Since when were potato chips cheap?

There was a sob story article in the paper recently trying to get us to feel sorry for people on food stamps because they can't afford nutritious food. It said that they had to buy junk food. I don't know if you've done any grocery shopping lately, but the last time I went, junk food was pretty expensive.

Anyway, it tells us about Blanca Salas. She has five children and diabetes. For breakfast, her 4-year-old has a bag of Cheetos and a granola bar. The 9-year-old has sugary cereal and chocolate milk. With her diabetes, why does she even have such food in her house? For what she paid for the bag of chips and the granola bars, she most likely could have bought a large bag of frozen mixed vegetables. Boxed sugary cereals are quite expensive, but a large box of Quaker oatmeal is rather economical and much more nutritious. Blanca buys instant soup. Why not buy a chicken instead and make a large pot of chicken stew? She could probably feed the family at least a couple or three meals on that at little cost. I know when I make a pot of chicken stew, we have several meals on it.

The article also talks about how these people buy expensive snacks such as hot Cheetos (Cheetos with hot cheese sauce poured on top) and Red Bull drinks. The problem is not that they can't afford nutritious food -- it's that they don't buy nutritious food.

Essie has the perfect solution to that problem -- one she has advocated for a long time. Strictly limit the food items that may be bought with food stamps -- no soft drinks, no candy, no chips, no convenience foods, nothing that is not considered "heart-healthy." I've contacted Michelle Obama about this several times, because it plays into her fighting obesity program perfectly. I guess I missed it when she asked Congress to pass such legislation.

"Food-stamp diets hurting the poor." The Dallas Morning News; November 17, 2013; p. 29A.