Ask the Person on Food Stamps

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

Under the theory people aren’t totally bored yet, let me revisit that shepherd’s pie and illustrate how one goes about cooking as a poor person.

Here is Broomstick’s Poor Person Shepherd’s Pie Recipe, with annotations, explanations and comments:

1 pound ground meat(1)
1 stalk celery
1 large carrot
1/2 onion
1/4 bell pepper
Other vegetables you may have(2)
4 servings of gravy(3)
8 servings mash potatoes(4)
Seasonings: pepper, Worcestershire sauce parsley, etc.(5)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Brown the meat. Dice/chop the vegetables. Combine meat, vegetables, gravy, and seasonings in a bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread evenly in a large casserole or baking dish.

Make the mashed potatoes. Layer over the mixture in the baking dish. Do not level the mashed potatoes, leave in peaks and valleys.

Bake for 30-40 minutes uncovered, or until potatoes start to brown.

Makes four portions.

Seems pretty straightforward, right? But what if you don’t have ground meat? Or no Worcestershire sauce? Read on:

  1. I said “meat” - note the lack of specificity. I usually use ground beef (traditional in the US - other countries use lamb) but it could be any ground meat. Last year some friends who hunt gave me several pound of venison, which worked just fine. It could be meat stretched with TVP. If you want to go vegetarian it could be rice and lentils. Or beans and rice. Or cheese. Think of this as the “protein” part of the meal, and use any protein you have on hand. Note, too, that each portion works out to 4 ounces of protein, which is less than what most Americans are accustomed to, but is actually 1 dietary portion of protein.

  2. Two traditional vegetables for this dish are peas and corn, at least in the US. I don’t include them because I’m allergic to them, but those two are a legume+grain combination, which makes for a complete protein. That increase the nutrition in the meal

  3. There are three ways I have for obtaining gravy: make it from scratch (which, honestly, I’m not very good at doing), make it out of a packet of powder, or use a can/jar of gravy. If you’re poor, you’ll use what you have available, whichever form gravy takes. Again, this can be any gravy you have on hand.

  4. Again, there’s more than one way to get mashed potatoes. You can make them from scratch. You can start with canned potatoes. You can use instant potatoes. If you’re poor, again, you’ll use what you have on hand. Heck, I might combine potatoes and turnips for a “neaps and tatties” covering. Also, there’s no denying instant is a heck of a lot quicker and easier. By the way, milk+potatoes is another complete protein.

  5. Season with whatever the heck you want. I used pepper and parsley. Gravy will add flavor. Use hot sauce if you like it. Whatever. I’ve met people who are slaves to recipes - “Oh, no! I don’t have X! I can’t make this!” Yes, usually you can. Substitute with something.

So, OK, I want to make shepherd’s pie. I have to figure out what “meat” I have, what vegetables, how I’m going to get gravy, and how I’m going to make mashed potatoes. That’s a few more decisions than I think more people make prior to cooking, and the answer depends not on what I want but what I have on hand. If I only have half the potato flakes I need I might wind up making half the potatoes with instant and half out of a can or even from scratch. There’s a couple decisions and problems to solve even before I start cooking. You have to be flexible, you have to be able to substitute one thing for another.

On the other hand, each serving has (more or less) 4-5 ounces of protein, 2-3 dietary serving of vegetables (2 of potato, 1-2 of the other vegetables), and significant calcium if there’s milk in the potatoes. Add a dinner roll and you have a complete meal. It’s actually closer to how you should be eating than a fast food burger or fried chicken or mac and cheese.

It’s also flexible. It’s quintessential poor people food. Mix and match all you want, use what you have on hand. This started as poor people food, and its an example of how poor people have always stretched meat, mixed and matched what they had, and found a way to put filling food on the table.

A lot of the bean soups are the same way - very flexible, mix and match, stretch meat, etc. Ditto for stews. If you have to save money that’s how you cook. Look at what peasants eat.

