Food stamps should be only used for food.!!! With soda costing upwards of $8.00 a case, I think that money would be better spent creating a meal. There is such abuse of government programs, that it is not unreasonable to disallow certain items at the grocery store. I believe that people need help becoming INDEPENDENT of government assistance and should have NO say when the money they are existing off is from working people's taxes. Personally, I don't want to know that my tax dollars are helping someone sit at home and drink Coke when that money could used to help keep food in the cupboard. This is why we are all so skeptical. Too much abuse of public programs.
+
Dewey C. - 11 years ago
Kids shouldn't be drinking it anyway, but if someone on food stamps wants a coke now and then, they should pay for it out of their own pocket. When I was a kid, I was lucky to get an A & W after Sunday night Church IF I was with my Grampa and Grandma... My parents couldn't afford soft drinks, so I didn't get hooked on Coke until after high school, but I paid for it out of my OWN pocket. Should be the same with everyone else. Food stamps are just that... FOOD stamps,, not COLA stamps..
Taxpayer - 11 years ago
Food stamps should help with basic needs not wants. Last I checked soda was not one of the food groups
Arlene - 11 years ago
Yes, people should be able to use food stamps to buy soda. Once a food stamp recipient has been given a fixed amount of benefits, there is no additional cost to the taxpayer if the recipient chooses to use his or her fixed amount of benefits to purchase sugary drinks along with regular grocery items. You can't possibly eliminate all the sugar from a person's diet. Probably half of the products in the grocery store have sugar in them. Most boxes of "cereal" contain about 51% cereal and about 49% sugar. Many bread products contain sugar. Some meat products contain sugar. Most canned fruit contains sugar. If you don't allow food stamp recipients to purchase sugary drinks as such, they could always buy a can of Mandarin orange slices in sugar syrup and enjoy Mandarin orange flavored sugar syrup along with the fruit slices. Let people buy whatever food and drink they want as long as it's not alcoholic beverages.
Paula - 11 years ago
Here is my take on the issue: If the food has no nutritional value, that item should not be allowed to be purchased with food stamps. The idea is to feed low income families, not to fill them with non nutritional items. If these families want to buy the so called "treats", use cash.
Roberta - 11 years ago
I agree with Beth. Not all people who are on food stamps want to be or can help the fact that they are. I am so tired of the generalization that just because you are on food stamps you are worthless and matter less than people who aren't!!! Get real people and quit stereotyping!!!!
Greg Wierschke - 11 years ago
If you go down the no soad road then you should take away salt and ketchup. They make food taste good.
Beth - 11 years ago
I'm not on food stamps because I want to be ~ I'm on them because I have to be. A majority of what I buy is fresh produce, meats, milk, breads, etc. ~ stuff that would be considered "healthy" or at least "healthier" than what a lot of people eat. But just because I use food stamps, why should I not be able to enjoy an occasional soft drink? Do people who aren't on food stamps eat ONLY food that is in the basic food groups. I don't think so. If they did, there would be a lot less pizza, potato chips, candy bars, cookies, ice cream, etc. going out the doors of the grocery stores! It's as if some people who don't have the "privilege" of being on food stamps feel the need to judge those of use who have no other choice. It's not fair. We should be able to enjoy the same foods as everyone else.
Terri - 11 years ago
When I was a child we where given pop and treats on a weekend camping trips, or a special occasion there not meant to be a staple in healthy diet.
Terri - 11 years ago
When I was a child we where given pop and treats on a weekend camping trips, or a special occasion there not meant to be a staple in healthy diet.
Betsy - 11 years ago
Food stamps should be for FOOD, you know the basic food groups i.e. Protein, Fruits, Vegetables, grains. Its to ensure people/kids don't go hungry. Soda has NO nutritional value whatsoever. You can't buy cigarettes with food stamps, why should soda be any different?
Food stamps should be only used for food.!!! With soda costing upwards of $8.00 a case, I think that money would be better spent creating a meal. There is such abuse of government programs, that it is not unreasonable to disallow certain items at the grocery store. I believe that people need help becoming INDEPENDENT of government assistance and should have NO say when the money they are existing off is from working people's taxes. Personally, I don't want to know that my tax dollars are helping someone sit at home and drink Coke when that money could used to help keep food in the cupboard. This is why we are all so skeptical. Too much abuse of public programs.
+
Kids shouldn't be drinking it anyway, but if someone on food stamps wants a coke now and then, they should pay for it out of their own pocket. When I was a kid, I was lucky to get an A & W after Sunday night Church IF I was with my Grampa and Grandma... My parents couldn't afford soft drinks, so I didn't get hooked on Coke until after high school, but I paid for it out of my OWN pocket. Should be the same with everyone else. Food stamps are just that... FOOD stamps,, not COLA stamps..
Food stamps should help with basic needs not wants. Last I checked soda was not one of the food groups
Yes, people should be able to use food stamps to buy soda. Once a food stamp recipient has been given a fixed amount of benefits, there is no additional cost to the taxpayer if the recipient chooses to use his or her fixed amount of benefits to purchase sugary drinks along with regular grocery items. You can't possibly eliminate all the sugar from a person's diet. Probably half of the products in the grocery store have sugar in them. Most boxes of "cereal" contain about 51% cereal and about 49% sugar. Many bread products contain sugar. Some meat products contain sugar. Most canned fruit contains sugar. If you don't allow food stamp recipients to purchase sugary drinks as such, they could always buy a can of Mandarin orange slices in sugar syrup and enjoy Mandarin orange flavored sugar syrup along with the fruit slices. Let people buy whatever food and drink they want as long as it's not alcoholic beverages.
Here is my take on the issue: If the food has no nutritional value, that item should not be allowed to be purchased with food stamps. The idea is to feed low income families, not to fill them with non nutritional items. If these families want to buy the so called "treats", use cash.
I agree with Beth. Not all people who are on food stamps want to be or can help the fact that they are. I am so tired of the generalization that just because you are on food stamps you are worthless and matter less than people who aren't!!! Get real people and quit stereotyping!!!!
If you go down the no soad road then you should take away salt and ketchup. They make food taste good.
I'm not on food stamps because I want to be ~ I'm on them because I have to be. A majority of what I buy is fresh produce, meats, milk, breads, etc. ~ stuff that would be considered "healthy" or at least "healthier" than what a lot of people eat. But just because I use food stamps, why should I not be able to enjoy an occasional soft drink? Do people who aren't on food stamps eat ONLY food that is in the basic food groups. I don't think so. If they did, there would be a lot less pizza, potato chips, candy bars, cookies, ice cream, etc. going out the doors of the grocery stores! It's as if some people who don't have the "privilege" of being on food stamps feel the need to judge those of use who have no other choice. It's not fair. We should be able to enjoy the same foods as everyone else.
When I was a child we where given pop and treats on a weekend camping trips, or a special occasion there not meant to be a staple in healthy diet.
When I was a child we where given pop and treats on a weekend camping trips, or a special occasion there not meant to be a staple in healthy diet.
Food stamps should be for FOOD, you know the basic food groups i.e. Protein, Fruits, Vegetables, grains. Its to ensure people/kids don't go hungry. Soda has NO nutritional value whatsoever. You can't buy cigarettes with food stamps, why should soda be any different?