I want to do a final wrap up of my experience with the SNAP Challenge to record my overall thoughts and impressions. I learned so much, not only from doing the challenge myself, but from reading the comments, thoughts, and experiences that all of you have shared along the way.
I want to thank all of you for your kindness and support during the challenge. I was really reluctant to do the SNAP challenge because I didn’t like the idea of sharing something so detailed and personal as my daily diet, but the overall response was very positive. You helped me dive deeper into the experience and get so much more than if I had kept it to myself. Thank you!
When I started Budget Bytes in 2009 I was living on less than $4 per day for food (without SNAP benefits), but I have slowly gotten out of that habit over the years. It’s amazing how quickly you forget the techniques and tips to help you stay afloat with so little. I felt as if I was starting over from scratch and had to learn from my mistakes all over again. I’ll start with what I found most challenging:
Biggest Challenges:
- Making myself plan and cook, despite a busy schedule. This step is absolutely crucial to living on a restricted budget, but it’s really tough when you’re busy (and who isn’t?). Sometimes you’re so tired that you don’t want to do anything, even if the consequence means not having anything to eat later. And guess what? I have it easy. I do work a gazillion hours, but I don’t have kids or an extended family to take care. Plus, I have the benefit of reliable transportation, which saves a lot of time and makes daily tasks easier.
- Not knowing if what I cooked will be filling enough or delicious enough. This part is a gamble. You can plan all you want, but you never really know if it’s going to be enough until you’re in the moment. The weeks when I didn’t plan for enough food, I just had to wait it out until the next week when I could plan and cook something new. Cooking can be scary when you only have one shot!
- Not splurging. It’s unbelievable how much power food has over our brains. I always knew it, but never experienced it to the extent that I did during this challenge. One little morsel of food can make or break a day. Food is one of the easiest and most accessible stress relievers, and it’s really challenging when that simple release is not available.
- Dietary variety. Variety means buying more food items, which is really difficult with a restricted budget. Unfortunately, variety is also key to good nutrition. I think variety would increase over time as I built my stockpile of freezer goods, but in the beginning, you’re going to be really restricted. Luckily, I’m used to eating the same thing for multiple days in a row, so mentally it wasn’t that hard. I just knew that nutritionally I was not getting quite what I needed.
- Social restrictions. Food is so embedded in our culture (in all cultures, really), so when you restrict food it restricts your social experiences. Not being able to buy or give food freely can be awkward and I learned to be more sensitive towards others in that regard. By the end of the challenge, I was longing for the freedom to go out to eat with friends and not have to worry about every penny. What a luxury! I’m so much more grateful.
Every time the challenge got difficult, I couldn’t help stopping to think about how easy I actually had it. Here are a few of the luxuries that made my experience so much easier than it probably is for most.
My Advantages:
- A well stocked pantry. I have all the basics, like flour, spices, butter, baking soda, vegetable oil, and the lot. I did have to replenish a few during the challenge, but being able to start out with them made a huge difference. If I was starting from scratch, I would have had to eat super simple things like spaghetti and jarred sauce for a week or two until I was able to build up some of the basics.
- Kitchen equipment. I have pots, pans, a food processor, a knife, cutting boards, baking dishes, etc. If I didn’t, what would I do? PB&J sandwiches? Even buying second hand equipment, it would take a while to acquire these essentials.
- Easy access to grocery stores. I lived four blocks from TWO huge grocery stores and about a mile from a third (Whole Foods). I have reliable transportation and could quickly walk to either, if needed. That is a HUGE luxury. I read comments from readers who would literally have to shop once a month because of poor access to groceries. That is something I definitely took for granted before the challenge.
- Knowlege. I’ve been doing this budget cooking thing for a while. I know basic cooking skills. I know what tastes good and what doesn’t. Even with all this knowledge, I still felt a little anxious not knowing if my recipes would turn out and be edible for a whole week. Imagine if I was very new to cooking. Eek.
- Access to information. You can never underestimate the benefit of internet access. Just last week I learned how to repair my crumbling shower grout, with no prior knowledge. You can go from zero knowledge to well informed in just a few minutes. With videos and picture tutorials, it’s like having an expert teacher at your beck and call.
- Refrigerator and freezer. Not just in my home, but at work. I think a lot of people take this for granted, but there are still a lot of people out there who really don’t have this available. I know several people who only had mini-fridges in their apartment, let alone places to keep a home packed lunch cool at work. Honestly, if I didn’t have that at home, I don’t think I would have survived.
- I’m a small person. My normal calorie needs are somewhere in the range of 1500-1700 per day, so I have the advantage of just not needing a lot of food in general. For people with a higher metabolism (kids, teens, men, people with very physical jobs, or people who are just larger than me in general) would have a much more difficult time.
- Knowing that this was TEMPORARY. Just the knowledge that there was an end in sight made it easier to endure. I had a goal that I could lock eyes on and I knew that if I just made it there, I could let go and be free. If there was no end in sight, the experience would have been a lot more dismal.
