# The ethics of food stamps (AITA?) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 10, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457 "2024-12-10T20:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/261 "2024-12-12T22:15:37Z")
_“If you suffered in life and want other people to suffer as you did because ‘you turned out fine,’ you did not, in fact, turn out fine.”_ [author unknown] Pure gold. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/262 "2024-12-12T22:33:26Z")
I just remembered. Two or so years ago, I was visiting my Mom in Florida. I like to visit small grocery stores to find weird or hard to find items. Among other things, this store had Sangria Senoral soda. I cannot think of anything to compare the bizarre taste to. But, I like it and you couldn’t get it anywhere in northeast Philly. I went to check out with my weird items. The cashier, who only spoke Spanish, objected that I could not pay for Sangria Senoral with SNAP. I got the attention of a bilingual manager. Despite speaking English fluently, I could not get her to accept that the bottle contained soda and 0% alcohol. I ended up having to pay cash for it. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/263 "2024-12-12T22:36:12Z")
I’ll just note that, from a nutritional standpoint, the best ways to get your O3 essential fatty acids is through small fish (e.g. herrings, anchovies, etc.) and fish eggs. And it should be pointed out that they put the word “essential” in there because your body can’t produce it on its own, and you’ll suffer from [deficiencies](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/omega-3-deficiency#4-Joint-pain-and-stiffness) without it. The fatty acids were almost called Vitamin F and probably we should be printing the O3 and O6 values on nutrition panels on our food. Historically, fish eggs were trash food for the poor. Sturgeon eggs have become a luxury item in modern times, due to the rapid decline in the numbers of fish of that species. But, realistically, any fish eggs are (probably) good from a nutritional standpoint and, from a flavor standpoint, sturgeon eggs are just one of the better flavored but not the only one. True sturgeon eggs tend to be so expensive that I’d be skeptical that anything you could buy with SNAP funds is actual “caviar”. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s mackerel or herring roe that he’s buying. If he’s actually spending his money on sturgeon roe then, to be sure, that’s a wild mis-use of the card. But for any normal type of fish eggs, I’d probably recommend it to many as an occasional treat, to maintain a healthy diet - especially if you’re not fond of crunching down on tiny fish bones. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/264 "2024-12-12T22:41:35Z")
This thread reminds me of all the people who are in a lather over school loan forgiveness. “I had to pay mine back, so why should anybody else get a break?” 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/265 "2024-12-12T22:48:30Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > True sturgeon eggs tend to be so expensive that I’d be skeptical that anything you could buy with SNAP funds is actual “caviar”. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s mackerel or herring roe that he’s buying. WIC (a program for pregnant women and infants) has all kinds of restrictions on what exactly you can buy. The only restrictions on SNAP have already been mentioned- no hot food, no non food items, no alcohol (I feel I’m forgetting one or two). Price does not enter in. While most of the food in the local Soviet market was cheap, some of it was gourmet stuff. All of it was covered by SNAP. If a store sells the finest of Kobe beef at the deli counter, and that store accepts SNAP benefits, you can buy Kobe beef there with SNAP. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/266 "2024-12-13T00:09:53Z")
I meant a limit in terms of the quantity of money that they put on the card, not a purchasing restriction. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/267 "2024-12-13T00:11:38Z")
At this point, I may just go back to bed and try again tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/268 "2024-12-13T07:25:31Z")
As to automatic sorting of ebt food eligible items: At the convenience store I work at tis is _mostly_ true. The customer indeed swipes their card like a credit/debit (so far mi doesn’t have chipped ebt cards). But, some items don’t have upc codes. For example fountain drinks. When we ring them up we have to hit a hot or cold menu button, and then choose ozs. In addition, we have buttons indicating credit, ebt food, ebt cash. If I don’t realize at first they’ve used ebt I get ge on screen that tells me Im’ using the wrong payment. I then can hit the ebt(virtually always food) button, and all is well again. Also, if you are nosy enough, and the sort to judge people, it’s not to difficult to recognize a MI ebt card. Often referred to here as a," Bridge Card," since it is a muted orange and features a picture of the Mackinaw Bridge. They are sort of obvious, though, I don’t know if that was intentional. A couple of anecdotes: when our store startedaccepting ebt there was a lot of outrage by many on staff that people _gasp_ could use cash benies for cigarettes and alcohol. These people had no concept of what you had to do to qualify for those benies. And how very little you got for your trouble. I “qualified” a few years before that, but it was not worth,the time, hassle, and gasoline to bothe with the 2 digit figure they offered me. We had a bit of a conflict when the night guy wouldn’t let people heat cold sandwiches in the microwave, after they had paid for them with their ebt food cards. Corporate fielded a few complaints and questions, and told my the night guy that since the customer had paid for it, they could do what they wanted with it, Yes, my friend and co- worker even if they were still in the store. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/269 "2024-12-13T07:43:04Z")
Screw her. Preferably with a cactus. Grumble. What a sanctimonious piece of crap. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/270 "2024-12-13T12:40:41Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Seriously? You can’t buy toilet paper or dish soap? Nope. Back when things were really bad while I was on SNAP I also got real inventive with using things like vinegar and baking soda as cleaning supplies, but paper goods were a bit more tricky. If you’ve ever wondered why someone might _steal_ toilet paper out of a public toilet… I never resorted to that, but if you have no other means to wipe your butt… ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/271 "2024-12-13T12:47:34Z")
