Texas to outlaw the use of SNAP for purchasing junk food/energy drinks.

[Garnier Fructis]

To be clear, they still have the right to buy whatever they like, they just can't do it with foodstamps. Whatever disposable income they have (granted, it won't be a lot) can be used for potato chips and candy bars at will. It's just that that money is now a recreational budget rather than being something taxpayers have to cover.

That's what I meant, but I see how my post was unclear.

[Zogarth]

I see this as a nice move.

[Spectral]

That's what I meant, but I see how my post was unclear.

Yeah, I read your post as saying the same thing as mine, but wanted to clarify in case someone was inclined to take a whack at some strawman version of this where poor people aren't allowed to have a Milky Way.

[Christan]

I don't see what's wrong with this. Junk food and energy drinks aren't exactly the best things to be eating in the first place.

if i remember right anything prepared in store(the stands with cooked warm food) or packaged store food(those subs wrapped up in store) and anything taxable are already dis-allowed. at least in Austin Tx. where i've lived the majority of my life, as well as a few years outside of Houston when i was a teenager.

as far as being able to withdrawal money from an ATM? perhaps that's another program you are thinking.

granted it was well over 15 years ago(im closing in on 30) my mother did indeed have foodstamps, TANF which is another program is made to help with bills and such, you.."might" be able to withdrawal money from an atm...

but from experience (maybe my mother just didn't buy junkfood with foodstamps) it isn't allowed.
she would even half a gallon of grapejuice with water to make it last...so maybe that part was just her

[Laize]

I work full time. I receive food stamps for my family. I get approximately $350 a month for a family of 4. They don't count the times my 2 older kids are with me because I don't have them the majority of the time. I still usually spend about $150 - $200 in addition to that. And no, I don't eat all fancy. Hell, I rarely buy anything other than chicken and ground beef for meat. I don't buy tons of crap food either. I buy some snacks for the kids, but I don't let them eat them all up in a week. They last as long as I can make them last.

That said, I do support the idea of restricting foods bought to be of the healthier variety. The problem becomes, who decides what is healthy and what is not? What about children that have special needs? My youngest son has Asperger's Syndrome and perhaps is mildly autistic in other ways and food is a HUGE deal with him. It has to be just right or he won't eat it, period. It has to be from his ridiculously small list of acceptable food or he won't eat it. He'll try new things once, but if he doesn't like it he won't eat it. Unfortunately, most of what he will eat is things like Ramen, Mac and Cheese, and other heavily processed foods. He doesn't eat veggies. He eats fruit at least. But too much fruit is bad because of all the sugar, so that is bad too. He eats no meat EXCEPT McDonald's chicken nuggets (which we buy him maybe 3 - 4 times a year). I have to give him vitamins to help make up for what he doesn't eat. I buy fruit/veggie juice for him to supplement the lack of veggies (stuff like Capri Sun V-power and V-8 Fusion), but that really isn't the best for him either because of all the sugar. Luckily, he is as skinny as a rail despite all of that. My brother's son is severely autistic and he is far more difficult than that.

ALSO: To those saying "LOL BEER MONIES LOL" EBT cannot be used for any form of alcohol.

Picky children are huge pains in the ass.

I'm not sure about autism, but I know no child will force themselves to starve to death before eating something they don't like. I've yet to see one skip more than one meal.

I'd talk to a psychologist about what to do about your son, but being at his beck and call regarding food is not something you should have to deal with.

[kidA]

Great! IMO food stamps should only be able to purchase the basics. Bread, milk, cheese, meat, flour etc.

[narzinor]

I think this is a good decision on the state of Texas' end. Getting rid of the frivolous purchases like caviar (as another poster said earlier), frozen pizzas and beef jerky would help the people spread their allotted monies.

However, I do see the other side of the argument, in that, by limiting their freedom to purchase what they chose; those who do not abuse the system are being affected as well and it would make things a little bit harder on them. Out of a $200 monthly spending limit, I see nothing wrong with a bag or two of chips.