Whether the experiment was a success or failure, there were a few things that I hoped to communicate through my experience. Here are a few of those points.
What I Want You to Know
- Hunger can happen to anyone. Your life can change in an instant. You may feel accomplished, stable, responsible, like you’ve got it together, but you don’t know what will happen tomorrow. You may find yourself between a rock and a hard place and in need of assistance to get back on your feet. You don’t know where people have come from or where they are going, or why they might need assistance.
- My experience is not everyone’s experience. I didn’t participate in this challenge to show people how to eat on less than $4 per day. My experience is unique and yours will be, too. I took the SNAP challenge to open a dialog about hunger and refresh my passion for learning how to eat well on a low budget. My technique won’t work for everyone.
- Just because you can make it work, doesn’t mean everyone can. Our lives are all different. We all have different challenges and advantages. Making a restricted budget work takes a lot of dedication no matter who you are, but some factors may be out of your control. If you are able to feed your family on $4 per day, I applaud and admire you! It’s not easy and it takes a lot of work, but please don’t assume that if you can do it, anyone can.
- Working with a restricted budget takes practice. I wasn’t able to perfect it in four weeks and you probably won’t be able to either. Keep at it! As you learn it will get easier and you’ll figure out what works for you.
- Food choices are complex. Making healthy food choices isn’t just a yes or no experience. It’s psychological, physical, social, cultural, and personal. We don’t have the right to judge the food choices of others.
- There’s always more going on behind the scenes than you know. I have to remind myself of this every day and this challenge helped me practice that. It definitely increased my compassion level.
Speaking of compassion, a lot of the feedback I received was full of compassion and I hope that this series has inspired a lot of you to give back and help those in need. Here are some ways you can help.
How You Can Help:
- Volunteer. Give some of your time to a local food bank or soup kitchen. I had to do this as part of my college degree and it was an absolutely invaluable experience. Help is always needed and a little effort goes a long way. I’ve pledged to volunteer with my local food bank after this experience and I hope you will, too!
- Spread the word. Take the SNAP challenge yourself or use social media to bring attention to the issue. It’s easy to sweep unpleasant things under the rug and keeping it at the forefront of our attention can make a big difference.
- Be an advocate. Write your congressman and vote on the issues that count. Visit feedingamerica.org for more ways to be an advocate for the hungry.
- Corporate Opportunities. If you have klout with your corporation, get them involved! It’s a great way to connect with your community and use those excellent corporate resources.
The challenge is finally over, and I have to say I’m a bit relieved. Here is how I feel after the fact.
Now That It’s Over:
- I have to say that I’m really glad that I’m not tethered to my notepad anymore. Recording everything you eat is really tough. Petty, but true.
- The first week after the challenge, I splurged on salads and pizza for a few days straight. It was like I wanted both ends of the spectrum. I was so happy to have tons of fresh, crunchy vegetables, and so glad to have the freedom to eat anything I wanted (pizza). I hit that Whole Foods salad bar like a boss!
- I feel like my Budget Bytes mission is renewed. When I stared Budget Bytes, I shopped once per week and spent about $20-$25 per week. I have slowly gotten out of that habit over the years as my income has increased. Even though I make more money now, I still love the idea of not over spending on food. I don’t like waste, so I’m going to continue to try to plan out my meals and spend less than $30 per week on food. I loved the freedom of only shopping once per week and I look forward to keeping that up.
- I want to find other ways to reduce stress than having a food “treat” or a glass of wine. That’s a tough habit to break, but probably worth it. I have to say that I kind of felt better physically without all of the mindless and stress eating.
I’m sure I missed many points that I wanted to make or bring attention to, but it’s hard to summarize a whole month of experience on one page. Once again, I want to thank all of you for your feedback and support during the process. I might just do this every year!
Thank you!
Read through my experience from beginning to end:
Dear Beth,
Thank you for sharing your experiences with the world! I want you to know that what you have done with your blog and this SNAP challenge is so wonderful! I pray that you won’t ever have to use these wonderful recipes when you’re older, like many of us do. These are very flavorful recipes, and you have no idea of the bland meals institutions make for the elderly, but believe me, it’s not pretty.
If you haven’t guessed yet, I’m probably not the average reader for blogs. We’re in our 70’s, but making good meals with the tiny budget we are left with is not only rare, but bland as all get out! You have no idea of how many elderly people are “living” on exactly $8 between two people every day and worse than that. I pray that everyone who reads this understands that you must save more money for yourself and your future!
So, to end this, I just wanted to repeat myself and thank you again for doing this, Beth, you really have no idea how many elderly people will find your blog and be saved by it! What you did to create this should be on every 6 o’clock news so more folks can get the help they need from these recipes! And for your sake, I hope that you saved every single penny you could get your hands on for your old age, God knows you’re going to need it, take it from us!
The Moffat’s
P.S. I’m going to pin your blog address to the board at our senior center to help!! Hope that’s OK!
Hi Beth. You do so much to help people eat better, and the effort is appreciated. Would you please try this SNAP challenge again? Here are some of my real world experiences that are common enough, experiences you might consider if you do the challenge again.
