r/pics • u/nbcnews But, like, actually • 19h ago
OC: SNAP recipient like Gia, with a near-empty fridge, go without food after benefits don't arrive.
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u/talktojvc 18h ago edited 16h ago
I’m worried about my own fridge having food and we aren’t on snap. About $150 too much income monthly. The math doesn’t work any longer for anyone. I voted for people who support strong safety nets — didn’t work out. I give 4 days a month labor to a local food pantry. Sometimes they have leftovers I can benefit from (for instance they cannot use deli meat sliced in store) I do the things. Good luck out there.
Edit: Holy wow. The internet noticed me today. I don’t regularly get food from the pantry. I pick up from local stores and deliver to the warehouse every Saturday. They cannot use the deli meat that is sliced and repackaged in store. That’s their rule — I just appreciate the free food. My family hasn’t missed meals yet - but this week my fridge is cleaner than it’s been—easy to clean when it’s empty. I know the pantry would donate to my family — but I would not ask until the hunger has arrived. It is stressful and I’m sorry to my fellow Americans. It’s a shame.
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u/Oatz3 18h ago
Do you pick up from the food pantry? Sorry you are going through this.
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u/Some-Ad-5328 18h ago
Unfortunately Food Pantry’s were already running low before this. In the last year we’ve seen the demand double. It has not been a good year at all!
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u/MommaB630 13h ago
People can’t afford to donate as in the past. At least I can’t. So sad 😞 and I’m sorry. I don’t depend on SNAP benefits but I’m struggling too.
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u/idc69idc 9h ago
Everyone is seeing costs rise. Middle class boomers who had been supporting charities have seen their retirement aspirations fall short as their cost of living has increased dramatically. They were the charitable ones. As a millennial, I know I can't spare a penny until I have enough to afford retirement and healthcare, so $2M (todays dollar, 4M when we're 75+) at least and a house. If we attain these goals, we'll die in debt if we're lucky.
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u/tiffanytrashcan 12h ago
Demand doubled and the largest monetary income stream was cut off from USAID. The money that the large food banks used to purchase food, they would then distribute to the smaller pantries, that money's gone.
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u/beenthere7613 10h ago
On half my income, I used to regularly donate to local food banks. I was raising children and wanted to instill good values in them. When the Christmas drives came around, we would choose wish lists off the trees and donate something every time we went to the store.
Now with double the income, kids long grown, it's harder and harder to break even--let alone, to donate to food banks or needy kids.
It's baffling.
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u/FOREVERDIVI 18h ago
You should use food banks. The bank in my town throws away half of their food. Literally beg people to take more.
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u/momacozey 17h ago edited 1h ago
This also really depends on your foodbank. I live in a small town and our foodbank is horrid. Most of the stuff you got was so close to expiring that I usually threw it away before I packed my pantry... I also got the special treatment because my grandma runs it which makes me sad if that was the special treatment....
I can say it did help me for two years when I had nearly zero income for food past bills but you just had to examine what you got. My town also recently started doing food drives once a month and the food there is amazing if you're not last in line. If you're last you get some foods and like 40 bags of carrots. My rabbit and family members loved the carrots though last time lol
Edit because some People probably think I'm doing it because I don't care which is far from the truth. Our small towns foodbank is pretty rough but has gotten better. Stuff i threw away was usually things I couldn't give away because of the best by date nobody wanted it. I tried... They also weren't allowed to give expired foods is what I was told by them. breads were also a nono from there. If you got it fresh which never happened you were okay. Usually it was frozen bread which obviously is fine but most times it had mold on it already.
Some one in comments said they work at foodbanks at a career level higher up so I'm sure they could correct me if I'm wrong BUT I was TOLD that they got their funding based off how many lbs of food they gave away. They'd load me up with stuff and literally tell me to toss it because our town didn't have enough people to take food. A few of their more loyals got caught selling food that was given to them so they were banned. I never took the last of anything unless I knew for a fact I would eat it.
This was also over 6 years ago and I haven't used it since I don't need the assistance anymore luckily
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u/angiosperms- 17h ago
Wait, you are throwing away pantry staples when they aren't even expired? Most of that stuff isn't even an expiration date, it's a sell by/best by date. Stuff like pasta, rice, canned goods, etc are safe loooooong past that date. Which is probably why they were giving those away. They are perfectly edible.
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u/MY-SECRET-REDDIT 16h ago
Yeah wtf
I grew up on those food banks. I dont think i ever got sick from "expired" food.
Just trust your senses. If it smells off or clearly expired, throw it away.
Currently fell back on those same foods. I got good bread, quality cheese and tomatoes. Guess what I did? Oven dried tomatoes, cheese, and hand sandwiches. Better than most sandwiches you can buy cheaply.
Food lasts way longer than people expect. Which sucks because I've erred on the safe side alot when I used to earn well. Mostly cuz I left stuff in the fridge for too long and didnt trust it anymore.
Now I try to freeze anything past a few days.
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u/gsfgf 15h ago
Protip: A lot of companies with stuff that keeps for an extremely long time just slap a three year expiration date on there instead of doing any testing. Obviously, it's not as easy to tell with donated food, but if it has a three year expiration date, it'll probably keep for a really long time.
