Food stamps as a dieting tool.

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

Andrea Tantaros thinks food stamps are a great way to lose weight!

Fox News' Andrea Tantaros, who co-hosts "The Five," likened food stamps to a dieting technique during her appearance on Fox Business.

When host Stuart Varney asked her if she coud live off $133 to spend on food monthly, Tantaros replied, "I should try it because do you know how fabulous I’d look?"

She continued, "I’d be so skinny. I mean, the camera adds ten pounds, it really does. I’d be looking great." Varney seemed fairly amused by her answer.

[decocker 7,198]

Andrea Tantaros thinks food stamps are a great way to lose weight!

Fox News' Andrea Tantaros, who co-hosts "The Five," likened food stamps to a dieting technique during her appearance on Fox Business.

When host Stuart Varney asked her if she coud live off $133 to spend on food monthly, Tantaros replied, "I should try it because do you know how fabulous I’d look?"

She continued, "I’d be so skinny. I mean, the camera adds ten pounds, it really does. I’d be looking great." Varney seemed fairly amused by her answer.

proves andrea tantaros doesn't know much about the cost of food or the number of healthy choices affordable to the poor. the cheapest foods are the most unhealthy, fattening foods.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

proves andrea tantaros doesn't know much about the cost of food or the number of healthy choices affordable to the poor. the cheapest foods are the most unhealthy, fattening foods.

I thought this was common knowledge. Apparently not!

[Danno 1,228]

I know my per person grocery bill is not that much and... I include cleaning products pet food and I pay tax.

I never got this concept where tax paying citizens expected to furnish someone with 100% of their food bill..... I mean can't they kick in a little too?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I thought this was common knowledge. Apparently not!

I thought it was common knowledge that food stamps are not, and were not ever, intended to provide the entire food budget for a family. Apparently not. $130 for one person would be a sizeable portion of the food bill, we spend about that much per week for a family of 3, of course we do not much processed food...not at all Ukrainian.

The cheapest foods are not the most unhealthy, the cheapest foods are the basic foods...potatoes, rice, meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, salad, bread...all unprocessed, all cheap. Soup is homemade from broth of boiling meat and adding noodles and vegetables. OMG who thought of that!!!!!?????? At least compared to their processed counterparts all of these things are very cheap and healthy. If they were not cheap they would not be the staple foods of impoversihed nations around the world and the populations of poor countries would be fat. We drink water, coffee, tea or milk fresh from the cow, from the farm. We know the cow it comes from. Eggs from the chickens on the farm.

The problem we have in this country is that poor people are not poor, they actually have the equivilent income/benefits of $58,000 per year for a family of 3, for example. They eat processed foods which they can afford because they are heavily subsidized, and they sit in front of big screen TVs eating their chicken nuggets and Mac & Cheese.

Now I am not complaining, and I have no intention of doing that myself, but the reason that obesity and diabetes is rampant in poor people in this country is NOT because cheap food is the healthiest

This is just ignorant talk, no surprise.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Gary, when do your food stamps start and how much do you think you'll get?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I know my per person grocery bill is not that much and... I include cleaning products pet food and I pay tax.

I never got this concept where tax paying citizens expected to furnish someone with 100% of their food bill..... I mean can't they kick in a little too?

Food stampsa are not intended to do anything but assist with the food bill.

Because you are married to an FSU woman like I am, your diet is probably much different than someone from the US or Canada. Our freezer is usually EMPTY unless I buy some ice cream or popsicles ("horrible popsicles", dammit I love those things!) There is virtually nothing in a can or box.

There is, right now, FOUR turkeys in the freezer because they were cheap and Alla loves turkey (it is quite an expensive delicacy in Ukraine) I got 18-22 lb birds for $9 each. I bought one, brought it home, told her the price and she said "go get 3 more!" She will cook one and we will have fresh turkey, turkey soup, turkey salad, turkey sandwiches, etc for a week. I make a spaghetti sauce in a huge pot and we eat it for a week, 2 or even 3 meals per day everyone is happy.

That's another thing, probably different in our homes Danno,...a Ukrainian or Russian will eat the same food for many days, even weeks and never complain. There is some truth to the joke..."What is a Ukrainian dinner? Pork, potatoes, pork, potatoes, pork potatoes, pork, potatoes" Alla makes borscht in 5 gallon pots and eats it at every meal, it is, in fact, the basic food. That and bread. Add a little rice with a small piece of meat and it is a meal, maybe a piece of fruit...banana or apple or orange.

