It’s funny how three days into this challenge I couldn’t wait for it to be over, but now that I’ve completed three weeks I feel totally in the groove and like I could possibly do this long term… well… I could do this long term with a couple of liberties. Week three felt like I was just going through the motions of the challenge, without many new revelations. That might be because my mind was so preoccupied with house and mortgage stuff that food just wasn’t even on my radar, but there were a few times during the week that the challenge was a challenge. More on that later. First, let’s take a look at what I planned for the week.
What Did I Buy?
I planned another pasta dish for this week, so I got the ingredients for that (sausage, pasta, tomato products) and I knew I wanted to make a stir fry with my left over cabbage, so I got some extra items for that as well (ramen, cilantro, carrots, green onions, bell pepper). Pita has been serving me well, so I happily bought that again. There weren’t any good prices on fruit this week, so I had to settle for three apples and planned to eat a half apple per day. That’s not much, but at least it’s something. I also had to make room in my budget for a few staple items this week: eggs, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
Just a few days into the week I knew my recipes weren’t quite filling me up the way that I wanted (the way that week 2’s chili pasta did), so I scrambled and bought a couple extra items to make a quick pizza. I had everything I needed at home except some sauce and a few veggies for the topping, which I grabbed off the salad bar. I have to say, going to the grocery store only once per week is one of the major good points of this challenge. Somewhere along the way over the past couple of years I let my hectic schedule get in the way and gotout of the habit of shopping only once per week. I didn’t realize how stressful it really is to have to stop two or three times per week just to pick up a few items. The little bit of planning it takes to make sure I only have to go once per week is a total time and stress saver.
What Did I Make
My main dish this week was Penne Pasta with Sausage and Greens. It was totally delicious and I never got sick of it, even after eating it for six days in a row. That’s a winner. BUT, it wasn’t quite as thick and filling as the One Pot Chili Pasta from last week.
I portioned out six containers, then put the leftovers in a larger container (I only have six smaller containers). A friend came over and I offered the leftovers to him, which unfortunately left me with only six days worth of pasta. I wasn’t worried about it at the time because I love to share, but when day seven rolled around, I was hungry and there was no pasta to be eaten.
My secondary meal was this Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles. SO good and full of vegetables. I was really surprised at how much I liked the leftovers. I expected them to be not so good, limp vegetables and the whole lot. Well, the softened vegetables were actually pretty good and a little easier on my stomach, so I win!
A few days into the challenge, I wasn’t feeling quite as full as week 2, so I used what I had and made a pizza. I used the same technique as the No Knead Pan Pizza, except I did it on a flat pizza pan and made it larger instead of making it smaller and thicker like a pan pizza. I bought more toppings this time around, too, so my total pizza cost came to $4.09 and with eight pieces, $0.51 per piece.
As usual, I ate oat bran or eggs for breakfast and filled in the gaps with things like pita and peanut butter or stove top pop corn.
What Did I Eat?
Day 15
- 1/2 cup yogurt $0.41
- 1 serving pineapple (from week 2) $0.50
- 2 Tbsp oat bran $0.12
- 1 serving Penne Pasta with Sausage and Greens $1.32
- 1 serving Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles $0.74
- 1/2 apple $0.40
- 1/2 red bell pepper (from week 2) $0.13
- 1 oz. feta $0.43
Daily Total: $4.55
Reflection: Wow, this was the first time I went over the $4.50 daily goal! It doesn’t even look like a lot of food. It’s a good reminder of how some foods are so much more cost effective than others. Some of my other days I fill my whole notebook page with things that I ate and still come in under $4, while this list only took up half the page.
Day 16
- 1/3 cup oat bran $0.25
- 1/2 Tbsp butter $0.08
- 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.02
- dash of cinnamon $0.03
- 1 Tbsp sliced almonds $0.18
- 1 serving Penne Pasta with Sausage and Greens $1.32
- 1 serving pineapple $0.50
- 1 serving Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles $0.74
- 1/2 apple $0.40
Daily Total: $3.52
Reflection: The cabbage in the stir fry really upset my stomach today and I panicked a little thinking that I wouldn’t be able to eat it for the rest of the week. That’s a lot of groceries to waste and I didn’t have funds to replace the recipe with something new. What was I supposed to do? What do people do when they’ve spent all of their money on a recipe and then it turns out inedible? You’re just screwed? I guess you’re just always one step away from starving.
Day 17
- 2 large eggs $0.40
- 1 whole pita $0.34
- 1 serving Penne Pasta with Sausage and Greens $1.32
- 1/2 apple $0.40
- 1/2 pita $0.17
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter $0.26
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil $0.04
- 1/4 cup popcorn kernels $0.04
- 1 Tbsp butter $0.15
- dash Cajun seasoning $0.05
- 1/2 cup yogurt $0.41
- 1 Tbsp sliced almonds $0.18
- 1 tsp honey $0.06
Daily Total: $3.87
Reflection: I skipped the vegetable stir fry because all that cabbage gave me a stomach ache the day before, and it left me absolutely starving today. I ate a lot of snacky type things to try to squash my hunger. The pita/peanut butter/apple sandwich was pretty awesome, but I knew I needed to make something to tide me over for the rest of the week. I remembered that I had a bag of shredded cheese in the freezer from last week’s grocery haul, so I decided to make a pizza the next day.
