Archived Feed u.s.a.

[Instockster]

"This pillow will feed 20 people." I imagined 20 people tearing a piece of it off at a large dinner table.

 

[sher]

I changed my mind about this collaboration. I figure people probably actually need some of the things in it anyway. It's nice that you can get things you would've bought anyway and do some good all at once. 2 birds one stone. I couldn't get behind someone just buying it for the charitable aspect, though. You can give money directly to Feed without giving a cut to Target.

I still don't get how charitable organizations eat manufacturing costs just to sell something for charity. Why not just give the manufacturing money? I also hate when that yogurt company gives to breast cancer research when people send in the pink lids. Just give the money away without asking people to jump through hoops in order to convince you to do it.

I'm poor, myself, though (my mom charges me minimal rent, and I'm on food stamps) so I do wish they'd pay me more (9 cent raise doesn't cut it. I haven't even noticed it) instead of donating all over the place.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

I keep on thinking about, buy this item & feed six folks. I am not sure on that. Reminds me of the shoppes, last year.

 

[HardlinesFour]

I don't mean to be rude here, But I've never understood the point of Food Banks, and the such, when truly needy americans can walk into a Public Assistance office and get Food Stamps...

I mean, if you don't go overboard, when your grocery shopping, you can last and live on what they give you. Maybe there's something I'm misunderstanding.. 🙁

 

[sher]

There are rules to getting Food Stamps (ex-cons can't get them here and in some other states), there's a bit of bureaucracy you have to go through to get them, there's a limit for how long you can be on them, sometimes it's easier to get to a food bank than it is to get to the welfare office (I have internet access and since I'm employed, I didn't have to go to the office, but otherwise it's easier to get to a food bank from where I am). And, if food stamps are the only thing funding your food, it's completely possible that you'd run out. In a 30 day month, I have about $1.55 per meal if I eat 3 meals per day.

I think what you're eating makes a difference as well as what your grocery options are, what things go on sale in any given month, and what the prices in general are like. If I had an Aldi, or even a Trader Joe's, I'd be able to make it last better.

disclaimer: that ex-con thing was just an example. There are other rules that may prevent someone from getting food stamps.

 

[commiecorvus]

I had to go on food stamps after I was hit by a car and my wife was unemployed.
I promise even with my wife's unemployment, the food stamps were not enough to feed the four of us.
We went to the food bank and it made all the difference in the world.

 

[HardlinesFour]

Well, I'm sorry for my statement. It's been quite a while since I've been on them, but when I was I was able to pull around $204? a month for myself. And honestly, besides basically eating no Meat, I thought I did very well. Oatmeal or Cereal for Breakfast, Sandwiches for Lunch. And for Dinner, I'd hit up Safeway and buy there Fresh Fruit Catering thingies that were being marked down and had those for dinner, or other nights, after a long day, it'd be some frozen box meal 😛 Tons and Tons of Kraft Mac and Cheese..

Yeah. Probably not the most *healthy* thing in the world, but, I lived, does that count?

I'm kinda worried now. If something happens to my Job, has the system really changed that much...

 

[TeamRed]

I think the Feed USA clothing is a wonderful idea a little overpriced but it does help feed someone so it is the thought that counts. I hope I am rude ( someone brought up food stamps) I never understood why a place like Whole Foods takes the Food Stamp card. I can't even afford that place with their high priced groceries and organic food and they take the Food Stamp card?? I understand places like Target, Wal-mart etc etc but places like Trader Joes ( not sure if they do) and Whole Foods I do not think they should take the food stamp card there are people out there that cannot even get the food stamp card and they are struggling everyday to put food on the table make ends meet. Again not saying I think the Food stamp card is a bad thing I just think they shouldn't allow it at places like Whole Foods and Trader Joes.

 

[daninnj]

I disagree with what is said above. If people with food stamps want to spend it at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, more power to them. They still get the same amount per month whether they shop at ShopRite, Food Lion, Publix, Whole Foods, Sav-a-Lot, or the bodega down the street.

 

[mrknownothing]

I disagree with what is said above. If people with food stamps want to spend it at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, more power to them. They still get the same amount per month whether they shop at ShopRite, Food Lion, Publix, Whole Foods, Sav-a-Lot, or the bodega down the street.

