Forget South Beach. Or The Abs Diet. Or the Raw Food Detox Diet. The quickest way to zip up those skinny jeans is to go on food stamps!
At least that’s what Fox News’ Andrea Tantaros thinks. In a discussion about Newark mayor Cory Booker’s move to eat on a budget equivalent to food stamps (aka Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) for a week, she chimed in with this zinger:
“I should try it because do you know how fabulous I’d look? I’d be so skinny. I mean, the camera adds ten pounds, it really does. I’d be looking great!”
You can watch the whole miserable thing here.
I happened to see this clip the same evening I watched “Poor Kids“, an episode of PBS’ Frontline that explores poverty through the eyes of children.
They showed a family with two kids hopping from cheap motel to cheap motel, filling the bathroom sinks with ice to use as makeshift refrigerators. Another family cooks frozen pizzas for dinner (which they bought 5 for $10) and cuts them into slices with scissors. Their little girl–with a shirt that couldn’t cover her round belly–said they hadn’t eaten fruits or vegetables for a few weeks because they were too expensive.
A limited food budget doesn’t help people eat better. It forces them to feed their families with the cheapest, easiest food available. In our country, that’s heavily processed and fast food–food that keeps people malnourished and eventually makes them sick. It’s a horrible injustice.
My gut reaction to Andrea Tantaros’ inane comments was that she should be fired.
But I’ve reconsidered. Instead, I think she should be required to join mayor Booker in eating on $30 a week (and let’s have her try that for a month, shall we?) and document the whole thing for Fox News. Now that’s some television I would watch.
I just hope she likes cheap frozen pizza.
To learn about organizations that work to alleviate hunger, visit this link at The Lunch Tray
Sign up for my weekly email and you'll receive a FREE e-book, "16 Game-Changing Tips For Feeding Kids".
kathie says
I have to say.. this article bugged me. Because it is lower income people using fixed income as a reason not eat healthy (and for us real foodies nodding our heads and agreeing). This bugged me because for most of 2012 and the latter part of 2011living on my husband’s unemployment checks. I was pregnant and diabetic and we have a toddler. Wr lived on $50-$60 a week for food. This covered the 3 gallons of milk my toddler drinks. We did not spend $10 for 5 pizzas. We bought frozen vegetables, a bag of apples, cheap bread, butter, pasta and tomato sauce, sometimes meat, beans etc. Yes, my husvband lost 40 pounds and I didn’t gain weight nor did I take all of my meds I needed. From personal experience, I know it is healthy to eat moderately healthy for a family of 4 or 5 on a limited budget. But this was only my experience and everyone is different.
There were days I didn’t eat because my toddler needed to eat. We did without for a very long time but I rarely purchased processed food.
Sally says
Kathie–thanks for your comment and for sharing your experience. Sounds like you made good choices with the money you had, though it’s terrible that you weren’t able to eat some days so that your toddler could eat. Nobody should have to make a choice like that. I don’t think lower income people used fixed income as a reason not to eat healthy–I think our food culture gives people easy access to cheap, processed food. And I do think fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean poultry are still quite pricey (though I agree that frozen veggies are a good choice). Also, some healthy foods that are inexpensive–like dried beans–are time-consuming to prepare, and some people don’t even have access to proper kitchen equipment (like the family in the documentary who used a sink as a refrigerator). Thank you for your perspective and for chiming in to this conversation!
Jenna Z says
Yes! When I did the SNAP Hunger Challenge, I ate a TON of carbs. I didn’t buy processed foods but I ate a TON of potatoes, pasta, and oatmeal, along with canned beans and canned vegetables. I did NOT loose any weight, and I craved fresh fruit!
Sally says
Jenna–how interesting that you did a SNAP challenge. I agree that a limited budget would definitely steer me toward carbs and away from things like fresh fruit and vegetables, which aren’t always affordable. Thanks for your comment!
Robin Jingjit says
Oh no… surely that is PR nightmare? I love your idea of having her do the diet and story as a consequence. No excuses for what she said, that’s bad, but I will say that now and then I realize how hard it would be to have a job that puts you constantly in the public eye. What she said was thoughtless for sure… but I’ve said a few thoughtless things myself over the years and I am so glad none of them were broadcast on TV! I hope she’ll make a public apology.