* I incorporate food pantry food into my diet. I often get potatoes and sometimes other produce such as oranges, apples, squash. I also get canned items that I can use, such as canned tomatoes to put into a pot of beans to both break down starches and to flavor the beans. Food pantries often give out beans, different kinds. (I am sorry if I am telling you stuff you know.)
* I have down-and-dirty-easy meals. After yoga class, I have an apple and some peanut butter (sometimes food pantry item). Waiting for rides after medical appointments, I sit in the hospital meditation, strolling garden to eat hummus rolled up in romaine. (I add bits of perhaps cilantro or bacon to flavor up.) I will have enough to let me continue on with errands or to take a nap. In this way, I have a few more food items to provide me with a more satisfying meal later in day or week.
Just in case this helps you to help us. Just in case you have time and all.
Hi Cynda, Unfortunately I probably won’t be doing this challenge again. I ended up doing it for about six months in 2016 (you can see all the weekly recaps from there here) and I found that after a while I wasn’t getting any additional insight. Plus it’s just really hard for me, on a personal level, to expose so much detail of my life and record every detail every day. Haha! I’m sorry to disappoint!
What an amazing journey you put yourself on. Thank you so much for sharing. I have not had the problem of being food challenged. But I know many who are. For me the lack of transportation alone would do me in. So many details I would not have thought of at all when I have considered the dilemma of. so many that I know. I try to help with some extra money, but the reality is that they simply do not have it. Food banks are a tremendous help for those who are food challenged, but I have not had the courage to try this for myself, though I have thought about it more often recently, as I realize not only do I have ready access and no challenges, I throw away or allow far too mcc food to go to waste. This will help me focus on my new resolve for the New Year–to waste less food. Thank you again for sharing your journey. (even though I didn’t read about it until 4 years later–I have just found your blog. Thank you, it is great.
This is some great insight and I appreciate you sharing your experience with this challenge. I work with food-insecure individuals as part of my job and your thoughts are very validating. I also work individuals diagnosed with eating disorders and I have found your website is a helpful/safe resource since you don’t post any calories/nutrition information with the recipes. Thank you!
As I read your summary I started tearing up. I’ve always been worried about money, but reading this made me realize just how fortunate my family is. I know I will have three meals’ worth of food every single day, and still have money in the bank. We’ve never had to choose between buying food or paying another bill/expense. If a meal I make is a total bust, technically I can throw it out or just go pick up a pizza or something.
I’ll admit that sometimes I find myself a bit callous, and seeing the oft-referred-to “person using food stamps with an Iphone/Gucci purse/xyz luxury” makes me upset. But reading this helped me realize that it really is no fun to barely survive, and I understand now that people may compensate for their food insecurity in other ways. Or, maybe they did just lose a job, or going a divorce, or other stressful situation.
Thank you, Haley, for sharing your feedback. :) I’m so glad this post impacted you in such a way! <3
I appreciate these posts. I felt moved by your hard work trying out this challenge. Thanks for doing it.
Good point about access to informaiton being a huge advantage. I put myself on a very tight food budget this month, because health reasons forced me to leave my second job, and my spending didn’t change along with that. Having access to information, websites with meal ideas, the ability to look up the sales flyer(s) for my local grocery store(s) etc. definitely makes a huge difference! I am also fortunate to have a well stocked pantry and freezer, as I shop sales and there were also some AWESOME sales this week. But still – I have less than $2 left in my food envelope for the month, and three weeks left… that’s a little scary.
I am on disability now. I always volunteered at low income places when I was not low income. I always fought for the poor. Poor is not who you are ,it is a.financial state. How do you lift yourself out of poverty. I also lost my job and I was homeless for a while . I was not allowed to sit on a bench in parks I was loitering. I saw the horrible way Americans that are poor are treated by some. I am an awesome cook but when you are homeless where do you cook. We need to address people with dignity and empathy no matter what, Thank you such an informative article you tackled. I love your dishes keep it up please.
Just browsing your recipes and couldn’t help but comment. I loved how one reader mentioned donating healthier choices to food banks. My husband’s health problems have resulted in our family’s reliance on SNAP. And because of those health problems, he has very specific dietary needs. It can be so difficult to balance what he requires nutritionally with our budget. thank you for your post!!
I want to throw out often times food banks can buy at cost where the consumer dollar can’t. Please also consider donating cash to the food bank!
Interesting! I had no idea. Thanks for that info.
You are so right about hunger happening to anyone and circumstances changing in an instant. You are very astute to have figure this out at such a young age. (much younger than me anyway). :)
I know I’m really, really late to the party, but I found your website today while looking for budget meal ideas. We’ve been on SNAP for a couple of years now, and it is very, very hard. One thing I haven’t seen in SNAP challenges, that I would really love to see, is food restrictions. I must eat low-sodium, and I can’t have pork or processed meat (i.e., lunch meat) or anything with preservatives in it. I also have to avoid most cheese, nuts, and fried foods. So, sometimes the restrictions make it a little easier (no, we can’t get a deli sandwich or chicken because mommy can’t eat it) but mostly it’s just a pain.
