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Many people are rightfully aggravated by people with food stamps or the EBT card buying the food they should not be buying. These mostly fall into two categories, junk food, and rich food. Chips, cookies, sodas, and other foods that have high sugar and low nutrient content are often bought with taxpayer money, and taxpayers get frustrated that people on food stamps are not using taxpayer money wiser.
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Another major infuriating purchase is lobster, steaks, and other high-priced foods. Many lower middle-class taxpayers without the EBT card sees items bought with the EBT that they cannot afford and are righteously angered. The government implemented choice in food aid, which has many benefits. However, it has a downside.
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Government excludes (mostly) beer, cigarettes, lottery, and other ‘sin’ items. Too many people find a way around that by selling food stamps to buy the ‘sin’ items or use the EBT for the food and use their own money for the wine. Many taxpayers get upset that people use their tax dollars on food when they still have money for ‘mega-millions.’ It shows a great lack of appreciation and taking government help for granted.
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All food products have a list of nutritional facts listed on the label. Every food manufacturer that wants an item considered for EBT, or the charity version of the EBT card, must submit the item and the facts. All the nutritional facts are entered into a computer. At the store level, the store uploads prices for those items. There are plenty of daily dietary recommendations per proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and others.
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The computer analyses the best price to achieve the nutrition needed. The computer gives options within 10% of the best, and the welfare recipient picks the items within that range. The printer at the store prints out coupons for those items and those items are purchased with those coupons. This is the base of the plan, and the free market will make it more dynamic.
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Manufacturers will be motivated to develop foods that make it to the top of this list. The top two issues are price and nutrition. Competition to develop highly nutritious food at low prices is beneficial. It is likely that stores will dedicate a section of the store to these items. The computer would also be able to examine other stores within a certain mileage when factoring in the best deals.
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At the store level, certain items often get close to code dates and the store will be able to lower the price to be within the 10% range. Bread, produce and other perishables items are often price-reduced for quick sale before the code date, and this system will allow stores to move product and the food stamp holder to have additional options. All the CDA's will set their guidelines, and the computer programmers will be able to work things out.
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