Obesity

[quote name='mykevermin']So what's y'all's major vices, then?[/QUOTE]
Ice Cream. I have a pint once a week (usually Ben & Jerry's). Probably the worst fucking thing in the world for you, but damn if it doesn't make me feel all good inside.

Otherwise I'm eating ~2800 calories a day, a slight uptick compared to a few weeks ago (been working out harder; trying to put on some weight).
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I am not a nutritionalist, but I think my biggest problem is probably not WHAT I eat but probably how often I usually only have one meal a day (lunch). My metabolism is so slow I'm just rarely hungry before or after lunch. If I am, it's not until 9 or 10 PM. I eat so rarely that I think it just FEELS to me like most of my meals are eating out. If I ate three meals a day eating what I eat, no doubt I'd be obese.

The past month or so we have been eating more at home as my wife looks for a job she doesn't mind whipping something up and cleaning up - that and our garden is currently popping enough tomatoes and peppers for 3 households.[/QUOTE]

I'm not worried about your weight, friend. I'm worried about your state of mind. If food is the only thing that breaks up your day, then so be it. I just want you to eat real food instead of the relative crap you're getting at a chain.

Regardless my offer is on the table. I'm not going to press you any harder on this.

[quote name='mykevermin']So what's y'all's major vices, then?

We all have them. More the horrible thing you can't cut out of your diet (or refuse to) rather than the thing you really want to consumer but don't (like chinese food).

Mine are both liquid: beer and black coffee. The way I feel about those two beverages is the same way Charlton Heston feels about firearms (and the way Charlton Heston feels at this very moment, period).[/QUOTE]

Dairy. Yoghurt, Gelato and Bavarois are the biggest offenders, in that order, by far. I'm also one of 'those annoying cheese people' but my tastes and my wallet intersect at a point where I'll only buy perhaps one or two pieces a week. I love it all and I can't let it go. My weekly schedule looks something like 1 daily serving of whole milk yoghurt, perhaps 2-4 servings of cheese and 3-5 servings of dessert dairy.

That's quite a lot. However I have reduced my meat intake to
 
Pardon if this was brought up already here, but this is probably relevant in this thread:

Taco Bell and KFC want your food stamps.


Reading this article reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom. She told me that as I was growing up, she always had to budget the family income very carefully to keep food on the table. She clipped coupons, matched prices, and bargain shopped extensively (which undoubtedly made me a cag). She said that whenever she met people that were on food stamps and found out how much they get from the government for groceries she was disgusted - because they had more than 2x to spend on groceries than what our family budget allowed. She felt people on welfare could impulse buy, ignore bargains, and buy name brand stuff on their budget while we could not.
 
[quote name='cochesecochese']As if we needed any more reasons why Pepsi Cola Co. is an enemy of humanity.[/QUOTE]

Didn't Pepsi sell taco bell and kfc? I believe they are owned by Yum! Brands now.
 
[quote name='cochesecochese']Yum is a spin-out with a lifetime Pepsi contract.[/QUOTE]

I guess, but they are still independent. I can see how PepsiCo would benefit from this though as more customers to those restaurants mean more of their product sold due to the pepsi only contract.
 
EBKT.jpg


Surely every last one of us sees this as a problem or, at best, as a wholly unintended consequence of a welfare state program.

Those of you who advocate for a gov't that is minimally invasive of businesses: how can we solve this problem?
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']Pardon if this was brought up already here, but this is probably relevant in this thread:

Taco Bell and KFC want your food stamps.


Reading this article reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom. She told me that as I was growing up, she always had to budget the family income very carefully to keep food on the table. She clipped coupons, matched prices, and bargain shopped extensively (which undoubtedly made me a cag). She said that whenever she met people that were on food stamps and found out how much they get from the government for groceries she was disgusted - because they had more than 2x to spend on groceries than what our family budget allowed. She felt people on welfare could impulse buy, ignore bargains, and buy name brand stuff on their budget while we could not.[/QUOTE]
Welfare queen urban myth. If your family had so little money, then you should've been on assistance as well. If by chance your family didn't qualify, then there must've been other things going on as well, such as owning a home, nicer neighborhood, cars, etc.