I also wanted to make a quick comment on the food pantry question. Almost without hesitation, I can say the items your local food pantry could use are healthy items. Things like “sensibly seasoned” vegetables, low-sodium soups, veggies, beans, etc. Low sodium canned meats like tuna & salmon. But you do have to be careful because lots of times low sodium foods are flavor enhanced with sugar or fat (and by the same token, low-fat foods are often more sugary or salty and low sugar-foods are often high-fat and high-salt. It’s the Unholy trinity).
Anyway, add in the challenges of feeding a very hungry 12 year old and the hubbs too, we often run out of money way before we run out of month. I appreciated reading your experience with a SNAP budget. I think you did a good job with what you had, and I’m glad you have a new perspective on the program and the need for it now.
ttfn,
Cassie P from Jackson, GA
Thank you for finally do a real SNAP challenge.One that is for a month and not just 5 days. Your choice of meals are a bit different to what my husband and I eat. We aren’t on SNAP benefits, but we eat an average of $50 a week. We split our time between Canada & Australia, and find it easy in both countries.
I noticed none of your receipts showed reduced food. Almost all our meat/produce purchases are reduced.
Our breakfasts are usually a rotation of pancakes,eggs cooked in various ways, cereal, porridge, cream of wheat, waffles,bagels etc…always served with fruit.
Lunches are usually a garden salad, sandwiches, or home made soups.
Dinner is usually potatoes cooked a variety of ways, roasted or boiled vegetables, and either a roast meat or meatloaf. Sometimes a fish fillet.Stew or chili will also find its way into the menu.
Snacks are usually a rice cracker and dip, of some sort.I might also make a cake or some other desert or pudding, from scratch.
We rarely eat out, but if we do, it comes out of our entertainment budget.
We rarely buy prepackaged meals, unless they re on a great sale, and we want to have something on hand, in case we need a quick meal.
We make out chicken soup a bit different from you. We take the carcass and just cook it in water. When cooled, we drain & remove all pieces of chicken. Toss the bones, and then add the vegetables to the stock. That way we don’t lose any vegetables.
Anyway, just wanted to say I enjoyed your journey.
Thank you so much for doing this and for writing so honestly about it. During our own unintentional two-years-and-counting SNAP challenge (and worse… when we go off SNAP our budget drops to $10 a day to feed our family of four), I’ve learned so much that I wish I could explain to others. And you have, so I’ll refer everyone to you! Actually living this way long term is so different than how I ever imagined but you captured many of the problems so well. And I, like you, have the advantage of starting with numerous skills and a well stocked kitchen. :)
I’ve been hunting and hunting for a good resource for people who are truly struggling. I thought I found one because her SNAP challenge was good but the rest of the time, not so much. But your website is full of great ideas and compassion. Thank you!
(I’m the Robin in this story: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/breaking-stereotypes-women-use-cameras-aim-at-hunger/)
Thank you for sharing that!!
Based on your experiences, what do you recommend donating to food pantry drives?
Any sort of dry or canned good is always a good choice. Sometimes things like paper towel or other kitchen goods are needed. The best route, though, is to contact your local pantry to see what they might need specifically. It probably varies from location to location and they might have a surplus of one item, but be greatly in need of something else. :)
This was great. I think you express a lot well. Another thing about food stamps is if you don’t get paper work in on time, which is easy to do when working 2 jobs no car and no extra money. Our EBT has been cut this week because we mailed in everything a week late. Which means we are going to be living off canned goods and noodles.
So many things make it difficult. They don’t just give it away easily, there is so many papers you need. We don’t have a printer so we have to pay 1.10 per page to print at the local ups store. I know a printer would save over the long run but that would be something you’d have to save up for.
So much easier that we don’t have kids but when/if we do this life will be much harder.
I am really glad you talked about the scared to try new things. Because people will always say try this or that it’s cheap. But what if we cook it wrong, don’t like it or anything else. I find I limit my palate a lot because i don’t want to waste any money on trying new things.
Sorry this became rant-ish, just so many feelings and so glad someone is writing about this in a lovely way.
Wow, thank you for sharing that. The paper filing and associated costs are not something that I even thought about.
Do you have a Staples nearby? Our printer died and I had to print something that had to be sent out immediately. I was able to get the 1 page printed by uploading it to the print center at Staples. It was $0.10 after the tax.
Check your library. Many libraries will let you print 10 free pages a day.
