How did September get here so quickly?? For the past month I’ve been trying to decide if I was going to attempt last year’s SNAP Challenge again this year. It was a tough decision because the challenge itself was extremely difficult, but also extremely insightful. In the end, I decided to compromise. It’s not the SNAP challenge, but it’s similar. I’m calling it my “September Challenge”.
Why I’m Not Doing the SNAP Challenge
Last year’s SNAP challenge was hosted by Feeding America, but I noticed that this year they had removed all references to the challenge from their website. I’m not sure why they’re not promoting it this year, but not having them backing the challenge makes it difficult for me to explain the concept of the challenge to those who are unfamiliar (and it also stinks because now all the links in last year’s challenge go nowhere).
I also feel like my life is SO different than it was last year and that I don’t think it’s fair to say that I’m attempting to replicate the experience of someone on food stamps. Not only do I have all the “advantages” that I had last year (walking distance to grocery stores, ample kitchen equipment and pantry staples, a lot of cooking experience, no family to care for, etc.), but I also work from home now. So, yeah. I have all day to plan and cook my budget meals. I think it’s borderline insulting to say that I’m going to try to live like I’m on food stamps, because honestly it’s just not even close.
Last year’s SNAP challenge was incredibly insightful into how hunger affected my mental state (stress, concentration, emotional stability) and the social effects of food restriction. I’m not sure doing the challenge again would produce different effects, so I think for the most part, that aspect would just be a rehash. If you haven’t read through last year’s posts, I highly suggest it because I experienced many unexpected mental and social effects that were quite eye opening.
Why I Still Want To Do a Challenge
Doing the SNAP Challenge last year reconnected me to my roots. This blog was born out of my own personal challenge to eat on $6 or less per day, so going back to a regimented grocery budget helped me refocus the efforts of this blog. Some of my favorite recipes came out of that month of restriction because I was forced to really tap into my creativity.
It also forced me to do more menu planning, which is one of my least favorite tasks. I think that was also beneficial to many of you. Seeing how someone else pairs recipes to form complete meals or even a day’s worth of meals can be very helpful.
I like having the opportunity to show you the full picture – the entire grocery receipt, a photo of all the goods purchased, what was eaten each day, and how much it costs ingredient by ingredient versus the actual grocery receipt. The big picture is very important.
What is the September Challenge?
So here is what I decided to do. I’m going to stick to the $4.50/day, $31/week budget because it truly is a challenge. I’m going to do it for the entire month of September. I’m going to flex my creative muscles and use a mix of old and new Budget Bytes recipes to create weekly menus for myself. I’ll share the new recipes, update the old recipes with new prices and photos, and give you a weekly breakdown of what I ate and what it cost me, as well as any insights or struggles I experienced.
I’m going to take full advantage of things I already have on hand because I believe in reducing waste and I want this to be an exercise in clearing out my pantry. This means that the first week or two may have unusually low grocery bills as I use up my own stockpile, but the grocery bills will go up towards the end of the month as I begin to replenish my staples.
I’m going to use this time to recalibrate my grocery and cooking habits and hopefully come up with some new, very budget minded recipes for all of you.
My September Challenge Goals
- Use plenty of dry beans and whole grains
- Don’t forget about protein (I don’t usually concentrate on protein, but I’m doing a lot of strength training lately and I can feel my body craving it).
- Make sure I get both fruit and vegetables every day
- Make room for coffee in the budget this year! Last year I skipped it because I was afraid it would cost too much.
- NOT BE HUNGRY! (that was the biggest challenge last year and I failed miserably)
I hope this exercise is mutually beneficial to both you and me! Remember to follow me on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram) so that you don’t miss links to old recipes that I’ll be updating throughout the month (the first of which will probably be finished tomorrow!).
And as always, feel free to share your thoughts, opinions, and constructive criticism in the comments below. I love hearing what you think!
” I think it’s borderline insulting to say that I’m going to try to live like I’m on food stamps, because honestly it’s just not even close.”
I really appreciate that you took the time to make the distinction between your situation on a SNAP/Sept. Challenge vs. someone on food stamps with different limitations. I’m a huge fan of your blog (and my friends now read it, too) and this made me love it even more. Kudos.
That was one of the biggest things I learned through last year’s SNAP challenge. Living on a low food budget is about so much more than the money. Every aspect of your life will affect your ability to survive on a limited budget. You really have to consider the whole picture, not just the money involved.
I’ll definitely be watching along! Things are changing in my house again and i want to make sure we’re eating well but also not breaking the bank all the time doing it. Too easy to fall back on take out.
It sucks-not to mention unfortunate that Feeding America removed the references for the challenge. To me, it’s a slap in the face! I do commend you for continuing the challenge, since you’re telling everyone a story about the everyday struggles families face to keep food on the table.
I’ve cooked thirty recipes from your blog. Yes, it’s a lot, but my sister and I LOVE to eat, but stay within our budget. So far, I haven’t made desserts and breakfast yet, and I’ll definitely give those recipes a shot.
Since I have Facebook and Pintrest, I’m looking forward to your challenge, Beth.
Good luck, and you have my support. :-)
Beth, I love your recipes but I became a regular follower of your blog because of your SNAP challenge series last year. Your posts were thoughtful and honest, and I appreciated your perspective and creativity. I’m really looking forward to this year’s series!