This. So what if they're financially challenged? They should still be able to provide healthy meals for their families.

 

[TeamRed]

I never meant to offend and like I said I think it is great they help those in need. Yes healthy meals are important and you did some valid points sorry to anyone I offended people should shop wherever and buy whatever they want.

 

[sher]

Trader Joe's prices are actually really effing reasonable.
Prices obvi differ by area, but in many places, they undercut a lot of Target's prices. I've never heard anyone say TJ was expensive. Almost the whole damn store is generics!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/who-makes-trader-joes-food_n_2664899.html
http://www.myhealthynest.com/trader-joes-price-comparison/

I actually think Target's groceries are poorly priced. I never buy groceries from Target unless something I want is on sale. They aren't even undercutting the regular grocery stores around here, and sometimes the sales don't even bring them under. Target does have the cheapest loaves of bread I've seen, but that's one of few things they're winning at. WF really is expensive, though.

HLFour, you were getting $2.27 per meal. The average now is $1.50 based on 3 meals per day. I have some health issues that don't allow me to just ball out on processed, frozen, and boxed meals. I get some because I mean, I can't afford to eat complete meals 2x a day (I don't usually eat 3x). I'll eat something from a box or can for lunch and have a good dinner. If I don't make it through the month, I just skip a bill. Sorry, Sallie Mae, you're not my #1 priority haha.

 

[HardlinesFour]

I disagree with what is said above. If people with food stamps want to spend it at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, more power to them. They still get the same amount per month whether they shop at ShopRite, Food Lion, Publix, Whole Foods, Sav-a-Lot, or the bodega down the street.

I have to decline with that statement. Yes, they still get the same "amount" but, if there supposedly in-need, why should they be shopping at a store that price gouges? They won't get anywhere as far shopping at a High End Grocery store, then say, a Super Center..

From my experience.

Publix, Harris Teeter & Whole Foods are the most expensive. Food Lion's "sale" prices are just about in line with Walmart's "everyday" prices, although they do have some good loss leaders, generally everything else in store is about .50 to $1 less at Walmart. Publix has Bogo sales that are just about 10-20% less then what'd you'd pay buying the same two items at Walmart, everything else in store is sometimes 30-50% more expensive, than buying it at a competing store like Target or Walmart.

However, if it's Fresh Produce you want, Walmart has the worst produce selection I've ever seen. Although, Super-Target's produce can be hit or miss as-well, but it's generally ok. Publix is a great "step up" from them all. I think Harris Teeter and Whole Foods are the best places if you really want "Fresh" 🙂

Sad, it's been years since I've lived on the east coast, and I still remember how the grocery stores were 😛

 

[redeye58]

I get a few groc at my store.
Out-dates: it's what's for dinner!

 

[Rarejem]

I get a few groc at my store.
Out-dates: it's what's for dinner!

Your store sells them? BIG no-no here! Also, I am appalled that food stamp users and poor people are not assigned a government watch-dog to ensure that they only shop at the cheapest store, regardless of the distance from their home or if they are using coupons. There should be a list of "best" and "worst" providers of fresh and cheap food and penalties to those that don't adhere to it. Their families should not be allowed to have "special" dinners for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. and snacks should be forbidden. Steaks and fresh seafood should only be allowed to be purchased by those that earn a certain amount of money per year. I can't understand the nerve of those that leach off of the government and I don't care how many part time jobs they hold or how much their rent is! How dare they think that they should be able to find any joy in their meager lives even if it's just a good cup of coffee???

 

[redeye58]

Re: out-dates - our store doesn't sell them. They're usually left in the BR for TMs.

Re: foodstamps - I wish they could deny EBTs for junk food. Irks me when someone comes thru using their card for sodas & chips when we have flavored waters, salad bowls, fruit bowls & calzones for the same price.

 

[HardlinesFour]

Re: out-dates - our store doesn't sell them. They're usually left in the BR for TMs.

Re: foodstamps - I wish they could deny EBTs for junk food. Irks me when someone comes thru using their card for sodas & chips when we have flavored waters, salad bowls, fruit bowls & calzones for the same price.

Why buy "Flavored" water?, Regular Ice Cold water just tastes good on it's own, and is much more "refreshing". As for Frito-Lay, there pretzels are pretty good, I don't really care much for chips, they don't taste all that great and they leave your hands feeling greasy afterwards, not really my cup of tea.

