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The $21/week Food Stamp Challenge

13

Posts

  • AdrienAdrien Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    If you go by the local Price Chopper after 8, they've bagged the (previously) fresh doughnuts at 12 for a dollar.

    Okay, so, not the best example. But the local bakery has a similar deal if you go in the morning before the fresh stuff is out. You only need to lower your standards a bit before people start paying you to take their food.

    Obviously not a solution on a broad scale, but I'm just saying.

    Adrien on
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  • MKRMKR Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Adrien wrote: »
    If you go by the local Price Chopper after 8, they've bagged the (previously) fresh doughnuts at 12 for a dollar.

    Okay, so, not the best example. But the local bakery has a similar deal if you go in the morning before the fresh stuff is out. You only need to lower your standards a bit before people start paying you to take their food.

    Obviously not a solution on a broad scale, but I'm just saying.

    15 seconds in the microwave and they're as good as new. :^:

    MKR on
  • Irond WillIrond Will WARNING: NO HURTFUL COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!!! Cambridge. MAModerator mod
    edited September 2007
    Black Ice wrote: »
    I think this is a case where Wikipedia is wrong. MRE's have a shelf life of 15 years, according to my best friend at West Point. Maybe he was exaggerating..

    The army only eats them in the field. So, in other words, it isn't really a feasible meal to eat as the staple of your diet. I guess it's sort of like a cheaper, less tasty, more energetic version of a protein bar.

    My friend also says it's okay the first 100 times you eat it, and after that you get sick of it because you realize it's the same shit over, and over, and over. The different flavors apparently don't do much to spice up the food (pun unintended).

    That's pretty much my experience with them. When I was in college, my parents decided to cut me off one year, and it was pretty tough living. I lived with a few guys in a rented house and basically lived off of tutoring money. I mostly ate what you guys mentioned - rice, dried beans, potatoes, occasionally canned soup when it was on sale or must-sell chicken. One of my roommates was a marine, and we'd occasionally have MRE nights. They're kind of tasty at first - at least compared to the canned-chicken-soup-drizzled-over-microwaved-potato-for-the-third-day-in-a-row, but they all have that undertone of flavor and texture that you find in protein bars which becomes impossible to ignore in surprisingly short order.

    Irond Will on
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  • TDLTDL ClubPA, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    I actually never got tired of MREs. Of course, anything tastes good compared to the shit that comes out of Army kitchens.

    TDL on
    Meet me on my vast veranda
    My sweet, untouched Miranda
    And while the seagulls are crying
    We fall but our souls are flying
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    MREs aren't exactly healthy in the long run especially for people who don't have a soldiers level of activity.

    This is true. They also are far from cheap...and that expense isn't just because of their "government contracted" nature. Creating varied meals that stay shelf-stable for a couple decades just isn't all that cheap.
    TDL wrote: »
    I actually never got tired of MREs. Of course, anything tastes good compared to the shit that comes out of Army kitchens.

    This is true. Sometimes it was a real tough choice between whatever the chow hall was slapping down or an MRE. And shit, some MREs aren't all that bad...and I usually had a decent stockpile of just those varieties.
    Shogun wrote: »
    The problem with foodstamps, from my experience as a store clerk, is what people end up purchasing with them. The government decides what is categorized inside the store as 'food.' I worked at this store for a little over a year and it was a low income area. Very common for people with their EBT card (food stamps for those that do not know) to come in. Some people spend there money very well surprisingly. Many, many others did not. It really bothered me because these people get their free money and come to my store to purchase four 20 oz. cokes and some Slim Jims.

    Hey lady, that ain't food.

    Wow, our food stamp program up here is pretty strict on that kind of shit. Or maybe they're just excessively stupid. Because I know that here one can't even buy chocolate milk with food stamps...only the regular variety. Which I think is kinda asinine.


    Out of curiosity, are food stamps generally meant to be an entire person's source of food, or as a supplement to whatever meager budget they already have? Because if somebody has even $5 or $6 a week to kick in, it really alters the equation. Just sayin'.

    mcdermott on
  • TDLTDL ClubPA, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    mcdermott wrote: »
    TDL wrote: »
    I actually never got tired of MREs. Of course, anything tastes good compared to the shit that comes out of Army kitchens.

    This is true. Sometimes it was a real tough choice between whatever the chow hall was slapping down or an MRE. And shit, some MREs aren't all that bad...and I usually had a decent stockpile of just those varieties.