New to your website but very interested in looking back at what all you achieved on the SNAP benefits. My husband, who is disabled due to a VA mishap, and I (I am undergoing chemo at this time for lymphoma) receive SNAP benefits which they just increased to $108 per month. We try our best to live on that but always end up spending some of our own money to try to survive food-wise. I am very good with our grocery budget but when you get chemo, it takes a good 2-3 weeks to feel well enough to stand and cook again and then the chemo injections start all over again. That being said, I so look forward to trying your recipes/ideas once the chemo is over and I can cook again. Life throws us curves. You NEVER know what is waiting around the corner for you. When my husband became disabled, it took seven months to receive the first disability check. We depleted our savings and most of his small retirement just to survive. Due to poor financial decisions on both our parts from the past, we are basically poor. We now live below the National Poverty Level but consider ourselves to have plenty and are blessed. FIRST learn to live below your means and save for every unforeseen “annoyance” in life. And, then, if you are still fighting for survival, cut your food budget. Thanks for this article and your time.
Cate <
As a long-time reader and fan of this blog (and your cookbook!), I really enjoyed this series.
You brought a very reality-based perspective to this issue. With the background you have (cooking/budget), you were able to write about this in a way that makes your experience very accessible to almost anyone who wants (or needs) to find ways to cook good food on a small budget.
I really appreciate you taking on this challenge and sharing your recipes and insights with us.
You may be small, but your caloric needs are definitely higher than 1500-1700 (unless your metabolism is suppressed somehow). Even as a small, average, healthy woman, your caloric needs are going to be around 2200-2400. Your basal metabolic rate (what would be consumed if you were asleep 24/7) may be around 1500-1700 however.
(Not trying to be Mrs Right, I just dislike the misconception that 2000 is all the average person needs, and what better way to clear up a misconception than talk about it =) ).
According to the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, one of the standard formulas used in the medical nutrition community for calculating caloric needs, my basal metabolic rate is about 1200 kilocalories per day and with light activity (exercise 1-3 times per week) my daily caloric need is 1700. I’ve tracked my caloric intake extensively over the years (I have a degree in Nutritional Science, so it’s second nature) and I can confirm that 1500-1700 calories per day is my maintenance level. Any more than that and I gain weight, any less than that and I lose, as easy as flipping a switch.
Thanks for the referencing the Mifflin-St-Jeor formula. I had never heard of it before and found it hard to believe that anything lower than 2000 calories a day for an active young adult female could be optimal. Playing around with the various calculators for daily intake based on M-SJ, indeed it gives very low numbers for smaller females wanting to maintain their weight. Very interesting. I think of myself in the healthy weight category at 5-8 and 125 lbs. As a sedentary 50 year old, the formula provide 2300 just to maintain. Whoo-hoo. I’m thinking of testing this as it seems generous.
Damn. I read the calculations wrong. It’s 2300 per day to gain weight. To maintain for 125 lbs/5′-8″sedentary female it’s less than 1400. Ouch. Even with activity it doesn’t get that much higher. Now I’m really curious to test it.
Your experience is admirable; thanks for writing about it. Even with plenty of time and a generous budget, I get so lazy about planning meals, and this inspires me to reduce my waste and plan more effectively in the future. Time to defrost some of that stuff that’s been sitting in the freezer forever!
This was a great summary to a very interesting month! I really enjoyed reading about your experience. My favorite part was seeing how you planned for meals for a week using a limited budget. Given your renewed commitment to putting the budget back in Budget Bytes, I’d love to see examples of your meal planning/weekly budgeting more often, if you feel comfortable! Especially once you get back into freezing, etc. I found it really helpful to see an example of how someone else does it!
Thank you Beth for sharing your experience with the Snap challenge. I really appreciated the thoughtful writing and that you provided new recipes during a challenging time. Loved the dijon/soy chicken. In some ways you over challenged yourself in terms of dollars spent on food. Snap benefits are issued monthly, not weekly. If you had no income and were receiving the maximum benefit as a single person, you would have received $189 per month (typically) on the 1st of the month. The Snap challenge used an average benefit amount of $126 per month. Someone receiving $126 in benefits is believed to have income and would be expected to spend the difference of $63 from their own funds.
The buying power of getting all the funds on the 1st are a huge advantage that you didn’t allow yourself. Additionally you spent 1/3 less than the government expects a single person to spend of food. With your math and creativity skills, you would have rocked the challenge using a $189 budget.
The issues you thoughtfully presented regarding availability of affordable food and transportation (a big one) are real, no matter what the benefit amount. There’s also huge deficits in education, skill, time management and home resources that can’t be addressed by Snap benefits.
IMO, the Snap challenge was supposed to make the public aware of the challenges of living on the benefit amounts. Unfortunately, there has been backlash because the truth of the matter is that tens of millions of Americans are currently living on the food budget allotted by Snap but receiving no benefits. So they do the challenge with pictures showing heaping amounts of food and say it’s no big deal. Those of us who are concerned about the Snap budget getting cut show pictures of how little food it is. Thanks again for blogging about your experience.
Although someone earning any amount of income while on SNAP is “expected” to spend some of their own money on food, the reality is usually either that they can’t, or that the amount actually spent is far less than the expectation. I have been on SNAP before with other household income, and the reality was that the amount I got in food stamps WAS my food budget. Occasionally I spent $5-10 of my own money, but doing so meant going without something else.