62

I’m not bored. And I was wondering where you get all this gravy. My guess is that making it from a packet is generally cheapest… unless you’ve just roasted one of those cheap cuts of meat, and have lots of yummy meat juice.

Are bell peppers not horrendously expensive where you live? I grow them in my garden, and rarely buy them in the stores, because they seem like about the most expensive vegetable you can buy. Well, maybe frozen ones aren’t so bad, the Meijer I’m going to now doesn’t have them that way so I haven’t been checking.

63

Broomstick, my better half wanted me to let you know that Coupons.com has a coupon for any brand of yogurt and any brand of cheese. I think you just need to put your zip code in the upper left green box, and they ought to pop up at the top of the list.

Tripler
. . . and this, again, is open to any and all Dopers.

64

Aldi’s had a post-holiday clearance sale on 4 varieties of gravy (chicken, turkey, beef, mushroom) in 12 ounce jars. I wasn’t the only one stocking up.

But yes, that’s the point - you have to be flexible enough to take advantage of anything, whether it’s a sale on jarred/canned gravy, the juices from a roast, or a deal on packets.

Yes, they are expensive and unfortunately I’ve had no luck growing them in the garden. They are also my husband’s favorites and he’ll eat them as snack food in preference to chips and the like. They were (and are) and “indulgence” and a “luxury”, but given they displace snack foods in his diet and are very nutritious we added them to the budget in very limited quantities. As I said, I used to ration them. Now he can eat all he wants.

65

I need more info on the Impact program. I have already applied to everyplace in the county for work. Most places you can only apply every 60 days. In addition I am not a youngster anymore - I can’t repetively lift hundreds of pounds all day long. And I don’t have health insurance. My caseworker has browbeat my current employer until they have reduced my work hours to almost nothing. And I am an excellent worker - I run rings around the youngsters! Does Impact provide gas money for your car to look for work again? I am selling my meager possessions - just to pay rent. I applied for section 8 - and they gave me tons of documents and I still don’t qualify. I am down to bare bones living at this point. I have a ton of education - that isn’t what employers are even looking for in this economy - having an education means nothing - because there are no jobs. Someone here said people can go elsewhere for work - where? And how do they pay to look for work elsewhere? And if people had friends and relatives to help them out - then obviously - that is what they would do. What happens to the older employee who isn’t eligible for the government programs? I apply for things - and except for Snap - can’t get anything. I am not quite old enough for social security. I can’t get disability because I don’t have health insurance to go to doctors to prove my case. What the heck am I supposed to do? For people out there thinking this won’t happen to them - cause they work hard and follow the rules - think again - you never know what the next year will bring. I have followed the rules my whole life. I don’t drink, smoke, do drugs - I have worked my whole life and now I have to be humiliated by caseworkers in the government offices. Maybe I should just starve and freeze to death - would that make people happy in the government?

66

IMPACT is a program in my state, Indiana. Some other states have equivalent programs, but they wouldn’t be identical.

Yeah, annoying ain’t it? Except for the ones that say every 90 days.

So IMPACT has all these people filling out job applications 4-8 hours a day in an area with very limited jobs available. The office staff steadfastly maintain that if you work their program you WILL find a job… but job seekers outnumber jobs 6:1 across the nation and in some areas even more so. This does not seem to add up to me.

I got chewed out for not applying for a dockworker position. It required being able to life 80 pounds over one’s head and lift 100 pounds “often” during a shift. I can NOT physically lift 80 pounds over my head. I could get 100 pounds up waist high a few times in a day. There is no way in hell I could do that “dockworker” job. I’d be a hazard to myself and others - yet the worker kept insisting I should apply anyway. Why? As busy work to keep my benefits. I actually WANT a job - a job I can actually do. But instead of looking for one this biddy wanted me to waste my time with “dockworker”.

:rolleyes:

I also mentioned age bias to one of these gals. She swore up and down that it does not exist, all in my head, not an excuse… I have to wonder if she tells black people racial discrimination doesn’t exist, either. Oh, I know - you have to keep going despite the bias. But instead of discussing how to cope with/get around such bias she denied it even existed. This does not strike me as useful.