    I used to hide three boxes of them inside the hull of my track at all times, just in case. But man have you had the new ones? Holy crap, some of them are fantastic. Spicy Penne Pasta and Chicken Fajitas are amazing, plus they come with a sealing bag to mix your drinks and and such.

    Well, they may not actually be "new", but we didn't have them in Korea. I was still eating MREs from the early 90s over there.

    TDL on
    Meet me on my vast veranda
    My sweet, untouched Miranda
    And while the seagulls are crying
    We fall but our souls are flying
  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Wouldn't a more sensible scheme of the whole $21 of food stamps program actually consist of the government incurring some of the bulk buy expense of the scheme?

    I mean, surely in areas where you statistics are giving out a lot of foodstamps you'd do well from a public health perspective to set up stores where they take regular food options and combine them into packages which reflect however much per week one has to spend while being nutritionally complete.

    Isn't this basically where the MRE idea gains its elegance, but avoiding the "oh god it also lasts 10 years and can suffice as a building material" aspect?

    electricitylikesme on
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited September 2007
    Feral wrote: »
    And a big hearty "fuck you" to everybody who said, "If they want better, they should just get a job." There's already plenty of incentive for people on assistance to work if they can. If they want cable TV, or alcohol, or cosmetics, or they just want to go to the movies every once in a while - then yeah, those are good incentives to get a job. Keep in mind that none of this covers soap, vitamins, aspirin, band-aids, toilet paper, tampons, or any other household or toiletry items. You still need good old hard cash for those. Basic nutrition should not be used as an incentive.
    What I said was in response to "Jazz it up." As in, a variety of flavors and such. With 21 dollars, you can do decently nutrition-wise.

    And fuck yes, I think NOT STARVING is an excellent motivation to get off your ass. I certainly want these programs to make sure these people are employed and able to eke out a living for themselves, and I don't think every poor person is a lazy idiot looking for a way to mooch off the system. But supporting yourself is why you get a job in the first place.

    EDIT: My boss gave me a list of things to make sure were always stocked this week for WIC. It's a better way of making sure people are not just eating, but also eating healthy. I agree with Cat that we need to make sure nutrition is taught in schools, and that a person shouldn't be fucked out of a job hunt because they got sick from eating nothing but McDonald's Dollar Menu. A lot of poor are uneducated, and if we're paying for their food, might as well go the extra mile and make sure it's good for them.

    Sterica on
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  • MalaysianShrewMalaysianShrew Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Um...this is for food. They are still paying for their shelter. Or they are homeless. In which case, it's pretty damn hard to get yourself hired. "What is your mailing address and daytime phone number?" "um..."

    Food stamps only cover food. As has been said, they are still paying for everything else. Which I have found eats up a lot more of my monthly budget than food, even when my rent and utilities(water and lights, not cable tv and internet) were under $400. But you think paying rent and having running water and lights is not incentive enough to get a job, nay, you want to, literally, starve them? You are a sadistic motherfucker.

    MalaysianShrew on
    Never trust a big butt and a smile.
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited September 2007
    Um...this is for food. They are still paying for their shelter. Or they are homeless. In which case, it's pretty damn hard to get yourself hired. "What is your mailing address and daytime phone number?" "um..."

    Food stamps only cover food. As has been said, they are still paying for everything else. Which I have found eats up a lot more of my monthly budget than food, even when my rent and utilities(water and lights, not cable tv and internet) were under $400. But you think paying rent and having running water and lights is not incentive enough to get a job, nay, you want to, literally, starve them? You are a sadistic motherfucker.
    If you are referring to my post, then I ask you re-read it.

    Sterica on
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  • SchrodingerSchrodinger Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    What I said was in response to "Jazz it up." As in, a variety of flavors and such. With 21 dollars, you can do decently nutrition-wise.

    No you can't, unless your only gauge of nutrition is available calories. We've established that you $21 is enough to avoid going hungry. Unfortunately, the closest thing we've gotten to actual nutrition is jam and juice, and maybe the occasional banana.
    And fuck yes, I think NOT STARVING is an excellent motivation to get off your ass.

    Yes, because when people are starving, they're fully capable of making rational decision, and working at optimum capacity. They'll also apparently be able to generate jobs from thin air even in a dismal economy, as well as making sure that the available jobs in question are within driving/walking/bussing distance. Because, you know, it's not like people are ever unable to find work after looking for it. Nah, the only reason why they're not working is because they're not malnurished enough.