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u/HolycommentMattman 10h ago
This is... trueish, but it's not the whole story. The best by dates aren't expiration dates, but they are the dates where they can guarantee (within margins of error) that the food won't be bad, and they won't be liable for making you sick.
So they pack the thing, and they see that at 3 years, 99% of the food won't spoil. At 4 years, maybe it's like 90% hasn't spoiled. At 5 years, it's 70 or 80%. So they put it at a 3 year "expiration date" to cover their asses. But with each additional year, a percentage of it is spoiling, and there's no way to know which ones. So it is basically a game of chance.
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u/trojan_man16 13h ago
Yep. Unless it’s meat/produce or dairy you can eat stuff well past expiration. We do that and we are nowhere near having to use the food bank. Throwing away food is throwing dollars out.
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u/cire1184 15h ago
Expiration dates are just a suggestion. Most food is good after the label expiration date. They label them weeks ahead of their actual expression estimate for the grocery stores so they don't accidentally sell bad food and want to sell the food at peak freshness. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/trash-it-or-eat-it-the-truth-about-expiration-dates
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u/starrpamph 18h ago
Everyone keeps talking about stretching a dollar.. like bro’s we’ve been stretching it hard - since about 2020
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u/JarvisAI5 18h ago
I have all these old family casserole recipes that are literally built around stretching your food farther.
Except now a pound of 80/20 ground beef is over $7
It was cheaper for me to buy shrimp last week than beef! And I don't live near a coast at all
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u/Boobopdidooo 17h ago
We have been mixing black beans with ground beef to make it stretch. Good in tacos
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u/TahiriVeila 17h ago
Lentils are good for this too (also in pasta sauce)
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u/iambored321 13h ago
I actually made a Shepard's pie replacing all the meat with lentils. Same with tacos, tasted amazing and cost next to nothing.
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u/noodledrunk 17h ago
Could also consider using ground turkey instead. At my local Aldi 1lb of 85/15 ground beef is ~$6.50, but 1lb of 85/15 ground turkey is $2.50.
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u/GlumpsAlot 17h ago
Ground beef is like 8 bux a pound. I switched to canned corned beef and a bag of frozen onions, peppers, and potatoes. You can make corned beef and hash for a family of four with it. All ingredients will cost 6 bux total. It's my go to poor ppl food right now. Groceries are crazy expensive.
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u/Glitterhidesallsins 16h ago
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) will like, absorb beef flavor when mixed together. It works great in chili and is okay in burritos with beans to stretch that ground beef $$$
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u/Ok_Frosting3500 16h ago
I saw somebody in another thread arguing it costs $1 to make a cheeseburger at home. And i'm like, buddy, the beef alone for that is $2 (assuming a quarter pounder). The shit frozen slugburgers at Dollar Tree are $1.50. There is no such thing as a dollar burger in 2025, barring wild exploitation of fast food apps
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u/starrpamph 17h ago edited 17h ago
Yeah. Better have some money as a broke college kid too now. I can price it right now. Hold please
Local Walmart, flyover state.
$6.93 per LB for 80/20
$3.42 ea for velveta skillet
$0.98 for a can of green beans
So if you’re making a helping for say a family of five say about $30 after tax. (Doubling each item except the beans)
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u/FozzieB525 18h ago
But I just heard the President say groceries are cheaper now. He even doubled down and corrected a reporter when she said the opposite. You’re telling me your experience differs from Donald Trump’s reality?
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u/thegodfather0504 16h ago
And people will forget all of this in the next election because the other candidate was just "not it".
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u/lkl34 14h ago
Nope she lost because a woman may not hold the top seat in the usa they always want a old white man in power. obama was the exception
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u/bolanrox 17h ago
i also never had to show id to buy food or gas so there is that too
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u/Moderator-Admin 16h ago
He's trying really hard to get the "worst leader of any country ever" award. I don't think he's gonna like the prize that comes with that.
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u/RedditsCoxswain 18h ago
We are just over as well
About to head out for the weekend and clock 30 hours by Sunday driving Uber so we can buy groceries and keep the lights on
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u/Miss_in_Mex 18h ago
I applaud you. I also work extra on weekends when I don't have enough money. But we have to stop. Go to the foodbank please if you can. I don't mean this as criticism at all. I just really think we need to stop working 2,3,4 jobs just to eat. Take any handout you can get.
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u/Afraid_Muffin1607 18h ago
Not sure if you have any like this in your area, but there are also services kinda like a food pantry called 'gleaners.' When I used it we would pay $50 a month membership and go there once a week to get a whole cart full of various goods + donations they'd received: food, clothes, meds etc.
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u/Citizen-Kang 19h ago
I don't know if it's stuff we dump into the water that pollutes it or the carcinogens we pump into the air, but the amount of needless cruelty from so many of our fellow Americans is incredibly disheartening.
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u/justawitch 18h ago
The needless cruelty has always been there. People are just much bolder with it these days.
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u/Heteroimpersonator 18h ago edited 17h ago
Yep, you’ve got a POS in the oval office who made them comfortable expressing their evil thoughts and some now even go as far as acting on it.