Fruit Bowls. Kinda Expensive imho. I think you come out better just buying things individually, and rinsing and packaging your own for work. Calzones, not really healthy, but yummy as hell 😛

And as for the Salad Bowls. You'd come out better buying the "Fresh Express" things, and mixing up your own croutons and such. Well, for two people you come out ahead. I'm just too lazy to freeze salad and try to prepare it, every other night.

 

[daninnj]

Yeah, that's true HL4, I was more in line of thinking about
this where someone bought lobsters and steak and Mountain Dew. If someone did buy all that stuff to feed their family (and not to illegally sell it), the family would only be able to be fed for a few days and the rest of the month they would starve. Whereas another family actually using them for nutritional and health foods could last the whole month.

I live in one of the top five major cities in the US and of those, the one with the highest poverty rate. The amount of EBT abuse I see is maddening. One of my friends worked for city hall and got food stamps while making a good amount of money and living with his parents because he knew someone. Of course there are also many people who use them correctly. I have a produce store a few blocks from me which accepts EBT and I can get fresh strawberries for $1/lb, blackberries for $1 for 8oz, baby spanish for $1, cherries for $1 sometimes, whatever's in season is usually priced very low. I applaud the people using their card there and not using it at a corner store for chips and soda.

 

[commiecorvus]

The problem that way too many of the people using food support have issues with transportation and live in areas that don't have very many options for groceries.
If you live in the inner cities there might be one store within walking distance (my wife teaches kids who haven't been outside of two miles of their homes) and if you live in rural Tennessee the problem is exactly the same if not worse.
The prices are high, the selection sucks and the people pretty much know they have you at their mercy.

 

[HardlinesFour]

The problem that way too many of the people using food support have issues with transportation and live in areas that don't have very many options for groceries.
If you live in the inner cities there might be one store within walking distance (my wife teaches kids who haven't been outside of two miles of their homes) and if you live in rural Tennessee the problem is exactly the same if not worse.
The prices are high, the selection sucks and the people pretty much know they have you at their mercy.

There should be mountains of Federal Legislation preventing business owners from scamming innocent, honest, trying to get by americans. I belive there should be a law saying once cannot markup merchandise available at significant difference within a 20-30 mile area. There's no reasonable justification for it, imho. Just Greed.

 

[sher]

Because a government watchdog wouldn't make taxes go up.

There's no Publix and Food Lion here (is that southern?), but Pathmark and Acme grocery stores (and sometimes even Stop & Shop) are all cheaper than Target. Wal Mart's cheapest, but we don't have super wal mart here... so they just have pantry stuff and frozen stuff. Nothing fresh. No meats other than packaged frozen chicken breasts, no produce, no deli meats. I get the packaged oscar mayer or hillshire farms shit when there aren't any good sales, but really.. all those preservatives aren't helping anyone. Not the poor and not the rich. I have a fake farmer's market down the street that's opened on weekends that has suuuper low prices and takes ebt. There's also a really effing cheap butcher/meat market here that takes it. Cheap places are out there, you just have to look beyond Target's b.s. claims of "everyday low prices." They give you a list when you get the card of stores that take it. Mine didn't even list Target. I thought that was interesting.

Alsooo, foods that aren't great for you are typically cheaper, so I can understand why someone would buy shit instead of veggies and such.

Disclaimer: Grocery prices differ by region, so if Target actually does have the lowest prices where you are, that's awesome.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

In my case, cheaper here.

 

[HardlinesFour]

For me the Prices here are on par with Walmart. In my case, most items are about two cents more than the price at our supercenter. Add In your RedCard and TM Discount, and you're saving a considerable amount. Produce is a tad more expensive, but everything else (branded) throughout the store is pretty much the same...

I guess I kinda assumed it was the same situation, everywhere..

 

[daninnj]

To me, ShopRite by far is the cheapest full-service supermarket in the area, but I'm probably only saying that because my daddy works for corporate.

 

[commiecorvus]

To me, ShopRite by far is the cheapest full-service supermarket in the area, but I'm probably only saying that because my daddy works for corporate.

They also have the best Kosher selection available in a regular grocery store.