I can’t believe it’s September already! I’ve been planning to take the SNAP Challenge for months now, and today, September 1st, is day one.
What is the SNAP Challenge? The SNAP Challenge is a yearly event hosted by Feeding America to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity in America. Participants are challenged to eat on no more than $4.50 per day, per person (the average allowance for food assistance programs), log their experiences, and reflect on the challenges and difficulties.
Why am I Taking the SNAP Challenge?
I’m taking this challenge to raise awareness about food insecurity (a topic close to my heart) and to hopefully destroy some of the stigmas surrounding people who need public assistance. Hunger spans across all races, ages, genders, locations, and education levels. Life can be unexpected and unpredictable and programs like SNAP are created to help people through the tough times and get back on their feet. While these programs aren’t the ultimate answer, they do provide temporary relief for millions of people. For more information about hunger in America and who it affects, FeedingAmerica.org has some great information and statistics. I really hope you check it out.
My other motivation is to just simply get back to my roots. When I started this blog I was in a really tough place—working a low paying job and drowning in student loan debt. At that point, I had no choice but to eat on less than $4.50 per day. Since that time I’ve gone back to school, gotten a much better job, and developed flourishing side career as a freelancer. As you can imagine, my spending (especially on food) has gotten really relaxed as my income has grown. I like the idea on eating on less than $4.50 per day, even when you don’t have to, because I think it’s important not to over consume (in all areas of life, not just food). I think this will help me refocus for the blog and, most importantly, be more thankful for what I have.
My Goals:
I plan to record everything I eat and drink throughout the day and calculate the total cost. I will be taking the challenge for the entire month of September.
I will be posting some new recipes, some old recipes modified to fit the challenge, and using some previous blog recipes just as they are. At the end of each week I’ll write a summary report for what I ate, how much it cost, and my reflections on the experience.
Because health is important to me, I’m going to attempt to incorporate as many fruits and vegetables in this plan as possible. Yes, that will be a challenge!!
My Expectations:
Planning is going to be the number one key. There is no way to casually eat on less than $4.50/day… unless I casually just eat half as many meals. Even with all of my years of blogging about the subject, I fully expect this to be a challenge. When I started the blog, $4.50/day was easy, but grocery prices have sky rocketed over the past 5 years, so it will be considerably more difficult.
I won’t be able to indulge in some of the luxuries I’ve gotten used to in the past couple of years, like my fancy coffee (beans, not pre-made drinks). Ooo, it’s going to be tough! My morning cup of joe is one of my favorite parts of the day, but when faced with money troubles, you have to make sacrifices. I’m doing this for real. No pretending.
Snacking will pretty much be off the table. $4.50/day is only $1.50 per meal, if you eat three meals… with nothing left over for snacks. Food for entertainment is not an option at that level. I will need to make the meals that I do have as filling as satisfying as possible to curb my cravings for snacks.
If food for entertainment is not an option, I will have to find new activities to entertain myself and new ways to enjoy spending time with friends. I remember that being one of the biggest challenges five years ago when I was very broke… what did I do to entertain myself instead snacking, going out to eat, or ordering a pizza? I learned about blogging and started a blog! I’d say that turned out well. :)
Stress. Stress is going to make this hard. When I get stressed, I want cheese… or pizza. In the month of September I’ll be closing on my first house and moving. The stress of this transition is going to make this TOUGH. I’m going to want to stuff my face. I know it. But, once again, when you’re faced with money troubles you are stressed. So, this is a very real challenge that people face every day.
So, that’s it for now! I’m excited to get started. I’ll be cooking my first batch of meals today, so look for a recipe tomorrow and a summary at the end of the week. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. I want this to be a learning experience for everyone!
Read through my experience from beginning to end:
Congrats on your house!! Moving can be the hardest and most expensive time for eating. If it helps, since we are on this budget, I mostly use half the meat you say and add beans/lentils to pretty much everything and it works really well! Also, bananas and smoothies make good cheap snacks :) You don’t have to avoid snacks, just the cheese (and oh I know this is the hardest part!!)
Blessings!
Lucy
Add my voice to those who appreciate people with a public profile taking the SNAP challenge, then writing or speaking about it. I’m disabled, and receive SNAP benefits. They do not cover my entire month’s worth of food, but it sure helps!
One thing that helps, especially during the summer, is the Double Up Program, which doubles your SNAP benefits at the farmer’s market for locally grown food. It helps me to eat healthier foods, and helps local farmers too. It’s brilliant!
That’s an excellent program! I had no idea it existed. :)
I live in Michigan. I don’t know if other states have programs like it or not. Many markets participate. It’s a real win-win. And a lifesaver.
I, too, am looking forward to reading your blog this month. I did live on a food budget like this for about 2 and 1/2 months while I was unemployed, but I had a car, I had time to plan, I have a well-equipped kitchen, and I like to cook. Kudos to all the people who must do this week in and week out with fewer resources than I had. Randall? Thanks for that recipe. I never imagined mixing popcorn in with chili. Beth? About coffee. Mee likum java too. Have you considered instant? I never priced it, but I wondered if it would be more budget friendly.
I am really looking forward to reading about your journey and getting inspired! What a wonderful thing to do and spread knowledge about…thank you for sharing.
What you are doing is inspiring and admirable. Way to go!!
We’re a family of 5 (3 adults 2 children ages 2 and 7) My actual budget goal for September for food was $600/$20 a day which is right about at the SNAP goal considering the kids don’t eat as much as the adults. We’ve been working on budgeting more the last 6 months and this is some of the things I learned. I must pay attention to sales and price match at Walmart or go to more than one store each week. Small things can add up for me it’s better tea stevia packets instead of regular sugar greek yogurt and I prefer the kids have organic milk but it’s really too pricey. Also for my area chicken breast is cheap (almost always $2 lb on sale) so beef and especially fish are less frequent meals. I’ve volunteered at our church’s soup kitchen before and from talking with the coordinator transportation to stores storage and equipment and just plain cooking skills all can make frugal meals hard for many needy families.