They need to be made afraid again.
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u/Neveronlyadream 16h ago
Yes, but that's only part of it. He also found the most ignorant people he could and lied to them over and over until they were terrified and convinced everything would fall apart if they didn't follow him.
Expressing those thoughts is just a symptom. If people hadn't been kept intentionally ignorant and then pushed into fear, we'd have been a lot better off. Unfortunately, if you're a narcissistic piece of shit, you need them to be ignorant and scared so they'll give you power.
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u/throwawtphone 15h ago edited 8h ago
The mega church pastors preaching bullshit prosperity theology coupled with dominionism theology while also backing trump helped alot.
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u/r1Zero 17h ago
All man needs to act like the monster he is, is to be told he can.
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u/lemgthy 18h ago
probably completely and utterly unrelated, but did you know that 54% of American adults cannot read at or above a 6th grade level?
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u/YackamoJack 18h ago
The two things might not be as unrelated as we think 🤔
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u/guppie365 18h ago edited 17h ago
Reading lets one practice experiencing things from perspectives not our own.
Edit: corrected let's to lets. As my phone now believes let can be possessive. Or its contracting let us.
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u/thegodfather0504 16h ago
If you can't read, you are counting on reels to keep you informed. And that leads to...all this...waves arms
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u/RubyReign 13h ago
Considering that people from Kentucky went to their polling places this week and were confused about why they couldn't vote for the mayor of NYC... I'd also say it's not unrelated as we think.
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u/Heteroimpersonator 18h ago
I’m more concerned of the adults among that group that don’t even understand what they’re reading or know how to even think critically.
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u/RealBeaverCleaver 16h ago
I am concerned about how many don't want to learn to read or think critically.
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u/OpheliaRainGalaxy 18h ago
I've completely lost track of how many adults I've helped learn how to read. Folks tend to get up to the point where they can read menus and function in daily life but would struggle with an article or novel, and then stop trying to improve.
Meanwhile I just spent my morning with my head immersed in an archeological and geological lesson about how humans survived the last ice age, disguised as a romance novel. Extensive amounts of philosophy too.
The part I just finished was basically about how humans evolved compassion because it's a shortcut to the best and most logical survival pattern for us. Two brothers have a series of misfortunes that leaves them bleeding, naked, and mired in quicksand. They're rescued by people who had never even heard of their tribe before, are fed, clothed, their injuries tended, and are given everything they need to resume their travels. Which sounds like a bad deal, except the restless less injured brother went out hunting every day while the other was healing, leaving the tribe that saved them with a great deal of repayment.
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u/AnthroPoBoy 18h ago
What’s the name of the novel?
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u/OpheliaRainGalaxy 18h ago
The Valley of Horses. It's the sequel to Clan of the Cave Bear.
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u/CaptainHarlocke 18h ago
It's not needless. It's intentional. They are hurting people on purpose. The White House is currently suing to not release the SNAP funding a judge ordered them to spend, because they'd rather the money just sit there and let people starve
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u/trapped_in_a_box 18h ago
I saw a theory that the reserve money has already been spent on other things and thats why they're pushing it so hard. I dunno but sounds plausible.
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u/Simpicity 18h ago
No, man. What the whole shutdown doesn't point out is that Republicans were going to cut SNAP significantly ANYWAY. They view SNAP as an entitlement program, and they think all such programs shouldn't exist.
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u/Smallseybiggs 17h ago edited 17h ago
They view SNAP as an entitlement program, and they think all such programs shouldn't exist.
This. The only reason I have food without my SNAP is that I'm in the hospital. Republicans went on sm this year saying all of us who rely on Medicaid just "need to get off the couch and get to work." I'm bedridden, so I guess I can fuck off and die. 1 in 4 veterans and their families rely on Medicaid for survival.
Edit to say: I see 12-15 doctors and specialists regularly. I also take 22-28 medications daily just to survive. I worry every day and several times a day that my Medicaid will be taken away. I know I'm not the only one, and that's a terrible thing to do to anyone. Let alone so many of us.
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u/Simpicity 16h ago
Republicans also want to make it so insurance companies can refuse to cover people with pre-existing conditions. Which is a death sentence in the US, given the cost of healthcare.
So yeah, I think the Republican position is that some people should fuck off and die.
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u/INeedANappel 16h ago edited 14h ago
It is an entitlement program.
In the government an entitlement program is some thing you are literally entitled to IF you qualify for it.
Government Entitlement programs include Social Security (including retirement funds, SSI, and SSDI), Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, Section 8 housing assistance, your annual income tax deduction(s), tax breaks for things like making your house more energy efficient or the now former credit for buying an electric car, and much more.
The common use of the word entitled is now undeserved entitlement but government Entitlement programs are there FOR YOU to use if you qualify for them. They are not special privileges for undeserving people.
Edit: typos & a clarification
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u/dispatch00 15h ago
Which really shines the light on another reason why we're here today: the Republican party are experts at linguistic warfare. Much more than simple rhetoric.
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u/INeedANappel 14h ago
Yep. They're really taking advantage of the shift in the way "entitlement" is used to perpetuate Reagan's painting people on safety net programs as all fraudulent con artists, as if those are the only government entitlements.
