SNAP And Nutrition - Mixed Bag

[Jim Meade / Iowa City]

http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2013-november/snap-participation-and-diet-outcomes.aspx#.UpSeiUC...

Food Stamps appear to help recipients with food security, according to the USDA, but whether SNAP supports better eating habits is less clear.  A little  more fruit, a few less vegetables.  Hey, how about the Twinkies?

Snap "...  has two major goals: to reduce food insecurity....and to support nutritious diets....

[Kay/NC]

My eyes started glazing over after a point, but the main thing, if I understood it right, is that data were taken from dietary recall. If that means from people telling researchers what they remember estingbfor the past day or two, it makes me question conclusions. People tend to remember the " good" things they ate, and forget the " bad" ones.

I think that the WIC guidelines are more stringent, as to what types of food are acceptable. When it comes to telling grownups what they are allowed to have, then it all gets sticky. Cultural preferences and prejudices are hard to control.

Households with less food security may also be less equipped with the tools and training necessary to really prepare whole foods into meals. If your stove doesn't work, and you have no money to repair or replace it, then you drift tiwards prepared foods, or now, more towards whole prepared meals. That is the developing trend.

I recently read a quote about how in this country, we have had a year of prepared foods, and are embarking upon a hundred years of preoared meals. This ties in with taste preferences and brand recognition, advertising dollars, and even issues like the maddening new FSMA.

I had a good conversation with a friend in marketing for NCDA the other night. That regulatory nightmare is giving produce growers indigestion. Our government needs to stop talking out of both sides of its mouth at the same time....

[kraft-t]

I think healthy eating for most people falls victim to convenience whether it is food stamps or not.

BTW. we just engaged in consuming a lot of well prepared  wholesome foods over the last couple of days, but I would hardly claim it was healthy eating. Not from a quantity perspective at least..

My wife stewed over roasting a couple of turkeys and preparing cranberry relish and a pickup load of stuffing. As we sat at the dining room table enjoying the abundance, I announced to our families, two daughters and a daughter in law that moms cooking days were over. I told them that when her mother was her age she still had wonderful holiday meals but she had a daughter ( my wife) to do most of the work. Now my wife is 74 and she shouldn't be doing all that work of cooking and cleaning up the mess. You young ones have to take over or we will have it catered.

BUT DAD! the three fleamales chimed. " SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO DO IT, SHE VOLUNTEERED.  Here she was cooking and fretting all about the thanksgiving meal and she didn't even have to do it!  Well I guess i need not be sympathetic for her..