People on food assistance aren't buying lobsters and filet mignon. Even if they do, they'd only be able to eat for less than a week and starve for the rest of the month. Your story reminds me of a conversation I had a few years ago when someone making well over $100k a year with a house in the suburbs with a 2nd floor addition, 4 cars, and single income household was complaining about how he had to buy stew meat while welfare queens were buying tenderloin. It's all bullshit.
 
Yeah, unless a family is eligible for assistance and just not applying for it, that's all BS.

If anyone not eligible for assistance can't keep decent food on the table (and I don't mean lobster etc., just decent food) it's because they suck balls at managing their money and live in too pricey an area, bought new cars when they could only afford used, waste money on luxuries they can't really afford, ran up credit card debt or some combination thereof.

And some families are just uber tightwads and hate spending money on food and put too much away for retirement, kids education funds etc. and thus just eat a bunch of cheap crap. When eating decently should be viewed as a necessity like clothing and shelter. You save money after making sure you're family is getting a balanced diet, not before.
 
My parents have good salaries so we qualify for very little, but raising 8 kids and putting them all through college is probably pretty rough, and my parents complain that it doesn't get more attention.

They're probably exaggerating though, maybe more upset that they'd be incredibly well off if it weren't for all the kids they had :lol:

--

I have friends on food stamps, their kitchen was so stocked at all times it was awesome being over at their place when I was younger. I don't think it's a problem considering the situation they're in.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']
If anyone not eligible for assistance can't keep decent food on the table (and I don't mean lobster etc., just decent food) it's because they suck balls at managing their money and live in too pricey an area, bought new cars when they could only afford used, waste money on luxuries they can't really afford, ran up credit card debt or some combination thereof.[/QUOTE]

And sometimes that applies to people on foodstamps.

My sister in law and her husband are on foodstamps. Yet, in the past month, they have went to three concerts, a handfull of baseball games, she goes to the bars every weekend, out to eat at least twice a week, and to the movies once every two weeks.

Yet, not only are they on food stamps, they also have other relatives pay half of their bills.

Stuff like that frustrates me.
 
Since we're all cheap asses, let's post our typical grocery lists.

My gf and I spend about 200/month in groceries. We get pretty much everything in bulk from Costco or BJs.

Almonds (a lot) - 9.00

2 loafs of arnolds whole wheat bread (no HFCS!) - 4.50

20 some pack of light and fit yogurt - 12.00?

String cheese 50 pack - 8.00

3 pounds of bananas - 1.50

60 eggs - 5.00

12 cans of light tuna - 8.00?

10 pounds of raw skinless chicken - 20.00

6 pounds of broccoli frozen - 5.00

6 pounds of peppers and onions frozen - 5.00

12 turkey burgers - 10.00

2 jars of natural PB - 6.00

And maybe some extra stuff here and there.
 
Damn... I started counting calories today using the Lose It app on my iphone.

Breakfast:
Egg Whites: 42 calories
Slice of ham: 17 calories
Grapes: 62 calories

Lunch:
Ham Sandwich: 303 calories
Shredded Lettuce: 3 calories
Slice of Tomato: 3 calories
Honey Mustard: 50 calories
Sunchips: 210 calories

Snack:
Mixed Nuts: 407 calories
Grapes: 123 calories

Total: 1,218
Under: 733 - this is all I can afford to eat for dinner!

It adds up so quick. I'm not sure where I can cut back or substitute. Maybe the Sunchips for lunch but with what? Jeez - it's the one thing I look forward to.
 
[quote name='Javery']It adds up so quick. I'm not sure where I can cut back or substitute. Maybe the Sunchips for lunch but with what? Jeez - it's the one thing I look forward to.[/QUOTE]

Awesome - I was surprised too. Such a great breakfest torpedoed by chips and nuts.

I suggest a big jar of cold pickles. 5 calories each and they give a nice crunch.
 