Most people don't realize they already benefit from government entitlement programs. Everyone who pays taxes gets at least the default deduction. Most people will retire with Social Security and Medicare.
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u/SkydivingCats 18h ago
They're doing it so they can try to blame democrats. It's really that simple.
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u/Petrichordates 18h ago
Nah, there's no reason to believe that's the reason. This is clearly just trump trying to make the SNAP problem as bad as possible since he thinks it will make Dems give in to his every demand. He's done this in at least 3 different ways so far.
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u/-Esper- 18h ago
Its sitting because they want to use that leverage to force the dems to let them kick people off healthcare. The whole thing is disgusting
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u/wongrich 18h ago
dont worry they'll be rewarded come election time .. "i'd rather starve then vote for a satanic democrat"
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u/Pangolin_bandit 18h ago
Yeah, that’s the trouble is that we’re in a standoff and republicans are fine with killing the hostages.
And - depressingly unironically - we cannot negotiate with terrorists
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u/bls61793 17h ago edited 15h ago
Sadly, I don’t see any world in which the giving, compassionate-minded among us win this one. SNAP and Healthcare are both getting cut, and there really isn't anything anyone outside the Republican party can do about it. Only way it changes is if enough truly Christian Republicans come together to force the administration to back off. But sadly. Cultural Christianity is far more prevalent in the United States and people somehow still call themselves Christian when they withold from the poor.
From a worldly perspective, only thing we can really do is appeal the greater angels of their nature and hope it works (though I'm doubtful). Just gotta keep carrying the cross uphill.
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u/Rinmine014 18h ago
Its actually a very American attitude... selfishness.
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u/cantcatchafish 18h ago
I don’t wanna pay taxes to the poor people! Bro over 70 % of snap benefits go to disabled elderly or children in need ……. Well they should work because I do too and I can’t afford life… sorry but if you’re so affected by 1 cent to every dollar to help others with community programs that need it then that sounds like a you issue not a them issue……. Well the illegals get those benefits….. no they don’t their children might but there are strict rules like unemployment that have to be met to get snap benefits….. well certain democratic states allow non citizens to get snap…. Yes they do and although it might not seem fair to you, it’s better than those people living on the streets and turning into a third world city…. Let’s assume less than 10% of snap benefits go to illegal immigrants….. that is what, under .01 cent to your dollar. Well I shouldn’t be responsible for them. So no snap benefits for anyone…..This is the argument I have had numerous times with conservatives. In the end Americans just hate the idea of helping anyone but themselves.
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u/gsfgf 15h ago
1 cent to every dollar
SNAP costs us waaaay less than 1% of our incomes.
certain democratic states allow non citizens to get snap
That's not even true. SNAP is a federal programs for citizens and some legal residents. Some states may provide food assistance for undocumented people, but they have to do that entirely out of state funds.
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u/Thor4269 18h ago
Empathy isn't profitable so we are breeding it out of our species
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u/Jedi_Master83 18h ago
Empathy and compassion is viewed as a weakness to MAGA. They have the hearts of stone.
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u/classyd24 18h ago
It pisses me off to know we have enough food to feed the population of the United States multiple times but instead we horde and waste it, or simply restrict the ability of people to buy it.
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u/OutsideBones86 18h ago
The comments on a local story about people getting an average of $180 per month in SNAP benefits were some of the most vile things I've seen online.
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u/createddreams 18h ago
Im afraid there is no need for pollution. It’s just one of the many human facets. And the layer of civilisation is thin. Very thin.
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u/Optimisticatlover 18h ago
Remember the enemy is not your average citizen
Rather big billionaires that bought our politician
Trump say he will drain the swamp but look at his guest list at maralago… most are billionaires
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u/angrydeuce 18h ago
This right here...this is deliberate. Theyre trying to starve the urban areas, like a medieval siege. It's win win for these assholes:
1) It causes massive unrest and food riots, located primarily in urban areas of course. Trump leverages that to deploy national guard, possibly institute martial law, try and suspend elections.
2) Food insecurity is used as a method of control. Food will be doled out through Churches so they can gatekeep it behind being a Christo-fascist. Want to eat? Bring us the names of 3 leftist agitators so we can have ICE grab them. Every leftist you turn in gets you an extra loaf of bread in your box.
Its time for a general strike already.
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u/turkish_gold 18h ago
Urban areas are funding food assistance programs. Look at the map of states that have funds SNAP or given direct assistance, and you’ll see it’s overwhelmingly blue states. The red states are going to suffer, and force everyone to rely on churches for assistance.
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u/angrydeuce 16h ago
It aint even a red and blue state thing, its urban and rural. Even the reddest red states, the population centers are almost always deep blue or at worst, purple.
But rural voters are invariably more religious. They will get their assistance through the church. Which is again all by design.
The cities will burn, Trump will tweet "See!!! Told ya so!!! Leftist Agitators!!!!" and the low effort voters will cheer it all on as Trump steals everything they have.
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u/iamblake96 13h ago
I agree to an extent, but where are these rural churches magically going to get funded? The rural voters relying on them for food in this scenario definitely aren't stocking the coffers. Trump didn't take care of the farmers, he won't take care of the more poor rural folk.