What state do you live in? That will have a huge impact in what programs are out there. I’m most familiar with what’s available in Indiana right now, but I know a little about elsewhere. Let me know where you’re located - I can make no guarantees, but perhaps I’ll find something, I’ve gotten pretty good at chasing things down.

What?

Transportation subsidies are limited. I think they may, in a very limited set of circumstances, provide that just as they sometimes provide vouchers for interview clothing or bus fare, but clearly they’re not handing it out willy-nilly either.

Section 8 in my area has a ten year waiting list! I didn’t even bother. I am fortunate to have a merciful landlord and relatively low rent.

Yes - where is this amazing Land of Jobs I hear tell of…? :wink:

Yes. My rent this month and next will be paid largely by my family. I hate that fact, but I have no choice.

You are screwed. Welcome to Welfare Reform.

Yes, a lot of the current aid issues for people in our age group are directly linked to welfare reform in the 1990s. A time when things were booming and finding work was much easier. The idea was to sharply limit aid to force those lazy bums to get up off their fat asses and FIND WORK!!! It was designed for a more prosperous time, not our current situation where people looking for work, ANY work, outnumber jobs 6:1

While I have certainly met burned out state workers, most that I have encountered have sincerely wanted to help people. They don’t always do a great job of it, but they actually DO want to help you. It’s just that what they can offer you is sharply limited.

I became self-employed not because I wanted to be, but because no one would hire me. I HATE being self-employed, I HATE being an entrepreneur, I would much rather have a 9 to 5 job where most days I go home at the end of the day and don’t have to worry about work, I HATE being the boss. But I have no choice.

I’ve given myself about 10 days “vacation” right around now both because, with the holidays no one is hiring anyhow, and because I need it. I’ve been struggling for two years now, I need to rest and recharge occasionally. Monday I get back on the treadmill. I’ve got three potential customers to contact, I have eBay auctions to get set up, and two or three other projects in addition to running a household and taking care of a disabled spouse. I am WAY too busy these days! Makes me want to smack folks who assume I’m “lazy” or have oodles of free time because I don’t have a job - well, I DO have a job, it just isn’t a full time one, and frankly, I think I had more genuine free time when I was a fulltime wage slave.

67

If there are any large Indian markets available to you, you can find excellent quality loose tea very cheap. I buy Tetley loose black tea inthese big, nearly 16 oz, containers. And they cost $5 for 2 at any market on Devon avenue in Chicago. One container lasts for months despite drinking tea every day.

I’ve bought dramatically more expensive tea in those little metal boxes, and never found that it tastes any better. Of course I’m one of those heathens who adulterate tea with both milk and sugar, and the tea cognoscenti might be able to tell the difference if they drank it black with no sugar. But if you want a good basic cup of tea, forget the bags and you’ll save a giant pile of money. (Assuming there are any Indian markets around).

68

Unfortunately, there are no such markets in my area. EVERYONE around here uses bags! EVERYONE! Clearly a local cultural thing. I can’t blame stores for not stocking what few will buy.

When I worked in Chicago I simply stopped at a shop that sold loose tea there… but I haven’t been to Chicago in months. Almost a year.

The food stamps cover tea, so I bought some Twinnings bags that are better than the generic ones Ive been using.

69

None of the regular stores (non-Indian clientele) have loose tea in boxes. The Bulgarian one on our block used to have yellow box Lipton, but it was pretty dire - basically the same broken leaf & stem crap that they put in the teabags.

Ah, OK. I saw NW Indiana, and portions of Indiana that are sufficiently North and West enough are basically Chicago.

I figure each bag contains one teaspoon, and any bagged tea costs far more than any loose tea.

70

Yes, bagged tea is no bargain. Nonetheless, it’s what’s available. At present, my SNAP allotment is sufficient for me to buy better bagged tea. Ah, well, what can you do? Only so much energy, I have to try to use it efficiently.

