Kids and food

[GreenTealael 24,922]

Once the rotisserie chickens at Wal-Martha's been refrigerated they set them back out and you can get them on an EBT card or Snap. Don't quite seem right.

I think discussing what should and should not be allowed on entitlement programs like SNAP but not other entitlement programs such as Farmers Aid seems to be polarizing and unfair. This seems to have the air of socioeconomic disparities and prejudice at its core.

VSG2017 HW 249 SW 238 CW 169

[Frustr8 7,886]

I just think a trip in and out,of refrigeration is a study,in silliness. That chicken is equally nutritious, if you buy it hot and if you buy it cold. Same bird after all. Rather,like beverages in Ohio, if you consume,them on the restaurants premises you pay taxes, even on a outside patio . If you buy it, say it's "To Go" you don't have to pay. Many times I've seen people buy something then sit on the street curb and drink it. Technically it's on the city's right of way. Years ago when we vacationed in Florida, hubby,wanted to go into a racetrack, left me and the children in the car. Didn't know it is illegal for minors to be there in that state. Had to leave the,parking lot and go across to a private lot across the street and pay to sit there while hubby finished what he was doing. My good friend who lives,along the Ohio,River said,they had to do their fooling around in Ohio, because if they went to Kentucky or West Virginia he could be charged with taking her "across state lines for immoral purposes." I said " Oh yeah, like the FBI,is going to bother to haul you in?"

[TakingABreak 2,733]

Kids are def different from spouses. You can cook better for your husband but ultimately he’s an adult and can do as he pleases. But you make a choice for your children.
My family has a predisposition to obesity and my sister is being very cautious with her twins. They are one but she is making sure that they eat well rounded meals. And knows that “treats” will be few and far between. When we were rewarded as kids it was a Happy Meal. Now, I know not to use food as a reward. I think another consideration is to keep our youth more active. The internet, video games, and phones have made our youth super lazy and uninterested in actual activities. It’s something I will be very mindful of when I have children.
But to Creeks point about how she was taught to “entertain” with food. I feel the same way. My grandma always offers food or drink the *moment* you walk in. She stocks her fridge for visitors, not herself. I think culture needs to change. Too many things revolve around food. My sister and I were talking about Christmas, and she said she didn’t want her girls to get wrapped up in the idea that it’s about gifts. She started listing why the holidays are important, and food made the top 5.
Ultimately, society won’t change but we can pass down good habits to our children and stop the trends that cause obesity in our families. I want my children to love green veggies and fish. So I’ll feed them those things and teach them about nutrition from an early age.

[TakingABreak 2,733]

On 07/15/2018 at 10:29, sillykitty said:

Actually SNAP (food stamps) cannot be used on prepared food. So fast food restaurants cannot accept SNAP.

What you see is signs on fast food restaurants "EBT Accepted". EBT is Electronic Benefit Transfer. That's the new version of a welfare check. So a person on government assistance is issued a debit card, and loaded on to it is either or both, "food stamps" (SNAP) and "welfare" (EBT). The "welfare" benefit can be used without restriction, pulled out of an ATM as cash for example. But the SNAP benefit is restricted as to what it can be used on, non prepared foods only.

That’s actually not 100% correct. It can’t be used on prepared *hot* food. It can be used on cold. So if it’s a pre-made salad or even food that is meant to be warmed. Like our grocery store has a pizza and Chinese counter. They always put left over Chinese food in containers to sell in the deli section. It’s cold and SNAP can be used for it.

[sillykitty 10,710]

5 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

That’s actually not 100% correct. It can’t be used on prepared *hot* food. It can be used on cold. So if it’s a pre-made salad or even food that is meant to be warmed. Like our grocery store has a pizza and Chinese counter. They always put left over Chinese food in containers to sell in the deli section. It’s cold and SNAP can be used for it.

Yes, that is correct, more precise than what I wrote

That only applies where there is no place to "eat in", like most grocery stores.

[Creekimp13 5,838]

This is an education I never expected to get with this thread. LOL. Interesting, though. How weird!

[TakingABreak 2,733]

On 07/15/2018 at 11:49, Frustr8 said:

Once the rotisserie chickens at Wal-Martha's been refrigerated they set them back out and you can get them on an EBT card or Snap. Don't quite seem right.

