CEO of Panera bread trying to live off food SNAP benefits, finding it's impossible to..

CEO of Panera bread finding it hard to live on SNAP benefits

This is a very interesting story, and he plans to keep this updated as to what his experiences are. You can see the posters comments on his Linked In page.

Let them eat astroturf.

SNAP benefits for Texas..family of four $668.

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/help/Food/snap.shtml

He bought some really stupid items. 5 pds of beans and rice will go a long ways.

He bought some really stupid items. 5 pds of beans and rice will go a long ways. Originally Posted by thisguy23

+1 Affirmative! He could have bought about two or three heads of cabbage for the price of the cheese: if he is really worried about nutrition. And it looks like he bought at least a pound of jalepenos, which is okay if you're making jalepeno poppers for the gang while you're watching a football game.




Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal, 42 oz $3.98 (it appears he bought 14 oz for $2.59)

SNAP benefits for Texas..family of four $668.

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/help/Food/snap.shtml Originally Posted by gnadfly

That chart shows $50 per week for one person; not $31.50. He could have bought a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk.

SNAP benefits for Texas..family of four $668.

http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/help/Food/snap.shtml Originally Posted by gnadfly

Hey thanks for the link. Very interesting. I went to find online how they calculate the food benefits, and apparently those amounts are not necessarily what individuals actually get. They do deductions, and based on what amount of money an individual has in their bank account or other possible assests, greatly reduce what they may actually receive.

Here is a link http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=1269

I have a friend who is disabled, she is a quadrapeligic, and is on disability. Her disability income is under 1000.00 a month. She had to get onto the SNAPS program and they only give her a maximum amount of 55.00 a month flat. Apparently they calculate her income after basic needs like rent, and do a regular review of her bank account. So if she gets birthday money and deposits that, and it shows up on their review, she will recieve an adjusted amount.

That link you provided kind of through me off, so I had to investigate it. Anyway, I imagine that the deductions and calculations are different and vary from state to state. Some states may be stricter and others not so strict.

It shows that single adults have to work a minimum of 20 hours a week to maintain any SNAP benefits, which will be reduced due to the income they make. It also shows that a single adult that doesn't work is only able to stay on the program for 3 months for a given year.


Example: Calculating a Household’s Monthly SNAP Benefits

Consider a family of three with one full-time, minimum-wage worker, two children, dependent care costs of $74 a month, and shelter costs of $833 per month.[14]

Step 1 — Gross Income: The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. Full-time work at this level yields monthly earnings of $1,256.

Step 2 — Net Income for Shelter Deduction: Begin with the gross monthly earnings of $1,256. Subtract the standard deduction for a three-person household ($152), the earnings deduction (20 percent times $1,256, or $251), and the childcare deduction ($74). The result is $779 (Countable Income A).

Step 3 — Shelter Deduction: Begin with the shelter costs of (maximum amount allowed) $833. Subtract half of Countable Income A (half of $779 is $390) for a result of $443.

Step 4 — Net Income: Subtract the shelter deduction ($443) from Countable Income A ($779) for a result of $336.

Step 5 — Family’s Expected Contribution Towards Food: 30 percent of the household’s net income ($336) is $101.

Step 6 — SNAP Benefit: The maximum benefit in 2014 for a family of three is $497. The maximum benefit minus the household contribution ($497 minus $101) equals $396.
The family’s monthly SNAP benefit is $396.

If I only had 25.00 a week to spend on groceries. Garlic would not be not the list.

+1 Affirmative! He could have bought about two or three heads of cabbage for the price of the cheese: if he is really worried about nutrition. And it looks like he bought at least a pound of jalepenos, which is okay if you're making jalepeno poppers for the gang while you're watching a football game.




Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal, 42 oz $3.98 (it appears he bought 14 oz for $2.59)

That chart shows $50 per week for one person; not $31.50. He could have bought a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk. Originally Posted by I B Hankering

I think the guy was trying to buy healthy food for balanced nutrition, and is finding that you can't living on food assistance. Sure beans and rice can go a long way, but not necessarily good nutrition. In addition starchy items like rice/beans pasta is a great way to become fat quickly if that is all your eating. I think that is why you see poor people in some cases obese. They are eating foods that are cheap but processed and high in calories and starch.