I started using loose it too. It's hugely improved from what I remember. Since my wedding is coming up in 2 years I'm gonna use this a lot!

Hey I have an idea for a thread. Let's all take a loose it challenge (say 2 months). Post our logs and a before and after picture. Who's interested?
 
I'd say I spend around $200 a month on groceries for just myself. But I still buy too many tv dinners and other processed crap that drives up costs since I'm lazy about cooking all the time and just care more about staying thin than eating healthy currently. So I just limit calories and fat, try to eat some fruit and veggies every day and pound vitamins.
 
[quote name='Javery']It adds up so quick. I'm not sure where I can cut back or substitute. Maybe the Sunchips for lunch but with what? Jeez - it's the one thing I look forward to.[/QUOTE]

What's the basis for your 2,000 calories per day? Do you include calories you burn?

I was okay with the lose it app, but I prefer my fitness pal. probably largely the same.

Now I gotta go run for an hour so I can drink beer and eat a cheesesteak tonight.
 
Right. If you've not tried it, you must have the one at the Abbaye in No Libs. ZOMG. Gruyere, Chimay marinated sirloin tips, garlic aioli. None of that south philly pats/genos bullshit.

Now, back to talking about how everyone else is a slob and a pig.

;)
 
I'll check it out. Last time I had Pats was at a bachelor party after the strip club and I puked it up after I got off the bus. No more pats for a long time.
 
[quote name='seanr1221']I'll check it out. Last time I had Pats was at a bachelor party after the strip club and I puked it up after I got off the bus. No more pats for a long time.[/QUOTE]
Ughhh...I went to Pats and Genos the first time I was in Philly. I should've known better than go to a tourist trap..lolz. Tastes like boiled meat.

edit: My favorite joints in Philly were Fogo De Chao and Mount Fuji in Center City. Too bad Mount Fuji went to shit a couple years ago.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']
EBKT.jpg


Surely every last one of us sees this as a problem or, at best, as a wholly unintended consequence of a welfare state program.

Those of you who advocate for a gov't that is minimally invasive of businesses: how can we solve this problem?[/QUOTE]

I've always thought that welfare should stop being money oriented and just be food oriented. I think it would be more cost effective to reform it to make and distribute basic foodstuffs. Work with other store chains, perhaps, and let people go there to pick up their government made wellfare food.

Maybe not exactly that, but something like that.

Let's try to get people food, not money for food.

[quote name='dohdough']Welfare queen urban myth. If your family had so little money, then you should've been on assistance as well. If by chance your family didn't qualify, then there must've been other things going on as well, such as owning a home, nicer neighborhood, cars, etc.

People on food assistance aren't buying lobsters and filet mignon. Even if they do, they'd only be able to eat for less than a week and starve for the rest of the month. Your story reminds me of a conversation I had a few years ago when someone making well over $100k a year with a house in the suburbs with a 2nd floor addition, 4 cars, and single income household was complaining about how he had to buy stew meat while welfare queens were buying tenderloin. It's all bullshit.[/QUOTE]

Maybe. I don't know. I would have to ask my mom more about why she felt this way. I believe she told me once that our income was low enough to qualify for assistance but we knew how to budget money and didn't need it.

I never felt we were poor when growing up.

All I know for sure is that my deadbeat alcoholic aunt that snowbirds in the county Jail gets food stamps, is constantly trying to barter with family and friends with her food stamps because she is able to have excess after buying the food she needs.

[quote name='4thHorseman']And sometimes that applies to people on foodstamps.

My sister in law and her husband are on foodstamps. Yet, in the past month, they have went to three concerts, a handfull of baseball games, she goes to the bars every weekend, out to eat at least twice a week, and to the movies once every two weeks.[/quote]

I am sure that is far more common than most realize, and likely the situation(s) that frustrated my mom. She would constantly say stuff like "So and so has the same size family we have and they get $600 from the gov for food. We make do on $300. I guess that's how can afford their nicer cars..."

I'd not even be surprised if this were the more normal than the exception.


