Unemployment is down, but why did America set a record 47.8 million on food stamps? (page 3)

moshe

Here is a food stamp card for Arkansas-

if a store accepts what is called a Snap card- like the above card, - the customer uses their debit card to buy food, potato chips, donuts, beef jerky, sodas, frozen king crab legs, etc, whatever they can get away with

They used to be real paper coupons- folks bought food with them or sold them for like 1/2 face value for cash money to buy their cigarettes and beer- the EBT card is supposed to stop that fraud.

mrsjones5

http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers/eligible.htm

Eligible Food Items

Households CAN use SNAP benefits to buy:

	Foods for the household to eat, such as:
	--	breads and cereals;
	--	fruits and vegetables;
	--	meats, fish and poultry; and
	--	dairy products.
	Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.

In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.

Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:

	Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco;
	Any nonfood items, such as:
	--	pet foods;
	--	soaps, paper products; and
	--	household supplies.
	Vitamins and medicines.
	Food that will be eaten in the store.
	Hot foods.

Additional Information

“Junk Food” & Luxury Items
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) defines eligible food as any food or food product for home consumption and also includes seeds and plants which produce food for consumption by SNAP households. The Act precludes the following items from being purchased with SNAP benefits: alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, hot food and any food sold for on-premises consumption. Nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, medicines and vitamins, household supplies, grooming items, and cosmetics, also are ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.

	Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream are food items and are therefore eligible items
	Seafood, steak, and bakery cakes are also food items and are therefore eligible items
	Since the current definition of food is a specific part of the Act, any change to this definition would require action by a member of Congress. Several times in the history of SNAP, Congress had considered placing limits on the types of food that could be purchased with program benefits. However, they concluded that designating foods as luxury or non-nutritious would be administratively costly and burdensome. Further detailed information about the challenges of restricting the use of SNAP benefits can be found here: Report -- Implications of Restricting the use of Food Stamp Benefits

Energy Drinks
When considering the eligibility of energy drinks, and other branded products, the primary determinant is the type of product label chosen by the manufacturer to conform to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines:


	Energy drinks that have a nutrition facts label are eligible foods
	Energy drinks that have a supplement facts label are classified by the FDA as supplements, and are therefore not eligible

Live Animals
Live animals may not be purchased with SNAP benefits.

Pumpkins, Holiday Gift Baskets, and Special Occasion Cakes
Pumpkins are edible and eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. However, inedible gourds and pumpkins that are used solely for ornamental purposes are not eligible items.

Gift baskets that contain both food and non-food items, are not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits if the value of the non-food items exceeds 50 percent of the purchase price.
To read our most recent notice about Gift Baskets, click here.

Items such as birthday and other special occasion cakes are eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits as long as the value of non-edible decorations does not exceed 50 percent of the purchase price of the cake.

Last modified: 02/14/2013

barry

We don't have that here in Australia. When a person is unemployed they just get a cheque or money transfered to their bank account so they can buy whatever they want. I think the current rate for an unemployed person is about $250 per week or about $260 American. Of course for a couple it would be double that and a couple with children would be even more . Unemployed here have to look for work or the benefit will be reduced or they can do training for new skills . Barry

barry

I just looked it up a single person in Australia that is unemployed is entitled to $492.60 a fortnight as well as $121.00 a fortnight rent assistance . Australia is one of the few countries in the world where a person can stay on welfare indefinitely

zeb

Australia calls!

wasblind

I agree Moshe,

the job numbers are puffed up by jobs that don't make a livin' wage

But I give credit that the president is trynna increase the wages

As you say, it would be even better to bring back the really good payin jobs

I hate to say it, but I don't believe the damge can be repaired. But I keep

hope alive on that

I'm so glad that the Auto industry didn't go all the way down the tubes

America would have been done for

And when folks for some reason or another can't or don't find time to sit down

as a family at the dinner table, It's my belief that they are more inclined to eat

junk food instead of a healthy meal, even if it's jus pinto beans and biscuits

I know this sound crazy to some, but to sit down together and eat a meal

together not only can promote good eatin' but is good mentally bond

that's jus' my thought anyway

moshe

Speaking of beans, Wasblind-

I make this soup, that my wife just loves- it's real comfort food- and even better with a slab of homemade cornbread and butter.- ( oh, to have the cracklin' corn bread my mom used to make us in the iron skillet)

2 cans of chicken broth ( no broth? boil that rotisserie chicken carcass in 6 cups of water or so- you get the broth and the meat at the same time)

1 can of diced tomates with garlic and onions( like onions? I saute extra in the soup pot before I start)

1 can of white cannellini beans ( you can substitute great northern beans)

2 cups of diced rotisserie chicken ( we like Costco's chicken)

a cup of frozen corn

1/2-1 cup of your favorite salsa- start with 1/2- you can add more, if you want more zip- add water as needed.

salt/pepper to taste.

I can eat this soup every week when the weather is cold. '

(yes, this is my bowl of soup)

wasblind

Didn't want to make my previous post to long

But I'd like to say, I like your History lessons Moshe they are very informative

Keep sharin'

Here in the south, My mother , aunt and uncles like you were raised on a farm

I'm proud to say they were not share croppers but own their own farm

which is still in the family today. My uncle and my youngest sister have thier homes there

Many blacks we knew that worked in the factories prior to 1964 worked as janitors

in the late sixties early seveties folks started gettin' hired for jobs other than janitorial

I pretty sure it had something to do wit' equal opportunity law that was passed

Anyway back then, you still had to have someone in a positon to speak up for you

( usually white, who you knew growin' up ) in order to get a position, even if it was

moppin' floors

Unfortunatley for us, it ain't as simple as walkin' in and bein' excepted

right off the bat. But the folks I know kept poundin' the pavement

non-stop

.

wasblind

Thanks for the recipe Moshe

I'm gonna try that

moshe

wasblind, your man will love it.

As you said, there is nothing like home cooking. My 13 yr old daughter and I are always taking pictures of yummy food- she started it.

Here is a picture of my $5.20 shrimp lunch ( w/iced tea), hush puppy rings, oinion rings & grean beans, near Darlington, SC- the restuarant is called the Mayflower- the locals told me about it.

Do you have a secret spot in your area wasblind? Maybe someone could start a new topic about these local secret restaurants/diners.

Unemployment is down, but why did America set a record 47.8 million on food stamps?

Eligible Food Items

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