Friday

Lenna Tasley-Broome

I went over my budget - Friday.

Also, today looks shaky at best.

Some people are able to use the stamps as supplements in their budget - those that depend on them - it is scary. The blogs have addressed so many of the realities: - good food choices are not accessible, transportation, preparation of the time healthy budget minded meal - and the harsh reality.

I feel sad today.

To all the children in this experiment - my hug.

To all - my hug.

A New Situation

Andrea Kaiser

Okay, I found myself in a new situation---and I was surprisingly comfortable.  I went out to eat with my sister at Pi's (pizza) in the Kirkwood area. I took all my own food with me. Tammy was ordering from the menu. I told the waiter he probably had never had THIS situation come up, and I explained the Hunger Challenge. How could one eat only $31.50 for an entire week was his question. I shared my purchases and he started coming up with his own ideas for success!

 I ordered a glass of water, and also asked if he could take my meal and heat it up. He happily agreed, and was curious to see what I was eating! I explained to him I missed a meal that day to be able to consume this full plate of food: I had two soft corn tortillas and a bean mixture I had been eating all week, made with fat free refrieds, black beans and canned tomatoes. I garnished it with a small amount of shredded Mexican cheese. Beside it was a boiled red potato, and some broccoli with another small sprinkling of the same cheese. My plate was full, and later so was my belly, especially since I had a hard-boiled egg as an appetizer and a small banana for dessert. A gastronomic delight! Oh, dear, I forgot about ordering water with lemon, and adding sugar for my own free lemonade!

My meal was quite substantial--I almost felt like I ate enough for a queen. I wasn't hungry the rest of the evening like I was most of the week by 9 or 10 PM. No sunflower seeds tonight!

On day 5, I invited a friend for a meal, but was refused. He didn't want to eat beans! I didn't have much left from my groceries for the week: eggs, beans, broccoli, some frozen mixed vegetables, a yogurt, some milk, and my Joe's O's (Trader Joe's version of Cheerios). Variety is dissipating, and boredom is truly settling in.

Tonight I locked myself out of my car at 4PM, and feared I wouldn't get home for dinner by the time I was really hungry. I was beginning to feel the pangs. Earlier this week, when I got past the point of hunger, I would just skip a meal; but tonight, knowing I was going to Shabbat services, I wanted to eat something beforehand!
One more day to go!

It's only been a week -- how would I have survived if this was endless??

When I am job seeking, I eat minimally, and somewhat healthfully as well. What was different this time, was the tinier budget allowance; I normally spend a few more bucks than $31.50; not much more. I am so glad I don't indulge at all in coffee, alcohol, or cigarettes. And I very rarely buy bread or desserts, including cookies/candy. I keep my snacks minimal and make them last a long time. I keep my drinks to water and milk; occasionally juice. I periodically make lemonade from unhealthy concentrate, for something different to drink. I will add seltzer water to juice and make my own soda. That in itself, saves a lot of money! 

I recall when my childhood family was on hard times, Mom served Jell-O with milk as dinner. Sometimes with toast. Or rice with milk and cinnamon; adding a can of fruit. (She thought it was a good source of protein).  When she baked chicken, 8 of us had to eat off just ONE chicken. By the time it was served to her, she was left with the back! We all would share ONE can of vegetables. Most of our meal was meat and potatoes. Our salads were always iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. I didn't know salads any other way! I learned when I was 50 and diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I had been severely malnourished as a child.

Having lived a life in financial abundance with a husband, I saw the other side: pure indulgence! And unfortunately, that's when my diagnosis showed up! I was banned from many foods for the rest of my life. What I learned: Moderation reigns over gluttony.

Now that I am single again, my past patterns of moderation return, whether I like it or not! AND this time I am healthier!

I am thankful for the opportunity to reflect on prayer before my meal! In addition to thanking God for the gift of food, I prayed for my stomach to remain full for as long as possible! 

Uncle.

Janet Rodgers

Thursday:  Chanukah came early to the Rodgers's household.  I had 2 red potatoes and one onion left so we had latkes for dinner!  So yummy.

Friday:  Uncle.

Day 6

Lenna Tasley-Broome

Homemade soup - frozn veggies, small pot, chix broth, lots of spices and bread.

snack - hot tea/pbutter spoon.

Access & Time

Will Soll

I think it's possible to eat healthfully on food stamps. That said, I think many don't. I believe that one contributing factor is access. Low-income areas are often served only by mini-marts with limited and generally unhealthy selections of food. I was pleased to see that Aldi has two locations in the city itself.

Another factor: cooking good food takes time. Processed food is convenient and well-marketed. This, indeed, is a health factor in the US at all levels of society.

Day 6

Cheryl Lyons

It is day 6.  I went to my co-workers office for a meeting and as I was leaving they were celebrating someone’s birthday with a table full of delicious brunch items.  Wow it looked and smelled wonderful! There was 8 people and I shared my current Food Stamp Challenge participation for this week.  I did not eat.  Some were interested and a few thought it was odd. I am glad that I am being odd this week.  Each day during this week has made me more aware of the constraints and difficulties that many people experience all year long, or longer.  I have a job, a car, health care, good health, friends that allowed my food stamp challenge days to be much more tolerable than millions & millions of those not as fortunate.   At the end of this week, I will have a few eggs, apples, carrots, noodles, etc and if I was on food stamps I would be very excited to know that I could purchase again the necessary food for the next week with my $31.50 limit.  My 3 year old grandson visits me on the weekends and he usually spends the night.  I would need dinner, breakfast, lunch and soymilk and snacks for him.  He usually eats twice as much as me!  If I was on food stamps, most likely my few leftovers would be not be enough for this young, growing grandson of mine and I go with less food…

Thought-provoking

Leslie Bursack

I think I'm doing fairly well on this diet.  In fact, I haven't felt terribly deprived which is surprising to me.  I am definitely hungry by the time I get home from work, but it's been manageable.

It's possible to maintain a healthy diet on the food stamps budget of $31.50 per week, but very boring. I'm getting pretty tired of pb and j sandwiches, baked potatoes, rice and beans. 

I'd have to say that the hardest part of this week for me has been saying no to social invitations.  I had to say no to two fun lunches with co-workers. I don't think Crown Candy offers a Food Stamp lovers plate. I've decided to accept an invitation to attend a trivia event tonight and am contemplating how I'll feel if I veer off  the diet. I'm leaning towards sticking it out and just drinking water. This seems so very trivial, certainly not what people living on food stamps would ever have the opportunity to contemplate.

I'm glad that I participated in this challenge. It's certainly been thought provoking and has raised my interest in finding some meaningful volunteer opportunities in this area.