    This goes doubly if you're 8 years old and still growing. Not getting enough vitamins and minerals? Tough. If you don't like it, then go work at Nike, like everyone else your age.

    Schrodinger on
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited September 2007
    Do you all just get to that point and go off on a rant, fueled by your sense of moral outrage?

    I have not suggested that we go off and let these people starve. Furthermore, I've already made the same argument that people shouldn't be screwed out of a job due to an illness caused by poor diet. But ultimately, we all get jobs so we can afford to feed and shelter ourselves. Well, I do anyways. Maybe I'm just weird.

    The eight-year-old comment justs adds to an already ridiculous post.

    Sterica on
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  • MalaysianShrewMalaysianShrew Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    It's good that your boss is taking steps to help people on stamps. A lot of these people coming in and buying coke with their stamps...maybe they are sick of being on stamps and eating nothing but pb and white bread. As Oboro pointed out, sometimes it's worth it to go hungry and have one nice meal. Having enough calories and vitamins is great and all, but if it's the same blah food over and over and there is no end in sight and you are working hard but still can't get a leg up and the whole world is telling you that you are poor because you aren't trying hard enough, hey, maybe a cold pop would be nice.

    MalaysianShrew on
    Never trust a big butt and a smile.
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited September 2007
    My boss isn't doing this to be "nice" (well he might be). The government will penalize us somehow if we are out of any WIC items. We got nailed for a single can of Apple Juice last time.

    I work in Frozen Food and Dairy, and just from us you got Milk, Eggs, Cheese and fruit juices. I'm sure bread, meat and veggies are also offered. I'm not sure of the details, but if that system was expanded, food stamps could be cut down to 10 bucks or so supplement the diet. That should feed people in a way that promotes a good diet while offer a bit of variety here and there.

    Sterica on
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  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited September 2007
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    What I said was in response to "Jazz it up." As in, a variety of flavors and such. With 21 dollars, you can do decently nutrition-wise.

    No you can't, unless your only gauge of nutrition is available calories. We've established that you $21 is enough to avoid going hungry. Unfortunately, the closest thing we've gotten to actual nutrition is jam and juice, and maybe the occasional banana.
    And fuck yes, I think NOT STARVING is an excellent motivation to get off your ass.
    Yes, because when people are starving, they're fully capable of making rational decision, and working at optimum capacity. They'll also apparently be able to generate jobs from thin air even in a dismal economy, as well as making sure that the available jobs in question are within driving/walking/bussing distance. Because, you know, it's not like people are ever unable to find work after looking for it. Nah, the only reason why they're not working is because they're not malnurished enough.

    This goes doubly if you're 8 years old and still growing. Not getting enough vitamins and minerals? Tough. If you don't like it, then go work at Nike, like everyone else your age.

    lern to reed jackass.

    The Cat on
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  • SavantSavant Simply Barbaric Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    The Cat wrote: »
    Shinto wrote: »
    The Cat wrote: »
    Food seems awfully cheap in the US, even accounting for exchange rates

    Is it maybe that Australia has to import more items or the costs of domestic production are higher do to climate factors?

    Most of your food is imported too. I'm thinking subsidies, or something related to a more spatially compact consumer base.

    Uh, no, most of our food in the US isn't imported. As of 2003, imports accounted for about 11% of US consumption.

    Tariffs and subsidies probably at least partially explain why the import percentage is so low though.

    Savant on
  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited September 2007
    Savant wrote: »
    The Cat wrote: »
    Shinto wrote: »
    The Cat wrote: »
    Food seems awfully cheap in the US, even accounting for exchange rates

    Is it maybe that Australia has to import more items or the costs of domestic production are higher do to climate factors?

    Most of your food is imported too. I'm thinking subsidies, or something related to a more spatially compact consumer base.

    Uh, no, most of our food in the US isn't imported. As of 2003, imports accounted for about 11% of US consumption.

    Tariffs and subsidies probably at least partially explain why the import percentage is so low though.

    as i said at the top of the page, this has been split. And I know now that its not 'most' across the board. just most of your seafood and a large proportion of fruit.

    The Cat on
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  • amateurhouramateurhour One day I'll be professionalhour The woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    The Cat wrote: »
    Savant wrote: »
    The Cat wrote: »
    Shinto wrote: »
    The Cat wrote: »
    Food seems awfully cheap in the US, even accounting for exchange rates

    Is it maybe that Australia has to import more items or the costs of domestic production are higher do to climate factors?