I’ve got friends and family on food stamps. I know people who really abuse the resource. Buying crab legs and expensive steaks. I’d be much happier to see a family buy a hot rotisserie chicken to feed the family for $6 than something grossly extravagant. The resources are there for those who need it, it gets frustrated to see it abused.

[Kella112 24]

I don’t have kids myself so I cannot speak to that perspective so much. However I do have nieces and nephews. My brother and his wife have taken the healthy food thing too far. My 12 year old niece should not necessarily know “oh that has a lot of calories in it” yes I would want them making healthy choices but I would not want my niece to have an unhealthy body image problem going into her teen years. They have made it uncomfortable to be around them at family holidays bc of how much they discuss healthy food and this and that. There should be a point when you just enjoy if it’s a family function or holiday and not make others feel so uncomfortable. Moderation and controlling your potion sizes is always a good idea to keep in mind.

[TakingABreak 2,733]

On 07/15/2018 at 17:11, Kella112 said:

I don’t have kids myself so I cannot speak to that perspective so much. However I do have nieces and nephews. My brother and his wife have taken the healthy food thing too far. My 12 year old niece should not necessarily know “oh that has a lot of calories in it” yes I would want them making healthy choices but I would not want my niece to have an unhealthy body image problem going into her teen years. They have made it uncomfortable to be around them at family holidays bc of how much they discuss healthy food and this and that. There should be a point when you just enjoy if it’s a family function or holiday and not make others feel so uncomfortable. Moderation and controlling your potion sizes is always a good idea to keep in mind.

Sounds like a happy medium is needed. Hard to achieve, who knows? I know I want my children to know about Protein, carbs, fats, sugar, ect. I don’t want them counting their calories or worrying about being “fat” but it’s all about how you focus the conversation. Its also about using the right words.

[sillykitty 10,710]

10 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

But to Creeks point about how she was taught to “entertain” with food. I feel the same way. My grandma always offers food or drink the *moment* you walk in. She stocks her fridge for visitors, not herself. I think culture needs to change. Too many things revolve around food. My sister and I were talking about Christmas, and she said she didn’t want her girls to get wrapped up in the idea that it’s about gifts. She started listing why the holidays are important, and food made the top 5.

@AshAsh1 ... just to play devil's advocate here ...

Is welcoming with food, stocking the house for guests, really a bad thing? Is this something we should rid from our culture? Is it even possible to do so? Is it part of human DNA? Making guest feel welcome with food, usually better and more plentiful than the norm is universal. The custom dates back to the beginning of recorded history. It may be slaughtering an animal to honor guests in a poor rural village to a state dinner at the White House. I keep Whiskey, Gin, Chardonnay, etc. in my house, and that is solely for guests, is that a bad thing, or am I a good host?

Many cultures are much more food oriented than the US, but they don't have an obesity problem. For example, Italy, meals are a long drawn out experience, with multiple courses. In Vietnam fast economical street food is available every five feet, and most meals are eaten out instead of at home (in cities at least). Both of these example cultures food is more central to daily life than for most in the US, why aren't they as obese as the US?

For holidays, specials foods have always marked special occasions, again across all cultures and back through history. So are holidays the problem, or is lack of balance in modern US life the problem?

Some food for thought

[TakingABreak 2,733]

On 07/15/2018 at 17:27, sillykitty said:

@AshAsh1 ... just to play devil's advocate here ...

Is welcoming with food, stocking the house for guests, really a bad thing? Is this something we should rid from our culture? Is it even possible to do so? Is it part of human DNA? Making guest feel welcome with food, usually better and more plentiful than the norm is universal. The custom dates back to the beginning of recorded history. It may be slaughtering an animal to honor guests in a poor rural village to a state dinner at the White House. I keep Whiskey, Gin, Chardonnay, etc. in my house, and that is solely for guests, is that a bad thing, or am I a good host?

Many cultures are much more food oriented than the US, but they don't have an obesity problem. For example, Italy, meals are a long drawn out experience, with multiple courses. In Vietnam fast economical street food is available every five feet, and most meals are eaten out instead of at home (in cities at least). Both of these example cultures food is more central to daily life than for most in the US, why aren't they as obese as the US?