If I only had 25.00 a week to spend on groceries. Garlic would not be not the list. Originally Posted by IIFFOFRDB

lol ....well it is cheap

I think the guy was trying to buy healthy food for balanced nutrition, and is finding that you can't living on food assistance. Sure beans and rice can go a long way, but not necessarily good nutrition. In addition starchy items like rice/beans pasta is a great way to become fat quickly if that is all your eating. I think that is why you see poor people in some cases obese. They are eating foods that are cheap but processed and high in calories and starch. Originally Posted by Stan.Dupp

Dry beans aren't 'processed'; hence, they are an excellent source of vitamins and protein: vegetarians swear by them. Plus, beans have sustained poor people for thousands of generations. Beans are especially important in a diet without meat, and they're certainly 'healthier' than cheese. Likewise, brown rice is more nutritious than pasta . . . and less expensive at $1.50 to $2 per pound.

Stan, could you post this stuff in our neighbor forum the sandbox...thanks

Dry beans aren't 'processed'; hence, they are an excellent source of vitamins and protein: vegetarians swear by them. Plus, beans have sustained poor people for thousands of generations. Beans are especially important in a diet without meat, and they're certainly 'healthier' than cheese. Likewise, brown rice is more nutritious than pasta . . . and less expensive at $1.50 to $2 per pound. Originally Posted by I B Hankering

Beans no doubt are an incredible source of protein and B vitamins. I just don't think you can live strictly on a diet of rice and beans. You lose out on other vitamins and nutrients, like vitamin C and other things. But more specifically beans and white rice break down into glucose and that might not be good for someone who has insulin issues. I agree with you that people should use brown rice and not white processed rice. Oh I also forgot to mention eating too much of beans can cause the build up of purines (uric acid) in the body, and some people can get episodes of gout from eating too many. I guess the key here is "balance" which is why this guy in this article was trying to buy foods for a balanced diet. Anything in excess is not good for a person's body.

Stan, could you post this stuff in our neighbor forum the sandbox...thanks Originally Posted by IIFFOFRDB

Hey just have the mods move this thread if it isn't considered a political topic. I figured this was a political topic, however its digressed into a meal planner topic..lol

Your north side fucker...lol.

Beans no doubt are an incredible source of protein and B vitamins. I just don't think you can live strictly on a diet of rice and beans. You lose out on other vitamins and nutrients, like vitamin C and other things. But more specifically beans and white rice break down into glucose and that might not be good for someone who has insulin issues. I agree with you that people should use brown rice and not white processed rice.



Hey just have the mods move this thread if it isn't considered a political topic. I figured this was a political topic, however its digressed into a meal planner topic..lol Originally Posted by Stan.Dupp

Just pointing out that the individual made a couple of poor choices for someone a limited budget and suggested that cabbage (high in vitamin C) is an inexpensive and very nutritious food -- along with beans and brown rice. The man complained that he couldn't afford good nutrition, but he bought cheese, pasta, an expensive brand of oatmeal, and nearly $2 worth of jalepenos. Whereas, spending $15 on beans, brown rice and cabbage would feed him three meals a day for a week. It's boring, but nutritious. BTW, yellow onions are less expensive than white onions.

Just pointing out that the individual made a couple of poor choices for someone a limited budget and suggested that cabbage (high in vitamin C) is an inexpensive and very nutritious food -- along with beans and brown rice. The man complained that he couldn't afford good nutrition, but he bought cheese, pasta, an expensive brand of oatmeal, and nearly $2 worth of jalepenos. Whereas, spending $15 on beans, brown rice and cabbage would feed him three meals a day for a week. It's boring, but nutritious. BTW, yellow onions are less expensive than white onions. Originally Posted by I B Hankering

Haha, only one problem with eating cabbage and beans all the time, no one will want to be around you with all the Methane you emit..LOL