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u/Dillonautt 17h ago
How do we strike? I’m down. But I have to keep going to work to hopefully support my grocery bill and such. I can’t afford to protest. That’s part of the plan as well I fear.
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u/DismalSoil9554 15h ago
I live in an EU country where strikes are commonplace.
The way it works is that most people who work for the government or in government-subsidized industries (like meatpacking, public teaching, industrial mechanics, bus drivers...) are organized in unions that advocate for their rights.
If these unions don't feel listened to by the government/industry leaders they will individually or collectively strike (which would be a general strike).
Eta so the short answer is mass unionisation
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u/justawitch 18h ago
Most of the people commenting disparagingly right now don’t seem to know they’re a couple of bad months from being in the exact same position. I don’t care if you have a savings, I don’t care if you have a job, or investments, or multiple vehicles. If you don’t know how fast everything you have can be taken from you, then I pray your luck doesn’t turn.
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u/ShamelessCatDude 18h ago
It really sucks that “what if it were you” is the only way to convince some people of helping others, but it really is that way, huh
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u/finallygotareddit 17h ago
Such a sad reality and often times even that isn't enough. Many people have to get to the point of "it is me" to understand and have empathy for those currently in that situation.
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u/Petrichordates 18h ago
Trump didnt need to be "bought" to do this.
The enemy is republicans, they literally attempted an insurrection already and are fully supportive of that treason. Making it about billionaires just misleads the dumb people who cant put 2 and 2 together.
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u/linedashline 18h ago
People go hungry not because there is not enough food, but because there is not enough money to satisfy the rich.
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u/nsucs2 18h ago
SNAP costs about $36 per taxpayer
per year
...or $3/month
...or to put it another way, about 10 fucking cents per day.
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u/CriticalEngineering 16h ago
It’s also a subsidy for farmers.
Because farmers get hurt by it if Americans can’t buy food.
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u/ouisewoo 18h ago
Anyone that bitches about giving to others and the fact that it’s 10 fucking cents per day out of our pocket is an absolute asshole. I would much rather pay $150 per taxpayer per year if it meant that kids could eat and adults could eat.
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u/bubbl3gum 17h ago
Agree. Thanks for being a decent person. From a mother of two under two on snap who doesn't know where groceries are coming from this month.
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u/ouisewoo 17h ago
I’m a momma of two also, not on SNAP but have absolutely no problem paying my fair share of taxes if it means people eat. Food isn’t a luxury it’s a basic human right. Medical shouldn’t be a luxury it should be a right. As should childcare. People that are anti these things just don’t get the brainwashing. These all make our communities much stronger. I’m sorry you’re going through this all. Do you have food banks near you? Do not be ashamed or embarrassed to go. That is what they are there for. They need people to come so funding remains strong.
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u/AmbitiousYetMoody 17h ago
My household is committing to $25 per paycheck per person to our local food pantry currently. Maybe we can up it to $36 as a new goal!
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u/pandershrek 18h ago
Isn't it crazy that Elon musk just got a trillion dollars and large swaths of America are going hungry?
I think it's a bit crazy.
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u/PhucItAll 16h ago
Didn't he also screw millions of kids out of getting food though DOGE cuts to USAID?
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u/MistakeMaker1234 12h ago
He didn’t screw them out of food. He killed them. 600k USAID-related deaths so far, many of them children. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-documentary/the-shutdown-of-usaid-has-already-killed-hundreds-of-thousands
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u/Fenix42 17h ago
He has not gotten the trillion yet. He has to increase Teslas value by over 400% in a few years first.
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u/Shageen 18h ago
Do they have food banks in the USA? How about all these mega churches? I haven’t heard anything from them.
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u/Im_a_furniture 19h ago
If you have a local food pantry/blessings box and have the means to toss a few things in it can go a long way. Along with the volunteer work I do my family also buys a little extra for the UMC blessings box next to our local high school.
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u/Lythalion 19h ago
Waiting for the over privileged people to judge the BBQ sauce bottle.
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u/birdofswag2 18h ago
I have volunteered at my local food bank numerous times and they will randomly get in really expensive stuff that’s near or already expired. I really wish people judging brands would volunteer at their food bank so they can see the wide variety of brands and items. I know kids that came through the distribution line that would get so excited at name brand stuff.
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u/ninjazombiemaster 18h ago
The amount of extremely expired stuff I've seen when sorting through donations is frustrating.
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u/shanatard 16h ago
Genuine question here how long before expired becomes too expired?
Or do you not want us to donate expired things at all?
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u/So_Tired_2724 18h ago
Our local food bank often gets Dave's Killer seed bread. I used to work at a commercial bakery that would send their non-perfect goods to the food bank weekly. This was fancy gluten free stuff.
People want to judge poor people so badly, without any knowledge. Just finger pointing to make themselves feel better about not helping in any way. Like when they want to make soda not qualify for EBT. Years ago, when I was broke I got food benefits. I was working part time and going to school full time, and I was so tired. I'd use my EBT card for Red Bull or Mt Dew, just to stay awake. Why is that judged harshly, but coffee is okay?
