'Have you ever wondered \"why can people buy junk food with food stamps?\" You\'re not alone! We are asked this question - or some variation of it - almost every single day. And today, we\'re going to answer not only why people CAN, but why they SHOULD be able to buy junk food with food stamps. --CHAPTERS-- 0:00 Why can people buy junk food with food stamps? 0:30 Intro to Low Income Relief 1:26 The Food & Nutrition Act of 2008 3:07 Staple Food vs. Regular Food 4:30 EBT Shoppers vs. Other Shoppers 5:19 USDA Incentive Programs 5:40 Why the Law Won\'t Change 6:11 2017 Study 8:33 Conclusion 9:14 Got EBT? Get 500+ Freebies & Deals! --LOW INCOME RELIEF-- Low Income Relief is a free information service that helps people across America save money and get free stuff. We\'ve helped millions of people connect with resources at LowIncomeRelief.com. --TRANSCRIPT-- Why can people buy junk food with food stamps? We have people ask this question - or some close variation of it - almost every single day. Usually, it’s asked in frustration by someone who thinks that these purchases should be banned entirely. Today, we’re going to answer. I’m Nicole from LowIncomeRelief.com, where we help millions of people save money and get free stuff every year. Before we begin, I just want to restate that Low Income Relief is committed to maintaining a judgement-free environment in which we can share resources with those who need them most. While I do not advocate spending your precious food stamps dollars on junk food, I also don’t judge people for how they spend their money. If you do receive food stamps, be sure to check out our list of over 500 freebies and deals that you may qualify for. If you have an EBT card, you can save on everything from Amazon Prime to zoo admission. We have all the details on that at lowincomerelief.com/ebt. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 dictates the types of foods that can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.” That’s the formal name for the foods stamps program. Under the Act, food stamps can be used to purchase “any food or food product for home consumption.” This is a fairly broad definition and includes everything from bread to produce-bearing plants to a bag of chips or a case of soda. It’s Legal. In case you’re wondering, the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 is a huge 157-page document that governs the food stamps program. This document outlines who qualifies for food stamps, how the benefits are issued and redeemed. Consequences for violations are described. Many of the sections are technical outlines that apply more to retailers than shoppers. The entire document is available publicly online through the USDA website. Inside that document, you’ll find the definition of “food” in section 3, subparagraph k. It says: “Food means any food or food product for home consumption EXCEPT alcoholic beverages, tobacco, hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption other than those authorized pursuant to clauses… of this subsection.” This section also goes on to outline other exceptions to this statement. We’ve discussed some of those exceptions in other videos, such as the Restaurant Meals Program that allows elderly, disabled and homeless people to purchase restaurant meals with food stamps. There’s also an exception for eligible Alaskan households, who can use food stamps to purchase nets, hooks, harpoons and other hunting and fishing equipment. But these exceptions are not the point of this video. Interestingly, the Act also defines “staple foods” differently than “food.” Staple foods, according to the Act, include “meat, poultry, or fish, bread or cereals, vegetables or fruits, and dairy products” but “do not include accessory food items, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, carbonated and uncarbonated drinks, candy, condiments and spices.” However, there is nothing in the Act that restricts the use of food stamps funds to “staple foods.” Instead, the “staple foods” definition is used to define “retail food stores.” According to the Act, a retail food store must sell at least 7 foods in each of the four staple food categories. The retailer must also sell perishable foods in at least three categories. Over half of their total sales must be in staple foods. This is important because the Act states that “the benefits so received by such households shall be used only to purchase food from retail food stores which have been approved for participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.” Basically, this means that you can only use your food stamps to purchase food from stores that have healthy “staple food” choices available… but the Act does not require you to choose healthy staple foods while you are shopping there. --TRANSCRIPT TRUNCATED DUE TO LENGTH--'
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