Americans have to have something different at every meal, and every day. Small servings of these cost more money. Buy a huge pork loin for $17 at Costco, give it to Alla and with a sharp knife the whole family eats for a week! We spent $84 at Costco last night and that will last us until next week,and included a bottle of wine for dinner tonight. In addition we will buy milk, eggs from the farm (the milk is expensive at $5 per gallon but that is raw milk and the only way Alla will drink it, she will not drink "factory" milk") We also went to the Russian store for Salotka (fish...YOU know what it is),Grishka (buckwheat), salmon caviar in a bucket(red caviar, we call it fish bait, Russians love the stuff, it quite cheap, BLACK caviar, which they call "beluga" caviar, is expensive, it is from the sturgeon) some sausage, and bread, she will NOT eat American bread, that was $37

Americans want a pack of ground beef, a package of pork chops, a package of chicken, some fish, and a different "garnier" (side dishes) for each, each meal is different. This is expensive.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary, when do your food stamps start and how much do you think you'll get?

I can apply at the end of Janaury. They go by your last 30 days income so if you are laid off or take a huge reduction in pay you have to wait 30 days to apply. If I apply before them, I could be accepted, receive almost -0- benefit and then have to update everything after 30 days. No need to nother with that mess. I will receive not more than $340 probably closer to $150...for a family of three, but I DO have income. Maximum would be $340. Minimum is $48. We spend about $550 per month for food for a family of 3.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I can apply at the end of Janaury. They go by your last 30 days income so if you are laid off or take a huge reduction in pay you have to wait 30 days to apply. If I apply before them, I could be accepted, receive almost -0- benefit and then have to update everything after 30 days. No need to nother with that mess. I will receive not more than $340 probably closer to $150...for a family of three, but I DO have income. Maximum would be $340. Minimum is $48. We spend about $550 per month for food for a family of 3.

You run a tight ship feeding 3 for $550.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

You run a tight ship feeding 3 for $550.

I married a Ukrainian. She will not have processed food in the house. That's expensive.

Edited November 23, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I married a Ukrainian. She will not have processed food in the house. That's expensive.

I think it is difficult to do without processed food. Fresh meat, veggies, etc aren't cheap down here.

[Danno 1,228]

Gary, when do your food stamps start and how much do you think you'll get?

Awwe the food stamps are peanuts, if Gary was smart he would do what so many other people are.... go the disability route.

Ever had a back problem? History of headache? ever had a seizure or any type of medical situation which could easily .... and suddenly escalate to the point you are no longer able to work.

Apply for SSI, you will be rejected, never mind, there are law firms which specialize in this and they will appeal your case and win if you have any case at all.

I predicted a surge in this new means of early retirement, I learned of it from an ex-con I took in for a couple of months. Since then I have known a few people who have done it and from the numbers I read, danno was right... the flood has began.

I suggest anyone who wants to do it to get in on it now as in the next 5 years they will have to change policy to prevent an outright stampede .. if you are even considering it, start laying the medical ground work for a future case.

here in Welfare Nation ... me and a lot of others say...."Don't fightem... Join-em".

Anyway, why should social security only be for the elderly..... when you are too old to enjoy it?

[Danno 1,228]

You run a tight ship feeding 3 for $550.

$550 a month is not a tight ship, but I would hope folks in poverty would be running a tight ship.... or they will never get out.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

$550 a month is not a tight ship, but I would hope folks in poverty would be running a tight ship.... or they will never get out.

Come to Boston and see how hard it would be to feed three for that amount.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I think it is difficult to do without processed food. Fresh meat, veggies, etc aren't cheap down here.

Really? Compare what a pound of potatoes costs with what a bag of "tater tots" costs. Compare what peaches cost to what canned peaches cost. What does a large porkloin cost at Costco compared to chicken nuggets, fried chicken or frozen chicken kiev?

Compare 10lbs of ground beef at Costco to ready made hamburger patties. Alla will make huge bowls of her Ukrainian meatballs and we will use that as the basis for our meals for many days. The meatballs contain potatoes grated into almost a paste and added as filler, along with several onions chopped up small. 10lbs of meat makes 15 pounds of meatballs. That means a meatball with breakfast, with our eggs. One for lunch on a sandwich and one for dinner with pasta. They can also be used for spaghetti sauce, I add some to beans for a beans and meat dish (dry beans, not canned beans, MUCH cheaper and go much further and taste just as good)

Edited November 23, 2012 by Gary and Alla