    Most of your food is imported too. I'm thinking subsidies, or something related to a more spatially compact consumer base.

    Uh, no, most of our food in the US isn't imported. As of 2003, imports accounted for about 11% of US consumption.

    Tariffs and subsidies probably at least partially explain why the import percentage is so low though.

    as i said at the top of the page, this has been split. And I know now that its not 'most' across the board. just most of your seafood and a large proportion of fruit.

    Yeah, you can definately see it in the fruit. Even buying fruit at wal-mart can cost you around $40 a week if you're not careful. I miss my old place with the apple tree and garden out back, I saved a ton of cash.

    amateurhour on
    are YOU on the beer list?
  • precisionkprecisionk Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    This would be easy for me.


    Spaghetti and ghetto sauce.

    .99 for spaghetti and a buck for sauce.


    Or better yet, just spend 10 bucks and get a costco super tub of sauce.

    precisionk on
  • OboroOboro __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    Isn't there some sort of entry requirements for Costco? Can you do that while you are on food stamps? o_O

    Anyway, I don't think spaghetti + "ghetto sauce" has much nutritional value at all, and at least personally, I'd be feeling pretty bloated (and disgusted) pretty fast on that diet. :P

    If you focus on the nutrition, it's very hard to hit a calorie content that's net-positive day-to-day-- if you focus on the calorie count, it's very hard to hit any nutritional goals at all. I found a bag of pretzels that cost $2 and had 1600 calories-- but that's still too expensive day-to-day. All of the time I spent trying to track down new/better/cheaper foods was just more activity, and I ended up hemorrhaging weight away even if I was getting proper nutritional intake--

    I'm currently near 52kg at 180cm (male phenotype), and I'm just starting to pick it up thanks to having a college meal plan. Still, it's one meal a day on average, and the only way to make the calorie mark is to eat serving after serving of things I hate. :(

    Oboro on
    words
  • precisionkprecisionk Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Oboro wrote: »
    Isn't there some sort of entry requirements for Costco? Can you do that while you are on food stamps? o_O

    Anyway, I don't think spaghetti + "ghetto sauce" has much nutritional value at all, and at least personally, I'd be feeling pretty bloated (and disgusted) pretty fast on that diet. :P

    If you focus on the nutrition, it's very hard to hit a calorie content that's net-positive day-to-day-- if you focus on the calorie count, it's very hard to hit any nutritional goals at all. I found a bag of pretzels that cost $2 and had 1600 calories-- but that's still too expensive day-to-day. All of the time I spent trying to track down new/better/cheaper foods was just more activity, and I ended up hemorrhaging weight away even if I was getting proper nutritional intake--

    I'm currently near 52kg at 180cm (male phenotype), and I'm just starting to pick it up thanks to having a college meal plan. Still, it's one meal a day on average, and the only way to make the calorie mark is to eat serving after serving of things I hate. :(

    50 bucks a year for costco. If you can't afford that well then....recycle cans and bottles.

    Nice thing about spaghetti and ghetto sauce (ala non-named brand) is it gives you an asston of carbs to make you feel full as well as give you that nice energy burst from all those god damn carbs. If the italians can do it, why can't we?

    precisionk on
  • OboroOboro __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    I grew up in an Italian family and although we ate a lot of spaghetti as part of meals, it was never the portion that I considered nutritionally valid. ;P

    And yeah, I think $50/yr puts Costco right out considering that even though buying bulk does save you money, buying bulk also requires more of an up-front investment.

    Oboro on
    words
  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I kind of doubt people on foodstamps are in a position to either get to the locations Costco and other big box stores favour (largely suburban off a freeway somewhere), or transport the gigantic sizes most of their stuff comes in.

    Seriously, grocery shopping without a car is a whole different experience than doing it with a car.

    Corvus on
    :so_raven:
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Hey.
    Hey guys.

    Costco doesn't take food stamps.

    Neither does Sam's Club, Smart and Final, or any other big bulk membership store that I've ever heard of.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Oh Feral, there you go...making us forget about all of the common-sense reasons somebody on food stamps couldn't shop at Costco and pointing out the glaring technical reason. Why'd you have to go and do that?

    mcdermott on
  • DirtyDirtyVagrantDirtyDirtyVagrant Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    My aunt is a convicted felon, has been a drug dealer, do-er, a pimp, a prostitute, a vagrant, a thief, and possibly a co-conspirator in a murder. (She was never charged)

    Her kids were taken away from her, and she has no job and no money. She recieves over $100 per week in food stamps and lives in a three-bedroom apartment that, despite its location in the shadiest area of town, is pretty fucking nice. She doesn't pay one goddamn penny in rent.