> [@bump](#): > > But there are a LOT of people out there who are unsubsidized who can’t afford much in the way of luxury, and who likely highly resent the idea that the government is giving people who are worse off luxuries, while they have to scrape and save for the same things. To them and to a lot of others, it probably largely looks like a reward for failure and/or a penalty for doing the right thing (i.e. pulling your own weight and staying off public assistance). In reality - real, hard look objective reality - a lot of it comes down to priorities. Sure, when you’re low income you can’t have everything, but if you really want, say, lobster tail you can do that on occasion. IF you make it a priority. You might have to pass on fancy fingernails, or spend less on beer and lottery tickets. You’ll have to scrimp and save, but it is doable. What I think a lot of the whiners are complaining about is that they can’t have everything they want immediately while see someone else buy it, with zero knowledge of what that other party might have had to do to save up for it. Maybe two weeks of living on dry beans cooked from scratch and the cheapest white rice on the shelf, day old bread, and so forth. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > They should try living on a less than $300 food budget and see just how many ‘’‘luxuries’‘’ that buys while they at the same time complain about how high the price of eggs are. ^ This. So many things I’d like to say to the self-entitled whiners. Want lobster tail? Cut back somewhere else and save for it, then buy it when the 'tails go on sale. Meanwhile, you’re bitching about the price of eggs (while buying organic free-range which are the most expensive) or carrots (again, buying the organic expensive ones) and you won’t take the items tagged to sale today because they’re not fresh enough for you (never mind the newest arrived produce has probably been 1-2 weeks in transit already). Nope, easier to blame their inability to plan, set priorities, and stick to a budget on someone else. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/272 "2024-12-13T16:36:42Z")
Or any fruit at all. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/273 "2024-12-13T16:47:52Z")
It’s coded as alcoholic by the government because there is a non-negligible amount of alcohol in it. Just a small enough amount that they are allowed to call it non-alcoholic. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/274 "2024-12-13T17:15:27Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Most places don’t check ID so it effectively doesn’t matter. There could certainly be a rule. At least in MI, you are not to ask for someone’s I’d because they’re using ebt. Unless it’s cash, and they’re buying age restricted items. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/275 "2024-12-14T03:35:13Z")
I donate to a community food pantry run by a church twice a month. They get most of their stuff from a big food bank. They are asking people looking to help, to buy little luxuries the food bank doesn’t provide, like colored sugar sprinkles for holiday cookies, cocoa powder, even sugar. I imagined not having the money to make holiday treats for your kids. Many of the folks showing up at the pantry have children, others are old, disabled, live alone. It’s enraging that we can’t take care of the neediest people. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/277 "2024-12-14T04:36:04Z")
Hi, @thomas34, welcome. The point is, he didn’t. He was saying(boasting, IMO) about buying caviar. Proritizing a food budget is always a good plan. If I was hungry and needy, and applied and got money for food, I dont think caviar would be on my list for a filling and healthy food source. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t be the one to police or Karen them if I saw it. But, yes I will judge them. In my mind. If they run out of food at the end of the month, I wish them luck finding a church meal or food bank. Crossed fingers no children live in the house. If the OPs friend used another payment method offered as part of his Medicare suppliment plan that completely different. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/278 "2024-12-14T04:50:04Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > But, yes I will judge them. If they create a food budget that allows them to have plenty of food until the end of the month _and_ splurge on some items then what grounds do you have to judge them? ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/279 "2024-12-14T04:50:33Z")
That’s a lot of judgement based on very little information. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/280 "2024-12-14T04:53:43Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Meanwhile, you’re bitching about the price of eggs (while buying organic free-range which are the most expensive) They are, but they also haven’t increased much in price. There was even a brief period when the cheapest organic free range eggs were cheaper than the “regular” eggs. Different markets, and the organic producers haven’t (yet) had as much trouble with bird flu. People who actually buy the organic free range eggs aren’t complaining about the price of eggs. They (and that includes me) only noticed the price increased because it was on the news. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > If I was hungry and needy, and applied and got money for food, I dont think caviar would be on my list for a filling and healthy food source. As mentioned above, a lot of “caviar” isn’t terribly expensive, and it packs a lot of flavor and nutrition. It’s not a crazy garnish, even on a tight budget. I happen to be very fond of fish eggs. The only times I’ve had real sturgeon caviar was when someone else was paying. (Once, at a fancy wedding, there was a huge mound of the stuff on the buffet. And when i realized no one else was eating it, i took quite a bit. Delicious. But not worth the price.) But i get tobiko most times that i get sushi. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457/281 "2024-12-14T05:03:42Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > As mentioned above, a lot of “caviar” isn’t terribly expensive, and it packs a lot of flavor and nutrition. Yep, you can get black lumpfish caviar for [under $3 an ounce](https://caviarlover.com/products/black-lumpfish-caviar). If you need a smaller quantity, your local Publix will often carry Romanoff brand in 2 oz. jars, but it’s more like $5 to $6 per oz. No one is buying [Strottarga Bianco](https://luxurylaunches.com/gastronomy/a-single-tin-of-this-ultra-rare-caviar-costs-more-than-a-porsche-911.php) on SNAP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-food-stamps-aita/1011457.md?page=15)