lisa43+FollowSNAP Makes It Cheaper to Eat What Makes Me SickI’m 52 and have high blood pressure. The doctor told me: less sodium, fewer processed foods, more fresh produce. But guess what I can afford with SNAP? Processed food. Not fresh fruits and vegetables. My last blood pressure reading was 148/96. I know I can’t keep eating like this, but I don’t have options. I wish SNAP offered different benefits based on health conditions. But every time I say that, people scream: “Your health is your responsibility!” I take responsibility — But I need support, not shame.** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #HighBloodPressure #HealthyFoodAccess20Share
Paul Williamson+FollowSNAP Doesn’t Cover My Kid’s Gluten-Free NeedsMy son has a severe gluten allergy. Do you know how much gluten-free bread costs? — $7.99 a loaf. Regular bread is $1.29. I’m not choosing expensive food. I’m forced into it. But SNAP doesn’t stretch far enough. So I cut my own meals: no milk, no fruit, sometimes only one meal a day — so my son can avoid an allergic reaction. Every time I mention raising SNAP benefits, people say, “You just want handouts.” So what do they expect? Let my kid end up in the ER?** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #FoodAllergies #FamilyStruggles #CostOfEating00Share
InfiniteIris+FollowI’m Tired of Living on Instant Noodles — I Need Real FoodI’m 29 and work night shifts at an Amazon warehouse, clocking out at 3 a.m. SNAP looks decent on paper, but the foods that actually keep me going? I can’t afford them. Chicken breast is $7.50 Protein powder is $22 Vegetables cost more than meat Meanwhile, frozen nuggets are cheap — but I can’t live on them. People say, “If you're on SNAP, don’t be picky.” I’m not picky. I just want food that fuels my body so I can work. Not instant noodles and chips every day. It’s not luxury. It’s the bare minimum to stay functional. I truly hope SNAP increases support for healthier foods.** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #WorkingPoor #InflationPain #FoodStruggles211Share
Willie Simmons+FollowAs a Cancer Survivor, I Need SNAP to Cover More Fresh FruitI recently finished breast cancer treatment. My doctor told me clearly: “Eat fresh fruits, avoid processed food.” But fresh berries are insanely expensive: Blueberries $6.49 Raspberries $5.99 Strawberries $7.29 I'm not asking for luxury. I’m following medical advice to stay alive. But SNAP doesn’t increase just because you had cancer. I wish the system allowed more flexibility for people with medical diets. But I know people will say, “So taxpayers should fund your illness?” All I want is a chance to stay healthy.** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #CancerSurvivor #HealthyEating73Share
robinsoncody+FollowSNAP shouldn’t make soda cheaper than vegetables — but it doesI’m a nurse at a community hospital in Minnesota. We see chronic patients every week, urging them to eat healthier. One man admitted he drinks two sodas a day. When I asked why, he said: “Veggies are too expensive. Soda is cheaper, and SNAP covers it.” I froze. We push healthy eating while the system makes unhealthy choices easier. Who’s paying for the medical consequences later? #SNAP #ShowUsTheBill #PublicHealthCrisis #HealthcareReality #MinnesotaLife90Share
Angela Stokes+FollowI Wish SNAP Let Me Buy “Real Food,” Not Just Survival FoodI work at McDonald’s, long hours, exhausting shifts, and then I go home to take care of two kids. I know SNAP is for survival, but sometimes I want to buy “real” food — like a $9 sushi box or a $4 milk tea. Not every day. Just once in a while, so I can feel normal. But every time I pick these up, people look at me like I’m committing a crime. I’m not chasing luxury. I just want to feel human — not a machine surviving on the cheapest food.** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #Dignity #RealLifeStruggles2642Share
QuirkyQuasar+FollowWe’re a Military Family — and We Still Need SNAPMy husband is active-duty military. We have two kids. What most people don’t know is this: We rely on SNAP to get by. Military pay isn’t high, especially at lower ranks. Last week at the commissary, eggs were $5.29 and milk was $4.99. I just stared at the prices. I just wish SNAP was more flexible — like allowing ready-to-eat meals — so I don’t spend three hours cooking every day. Whenever people say, “How can a military family be on SNAP?” I want to reply: Does patriotism feed my kids?** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #MilitaryFamily #CostOfLiving1411Share
Andrew Ramirez+FollowSNAP Doesn’t Cover Iron-Rich Foods — But I’m AnemicI have chronic anemia and need iron-rich foods. But beef, spinach, and fortified cereals — the foods I need — are the most expensive items. My doctor told me to eat more red meat, but SNAP doesn’t stretch enough to buy even a week’s worth. So I stay anemic, dizzy, and exhausted at work. People say, “Just take iron supplements!” SNAP doesn’t cover vitamins either. I just want to be healthy, not live lavishly. Why is it so hard?** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #HealthNeeds #ChronicIllness12Share
Thomas Hutchinson+FollowI Wish SNAP Covered Baby FoodI just had my baby. The doctor recommended baby cereal and specialty formula. But SNAP doesn’t cover baby food — only WIC does. And when I applied, they told me the waitlist was two months. I stood in the formula aisle staring at prices: $38 per can. I almost cried. Any time I mention that SNAP should cover baby food, people say, “That’s your responsibility.” Yes, it is. But new mothers also need support. I’m not asking for luxury — just for my baby not to go hungry.** #ShowUsTheBill #SNAP #BabyFormulaCrisis #NewMomStruggles51105Share