For holidays, specials foods have always marked special occasions, again across all cultures and back through history. So are holidays the problem, or is lack of balance in modern US life the problem?

Some food for thought

I’m actually the same way, I entertain with food. I always have stuff in the pantry for guests that we don’t actually eat. For example, we keep a stock of s’more supplies because people like to use the fire pit when they come visit. I have a garage fridge stocked with beverages that we don’t drink. I don’t think it’s a bad thing necessarily, but it depends on the family. I get joy cooking large family dinners (15-20 adults that come). I don’t think I’m wrong for that. But I do think that I see how food is so much imbedded in our family gatherings. We rarely do activities that don’t involve food.
If I were to make an assumption based on why the US is more obese than other countries with the same cultural norms, I’d say it’s our Portion Control. You don’t realize until you’ve gotten a dinner plate in Japan or Germany, that the US serves a ridiculously large portion. Also, it could be the readiness and availability processed foods and added sugar.
It also could be the lack of balance between food and activity.
All these things play a roll.

[sillykitty 10,710]

30 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

I’ve got friends and family on food stamps. I know people who really abuse the resource. Buying crab legs and expensive steaks. I’d be much happier to see a family buy a hot rotisserie chicken to feed the family for $6 than something grossly extravagant. The resources are there for those who need it, it gets frustrated to see it abused.

@AshAsh1 .... this is not directed at you, I'm sure i seems like I'm picking on you today

As @Tealael alluded to, criticisms and wanting to control of how "poor" people use benefits is often a dog whistle for a lot uglier sentiments, like racism and classism.

Of course any benefit can and will be misused. But SNAP is not subject to wide spread abuse.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/04/what-many-americans-get-wrong-about-food-stamps-according-to-an-economist/?utm_term=.3c1242181774

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/20/255819681/the-truth-behind-the-lies-of-the-original-welfare-queen

[TakingABreak 2,733]

On 07/15/2018 at 17:54, sillykitty said:

@AshAsh1 .... this is not directed at you, I'm sure i seems like I'm picking on you today

As @Tealael alluded to, criticisms and wanting to control of how "poor" people use benefits is often a dog whistle for a lot uglier sentiments, like racism and classism.

Of course any benefit can and will be misused. But SNAP is not subject to wide spread abuse.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/04/what-many-americans-get-wrong-about-food-stamps-according-to-an-economist/?utm_term=.3c1242181774

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/20/255819681/the-truth-behind-the-lies-of-the-original-welfare-queen

I know your not picking on me LOL I love our talks. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea. I don’t think everyone abuses it. I have a family member who has a family of 4 and they make approx 21k per year. I know it’s much needed. I’m glad it’s a resource for those who do. I just get frustrated when it’s not used for nutritious and effective ways. If you spend all your money on crab legs and can’t feed your family (besides ramen noodles) the rest of the month—that is when I get upset.

[sillykitty 10,710]

19 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

If I were to make an assumption based on why the US is more obese than other countries with the same cultural norms, I’d say it’s our Portion Control. You don’t realize until you’ve gotten a dinner plate in Japan or Germany, that the US serves a ridiculously large portion. Also, it could be the readiness and availability processed foods and added sugar.
It also could be the lack of balance between food and activity.
All these things play a roll.

Yeah, the biggest difference I see is activity level, and potentially the amount of processed ingredients. Those two things are vastly different in the US vs. most of the rest of the world.

Funny, I had always heard how large US portion sizes are compared to everywhere else. You know, in Italy the portions are small, that's how they eat multiple courses, right? That has so not been my experience! The only exception I have experienced has been Japan, definitely small portions there. Even in SE Asia portions were larger than I had anticipated, but I suspect locals would order fewer courses or share among more people.

[sillykitty 10,710]

31 minutes ago, AshAsh1 said:

I just get frustrated when it’s not used for nutritious and effective ways. If you spend all your money on crab legs and can’t feed your family (besides ramen noodles) the rest of the month—that is when I get upset.

I think a lot of that is the psychology of poverty. When the long term outlook is bleak, people focus on the short term.

https://phys.org/news/2012-11-poverty-people-focus-short-term.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/11/your-brain-on-poverty-why-poor-people-seem-to-make-bad-decisions/281780/