Reading this list from the Wisconsin DHS https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/... just makes me angrier the more I look at it.
It's inconsistent (you can buy fresh sweet potatoes/yams but not canned for instance) and obviously shows a lack of imagination on the part of the writers. No jarred/canned spaghetti/pizza/lasagna sauce, no ketchup, no soup....I purchase the spaghetti sauce and use it as a base for a number of other dishes including goulash and chicken cacciatore. No soups so no tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, at least not purchased with WIC. You can buy 3 or 5 ounce cans of tuna, but not the big ones, the smaller costing more per ounce, of course.
The writers of these guidelines have never had to come home from work and make a meal. Spaghetti sauce, which can stretch a pound of hamburger to feed a whole family, really needs to simmer for a couple of hours to taste right. I like to take it and add any leftover meat from the week with some onions to it, that last slice or two of roast, that chicken breast, the pork chop, you know, the leftovers there isn't enough of for a meal. Chunk it up, add it to onions and the sauce, add a can of diced tomatoes and serve over pasta. Takes about 30 minutes to throw together.
No nuts allowed on that list so there goes nuts and some cheese for an after-school snack.
I realize that this list is for the WIC (women/infants/children) program, but how long do you think it's going to be before they try to apply it to SNAP benefits as well?
Wisconsin, wake up and smell the coffee. Get some real people that have to live on these benefits rather than ivory tower nutritionists that don't have to worry about how much they spend on food and have the time to actually cook rather than come home to a hungry family.
Yes, I've been on SNAP benefits. I was unemployed and they kept food on my table. I'm disabled now and without SNAP, I'd not have much variety in my diet.
The legislators don't get it. They've obviously never had to depend on these benefits. They also need to quit believing the less than 1% that are abusing the benefit represent the other 99%. I guarantee you that users are currently going a bit short starting this month so they have the benefits to cover Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
I can also guarantee that IF someone use benefits to purchase steak and shellfish, they most probably saved up a bit each month for a planned special dinner. No way I'd use half my month's benefits for one meal. I could, however, not spend the full amount, since the money carries over, and "save" up for special occasion.