    So how exactly is she getting these benefits and regular people who actually need help and have jobs, who are struggling genuinely, get $21 a week? Should I be writing a congressman about this?

    Edit (Because I feel bad for not taking the challenge): Cup noodles at 27 cents each. 7(.27) = 1.89? There's lunch. 3.50 for a gallon of milk, 2.00 for a box of frosted flakes. Eggs and potato(e)s are cheap, and so is chicken. Last time I bought chicken hindquarters they were like $.29/lb. Fish is cheap too. I can get a ten pound box of decent quality fish filets for like $12. And there's a lot of possibilities, there.

    I could survive on $21 a week. I wouldn't want to have to. Survive is the operative word.

    DirtyDirtyVagrant on
  • OboroOboro __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    Man people need to learn some basic nutrition. :|

    Oboro on
    words
  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Oboro wrote: »
    Man people need to learn some basic nutrition. :|

    Even basic nutrition at $21/week will be difficult. Certain weeks you wouldn't get enough of one thing and you'd get too much of something else. In that case I wouldn't worry so hard about nutrition as I would just keeping myself going on $21 a week. Your circumstances have got to be pretty grave if that's what you have to do. I think people can do it, but Christ, no one in America should have to. The state of California can feed the entire world twice over. We dump thousands of tons of food in the pacific ocean every year. Can't get it overseas to people before it goes rancid, and apparently a lot of people have a problem with distributing it to people who could use it in America.

    :?

    Shogun on
  • Irond WillIrond Will WARNING: NO HURTFUL COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!!! Cambridge. MAModerator mod
    edited September 2007
    Oboro wrote: »
    Man people need to learn some basic nutrition. :|
    This coming from little miss "pop a multivitamin and scrounge together 300 calories of, like, ketchup packets or something".

    Irond Will on
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  • OboroOboro __BANNED USERS regular
    edited September 2007
    At least I know it's poor decision-making! I'm not advocating diets steeped in milk, sugars, starch (this is a sugar btdubs) to the deficiency of everything else.

    I hope.

    Is there some sort of Easy Nutrition website? <.>

    Oboro on
    words
  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Oboro wrote: »
    At least I know it's poor decision-making! I'm not advocating diets steeped in milk, sugars, starch (this is a sugar btdubs) to the deficiency of everything else.

    I hope.

    Is there some sort of Easy Nutrition website? <.>

    I learned everything I know about nutrition from a college bio 2 course. We had to do a week long complete nutritional analysis. It was very eye-opening. I don't care who you are and how well you think you take care of yourself. Sodium levels are off the fucking charts, and almost no one gets enough water. Potassium is also heavily lacking in diets. My nutrition was decent except for my sodium. Ridiculously high. It is so difficult to get around as well. I actually try very hard to eat well and balanced. We cook the majority of our meals at home. I just couldn't believe how high my sodium intake was.

    I'm not saying I'm a nutritional expert, but our instructor is. One of his PhDs is in nutrition and he's a complete food nut. It was cool because he taught us a lot about nutrition and body chemistry and how they can affect each other, but he also basically ragged on us everyday for eating crap. Couldn't bring a bag of chips in that class room without being hounded for 30 minutes.

    Shogun on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Shogun wrote: »
    I learned everything I know about nutrition from a college bio 2 course.

    I know this is a bit of a tangent off the thread, but I don't understand why we can't teach basic nutrition and fitness in high school. For all the "physical education" classes I took, I didn't learn a damn thing about how to take care of my body the right way until college (and, even then, largely post-college).

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • Irond WillIrond Will WARNING: NO HURTFUL COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!!! Cambridge. MAModerator mod
    edited September 2007
    Is high sodium really one of those crippling things? Like I knew that it plays a role in blood pressure.

    Also, how good is that potassium chloride salt replacer? I occasionally use msg, as I've read that if you use msg+salt you get overall more flavor for less actual sodium (i.e., you end up using less salt).

    Irond Will on
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  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Feral wrote: »
    Shogun wrote: »
    I learned everything I know about nutrition from a college bio 2 course.

    I know this is a bit of a tangent off the thread, but I don't understand why we can't teach basic nutrition and fitness in high school. For all the "physical education" classes I took, I didn't learn a damn thing about how to take care of my body the right way until college (and, even then, largely post-college).