Thank you for bringing awareness to food insecurity.
Even though I’m in Canada, it is a serious issue here also, as others have already mentioned.
Years ago, as an unemployed single parent, I found one what helped, especially when buying produce, was to avoid shopping at the big chain grocery stores. Instead I’d frequent the small mom-and-pop stores where the variety was greater, often locally-sourced and priced anywhere from half to a third what Safeway charged. However, I am blessed to live somewhere where fresh grown produce & other farm-to-table items are easily/readily available. So many others don’t have that option.
Once again find myself in financial straits, so your blog is invaluable…and this challenge will likely be highly inspirational! I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing your updates!
I’m so thankful that you are doing this. Our family spends a little more per person, but not too much more. I am looking forward to this series. Congrats on closing on your home!
Good luck on your journey.
I have considered doing this challenge from time to time, we are, thankfully, in a comfortable time in our lives but remember well having been extremely tight in times past.
But lately I’ve been thinking that instead I will spend some time putting together my food pantry donations more thoughtfully. I’ve been making purchases more carefully for donation, trying to think about healthy basics that will morph into many meals.
But I think these challenges are always interesting to read about and are wonderful for raising awareness – looking forward to reading about your experience!
So many things came to mind as I read your post and the comments. You have already raised my awareness!
$30/week per person. That was my exact food budget … 30 years ago!
I looked at the SNAP website and was encouraged by the fact that there were recipes. Then I looked at the recipes. A LOT of canned food and some of the chicken recipes called for boneless/skinless breasts ($$$ – although I know all meat)
I got to thinking about the canned food and Randall’s comment above. And please know, I am not being critical, but I thought about the fact that using dried beans gets you a lot more meals for the same amount of money. BUT, then I considered that you need to know how to make/use dried beans, you need some spices ($$$), you need the pots, pans & utensils. That is an advantage that you, Beth and I and most of us NOT currently in need of assistance have.
So, it got me thinking further that it is not just $$$ for food that is needed, but in some cases it could be what is required to prepare food and the knowledge that would allow a person or family to do scratch cooking/baking if they desired and had the time.
The cost and time components of 1 serving of beans are summarized nicely here: http://www.thesimpledollar.com/dry-beans-or-canned-beans-a-cost-effective-comparison/
A Canadian blogger has several programs going to fight hunger in her area. One of them is a cooking class for children: http://inpursuitofmore.com/2013/04/08/spiced-lentils-indian-chapatis-food-bloggers-against-hunger/
Thank you for sharing that part of your motivation is to use less. I certainly have all and more that I need but I have been consistently paring down and using less and hope to stay on track with that in all areas of my life.
I’m still thinking and will be thinking about you as well as reading the blog.
Yes, I agree with you on all points! :) I have so many advantages here, and even still it will be difficult. I plan to outline all of the advantages I have, so that people realize just how difficult it is for all those people who are not nearly so lucky. If I were a millionaire, I would open food stores in areas that have no decent grocery options, stock them full of basics, and hold classes on how to cook these staple items. :) I’ll keep dreaming and maybe it will one day come true.
Thanks for doing this. And thank you for acknowledging the privilege many of us bring to it. I’m a grad student who makes very little money and has to squeeze my food budget as low as I can get it while still trying to remain relatively healthy. But I have a family who could buy me some groceries if I really were in a tight spot, or could help me out with a medical bill if need be, etc. I also have the time to plan all this out, a computer and internet access to more easily compare sales and research recipes and nutrition, a car to take me to sometimes 5 different stores in a day (all in the same area, but 5 stores nonetheless) and transport it all home. I also have a full kitchen in which to store and cook these ingredients. I don’t have any major food allergies or medical conditions that seriously affect my ability to eat certain things. (I do have acid reflux, so I have to be mindful of that and avoid certain foods, but it is generally not too difficult financially to get around it.) I don’t have any kids or other dependents to feed. I live in a major metropolitan area where I can shop a huge variety of markets within easy distance of me. My race and my education level, etc., also give me a leg up. Plus all kinds of privileges I haven’t even mentioned or probably even thought of. And even with all this, it’s REALLY HARD. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for a single parent household, someone with a disability, someone living in a food desert without access to transportation, someone without a safety net like I have, etc. So it’s easy to poo-poo the SNAP challenge as misguided tourism by people who don’t have to live with true poverty or food insecurity, but I really think it has value as a personal exercise, if not an exercise in empathy.
Yes, exactly, thank you. :) I’m not in any way trying to say that what I’m doing is comparable to what others have to experience, but it’s a good exercise and I think it will at least make people stop and think. That is my hope, anyway. :)
Really interested to see how this goes for you, and kudos to you for taking the challenge!
Congrats for spreading information about FoodAmerica organization =)
I’m very excited with your experience. Today I have a really good job and love a good meal, but over the next year I’m going to study abroad. I’ll have to completely change my lifestyle due the short money, but I’d like to eat well as much as I can.
That sounds really challenging, but I’m looking forward to reading the creative solutions you have for cheap food! I assume you’ve seen recipe book Good and Cheap? https://8b862ca0073972f0472b704e2c0c21d0480f50d3.googledrive.com/host/0Bxd6wdCBD_2tdUdtM0d4WTJmclU/good-and-cheap.pdf
I haven’t read it yet, but I did help spread the word by sharing it on social media when the kickstarter was still going! It’s a great idea!
Snack food: homemade popcorn! Dirt cheap
That was my only plan! I LOVE homemade popcorn and eat it fairly regularly. :)