Yet, not only are they on food stamps, they also have other relatives pay half of their bills.

Stuff like that frustrates me.[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='seanr1221']OMG Fogo...I went there a few months back...total meat coma :drool:[/QUOTE]
Yeah...totally. I was in Philly over a dozen times and I only went there the very last time after the gf was talking it up for over a year. I've been hating myself ever since.:cry:
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']Maybe. I don't know. I would have to ask my mom more about why she felt this way. I believe she told me once that our income was low enough to qualify for assistance but we knew how to budget money and didn't need it.

I never felt we were poor when growing up.

All I know for sure is that my deadbeat alcoholic aunt that snowbirds in the county Jail gets food stamps, is constantly trying to barter with family and friends with her food stamps because she is able to have excess after buying the food she needs.[/QUOTE]
This is emblematic of other problems: myth of individualism, perceived shame of getting assistance, alcoholism, etc.

I am sure that is far more common than most realize, and likely the situation(s) that frustrated my mom. She would constantly say stuff like "So and so has the same size family we have and they get $600 from the gov for food. We make do on $300. I guess that's how can afford their nicer cars..."


I'd not even be surprised if this were the more normal than the exception.


Yet, not only are they on food stamps, they also have other relatives pay half of their bills.

Stuff like that frustrates me.
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There have been studies made over the years regarding welfare/food stamp fraud and the rate is about 3%, CBO numbers. Even WITH fraud, the money still circulates right back into the economy as people on limited incomes spend all of their money and don't have the ability to hoard it like the rich. So even if there was 25% fraud, the money still serves a purpose and all the "I don't want to pay for some welfare queen's lobster and cadillac" is really meaningless when it comes down to it.
 
[quote name='seanr1221']Since we're all cheap asses, let's post our typical grocery lists.

My gf and I spend about 200/month in groceries. We get pretty much everything in bulk from Costco or BJs.




And maybe some extra stuff here and there.[/QUOTE]

I have a family of 4.75. We spend about $75-$100 a week on groceries. Probably most of that goes towards meat and fruit. We have chicken legs/thighs (About $1.09/lb) at least once or twice a week and then something with ground beef once or twice a week too.

Cereal is very popular here too, but I only buy the cheap storebrand stuff that's $2 or less.

It seems like we're buying bannans, apples or yogurt every freaking trip. If I could learn to drink my coffee without creamer I could save that $3 a week but I gotta have it.

Really don't care about my watching my weight or the weight of the kids. (Both of the kids are below the 50th percentile on weight charts and I've been the same weight for over 5 years.)

Eating healthy or counting calories has never been an issue for us.
 
[quote name='dohdough']
There have been studies made over the years regarding welfare/food stamp fraud and the rate is about 3%, CBO numbers. Even WITH fraud, the money still circulates right back into the economy as people on limited incomes spend all of their money and don't have the ability to hoard it like the rich. So even if there was 25% fraud, the money still serves a purpose and all the "I don't want to pay for some welfare queen's lobster and cadillac" is really meaningless when it comes down to it.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, true welfare fraud just isn't much of a problem and the welfare queen thing is a myth.

A lot of what people are complaining about is probably people who came from families that:

-Where eligible for assistance but wouldn't take it for pride reasons etc.
-Made just enough to not be eligible for assistance
-Made a good bit more than the cutoff, but had parents that were super frugal/tight with money.

To those people they get frustrated as they knew welfare families that had more crap they didn't need than them when growing up because their food was provided through foodstamps, rent subsidized through housing assistance etc. and then the little money they made largely got wasted on luxuries. Not filet Mignon and lobster, but having cable, going to concerts here and there etc. Having more junk food around bought with food stamps etc.

Where as the people who grew up in the other types of household listed above didn't have as much junk and snack food around, maybe had just basic cable, less toys and other crap as their parents had less income or were less willing to spend it than the welfare households they knew that bought food with foodstamps and wasted the little money they had on small luxuries like that.