A few more thoughts–when I was a school librarian, I purchased a very inexpensive mini fridge and small microwave for my workroom–I think I spent less than $125 for both appliances which I and my 2 aides used for the 4 years I was at that school. I did leave both appliances behind, but it cost me less than $35 a year to have hot lunches of my own choosing. I did the same thing later when I was a hospital librarian and amortized that same purchase over 6 years. If you are not the highest paid employee in your office, think about getting other employees to go in with you–if they won’t, take the appliances with you when you leave.
Your findings are so very thoughtful and helpful. When I was a young wife, our funds were very limited, but having grown up on a farm and in a family with little cash, working from scratch was a habit–I baked all of my own breads and desert items, made one main dish stretch for multiple meals, bought in quantity when in season items were cheap, prepared my own baby food, except for some fruits which were cheaper in jars. I was working along with you–and with 2 of us a $9 per day budget meant that I had more flexibility with purchasing, and with a pantry filled with spices and herbs, getting flavor into our meals was less of an issue. With school age children eligible for free meals, their breakfasts and lunches would be covered outside of the SNAP budget, too. My husband actually enjoyed a month filled with comfort dishes he remembered from his own childhood and our early years. But certain things really resonated–such as entertainment and your discomfort at being able bring something with you. Food is social, and not being able to join co-workers going out to lunch or having a spontaneous potluck often arise. Storage is another issue–I can buy a full pork loin at a very cheap price and cut all of the roasts, scallops, chops, and stew pieces, to consume over a number of weeks, but one with no freezer wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the bargain. Information is key–and I think a way I can make a difference is through my local library–not with cooking demos, but with some classes to show folks how to find resources, even if their only access to the internet is the library computers.
Hi, I wanted to thank you for sharing your SNAP challenge. I volunteer at a family shelter that keeps homeless families together , provides them housing for 18 months while the parents find employment. they offer them job training and life skills. I have been asked to teach a class on meal planning and your challenge really helped me prepare for this by understanding the SNAP program. I can’t thank you enough! Between your information, recipes and careful planning, I will be able to help these families plan meals and stretch their food budgets and provide healthy meals for their families. Thank you
I really enjoyed reading the SNAP challenge- and I especially liked your point about access to the food store. That is a major problem for city dwellers in my area- the closest “real” food stores not easy to get to, esp on public transit
I really enjoyed following you along your SNAP challenge journey. taught me a lot, and was very informative and inspiring.
one tip I’d add (for those who are considering trying the challenge, looking for ways to save or even needing to save money on food overall): try coupons. I see you shopped based on sales, which is great, but you can also combine sales with coupons on certain items to save a lot. oftentimes coupons are on processed foods, which many people prefer not to buy, but there are plenty of coupons out there for fresh foods. yogurt, for instance, is something you can get for cheap (of free!). there are apps (if you have a smartphone), that offer 25 cents – $1 off items like milk and produce. it all adds up! check out some coupon blogs (just google) and you’ll be shocked at some of the deals.
So fantastic and inspirational, Beth! I really enjoy your website, and as a public health advocate, I can’t thank you enough for your candor and transparency during your experience!
I was looking around and found this:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/sites/default/files/usda_food_plans_cost_of_food/TFP2006Report.pdf
I wonder how close the menu was to the “poundage” defined by the government. Was it at all close?
Interesting. I have no idea how much food I ate in terms of pounds. That is a weird metric for them to use, but I guess they had to use either weight or volume and weight makes more sense.
Yes, it is. I noticed there are some things you bought that while you legally can buy with SNAP, they don’t allow for in the funds they provide. For example, for a 19-50 year old female, you are expected to have 0.03 pounds of cheese a week. Enough to dust on a dish of pasta, maybe, but certainly not a feature. I think I’d have trouble eating 5 pounds of whole fruit a week too. (That’s about 12-13 oranges, for example.)
Beth. I want to thank you for sharing your experience with the SNAP challenge. I really do appreciate you going through this journey with an open mind and without being judge mental (unfortunately, I’ve read those not so nice comments coming from those that don’t understand what it feels to struggle on a daily basis-especially when you’re unable to place food on the table for yourself and your family). Although it can be difficult to live off of $4.50 per day, you can still make decent and nutritious meals without compromises. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.
Your candor and transparency about this whole experiment has been refreshing and educational. There were issues that I had with some of the other people doing this because they have had a particular taint to their participation – ie. “this is simple – why can’t THESE people get it together. I’ll show them what a little determination and a few recipes can accomplish!” Not so with you. Thank you for being HONEST and showing that there is more to this than initially meets the eye. Thank you also for acknowledging your advantages – that’s an important part. (In week 3 I wanted to speak up… my godsons could NEVER have existed on what you were eating… High School football players eat a LOT!
This exercise was also a reminder why you are one of the few food bloggers that I actually READ.
Thank you!
Beth, this challenge and the honesty and transparency with which you did it is so inspiring. I want you to know that that kind of action….that kind of compassion….that kind of dedication….your kind of example as a woman is the kind that I point out to my daughters. Again, thank you.
