[HermitJohn]

Instead of more rules, why not go back to teaching home econ. in school and tie in a course on nutrition?

Remember when schools used to teach how bad it was to smoke? Kids would go home and tell their folks not to smoke.

I think everyone on an EBT card needs to take a class in nutrition and cooking if they want a card.

And you will find most people on these programs are perfectly able to cook, its affording enough food to cook that is the problem. Though I would have no problem with all people elected to public office being forced to take a basic personal finance course before being able to be sworn in. Anybody that has ever declared bankruptcy would be barred from taking office.

 

[kinderfeld]

Then we need higher minimum wage I guess so they can supplement the WIC and SNAP. Oh wait if they make more, they lose the food subsidies and still not able to afford healthy. Just cant win on low end unless you get lucky with that lottery ticket. Not everybody is white collar and yuppie and shopping at Whole Paycheck while rent multiplies multiple times. Some have to live on what they get, not pretend they have more money than they do.

But yea, blame it on Tricky Dicky and Earl Butz. Get big or get out agriculture. So processors get cheap starchy commodity grains for their "added value" processed junk foods and nobody makes a living farming commodities on 80A. Have to farm half a county. But yea produce and nuts are the foods that go unsubsidized and are the most healthy. Though with recent price increases, one wonders about lot of the supposedly subsidized foods. Grain and legumes arent all that "cheap" anymore. Pound split peas is $1.50. Not that long ago it was 30cents. But time flies when you are having fun. Did wages increase five fold while I wasnt looking. Apparently not. Another Rip Van Winkle moment.

So you disagree?

 

[GTX63]

And you will find most people on these programs are perfectly able to cook, its affording enough food to cook that is the problem. Though I would have no problem with all people elected to public office being forced to take a basic personal finance course before being able to be sworn in. Anybody that has ever declared bankruptcy would be barred from taking office.

Hermit, what do you define as "cooking"?

 

[Pony]

And you will find most people on these programs are perfectly able to cook, its affording enough food to cook that is the problem. Though I would have no problem with all people elected to public office being forced to take a basic personal finance course before being able to be sworn in. Anybody that has ever declared bankruptcy would be barred from taking office.

Many people (I don't know if it's "most" or "a lot") on those programs are clueless as to the methods for preparing beans, rice, oats, and other staples. They just don't. And I've met quite a few who are very resistant to learning how to cook the basics.

As for office holders, I agree that they should produce their family budgets for the past 5-10 years.

Also, I would support a requirement that they spend at least a month (6-12 would be best) living on the average family's budget.

 

[kinderfeld]

Many people (I don't know if it's "most" or "a lot") on those programs are clueless as to the methods for preparing beans, rice, oats, and other staples. They just don't. And I've met quite a few who are very resistant to learning how to cook the basics.

And that's part of the problem, imo. It's not just an affordability issue. Many people simply don't know how to prepare a healthy meal. Perhaps the SNAP program should come with education requirements?

 

[GTX63]

The numbers between the microwave and stove aren't even close.
It should be obvious what the typical level of competency is in a modern kitchen.

 

[kinderfeld]

Though I would have no problem with all people elected to public office being forced to take a basic personal finance course before being able to be sworn in. Anybody that has ever declared bankruptcy would be barred from taking office.

How would that solve someone else's food affordability problem? It would make more sense for the poor person to take personal finance courses so they can learn to quit being poor.

 

[HomeCreek]

I think one thing that some arent considering is that we are teaching children that unhealthy eating all the time is okay.

Example. Public school lunches. When I was growing up and was in school in the 70s and 80s we ate a meat and two veggies milk and some form of bread. Usually a roll. And I mean stuff like pork chops chicken etc. I remember the day...I literally do....when I was in 7th grade and they fed us pizza for the first time. This was 1978. You would have thought we hit the lottery. We got this every other Friday with the obligatory kernel corn and "salad" which was a leaf of lettuce with shredded carrot on it with dressing.
Back then the state required certain serving sizes of certain foods at every meal. They still do. But the system has learned they can feed the kids junk foods like pizza and call it the "meat" because it might have half a teaspoon of hamburger meat on it. Everything is premade and just heated to save even more money. Looking at the menu of the school I work at is very sad. Then on top of that the kids have access to soft drinks and junk food in vending machines. And they dont do recess. When I was in school recess you could buy a milk or apple juice while you played outside for 30 mins to an hr depending on grade. Now they keep them in a desk and let them supplement the school provided junk food with gummy worms candy bars etc and a pepsi etc.