Sally says
Robin–yes, I’m sure she regrets it (at least I hope she does). I admire your empathy toward her! 🙂 I haven’t found any evidence of an apology online when I searched, though I did find a petition demanding that she does. My search also turned up some troubling articles about other unfortunate things she’s said, like this one: http://www.guilfordian.com/news/2012/09/21/andrea-tantaros-speech-sparks-controversy/
Kathie says
Hi Sally,
Thank you! I do have to admit, when I was a single mother (with my now 9 year old), I did make food choices which included loading up on processed food on a fixed budget. I do agree that most people may not have the access to kitchen equipment or have the time (I certainly did not at that time) or know-how to fix meals that are healthy and nutritious. I apologize- I think I used the wrong verbage to descibe lower income people. I meant to say that this is a social issue- and people should be better educated to know there is a healthier, better way to eat (WIC and Food Stamps do not usually educate as well as they should.) My situation this time aroud was a bit different due to the toddler having severe food allergies which really limited our choice of food. I have several friends who live in cities and they do say they have to really search for good wholesome food which is also at a lower price they can afford. This definitely is more of a social issue rather than an individual one, one we should all take up a rally cry for. I also think the anchor was out of line with her opinion. Maybe she does need to join Cory Booker in his own challenge. Hopefully then, she’ll learn empathy toward the other side who can’t afford the meals she enjoys.
Jax says
It would be difficult to feed a family healthfully on SNAP. My family is also struggling to feed ourselves on a tight budget and have applied for SNAP. This program is meant to be supplemental and we still have to take a hard look at our priorities when we make food choices. If you feel (as I do) that what you choose to fuel your body with is important, then you will try as best you can to do so. My heart aches for those families who are in those dire situations (like in the PBS special), and I hope that communities can work together to help these people get back on their feet.
I think the real issue is educating people on good food and making it accessible. I’m inspired to do this in my own city.
Sally says
Jax–thanks for your perspective. And you’re right, it’s supposed to be supplemental, as the name says, but I’m guessing it is what many families solely rely on. I like your point about communities working together.
Emma says
Part of the problem is also a lack of education… not about nutrition & the need to eat better food (although sometimes that too), but mainly about how to actually prepare & cook “real” food so they don’t have to rely on the processed junk, and to have the confidence to be able to create a decent meal out of random pantry items. I know a lady who helps low-income people learn to cook, and she commonly gets comments along the lines of “but I’m too scared to buy a (insert “real” food item of choice)… what if I screw it up and it’s inedible?… then I’ve wasted my week’s food budget and no one eats… I can’t screw up a (insert processed “junk” food item of choice).
We need to bring back “home economics” at school, and teach everyone how to make soups, stews & pasta sauces, etc., from cheap, variable ingredients (i.e., whatever is at hand or on sale).
Sally says
Emma–Yes! So true about cooking real, whole foods. Such good points here. Thanks for your comment.
Darren says
What an absolutely ridiculous statement. When native americans were put on government rations, the rates of obesity and diabetes went up significantly despite barely having enough food to sustain themselves. This type of diet typically contains highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and is high in sugar, which has the potential to cause fat storage and a negative metabolic shift even on lower calories. It is certainly possible to eat healthy and control your body fat on a low-income diet, but it requires a significant level of education and knowledge about nutrition in order to make the right choices. Without that, the cheap and convenient food sources that are by far the worst choices always win out.
Sally says
Darren–thanks for your comment. And great point about Native Americans. Our country makes cheap, processed food easier the easiest choice–and I think you’re right that it does take education to make different choices, even if that’s just how to prepare healthier, inexpensive foods (like dry beans).
Kelly says
I’d like to add something about the “education” comments above. Yes, when people know better they do better. But food insecurity and poverty present so many challenges. While I congratulate those (including commenters above) who make (what we deem) “good” decisions when faced with limited resources, I don’t think this is a matter of simply educating poor people. Such talk severely underestimates what goes on when basic human needs, such as safe housing and health care go routinely unmet.
Sally says
Great comment, Kelly. And I agree. When you’re looking at the hierarchy of needs, people who are food insecure are usually (rightly) focused on basic needs like housing and safety.
Abby says
Thank you for this perspective. I’ve long wished that the “food stamp” program would provide families with vouchers specifically for fresh food (fruits, vegetables, etc.) in addition to their food stamp budget. In many cases, their current food stamp allowance forces them to shop on the “inside” of the store which is filled with cheap, but processed and often unhealthy, foods. It’s so sad. Thank you for weighing in with your thoughts!
Emily says
I do not support or defend the comment by Andrea Tantaros, but I have to agree with some of the others that healthy food choices can be made on a limited budget. I am a SAHM with a toddler and I feed my family fresh meat and produce for around $50 a week, including $4 per half gallon organic milk for our daughter. I realize that everyone has different circumstances and may not have access to cooking facilities, but it is just not true to say that a limited budget means you are condemned to eating processed foods. I use the sale ads to buy only the meats and produce that are on sale and make my meals out of those. The help that is offered to those in need (programs like SNAP) should absolutely be based on fresh, nutritious foods when they are indeed as affordable as they are. I can make a fresh meal for my family from the grocery store for under $10. We could hardly eat a fast-food dinner for that price.