I couldn’t say it better, Amy. Beth you are an inspiration.
That’s so sweet and well said! The level of compassion was definitely refreshing to see.
I think you did a wonderful job with the SNAP challenge, both in practice and in summary. You showed how difficult hunger is to deal with and how hard it is to live within the SNAP budget. I’ve eaten that cheaply before as a student and my sister has done it for years with her family of five. It isn’t easy and it takes time and planning and patience. I’ve been the person who couldn’t go out to eat with friends many, many times. I followed your journey and agree with all you’ve presented. I think I could do this for my family of five (including two teenage boys). We don’t eat a lot of meat but we would have to severely limit our produce and dairy and eliminate snacks and treats. There is also no way I could fit whole milk and formula for the baby into the budget – I hope SNAP participants with small children also qualify for WIC. You’ve done a service to the general population by highlighting a difficult subject and a service to the food-limited population by providing information and recipes that work with their situation…all in a loving, open manner.
Thank you so much for your recipes, insight, and honesty! I have a friend who is mildly autistic and whose family lives on disability checks and part-time work- one of those families at the margins of society who struggle constantly with health & financial issues. She has shown an interest in wanting to improve her diet but is intimidated by the idea of cooking, so I gave her a copy of you wonderful Budget Bytes book and encouraged her to get a slow cooker. I am also inspired by your posts to renew my efforts at cutting my food waste and saving money. Thanks again!
I usually get irritated with these SNAP challenges because too often it boils down to, “See how easy it was for me?” I appreciate that you acknowledged that you started with advantages.
At one point my husband and I were on SNAP, and after all the bills were paid, it was our only “extra source” of money (you’d be surprised at what you can clean with baking soda and vinegar). Your blog helped IMMENSELY during that year of transition of ours, and even though we’re in a much better position, I still use it to help plan my meals.
Thank you, again, for doing justice to the SNAP Challenge.
Beth I want to thank you for sharing your experience with such insight and honesty. It has certainly helped me think about this problem in new ways.
I love the spirit and thoughtfulness you did the SNAP challenge with. Hunger is a true problem in our own country, not just a third world problem. I’m very proud that the company I work for did a “Step Up for Hunger” challenge over the summer. For 14 weeks, we formed teams, signed up online and posted our steps taken for our company to donate money to hunger charities. I was already tracking my steps with the UP band I got for Valentines Day (good for my heart!), so putting those numbers in a system and trying to walk even more was easy to do to help combat hunger.
Beth,
I really applaud you for taking on this challenge. It’s something I would have great difficulty doing as I have a digestive syndrome that makes food choices very difficult for me. I grew up poor and my nutrition as a kid wasn’t very good as a result. Even though my financial position is much better as an adult I still strive to help food organizations and charities as much as I can. In fact the local grocery store I shop at allows me to earn rewards for the charity of my choice (I chose a local food bank.) You might check and see if there are any similar programs in your area. I only found out about it by chance while downloading some digital coupons on the store’s website. It’s so easy to take food for granted in our culture and I think it’s wonderful that you put yourself in the position of others who struggle with access to nutrition. It’s not easy to walk the walk and you did so candidly with empathy and grace.
That’s a really cool program! I’m definitely going to check into that.
Thanks for participating in this challenge and sharing your experience with the world. Following your updates has been extremely eye-opening and has made me realize my own privilege. It’s reminded me that while food is a joy, a hobby and an often even an art for people like me who can afford it, there’s another side to the food culture in America (and in the rest of the world) – one where the poor lack access to proper nutrition or go without food altogether with no end in sight.
Having followed your experience, I’m definitely going to try and be more mindful of minimizing food wastage and actively engaging with programs that provide food and health information to the needy. Thank you, Beth.
Dear Budget Bytes,
I noticed that there hasn’t been a dessert recipe for a while. Your pumpkin and molasses bread was such a win. Can your fans expect a dessert recipe soon?
Congrats on your succesfull SNAP achievement.
Maybe, maybe, maybe. ;D I was thinking about it, actually. I need to come up with something good.
I followed your post with a very high interest over the month. I even tried to do it myself for 2 weeks but failed totally! Why? Because I’m on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet for medical reason and I wasn’t able to figured out how to eat like that on a very tight budget. But you know what? I’ll do it again but this time with a little more planning. I’ll do the exercise as if I’ve just lost my job, which means I’ll use my pantry/freezer items to start and see where I can go from that. Anyway, I thank you to open my eyes (and my heart and mind) to the challenge many people have to deal with everyday.
One observation I have is someone with a metabolism like mine would get really fat because there is so much reliance on carbs. And I can attest to this because I grew up on food stamps.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. It was so very informative and inspiring.
I live in France and not in the US but I could definitely relate to your experience. I’ve been on a tight groceries budget for about 2 years now and I really understood all the challenges you had to go through.
I spend $50 on groceries every 2 weeks (that also includes stuff such as washing powder, toilet paper etc…). Food is more expensive in France than in the US but being a vegetarian definitely helps. Meat and fish are so expensive that I would never be able to eat the way I do if I needed to buy some. As it is, I can afford one “extra”: cappuccinos or lattes in the morning (the powder kind). It sets me back $4 or $5 but it’s worth it.
