Enforcing “Healthy” Food Choices for Food Stamp Purchases

Florida Representative Ronda Storms has proposed that money given out by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) should not be spent on foods containing trans-fats, sweets, sweetened beverages, corn-based salty snacks and other foods that are considered “unhealthy.”

Rep. Storms claims that allowing SNAP recipients to buy these foods is an inappropriate use of federal assistance fund.

Rep. Storms wants Floridians to eat healthier and she does have a valid point. What nutritional value does gulping down a can of soda or munching on pretzels have on a person’s diet?

Or from another point of view, why spend your limited SNAP funds on potato chips and cupcakes when you can get healthier grains, greens and meats from the local supermarket?

You will probably be cursing at this post right now, especially if you are absolutely in love with chocolate or ice cream or pastries.

But let’s face it – if you rely on SNAP assistance, you really shouldn’t be picky about the food you eats. The truth of the matter is that sweets and other heavenly delights are not a priority for anyone who has a hard time balancing out the budget sheet.

In any case, the biggest problem with Rep Storms’ proposition is its actual implementation. Classifying foods as healthy or unhealthy and actually sorting out foods that can be purchased via SNAP is a lot harder than it sounds on paper.

How can a teen working part-time at the local grocery sort out purchases? How can that teen even tell an irate customer that she can’t use her food stamps to buy the cup of ice cream she always gets when she goes shopping for groceries?

We will just have to wait and see how the bill gets handled in the future.