I, personally, have never been on welfare myself (apparently my parents were for a few months when I was very very itty-bitty). I budget even better than some of those who are on welfare and cash assistance. I spend about $40 a week on groceries for two, it's not the most healthy, but it's not as bad as McDonald's every day.

I have known people, though, that have used their cash assistance and even EBT to buy alcohol and cigarettes (certain places like 7-11 will sometimes let people buy those things with EBT).

[Gothicshark]

depends on who gets these benefits, if it is for people on unemployment than sure, it's a temporary measure to prevent starvation. However if these benefits are for people on Social Security which is a retirement system we pay into that the government has striped of usefulness than it is bad, since these are benefits added to a system we earned though our lives and it should support the level of living quality we had before we retire. Which brings the question who gets these benefits and why?

examples:

Unemployed - basic money paid for by the person as an Insurance program it is intended to pay just enough to survive until a new job is found.
Disabled Persons - Money they receive is so they can live as close to a normal life as able bodied people.
Military Disabled - Same as Normal Disabled but they are to get slightly better because the injury was obtained in service to the nation.
Elderly and Retired - Maintain life style after they retire.

Which group is getting these benefits?

[Rendia]

Picky children are huge pains in the ass.

I'm not sure about autism, but I know no child will force themselves to starve to death before eating something they don't like. I've yet to see one skip more than one meal.

I'd talk to a psychologist about what to do about your son, but being at his beck and call regarding food is not something you should have to deal with.

Seriously, I tried to feed him something other than his acceptable foods and didn't budge until he hadn't eaten in 2 days. At that point I gave in. And that was when he was 3, before we knew about the autism.

His doctor doesn't believe me and said the same thing about he wouldn't starve himself. Well, I have seen it first hand. You have no idea how stubborn an autistic child can be. Their brains override all other thoughts, essentially.

[narzinor]

Picky children are huge pains in the ass.

I'm not sure about autism, but I know no child will force themselves to starve to death before eating something they don't like. I've yet to see one skip more than one meal.

I'd talk to a psychologist about what to do about your son, but being at his beck and call regarding food is not something you should have to deal with.

Sadly, autism and Asperger's syndrome are cognitive mental disorders, and at least with more severe autism, they will just let themselves starve. A friend of my mother had an autistic child around my age when I was growing up, and it definitely is difficult around meal times.

I wonder, have you tried tricking him into thinking a healthier, less processed, food is better tasting than the others? That's a trick I've used to help my mom's friend out once before. They asked me to act like the celery (ants on logs -- with the peanut butter and raisins on celery lol) was better tasting than string (green) beans.

It surprisingly worked, as I guess he thought his choice was between those two, and he wanted the one that tasted better.

---------- Post added 2013-02-10 at 06:33 PM ----------

Which group is getting these benefits?

The particular one we're looking at in this thread is a general unemployed/low income household program. Which would mostly leave out concerns for those who are disabled and/or veterans. Elderly people get a different form of benefits I believe as well, at least here in California.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

. Unfortunately, most of what he will eat is things like Ramen, Mac and Cheese, and other heavily processed foods.

Have you tried making it for him (milk thickened with cornflour, melt in some shredded cheese, mix with pasta and serve)? Would probably be a lot cheaper than store bought Mac and Cheese - I'm talking maybe 2-3 bucks to feed a family of 5 for an evening.It's got to be the "full fat" 3% fat milk though, 1.5% fat skimmed milk curdles the moment you put the cheese in.

[Rendia]

Sadly, autism and Asperger's syndrome are cognitive mental disorders, and at least with more severe autism, they will just let themselves starve. A friend of my mother had an autistic child around my age when I was growing up, and it definitely is difficult around meal times.

I wonder, have you tried tricking him into thinking a healthier, less processed, food is better tasting than the others? That's a trick I've used to help my mom's friend out once before. They asked me to act like the celery (ants on logs -- with the peanut butter and raisins on celery lol) was better tasting than string (green) beans.