Like you, my biggest challenge is getting enough produce in my diet. Vegetables aren’t so hard because I buy mostly frozen or canned stuff (except for cauliflower broccoli and tomatoes) and that comes up cheap compared to buying fresh. But fruit is more difficult. I buy only the cheapest ones (bananas and apples) and I often have trouble stretching them for 2 whole weeks.
I could live on pasta, rice and sandwiches (gluten is my best friend) so having a diet based on them is no hardship. Since I found your blog, I’ve also tried some of your recipes and I’ve added them to my rotation (making a corn/tomatoes casserole this very evening as a matter of fact). I really love that I usually always have all the ingredients in my pantry. I don’t think you strayed as far from your budgeting roots as you thought. Your recipes are still excellent for people like me :)
I have a bit of a challenge when it comes to quantities though. I’ve reduced the amount of food I eat a lot (and boy, was that hard in the beginning!) but I still need more than what you consider a portion in your recipes. Depending on the recipe, I have to eat 1 1/2 to 2 of your portions to ensure I can last until my next meal without snacking or being hungry. And I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to live on the portions you had during your SNAP challenge without going hungry 2 hours after my meals. So portion control is something I might have to get back to to determine if I’ve found what suits me and my body’s needs or if it’s just a comfort zone I could get out of.
So thanks again for sharing your experience. I followed all your SNAP posts religiously :)
Can’t edit post so, just to clarify: the $4-5 for the lattes/cappuccinos are for a full box of the powdered stuff. I don’t spend $4 on a single cup.
As a young adult who grew up fairly well-fed, who worked in a bakery for 5 years, and who will soon move out with a 4-year cook, I really, really appreciated this series. While we may not quite qualify for SNAP, we’re pretty close. Your thoughts on how eating this way may affect people’s bodies and minds really touched me. I was close to tears during a couple posts, when I realized exactly how judgmental I’ve been, and how the same hunger pangs will affect me.
Thank you for this series, and thank you for Budget Bytes as a whole. You’ve inspired and, with this, emotionally affected me.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this wrap up, your analysis, thoughts and insight. I am so proud of and amazed by you for taking this on – and for sitting down to process and digest the experience for us. Really really great, thank you.
The ‘advantages’ and ‘what I want you to know’ sections are very right on.
I have been talking about the SNAP challenge since I read the wrap up on Sunday. I figured out how much my family of 4 would have each week based on the SNAP amount. My family would have $126 for the week. We have a well-stocked pantry and freezer with probably enough food to last a month; we would have to get really, really creative to eat good meals but we could do it. We spend roughly $150 – $200 each week on food, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. We eat out way too often (which is probably why we have such a well-stocked pantry and freezer). The Challenge made me evaluate what we are eating and how we can help others.
Thanks for doing the SNAP challenge. Obviously there were ‘slips’ but overall I thought it’s been a really great series of pieces.
Out of curiosity, did you gain or lose any weight? If so, any idea how much? A poor diet in general is pretty strongly associated with obesity. While the meals you came up with were pretty decent, I’m still curious.
I lost weight the first two weeks (five pounds at the height of it), but gained a few back in the second two weeks. I ended up a few pounds down, and attribute that to not doing any sort of snacking or mindless eating like I usually do. I can see how I might end up gaining over time, though, because of the hunger driven splurges and the fact that I was too tired and hungry to do any sort of exercise. I think my metabolism was slowing down and would have had a greater effect over time.
Fair enough. Thanks again for the (really excellent) series of articles, and the answer to my question.
The loss was likely the lack of food, before your metabolism adjusted. Once it slowed down to accommodate the lack of food, you gained some of it back (it’s a survival mechanism; the body is smart!). Add in “hunger splurges” where your body demands some energy (but you don’t continue to eat adequate amounts so your metabolism stays suppressed) and you’ve got a recipe for long term weight gain. If your metabolism never adjusted, you’d just whither away into nothing quite rapidly upon a food shortage.
Thank you so much for doing this. It has opened my eyes greatly. I really do appreciate the “My advantages” section because some of those things (lack of internet acces, no real fridge, lack of utensils) are things I wouldn’t even consider as disadvantages the folks on SNAP would face.
I have always appreciated your blog for all the great dishes I have been able to make thanks to it. I can now appreciate it for helping me recognize some of my privileges and make steps towards helping those less fortunate than me.
Well done. And I mean that as the superlative.
I just wanted to say again that I appreciate how thoughtfully you approached this! It’s so easy to do this challenge in a spirit that is unproductive, judgmental, or prescriptive, and you avoided all of those things. You were exploratory, empathetic, and open, and I love knowing people who read your words will get doses of those wonderful traits. Thanks again!
Oh wow, thank you so much for that. :)
thanks for putting this into words, julie. i so agree.
Yes Julie very much summed up my thoughts about your series.