It's not worth getting upset over IMO, but that's where the frustration comes from as some people did grow up with less crap they didn't need than some on welfare as their parents refused to go on assistance or were just barely over the cutoff or were just super cheap with money etc. While the welfare familes blew any money they made on small luxuries.
 
So I guess I'm just "lucky" that out of the few people I personally know that are on welfare, the majority are (imho) in that 3%.

I talked to my mom today to get a refresher. She said that when I was little she actually did look into getting on assistance. She found out they barely made too much money to do so, but if they had qualified they would have received 2x more $ than what she was currently spending on groceries.

I also just heard from my sister in Pitsburgh who's husband is in school to be a P.A. that they just found out they qualified for $350/mo which is nearly double what they spend already for two people (and they are health freaks).
 
No, I think you're mistakenly thinking people are committing welfare fraud just because they blow their own money on stupid shit.

As long as someone is only spending food stamps on food (i.e. not trading or selling them) and is making under the cut off to be elgible, there'a no welfare fraud.

They may be wasting the little cash they do make, but that's not welfare fraud. There's no laws about how people on welfare can spend the money they do make.

It's frustrating to see people on welfare blowing money on junk food, cable/satellite, alcohol, tobacoo etc. etc., but we can't regulate what people spend their own earned money on. All we can do is set income levels to be eligible for assistance and make sure that money given for assistance is being used only for food, housing etc.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I've always thought that welfare should stop being money oriented and just be food oriented. I think it would be more cost effective to reform it to make and distribute basic foodstuffs. Work with other store chains, perhaps, and let people go there to pick up their government made wellfare food.

Maybe not exactly that, but something like that.

Let's try to get people food, not money for food.[/QUOTE]

Can you summarize a quick policy program for how the gov't could distribute food that would be cost effective, efficacious, and healthy?

I want to like the idea for its simplicity, but I also fear for corporate interference. Government cheese will suddenly become Government Velveeta, so to speak. The cheese-industrial complex.

How would we implement a policy while preventing corrupt politicians from threatening to open this to bidders who will turn a welfare program into federally funded 12-packs of Pepsi and Meximelts (i.e., what it seems we have now)?

I've not eaten at a T-Bell in *years*. Do they still make Meximelts? That shit was so gooooood, yo.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']I've not eaten at a T-Bell in *years*. Do they still make Meximelts? That shit was so gooooood, yo.[/QUOTE]

I'm never order them so I can't say for certain , but my bud says yes they still do.

Myke , if you dislike Kitchen Nightmares and it's "style" you ought to try watching Resturant Impossible on Food Network. It's basically the same format other than head guy Robert is less screaming angry guy than Ramsey , they have a limited budget for fixing up the resturant/buying food/ect. so they have to be more clever in how they go about doing things , and the owners/head chefs that he comes to help seem much more responsive and willing to change than the people that Ramsey visits on KN.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Can you summarize a quick policy program for how the gov't could distribute food that would be cost effective, efficacious, and healthy?

I want to like the idea for its simplicity, but I also fear for corporate interference. Government cheese will suddenly become Government Velveeta, so to speak. The cheese-industrial complex.

How would we implement a policy while preventing corrupt politicians from threatening to open this to bidders who will turn a welfare program into federally funded 12-packs of Pepsi and Meximelts (i.e., what it seems we have now)?

I've not eaten at a T-Bell in *years*. Do they still make Meximelts? That shit was so gooooood, yo.[/QUOTE]

I have't given a ton of thought to it but many church's do it similarly. For example, the LDS church actually produces basic food stuffs at centers around the world and stores them in warehouses around the world. The distribution from those warehouses to people in need is done through local congregations.

I suppose some of it could be done by private companies contracted by the government but I'd actually prefer to see the government get into the business of making food and distributing it to centers all over. The rural areas will be hard to deal with, however.
 
[quote name='StarKnightX']I'm never order them so I can't say for certain , but my bud says yes they still do.[/quote]

sweet. now I can continue to not order them!

