If someone is desperate enough to steal food for their child, I'd rather have Kroger write off the loss than see a kid go hungry.

I can't bring myself to think that the other outcome (Kroger saves $3, child good hungry) is the just outcome.

Should we have great social safety systems that prevent anyone from going hungry? Yes. Do we? No.

So in the absence of support and safety nets, I'm just not going to fault anyone who is dealing with the stress of "my child is starving but I can't afford food" and decides to pocket a couple containers of mashed carrots and peas.