I’m excited that you’ve revamped the challenge to fit your needs. Looking forward to your posts!! Oh and as a distance runner, I am excited about your new focus on protein. I usually tweak your vegetarian recipes to up the protein but now I can learn even more from you!
I loved you challenge last year, and even though you are doing the same thing, I’m looking forward to this September blog! Our family is always trying to be frugal but eat well, and this is by far my favorite blog. Your chicken thigh recipe during the snap challenge is a family favorite that I make several times a month!
I’ve noticed how antsy I feel when it seems like I have no food in the house, and I’m also on an incredibly limited budget (as in it’s currently in the negatives. Working on fixing that but it’s slow), so I’m really excitedly curious to see what comes out of your kitchen this year.
What do you do from home? I know you are a microbiologist as well and I am looking for something to (eventually) do from home! (I have 3 kids, so it would be a big bonus to have flexibility!)
Well, I was a microbiologist, but blogging is now my full time gig. :) I’m incredibly fortunate that something I started for fun is now able to support me.
I am so happy to hear about the challenge. I found your website through the previous challenge!
I have trouble finding time to cook dry beans, and space in my freezer to store them. I have tons of dry beans around my house, but I always reach for a can when I’m making a quick meal. Any advice?
There are quite a few meals where you can start with dry beans and end up with a full meal, rather than just cooking the beans, storing them in the freezer, and adding them to something. I am not sure it works with every kind of bean. First thing that comes to mind is what they call “soup beans” in Appalachia – pinto beans cooked with a variety of seasoning and usually a ham bone.
If you reach for canned beans because of the low-prep factor, maybe consider using a slow cooker for your recipes that involve beans. This would be the basic pattern:
1. Either the evening before or the morning before you want to have the meal: Determine however much cooked (canned) beans you would use in the recipe, and place the equivalent amount of dry beans in the slow cooker. Fill with water to 2 in. above the beans. Turn on the slow cooker on low for 8-24 hours.
2. Whenever you would normally start cooking the meal: Remove the cooked beans from the slow cooker. Use in recipe as you normally would use canned beans.
For me this strategy requires the same amount of active time as opening a can of canned beans. Place dry beans in crock pot, cover with water, turn on. [Cook for 8-24 hours, unattended.] Retrieve cooked beans, proceed with meal prep as usual.
Totally agree with this suggestion. We are huge bean soup fans and I usually start the beans the night before, then add the ham and other ingredients in the morning for another 8 hours of low cooking. The beans (and soup) are fantastic.
I had the same problem until I got a pressure cooker. The Indian grocery stores have inexpensive ones around here and Goodwill often has them if new appliances aren’t in your budget. :)
Kaylen – I know what it’s like to have lots of dry beans around! My advice regarding dry beans is this: do not soak them, and make a lot at once so you don’t have to do it often. I have thoroughly researched the subject, and as far as I can tell, as long as you boil them for 10 minutes and then drain them, you can go ahead and cook them the rest of the way, so it only takes 1 hour total at most. I cook 5 cups dry beans and 15 cups of water in a large pot, then freeze them in 1 3/4 cups (same amount as a can) servings in sandwich bags. I use them so much they never get freezer burned. I have a little freezer too, but if I lay them flat and “file” or stack them, they are very space efficient. Good luck!
Great advice! I keep my cooked beans in the freezer, too. They thaw quickly and it is so much less waste than cans. :)
I was having the same problem…….I now go ahead and soak my beans overnight, rinse them in the morning and put them in the freezer..a nice small package. They cook fast and there is no thawing needed.
Beth has a few recipes that utilize a slowcooker. I -think- (correct me anyone if I’m wrong) you only need to soak kidney beans overnight before cooking, so you should be able to go from dry to finished pretty easily.
Kidney beans (and beans in the kidney bean family) don’t do well in a slow cooker because they contain a natural toxin that needs a good rolling boil to break down. Slow cookers only get to a gentle simmer (usually), so the toxin stays in tact and it can cause extreme gastric distress. :( Other beans do really well with slow cookers, though!
This sounds great! My grocery budget is currently $20-25/wk and I’m having a hard time eating balanced meals. I’m working full-time and have a part-time gig, so fast and cheap is what I need.
Looking forward to this series. I will be mentioning the challenge (and last years challenge) in our cooking class, it helps to know that there are people out there who can work inside the parameters and that they didn’t find it easy, just like some people’s everyday lives. We will totally being using them as talking points to learn from (both what went right and what went wrong ;-)
Thanks again for letting us use your site.
So excited to follow this, especially since not only am I living in NOLA full time now and utilize the same groceries, but I also have the kitchen space to actually cook and store meals! Thanks for being such a great resource for tasty info and inspiration.
I’m really excited for this! I really appreciate all of the work you put into sourcing the recipes, refining them, divying out the cost/serving and (my favorite part) how you say how much things like 1tsp of salt costs.
All of your hard work is really appreciated and I can’t wait to see your first week’s post and summary. Best of luck and thanks for the great stuff!
This was a real eye opener for me last year, and although I am fortunate enough to not be on EBF, the recipes were really good. The spiced rice in particular has become a go to for me.