Myke , if you dislike Kitchen Nightmares and it's "style" you ought to try watching Resturant Impossible on Food Network. It's basically the same format other than head guy Robert is less screaming angry guy than Ramsey , they have a limited budget for fixing up the resturant/buying food/ect. so they have to be more clever in how they go about doing things , and the owners/head chefs that he comes to help seem much more responsive and willing to change than the people that Ramsey visits on KN.
Click to expand...

Solid point - I do like Robert Irvine far more than Ramsay, even with his mild little fraud scandal a few years back (wherein he was discovered to have lied about a *lot* of his culinary pedigree in order to get his Food Network gig). He also has solid taste in women, as he is engaged to big-time-pro-wrestler Gail Kim.

[quote name='thrustbucket']I have't given a ton of thought to it but many church's do it similarly. For example, the LDS church actually produces basic food stuffs at centers around the world and stores them in warehouses around the world. The distribution from those warehouses to people in need is done through local congregations.

I suppose some of it could be done by private companies contracted by the government but I'd actually prefer to see the government get into the business of making food and distributing it to centers all over. The rural areas will be hard to deal with, however.[/QUOTE]

State and Federal agencies would have an extraordinarily difficult time using the "go to the store and buy it" model, as then you'd run into the same possibilities for collusion (Pepsi pays their bid/"discount" forward to CostCo, who is the official provider of government cheese). Then you would have Sam's Club cryin' the blues because they don't get any gov't business.

What do you think about strict restrictions on what foods can be purchased using welfare? Essentially what I'm thinking would be to apply the same provisions to welfare as is currently applied to WIC.
 
[quote name='Javery']

Total: 1,218
Under: 733 - this is all I can afford to eat for dinner!

It adds up so quick. I'm not sure where I can cut back or substitute. Maybe the Sunchips for lunch but with what? Jeez - it's the one thing I look forward to.[/QUOTE]
733 calories makes for a solid, filling dinner in my opinion. All my meals fall between 700-800 calories.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']

What do you think about strict restrictions on what foods can be purchased using welfare? Essentially what I'm thinking would be to apply the same provisions to welfare as is currently applied to WIC.[/QUOTE]

I was thinking about that as well. If we can't get government food distribution networks set up at a lower cost, I think that super strict restrictions are the way to go.

But this whole concept of handing people a credit card that can be used on anything that can be loosely defined as food, has got to go.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']But this whole concept of handing people a credit card that can be used on anything that can be loosely defined as food, has got to go.[/QUOTE]

Nah, I hear ya. I was at the drug corner corner store a block from my house a few months back, and a couple were in there using their Access Card to buy a gallon of iced tea. The shitty, crazy unhealthy, HFCS laden disgusting-ass iced tea variety. They then proceeded to buy lotto tickets with cash. I was incredulous. That's indeed fraudulent - both that they have discretionary money to spend on lotto tickets and yet have an Access Card, and also that the Access Card can be used to buy something so unhealthy (and more important, unnecessary).

I was livid. Thing is, fraud in the form of a $1.50 gallon of bullshit "iced tea" can't hold a candle to corporate handouts, to unneeded tax breaks to the elite and wealthy, and to the overall capitulation of the US government to corporate interests (that is, in terms of pound-for-pound wasteful spending).

WIC is solid, but you have to deal with corporations (like Pepsi, or Yum! Brands, or Burger King, etc.) complaining about gov't interference in the market. A company that produces "juice" that is 10% juice, 87% water, and 3% HFCS would like to sell their product to the poor as well. $3.00 cash contributes to Ocean Spray's bottom line as well as $3.00 from welfare. But you can't buy Ocean Spray with WIC, because it isn't "100% Juice." You have to buy approved items.

So we are in agreement (praise jesus!) that restrictions would apply; and both equally cynical that corporate interests wouldn't rest until they got their hands in the government's pocketbooks here, and that government wouldn't put up much of a fight either.

So, in short, thrust, you can I can agree that we need to elect more hardcore progressives who, as the gatekeepers to this kind of program, would stand up to corporate interests.

