- Joined
- Dec 7, 2012
- Messages
- 227
So glad there seems to be such a thoughtful discussion going on-maybe FEED USA is doing some good inadvertently...
When I was a pre-teen I lived with my grandmother who was far too feeble and frail to work and I was too young, so we were on all kinds of public assistance, including food stamps, back when they were actually stamps-more accurately, paper vouchers a bit larger than bank checks.
When I would go shopping ( I ran all the errands since she was virtually homebound ), I couldn't win for losing-stock up on strawberries and grapes when they were on sale and actually get some vitamin C and fiber? Nasty looks and "whispers". Grab a bunch of cheap tv dinners and generic potato chips because they were far less perishable and far less costly? Glares and comments. This was the time of my life I learned to appreciate truly kind and professional store staff, let me tell you...
Having worked at a "high-end" supermarket, I have no problems with EBT customers-they may have severe food allergies or nutritional needs that cannot be met theough conventional store options, especially if they are shopping for very young kids, and they may be looking to nutritionally maximize their EBT value-even shopping at Traders or Whole Foods doesn't HAVE to break the bank if you clip coupons, shop sales, and plan very wisely and stick to your list.
That said, here's a puzzler, in my opinion...
Why the ### is CHEWING GUM a permitted purchase with EBT???? IT'S NOT FOOD.
THAT said, any other front end people ever notice that occasionally a seemingly random item will come up non food-stampable??? ( Random as in, guest buying nine packs of organic baby food, the banana one isn't food stampable, but the squash, berry, and corn ones are??? )
When I was a pre-teen I lived with my grandmother who was far too feeble and frail to work and I was too young, so we were on all kinds of public assistance, including food stamps, back when they were actually stamps-more accurately, paper vouchers a bit larger than bank checks.
When I would go shopping ( I ran all the errands since she was virtually homebound ), I couldn't win for losing-stock up on strawberries and grapes when they were on sale and actually get some vitamin C and fiber? Nasty looks and "whispers". Grab a bunch of cheap tv dinners and generic potato chips because they were far less perishable and far less costly? Glares and comments. This was the time of my life I learned to appreciate truly kind and professional store staff, let me tell you...
Having worked at a "high-end" supermarket, I have no problems with EBT customers-they may have severe food allergies or nutritional needs that cannot be met theough conventional store options, especially if they are shopping for very young kids, and they may be looking to nutritionally maximize their EBT value-even shopping at Traders or Whole Foods doesn't HAVE to break the bank if you clip coupons, shop sales, and plan very wisely and stick to your list.
That said, here's a puzzler, in my opinion...
Why the ### is CHEWING GUM a permitted purchase with EBT???? IT'S NOT FOOD.
THAT said, any other front end people ever notice that occasionally a seemingly random item will come up non food-stampable??? ( Random as in, guest buying nine packs of organic baby food, the banana one isn't food stampable, but the squash, berry, and corn ones are??? )