    Amen. My highschool taught a class called 'wellness.' It was your basic required freshmen PE course. We learned absolutely nothing about food and nutrition.

    @Irond Will: A diet high in sodium can shorten your life by a good decade easily. Especially if you are genetically predisposed to heart problems. Americans love salt for whatever reason. Not only does a lot of our prepackaged food come with a lot of sodium to begin with after its prepared we add more to taste.

    Also, why in God's name do you use MSG? That shit is horrible. I avoid it whenever I can but its in a lot of shit today unfortunately.

    Shogun on
  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Double post yay

    Shogun on
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Irond Will wrote: »
    Is high sodium really one of those crippling things? Like I knew that it plays a role in blood pressure.

    Also, how good is that potassium chloride salt replacer? I occasionally use msg, as I've read that if you use msg+salt you get overall more flavor for less actual sodium (i.e., you end up using less salt).
    Not that I have any medical training besides my dad saying "If it doesn't bleed I don't care", but yeah, sodium is something to watch. Relates to blood pressure, and is probably the only thing I've ever been told to watch my intake on. Even as a healthy teenager, my penchant for over-salting my food made enough of an impact to be noticed.

    I think it's mostly because salting your food is tasty, but almost any processed food seems to give you tons of it already. My canned soups, for instance, give something like 30% of your sodium per day.

    durandal4532 on
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  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Irond Will wrote: »
    Is high sodium really one of those crippling things? Like I knew that it plays a role in blood pressure.

    Also, how good is that potassium chloride salt replacer? I occasionally use msg, as I've read that if you use msg+salt you get overall more flavor for less actual sodium (i.e., you end up using less salt).
    Not that I have any medical training besides my dad saying "If it doesn't bleed I don't care", but yeah, sodium is something to watch. Relates to blood pressure, and is probably the only thing I've ever been told to watch my intake on. Even as a healthy teenager, my penchant for over-salting my food made enough of an impact to be noticed.

    I think it's mostly because salting your food is tasty, but almost any processed food seems to give you tons of it already. My canned soups, for instance, give something like 30% of your sodium per day.

    A Lunchable has twice the amount of sodium in it a human adult should consume in a day. And we feed them to kids daily.

    HERE WASH IT DOWN WITH A COKE EAT UP AMERICA LAWLS

    edit: I'm sorry I'm getting very upset

    Shogun on
  • Warchild77Warchild77 Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I don't know where they get this national average but I used to work at a grocery store in LA (Lower Arkansas) and people would come in with anywhere from $400-$800 in food stamps. This was about 10 years ago to boot. I guess having 5 children help them out but I've never seen someone with just $21 (or $84 for a month).

    Coincidentally my wife and I bought $13 worth of groceries one week and never missed a meal. College will do that to ya. :P

    Warchild77 on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Warchild77 wrote: »
    I don't know where they get this national average but I used to work at a grocery store in LA (Lower Arkansas) and people would come in with anywhere from $400-$800 in food stamps.

    Maybe they weren't buying food every week.

    Maximum disbursement is $155 per month for a single person, or about $36 per week. For a family of four, it's $518, which comes out to $30 per person per week.

    They also subtract 30% of your income from your allotment, which is why the average per person is $21 rather than $36 or $30.
    Warchild77 wrote: »
    This was about 10 years ago to boot. I guess having 5 children help them out but I've never seen someone with just $21 (or $84 for a month).

    BTW, to go from a week's budget to a month's budget, you don't just multiply by four. You multiply by 52 and divide by 12. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Feral wrote: »
    Warchild77 wrote: »
    I don't know where they get this national average but I used to work at a grocery store in LA (Lower Arkansas) and people would come in with anywhere from $400-$800 in food stamps.

    Maybe they weren't buying food every week.

    Maximum disbursement is $155 per month for a single person, or about $36 per week. For a family of four, it's $518, which comes out to $30 per person per week.

    They also subtract 30% of your income from your allotment, which is why the average per person is $21 rather than $36 or $30.
    Warchild77 wrote: »
    This was about 10 years ago to boot. I guess having 5 children help them out but I've never seen someone with just $21 (or $84 for a month).

    BTW, to go from a week's budget to a month's budget, you don't just multiply by four. You multiply by 52 and divide by 12. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

    It isn't that much difference though, with that math. $91 instead of $84. Of course as the numbers get bigger the difference probably is a lot more.

    Shogun on
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