It surprisingly worked, as I guess he thought his choice was between those two, and he wanted the one that tasted better.

---------- Post added 2013-02-10 at 06:33 PM ----------



The particular one we're looking at in this thread is a general unemployed/low income household program. Which would mostly leave out concerns for those who are disabled and/or veterans. Elderly people get a different form of benefits I believe as well, at least here in California.

Yeah, we've tried everything. He just simply won't eat unless it is an ok food by him. As I said he will try new things, but once he knows he doesn't like it he will never put it in his mouth again.

[Silhouette of Seraphim]

Its crazy, we wont drug test to allow people to get stamps, but we want to restrict the purchase of twinkies?

Since Twinkies are no longer in production, they're goddamn expensive now. I absolutely would not condone the use of food stamps to purchase them.

---------- Post added 2013-02-10 at 09:37 PM ----------

So much hatred and ignorance, but this is the internet. It's not within the gov't scope to say what you can and can't eay.

Sure they can, if they're paying for it.

And as someone who pays the government to pay for it, I concur with it.

[Rendia]

Have you tried making it for him (milk thickened with cornflour, dissolve in some shredded cheese, mix with pasta and serve)? Would probably be a lot cheaper than store bought Mac and Cheese. It's got to be the 3% fat milk though, 1.5% skimmed milk curdles the moment you put the cheese in.

Yeah, he doesn't like it. He has a very acute sense of smell and instantly notices a difference. If it doesn't LOOK right he won't eat it, even if it is the same thing. Example: My wife made him some Kraft Mac and Cheese. She didn't mix it enough I guess, because some of the cheese powder was still visible. He wouldn't eat it and insisted for quite a while after that I make it because I never let that happen. It is interesting, to say the least.

[Silhouette of Seraphim]

It is, in essence what they are doing. For households that can barely scrape by, buying high preservative food that lasts long and is high in carbs/cals for the lowest price, that is one of their few options.

You can still buy canned fruits and vegetables to your hearts content.

Potato chips just aren't considered a vegetable.

[Rendia]

You can still buy canned fruits and vegetables to your hearts content.

Potato chips just aren't considered a vegetable.

But pizza is...

[Gothicshark]

The particular one we're looking at in this thread is a general unemployed/low income household program. Which would mostly leave out concerns for those who are disabled and/or veterans. Elderly people get a different form of benefits I believe as well, at least here in California.

It's why I asked, if it is just general low income benefits, they should be minimal since they are an umbrella net to prevent death from starvation. However and this might be me being a bit nit picky but for many low income people the cost of energy to cook food is higher than the cost of McDonalds. So I am saddened that they are forcing low income people to use electricity and Gas when for $10 a day you can get everything you need nutritionally at a fast food restaurant. Also Basic Soda, should not be taken off the list of ok consumables. Sometimes bottled beverages are safer than water from the faucet. I live in Los Angeles and I can tell you it is healthier to drink a Pepsi or Coke than to drink unfiltered water in LA.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Yeah, he doesn't like it. He has a very acute sense of smell and instantly notices a difference. If it doesn't LOOK right he won't eat it, even if it is the same thing. Example: My wife made him some Kraft Mac and Cheese. She didn't mix it enough I guess, because some of the cheese powder was still visible. He wouldn't eat it and insisted for quite a while after that I make it because I never let that happen. It is interesting, to say the least.

Aren't there grants or additional financial aid that you can apply for in cases like yours?

[narzinor]

Rendia : :/ I'm sorry, that really sucks. That's I suppose one of the downsides of having the upside of the autistic spectrum. Not tricked as easy. XD How old is he by the way? It might be something he'll grow out of soon.

[Spectral]

Aren't there grants or additional financial aid that you can apply for in cases like yours?

Autistic children qualify for SSI benefits - http://autismnow.org/funding-and-pub...fits/#Children

I hope Rendia is getting some help there already. Apparently it can be a bit of a pain at times.