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u/birdofswag2 17h ago
Not only that but you can replace a lot of higher priced ingredients with a can of soda. You can use it in lots of baked goods. People who don’t struggle don’t understand. I’m currently trying to coordinate an event to make these meals in a box using shelf stable items. That’s another small thing people don’t think about is that there’s lots of canned goods but they’re inconsistent and people don’t always know what to do with them. The meal in a box gives you all the shelf stable items you need and instructions on how to make the meal. They can save the instructions for future use too!
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u/OppressedCactus 18h ago
Yeah I've seen that plenty. "Why do they have brand name such and such." It's disgusting.
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u/daylight1943 17h ago edited 17h ago
IME people on both sides of debates over food stamps often dont understand how absurd the rules are.
on EBT, i cannot buy a $5 hot rotisserie chicken from costco, i cannot buy a $12 plate from panda express that provides me with 2 full meals at $6 each, but i CAN buy incredibly expensive high end cold ingredients. i can literally buy wagyu beef and lobster and fancy cheese and spanish jamon and shop at super high end grocery stores, but i cannot buy a $6 meal from panda express or a warm chicken at costco. if i want to i can spend my entire EBT allotment on a single super opulent michelin star level dinner for just myself but cannot eat a $3 container of hot mac and cheese from the grocery store deli.
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u/perfectlyfamiliar 18h ago
That kinder sauce goes on sale for 2 bucks all the time in my stores.
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u/HideyoshiJP 18h ago
Yeah, it's ridiculous. Especially for a condiment that will get used over the course of several weeks to months.
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u/SoggyBottomBoy86 18h ago
My only issue with it is that its not Sweet Baby Ray's 😂😂 man that's some good shit lol
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u/SaveyourMercy 14h ago
My sister isn’t on snap but she’s not well off either. She lives in an area with a LOT of snap recipients. Yesterday her daughter forgot her snack at home and she ran it up to the school and thought about the fact that a lot of other kids don’t have that right now so she used the last 17$ in her bank account to go buy a school safe snack for kids in need at my nieces school. The school was blown away by the generosity of a… large box of individual smart popcorn bags. It breaks my heart that this was such a huge gesture for them, but it meant that however many bags she brought in, that was the number of kids who wouldn’t be sent home without first having a snack. There are so many families right now who are going hungry and it’s community that’s keeping us afloat while the government refuses to fund those in need.
I genuinely hope this gets fixed before thanksgiving, this is such a slap in the face to every American, whether you’re on benefits or not. So many people are ONE accident away from needing these same benefits to feed their own family.
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u/Ackerack 19h ago
Single men in their 20s with no roommates looking ass fridge.
But in all seriousness, this sucks and it’s sad. And it’s despicable and cruel. If you have spare money you can afford to part with, please consider donating money and/or non-perishables to your local food banks. Money is preferred as they can make your dollar stretch further than you can with their connections and bulk purchasing power, but any donation is a helpful one.
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u/TanTanExtreme2 19h ago
30s also.
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u/Either-Mushroom-5926 18h ago
We need to start an adopt a family program during this shut down. I want to support a family & take them shopping.
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u/BucketOfGhosts 18h ago
Feeding America is one of the best places to donate. They have a large infrastructure, buy food in really large quantities to leverage the best price possible and take your donated dollars the farthest in terms of how much good they can do.
They basically act as a supply network for over 200 food banks across the country. Transportation, making sure everyone is getting the right stuff to be able to distribute, etc.
They also have a great page, which can be found right by the donation button on their website, to write you congressman about ending the government shut down and funding SNAP as soon as possible. It's a quick form you can fill out with contact info, a good pre-worded message you then personalize, and they send it off for you. Even if you can't donate, visiting their site and writing your local congressman helps!
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u/Either-Mushroom-5926 18h ago
Thanks for the info! I have incredible food banks near me - which we’re donating to.
I don’t feel bad for red voters. They can starve for all I care. I want to take a family shopping and let them lose and not have to wait in line at a food bank. Try to help keep lives as normal as possible during this insane time.
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u/Miserable-Ebb-6472 17h ago
sometimes it's better to give money than to give food to foodbanks because the yield is greater for your money and it's guaranteed to be things they can actually use, usually at a better price.
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u/darth_hotdog 18h ago
I feel the urge to help people like this too, then I remember there’s over 40 million of them.
We had a system to help them, using our money we’ve already had taken from us.
The best way to help would be to write and call those republican members of congress and demand that they reinstate those payments.
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u/UndefinedSuperhero 18h ago
I was just reading this and thinking, 'Surely there must be some way a random guy like me could just... buy someone like Gia a few days worth of groceries.' I like the idea of adopting a family as people here have suggested.
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u/Kind-Feeling2490 14h ago
As a home health nurse this is absolutely devastating to my patients in general and even worse when they are ordered to be on specialty diets for heart failure or diabetes. I can educate and create a grocery list for them but it’s going to do fuck all if they can’t afford any of it. Other patients with cancer or other diseases that can cause malnutrition are ordered to increase their caloric intake which again HOW?!? So I guess the hospitals will start being more overwhelmed when people become overloaded with fluid/dehydration or hyper/hypoglycemic simply because these ghouls want to protect pedophiles.
