I have no problem with helping others in need as with the public assistance program {also known as welfare, they are steering away from that term} but,… when I am at the store and I see someone come up with a cart full, like ten, twelve pack sodas, ice cream bars and other goodies. Yet no milk, bread or even a fruit. Then to pay for it with a quest card {now given instead of food stamps} to pay for just that and nothing else, then saying that they forgot to get topping for the ice cream.
HELLO….. What is this? I am a tax payer like yourself, and let me tell you this is plain wrong.
Yes I was on public assistance at one time, like 20 years ago, but this has gone to far. We need to step back and regulate what is needed and what is junk. To many time I see folks buying plain out junk food.
From buying candy bars, soda, cakes, gummy bears,….. Gummy Bears? Now when has gummy bears become a food source?
Let me tell you I never set there and bought just ice cream, candy bars, soda, or gummy bears.
This has gotten out of hand and it is time for the state and government to start regulating just what these recipient’s should get for there household and have a way to set up the card to not allow to buy over a certain amount of these types of food.
Not to say they should not have any but let’s get real, when a single parent of one child buys ten cases of twelve pack sodas and is with her boyfriend then saying she has to get more goodies. I don’t think so.
There are many folks out there who can’t get public assistance and are unable to afford ice cream, candy bars or even gummy bears.
This is just not the way public assistance is suppose to work, and if it is, I don’t want my tax dollars paying for some junk food when there are plenty of other folks out there that could put it to better use.
Chow for Now
Time for Alaska Blog 
I witnessed the same thing a few days ago. The woman in front of me spent just over $125.00 and had no real food in her basket.
Among the chips, dips, cookies, 2 pies, 1 cake she also had 15 – 2 liter bottles of Coke and Dr. Pepper soda. Crap, thats 7 1/2 gallons of soda pop!!! But she did have 2 or 3 boxes of pop tarts… Wow the breakfast of champions.
Why can’t we force those on public assistance to buy ‘real’ food??
By: pobept on July 4, 2008
at 11:15 pm
I totally agree the abuses of the system are out of hand sometimes. Food programs should be for basic staples. If they want junk food they should spend their own money or limit it to 10% of the total so they can’t stock up. I wrote a post a few days ago about living within your means that talks more about this sort of thing. Why should they spend my money to eat poorly? No wonder we have an obesity problem in this country.
By: akhomeschoolfun on July 5, 2008
at 8:31 am
First of all, people can buy anything they want with FOOD STAMPS as long as it’s food. People do have kids that like these kinds of food. And to be honest this country has bigger and more important problems than people buying junk food with food stamps.
By: tracey on October 21, 2008
at 12:07 am
Hey Tracey not to sure if you are on public assistance but I was on public assistance for six years back when it was “Food Stamps” not a card and we did not go out and buy 2 cases of soda, bags of cookies and candy.
Of course kids like those things and it is up to the parents to moderate it.
Boils down to what is the differance of “Food” and “Junk Food”.
Maybe you should sit at a store at the first of the month and watch what people really do spend “OUR” hard earned tax dollars on.
As for “this country has bigger and more important problems than people buying junk food with food stamps” well this is a big problem.
By: Alaska Williams on October 21, 2008
at 4:02 am
I am writing a paper for a human relations class…my topic is abusing public assistance, i agree it is being taken advantage of and there should be stricter guidelines and evaluations before letting someone receive benefits. Granite i too am on assistance. But I am a 26 yr. old single mom of two girls with really no family to help. I work and go to school and hardly ask for a thing. But it hurts when you see women receiving assistance for their children and using the money for personal needs…nails, hair, clothes and giving children hand-me downs. The government needs to re-evaluate their way of thinking. And become hard and tough on everyone. The more you give the more people will take.
By: Melonie on December 4, 2008
at 4:11 pm
I have recieved food stamps on and off for 12 years. I am permantly disabled and low income. I do but some soda and goodies but most of it is real food. One thing i have found though is you are talking about eating healthy lots of grains and fuits and veggies. Well they cost a whole lot more than junk. When you have about 100 a month to feed two ppl you stretch it however you can. I would love more fresh meat and produce. Cant afford it.
By: Tommiee on December 11, 2008
at 2:20 am
Rather than focusing on what people shouldn’t do with their food stamps and arguing in favor of regulations to prohibit certain items from being purchase, why not argue in favor of nutrition classes?
What would happen if everyone who was on food stamps was required to participate in nutrition education?
I am currently receiving W.I.C. (Women Infants Children) checks. They help me buy bread/rice, milk, cheese, eggs, beans, cereal, peanut butter, as well as fruits and vegetables. However, I find these food choices very restrictive. I consider myself to be very educated about nutrition and know that milk is not the best source for calcium that there is. I also know that peanut butter is not the healthiest choice as a protein source, particularly when the only options in my local grocery store all include sugar and hydrogenated oils or trans fats.
I feel like the problem lies with the concept of nutrition and teaching people to eat well on very little money. I’m currently working on a little project that does aim to educate about nutrition and enable people to make healthy choices that are friendly to a tight budget.
By: mamahubbard on April 29, 2009
at 6:18 pm
I agree they really should have classes that focus on the nutrition of different foods, it might help folks to pick the right food instead of junk food.
Problem is that most people allready know what foods are good and yet they choose to still get junk.
Maybe the states should go through and look at the food bills on some of the accounts and see just what people are buying.
Remember it is the tax payers that shell the money to get the food.
By: Alaska Williams on April 29, 2009
at 8:58 pm
I agree. It really bugs me when I see somebody with their nails did, lots of expensive jewlry, and getting into a brand new mercedes, BMW, etc. and they have 2 carts full of food and they’re paying with food stamps. And then they have like 5 kids all in hammy-down, torn, dirty clothes. I see this with at least one family on the first of the month at my local grocery store. This is definately abuse of public assistance. We need to do something to stop this. There is some people who actually need food stamps but “don’t qualify.” It seems like now days you don’t qualify unless you have 3 kids and no job. We should give it to people who are actually trying to provide for their kids but still need a little extra help.
By: Ashley on February 22, 2010
at 5:23 pm
Thanks I am surprised anyone still reads this. 🙂
By: Alaska Williams on February 23, 2010
at 2:43 am