;) Had to go there.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']I was livid. Thing is, fraud in the form of a $1.50 gallon of bullshit "iced tea" can't hold a candle to corporate handouts, to unneeded tax breaks to the elite and wealthy, and to the overall capitulation of the US government to corporate interests (that is, in terms of pound-for-pound wasteful spending).[/QUOTE]

It's not as "in-your-face". That's the problem.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Nah, I hear ya. I was at the drug corner corner store a block from my house a few months back, and a couple were in there using their Access Card to buy a gallon of iced tea. The shitty, crazy unhealthy, HFCS laden disgusting-ass iced tea variety. They then proceeded to buy lotto tickets with cash. I was incredulous. That's indeed fraudulent - both that they have discretionary money to spend on lotto tickets and yet have an Access Card, and also that the Access Card can be used to buy something so unhealthy (and more important, unnecessary).

I was livid. Thing is, fraud in the form of a $1.50 gallon of bullshit "iced tea" can't hold a candle to corporate handouts, to unneeded tax breaks to the elite and wealthy, and to the overall capitulation of the US government to corporate interests (that is, in terms of pound-for-pound wasteful spending).

WIC is solid, but you have to deal with corporations (like Pepsi, or Yum! Brands, or Burger King, etc.) complaining about gov't interference in the market. A company that produces "juice" that is 10% juice, 87% water, and 3% HFCS would like to sell their product to the poor as well. $3.00 cash contributes to Ocean Spray's bottom line as well as $3.00 from welfare. But you can't buy Ocean Spray with WIC, because it isn't "100% Juice." You have to buy approved items.

So we are in agreement (praise jesus!) that restrictions would apply; and both equally cynical that corporate interests wouldn't rest until they got their hands in the government's pocketbooks here, and that government wouldn't put up much of a fight either.

So, in short, thrust, you can I can agree that we need to elect more hardcore progressives who, as the gatekeepers to this kind of program, would stand up to corporate interests.

;) Had to go there.[/QUOTE]

What would you think about a system of really nice coupons instead? For example $2 off a gallon of milk or $3 off a pound of cheese.

That way only very specific items can be purchased and they have to stay towards the less expensive brands, unless they want to subsidize the more expensive brands.
 
[quote name='camoor']It's not as "in-your-face". That's the problem.[/QUOTE]

Disagree. Our nation has a very strong and pervasive rhetoric surrounding "deserving" and "undeserving." Farmers deserve corn subsidies (sometimes). CEOs deserve huge bonuses and pay raises because you have to attract the best person available for the job (like Bob Nardelli, ha). Corporations deserve tax breaks because they produce wealth and create jobs. The poor have refrigerators, so they don't deserve food stamps. The unemployed are lethargic, so they...you get the idea.

There's an element of truth to what you're saying, but even when we think about it as a national body, the rhetoric has uniformly classified the wealthy as deserving of government aid and the poor as undeserving of it. Which makes your head fucking *spin* when you think about it.

[quote name='thrustbucket']What would you think about a system of really nice coupons instead? For example $2 off a gallon of milk or $3 off a pound of cheese.

That way only very specific items can be purchased and they have to stay towards the less expensive brands, unless they want to subsidize the more expensive brands.[/QUOTE]

Hmm. I'll have to think about that. $2 off a gallon of milk means people still have to pony up $2-2.50 for a gallon of milk (at least where I live). Not sure how much help that would be.
 
[quote name='Allnatural']733 calories makes for a solid, filling dinner in my opinion. All my meals fall between 700-800 calories.[/QUOTE]

I had a filling meal that used half that. 2 cups broccoli, 8 ounces of chicken, 1/2 tbs of olive oil...340 calories and filling as hell.
 
Also I need to change protein bars with hardboiled egg whites when I go to WaWa. Same price will get me as much protein with way less calories and carbs.
 
that shit's $$$ at Wawa. Boil your own eggs and buy bars at Costco.

Where is costco in the area? Don't tell me I have to go all the way to Bucks county or somesuch.
 
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