, is to be able to offer more variety in healthy food options then what the persons own budget allows. Some things, like SNAP and WIC do require the purchase of non-luxury items, whereas EBT offers a budget for the recipient to be able to afford more then just bread and milk, and produce.
Is it wrong? Is it even right? Well, it just is. I have a friend who buys sandwiches at the gas station with it because he doesn't know how to pack a lunch. I don't judge him, and even when his VISTA is up in November, and he'll have enough money to buy food on his own, he'll still probably buy pre-made sandwiches at the gas station.