71

With me in school and resources tight, we’re always looking at ways to save. I bookmarked this website. Many thanks. :slight_smile:

72

On the back of your ebt card is a web site address - by looking at this and entering your card number and pin - you can check your balance - and they have an account summary of everytime you spend something and where - this is to track your spending - yes folks big brother/sister is watching - you can see where you spent the money and when and the times - this is how the government knows where you are and when you are shopping - but the government also tracks what you are spending it on - they know if you are buying cartloads of junk food. They also can send alerts and contact you if you are buying things they deem unacceptable (an example would be vanilla extract - which is largely alcohol - if you buy too much of this - they will contact you). If they see your spend large amounts of money on certain items - they can question you about it. They know what your buying - and when - and how your spending it and where. In addition many stores are taking photos as you check out - this way they can determine if you or someone else is using the card - to find out if your living with someone - or allowing someone else to use your card. Lets say you are ill - or the kids or sick - and you ask your neighbor or relative to purchase some items for you - since you can’t get to the store - you hand them your card - this is documented - and can send up a red flag to have the FSSA investigate you.

73

torie, you’re quite welcome.

Tripler
I find it ironic there’s a torie with discussion about tea in this thread. :smiley:

74

While I am not happy with the government looking over my shoulder while I’m buying groceries, the government IS paying for them. Whoever controls the money has the power.

I’d think that MOST people, assuming honesty in using the system (and yes, I do believe most users are honest), wouldn’t be raising a lot of red flags, if any. But then, I’ve only been on the system a month myself.

75

Broomie,

I just read this thread, post-by-post-by-post, and I just want you to know what an inspiration you are - and not just to me.

Recently (because I am not working - still trying for SSDI - and advised not to go to work till after the bankruptcy hearing/discharge) my wife and I were denied food stamp assistance because we didn’t meet the financial standard.

We currently live with my SIL and thankfully pay only a little rent, but we DO have other expenses (meds, car payment, my COBRA, etc) which pretty much keep us hog-tied and sometimes we barely make it to the end of the month when D gets her SSDI and I my small pension.

Be that as it may, I (and my wife) are grateful to you for taking this time to explain and educate us. We have both learned much from what you and others have written here and we will put it all to good use.

Thanks

Quasi

76

Modem you problem do qualify - but you may have to appeal. They try everything to keep you off of these programs. I know that is part of the cashworkers job. And yes I know the caseworkers have a tough job. Hey and it is the governments money - but before it was their money it was mine - I paid taxes for years. I realize that there are people who steal and do things wrong - making it worse for the rest of us. But we are not criminals for needing money for food. Criminals get less observation than government program receivers. They can watch me all they want to. But I often see these programs watching the wrong people. One month is just the beginning - give it a few more months and they will step up their game to get you off of it. In this economy there are no jobs - especially for older workers.

77

If you are on unemployment immediately sign up for food stamps. You can not feed a family on unemployment and it often qualifies you for getting food stamps.

78

I’ve just been reading the thread with interest; thanks for sharing all that you have. I was wondering if you think there would be a substantial saving in food costs by going vegetarian (full-time or part-time) - is this something you’ve considered?

79

That would vary considerably from family to family. Unemployment actually DID pay all my bills… back when I still qualified for unemployment. Once that ended my savings eroded rapidly. But then, we have always lived a very frugal lifestyle, so when the bad times hit we were already running lean. For other people, that might work so well.

No.

I am allergic to many legumes, which is where vegetarians get most of their protein, and most of their cheap protein. I’m also allergic to a number of other plant foods. Going vegetarian would severely restrict my options, and would require spending significantly more on foods I could safely eat than my continued carnivore habits.

That said, we eat less meat than most Americans, which does save money.

80

I had a real problem until late last winter when so many people became unemployed and newly on the Quest program. At that point the benefits increased about 30% for me. Now I buy treats like apples and other fresh produce again.