[Strive4health]

I came across this great book where a woman created a cookbook for those who are on SNAP benefits or live in a tight food budget:

https://41aac1a9acbe9b97bcebc10e0dd7...-and-cheap.pdf

I browsed through the recipes, and they look really good. I'm going to try some of them and check back in. She wrote the book to include the recipes, pictures, along with the total cost per meal and cost per serving.

This would be a great resource!

[phoenix7]

looks great thanks :-)

[-jimi-]

Maybe I'm a pessimist but I hadn't expected anything even looking like stuff I like, but they have lentil dishes, chickpea dishes and roasted root vegs. All good eats.

[ScientiaOmnisEst]

I'm on SNAP and I seem to do just fine eating totally irresponsibly...maybe food is extra-cheap where I live?

Cool link though.

[-jimi-]

I'm just curious being overseas (or rather you guys are overseas!), how much do people normally get in food stamps and what are some common foods you cannot buy with them?

[Strive4health]

Jimi, I think it depends on the state. Where I live, sometimes in the grocery store certain foods are marked that they are WIC or food stamp qualified. Many of these foods are foods that no one would bat an eye at, such as fruit, vegetable, and I thought I remembered meat.

I was able to try a recipe from the cookbook and was impressed with how good it tasted! I think I will have to follow the directions more to cook it exactly as it says-- I was making a chicken dish and the chicken needed to browned a bit more. But sometime soon I do plan on making the smaller dishes and a dessert.

[healingme4me]

Just browsing through a couple of recipes, the fact that they call for "any type" on things like vinegar speaks volumes to what they are trying to offer. I like the idea of cost per meal. I've had recipe books through WIC before, and already I recognize a couple recipes that my 10 year old son used in an enrichment type of cooking course offered through the boys and girls club. Anytime that I can find realistic recipes that include most typical staple items, I'm thrilled. Often times specialty recipe books require all sorts of ingredients not typically found in the average home.

Thanks for sharing!

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by -jimi-

I'm just curious being overseas (or rather you guys are overseas!), how much do people normally get in food stamps and what are some common foods you cannot buy with them?

Ok. Each state is different. Allotmemts vary by family size and income. Income such as social security disability/and/or/retirement counts, as does child support-all non taxable income counts. In Massachusetts, the maximum, last check was well over $600 for a family of 4. In Massachusetts, if there's a child under 7, no job search requirement is necessary, but over 7, it is. Work at least 30hours at minimum wage or submit job search. The maximum isn't a given in food benefits.

Can't buy cigarettes, alcohol nor lottery tickets with the food stamp card, that looks like a debit card with photo id. Can't buy rotisserie chicken but can buy a made sandwich at the grocery deli. Can buy soda or potato chips. Can buy most food items. No toiletries nor paper products. The registers are computerized to tackle Food versus Taxable items. Non tax items are what's provided. WIC is for mothers and children under 5, which is a paper voucher for bread, milk, cheese, certain cereals and if pregnant or breastfeeding, tuna. Formula is vouchered but only the latest vendor. Some years is enfamil others nestle products.