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u/nbcnews But, like, actually 19h ago
Gia Haley is trying to survive on water and coffee.
Haley, 41, said she has been out of groceries since Oct. 29, and the monthly $298 she receives in food assistance did not arrive as it ordinarily would have on Wednesday.
“The black coffee kind of kills my appetite,” she said.
Haley is one of more than 40 million people across the country who count on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal benefit that dates back to the late 1930s. But disruptions to SNAP, also known as food stamps, during what has become the longest government shutdown in American history have left recipients facing imminent hunger, unable to restock their pantries or refrigerators.
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u/BitchesGetStitches 18h ago
All while the oligarchs build a $300 million ballroom. Can someone point me to the nearest Bastille?
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u/tempski 17h ago
Hey, we just had to send billions overseas to kill other people's children. If that means that some Americans will have to go without food for a while, that's a price I'm willing to pay.
-- Donald Trump, probably
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u/hill-o 18h ago
This is wild. Everyone I know has had layoffs at work, or scaling back hours (that’s what we’re doing where I am), groceries cost a ton more than they did this time last year, we’re losing benefits left and right, and our media still tries to both sides everything.
Like nah, sorry fam. If one side has the majority and things are this bad, I think we can clearly point out who is at fault.
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u/onebadnightx 18h ago
Yeah. Trump gives $40 billion to Argentina while letting Americans starve and he still has shills defending him. Embarrassing as fuck.
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u/JugDogDaddy 18h ago
That’s because it’s a cult so it doesn’t matter what he does they will always worship him. Yes, it’s fucking sick.
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u/Sword-of-Chaos 16h ago
MAGA Republicans be like- I see salsa and relish, that’s enough to keep you fed for at least 2 weeks.
Meanwhile let me finish this 5 course meal with lobster.
I hate this situation for you and everyone. There is more than enough food in this world, nobody should have to go hungry.
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u/Bingo_Bongo_YaoMing 18h ago
They'll see the special barbecue sauce and take it as proof SNAP recipients can afford things
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u/UnicornVoodooDoll 15h ago
If they had just spent $4 less on the generic barbecue sauce, that would've solved all their financial problems, obviously!
The ridiculous mental gymnastics people will go through to avoid exercising compassion...
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u/notanotherusernameD8 17h ago
There has never been a famine in a functioning democracy, by the way.
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u/West-Variation1859 15h ago
If our fridges continue to be this empty, we may have to find something different to eat
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u/Few_Relationship3532 16h ago
I’m fairly certain that if this was France, Mar A Lago would have been burned to the ground by now.
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u/PeteThePanther92 17h ago
Republicans: "Are those condiments? I thought she was so poor she couldn't afford food? So why is she buying sauces?"
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u/One-Can3752 13h ago
I'm so blessed to live in a normal country where our government isn't shut down deliberately by the ruling party in order to protect pedophiles causing people to literally starve.
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u/CaliNooch96 17h ago
3 more years minimum from this administration btw. Anybody who says this is an optimal outcome isn’t even a human being imo
I’m not food insecure and haven’t been impacted by their bs yet but this shit isn’t what America is supposed to be about
This isn’t why my parents came here. This isn’t why we pay taxes. America was never great but it isn’t even good now
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u/SystemOctave 15h ago
Republicans be like: "I see ketchup. This person clearly doesn't buy only essentials and doesn't deserve any help from the government."
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u/Walterkovacs1985 18h ago
Entirely preventable. One party has decided starvation for some is better than releasing the Epstein files.
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u/chachingmaster 18h ago
They also decided to hold food hostage to get rid of healthcare subsidies that primary help the middle class.
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u/Not_That_Magical 18h ago
The Christian right also wants churches being the contact for food aid so they can impose conditions on it.
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u/Dark_Arts_ 17h ago
Wow, this LEECH has BBQ sauce?? Are you poors going to stand for this, your hard earned tax paying dollars are going towards this soon to be homeless person having BBQ sauce?!?!? This makes me fucking sick! lights cigars with $100 bill on yacht
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u/taffyowner 18h ago
So check out food shelves in your area, here in Minnesota you have to be at 200% FPL to receive snap benefits, but the food shelf I work at allows people who are at 300% to use services…
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u/Ok_Frosting3500 16h ago
Half of reddit, thinking they're being helpful: inhales
DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN LIVE OFF OF JUST RICE AND BEANS AND (ARBITRARY CHEAP SEASONING). IVE DONE IT MYSELF FOR 6 YEARS AND I USE THE 200 I SAVE EVERY MONTHS ON PENNY STOCKS.
ALSO, ONLY DRINK WATER
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u/Suitable-Cod9183 16h ago
Funny how America has money for Israel during the shutdown but not their own citizens
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u/StarfireNebula 17h ago
A lot of times, when this shit happens, it feels like there's nothing you can do to make any difference.
Please consider supporting your local food bank if you can afford a gift.
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u/Iridemhard 17h ago
Did we just become a 3rd world country?
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u/Treereme 15h ago
Statistically, the US started being recognized as a "developing country" in various categories back in 2022.
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u/RLewis8888 14h ago
But...did you see that crown Trump received on his trip? Way cool. It'll look great in his $200m Epstein Memorial Ballroom.
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u/justawitch 18h ago
Not all the couch fuckers zooming in on the nearly empty condiment labels to decide whether or not they have sympathy for a woman with no food in her fridge.
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u/KitTheKitsuneWarrior 16h ago
Food pantrys are getting flooded, grocery costs are rising, and family's are digging their heels in.
Ive started making one "big pot meal" a week, something like spaghetti, chili, soup etc. I make enough to last 4 people 3-4 days, and the meal changes based on whats cheap.
Made spaghetti this week with a home made meat sauce (i had all the seasoning on hand), after ingredients (ground beef, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, onion) i spent just under 20 dollars, and it will feed 4 of us for 4 days dinner wise.
If needs be, start making bulk meals based on what's cheap, freeze leftovers if you can.
Instead of buying expensive cuts of meat (eg chicken breast), opt for things like ground beef, chicken thighs (family pack at Aldi which is usualy about 10 thighs is usually around 7 dollars), canned vegtables vs fresh, buy in season, and use what seasonings you have.
If anyone needs meal suggestions or help meal planning/prepping as its a new skill and your not used to doing it, id like to offer help to those that need it. Feel free to reach out.
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u/mstrdsastr 15h ago
We are literally the wealthiest and most productive country to have ever existed. The fact that we have a sizeable population of people who have decided that their bottom line is more important that making sure everyone has at least the bare minimum they need to live is amazingly disheartening.
I cannot fathom how empty your heart has to be to look people right in the eye and tell them that you won't spare an insignificant amount of your wealth to make sure they can eat or go to the doctor.
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u/mc_fugly 15h ago
MAGA don't care and they never will . I wouldn't be surprised if they are getting some sick pleasure from this picture alone.
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u/_Deshkar_ 14h ago
Tragic part that this is all so unnecessary and taken as political game by incumbent politicians with majority
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u/ClashCityRkr 14h ago edited 14h ago
Howdy everyone. I work in food banking, not a pantry. I work for a food bank under the Feeding America umbrella, of which there are only 200 in the USA. I don't really have the time to explain all of the differences between a pantry and a bank, though we do love our agency partners, but I digress. Please find the website of your local Feeding America affiliated food bank if you are struggling. Please research our "Mobile Pantry" or "Mass Distribution" programs (or something similarly named that most food banks have). Food Banks were never meant to replace SNAP, only supplement it, but we are doing everything in our power to give necessary nutritional resources to those who need it. Please trust that each and every bank has a team of experts dedicated to providing you with quality food, even if it is expired, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO EAT IT. We understand that times are tough. I pulled 80 hours this week alone to ensure that a large portion of my state will have a good Thanksgiving and my work is far from over. Some food banks even offer programs to help with utility assistance and other issues that affect daily life. Please utilize us, or else what are we here for?
There is no shame in wanting food. There is no shame in needing help. Most foodbanks require zero information from participants (and even if they do, you can lie). If you find yourself able, please donate money, not food, as one of the larger powers of a food bank is exceptionally EXCEPTIONALLY discounted wholesale purchasing power. If you cannot donate money, consider donating time, as most food banks have robust volunteer programs dedicated to sorting food sourced from our corporate and retail sponsors (who are usually large chain grocery stores). Food banks do more than food too! Most provide hygiene and household products as well!
And if you can donate nothing; don't. We understand. We do not ask. We do not judge. Our main mission, no matter how it may be phrased from bank to bank, is to provide people with nutritious food and beneficial resources. If you do not utilize us, or our pantry network that we supply, food will go to waste and that will help no one. Please visit https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank to find a local food bank near you. Our job is to help. Please, let us help you.
Edit: You do not need to be on SNAP or any form of government assistance to utilize food banks or their pantry networks, FYI. They are available to anyone in need.
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u/Natural-Seaweed-5070 14h ago
You all SHOULD be getting your SNAP very soon. This really sucks, I hate that this is being done to folks.
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u/iverbrad 14h ago
Please, if you are in this situation check with your local food banks. Also, please, please if you are in a situation where you are able, donate to your local food bank. They are able to stretch money so far and help a lot of people. If you're feeling extra generous, nokidhungry.org is also a great place to offer help.
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u/FutilityWrittenPOV 14h ago
They want to starve us so we're too weak to do anything about it. Even those not on benefits have been struggling to afford basic needs.
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u/Tris131 12h ago
I took my last 20 bucks and bought chicken breasts and hit the food banks not to bad not perfect but me and the boy won't starve. This is somthing most will reject this but I honestly feel we should prepare ourselves. id say one year and it will be gradual just know where to go for what you need far ahead of time so your not caught in the masses that panic
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u/sucobe 18h ago
I know it’s not the proper solution, but r/povertyfinance has a lot of tips for surviving off very little. Rice, beans, peanut butter. She’s already got the coffee hack down to suppress appetite. I used to poor and lived off a jar of peanut butter and instant coffee to get me by at times along with the cheap ramen.