Day 18
- 2 large eggs $0.40
- 1/2 pita $0.17
- 1 Tbsp mayonnaise $0.10
- 1 serving Penne Pasta with Sausage and Greens $1.32
- 1 serving Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles $0.74
- 3 pieces pizza $1.53
Daily Total: $4.26
Reflection: I decided to give the stir fry another chance and I’m glad I did! The vegetables had softened in the fridge and they were much more kind on my stomach. Now I LOVED the stuff and couldn’t get enough. I had started the dough for the pizza the night before, so I went ahead and made it anyway. It was pizza and pizza is good, so I ate three big pieces. YUM. It’s hard not to go overboard with pizza, but I knew I needed to ration it out for the remaining days of the week.
Day 19
- 1/3 cup oat bran $0.25
- 1/2 Tbsp butter $0.08
- 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar $0.02
- dash of cinnamon $0.03
- 1 serving Penne Pasta with Sausage and Greens $1.32
- 3 slices pizza $1.53
- 1/2 apple $0.40
Daily Total: 3.63
Reflection: Awwww yeaaaahhhhh. PIZZA! Pizza makes me feel good. I had planned to limit myself to two pieces per day and stretch it out over four days, but that totally didn’t happened. In other news, I closed on my house today and I really, really wanted to go out, celebrate, and have drinks with friends. I’m pretty sad that I couldn’t properly celebrate such a huge life event, but that’s reality, isn’t it? Also, my neighbors had a BBQ and not having funds to bring something to gathering makes you feel awkward. You don’t want to show up empty handed and you don’t want to decline the invitation, so you’re just kind of stuck. I think I’ll be more sensitive to hidden reasons why people might decline social invitations in the future.
Day 20
- 1/2 cup yogurt $0.41
- 1 tsp honey $0.06
- 1 Tbsp oat bran $0.25
- 1 serving Penne Pasta with Sausage and Greens $1.32
- 2 slices pizza $1.02
- 1/2 pita $0.17
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter $0.26
- 1 small coffee (from a coffee shop) $1.38
Daily Total: $4.87
Reflection: When I woke up today I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I think the stress and chaos of yesterdays events (closing on the house early and unexpectedly) finally hit. I was working the weekend shift and desperately needed a coffee to get me going. It’s been surprisingly easy to give up coffee for this challenge, but today I needed it like my life depended on it. Let me just tell you, I usually dislike the coffee from the hospital coffee shop, but that day it was the best coffee ever! It was worth eating up a large portion of my daily budget. It helped me make it through my work day instead of crawling under my desk and falling asleep. It’s just not a liberty that can be taken every day.
Day 21
- 1/2 pita $0.17
- 2 large eggs $0.40
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese $0.25
- 1 serving Curried Chickpeas with Spinach (frozen from week 1) $0.85
- 1/2 pita $0.17
- 1/2 apple $0.40
- 1 serving Vegetable Stir Fry with Noodles $0.74
- 1/4 cup popcorn kernels $0.09
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil $0.04
- Dash Cajun seasoning $0.05
Daily Total: $3.16
Reflection: It was the last day of week 3 and I didn’t have any pasta OR pizza left. Thankfully, I had one little serving of curried chickpeas (from week 1) in the freezer. If I hadn’t had that, then what? I guess I’d be eating plain pasta with butter and salt or whatever else I could find in the back of my pantry. Living on such a restricted budget is definitely all about the planning and if you get it wrong, you pay.
Final Reflection
Total Consumed: $27.86
Grocery Total (tax incl.): 26.96
My mind wasn’t really in the challenge this week because of all the things going on in my personal life, but the restriction still had an impact on my lifestyle. Most notably, how it impacts celebrations and social gatherings. Food is such an integral part of our culture and it’s hard to take that out of the equation. I know now that I want to be as generous as possible with people around me because I don’t know what might be going on behind the scenes and when times are tough, even small gestures are extremely appreciated.
Read through my experience from beginning to end:
I live right next to that rouses, have you tried the Winn Dixie across the street? They have A lot of buy one get one free deals. (I usually go to both)
Yeah, I have to say that I really do not like Winn Dixie. :P I hate the “card price” system because it makes it so much more difficult to gauge pricing and changes. Also, I find their produce really lacking in quality. BUT, it doesn’t matter anyway because I moved to Nashville. Hahah :D
I just stumbled on your blog and can’t seem to stop reading! I know this is a much older post, but in regards to if a meal didn’t turn out as planned, I usually recreate it into something different. For example I made a bunch of scotch eggs and my family was tired of them. I took the hard boiled eggs out of center for eggs salad and used to sausage outer shell with diced potato and bell pepper for a breakfast meal.
Not everyone on SNAP is able to cook complicated meals ….they might work two jobs or be too sick to cook anything but a simple meal. My biggest hint into making this work is stick to your shopping list, shop sales both seasonal and cyclic (my store offers canned and frozen vegetables about half off every four weeks. Mostly I survived by balancing pasta to sauce etc. and limiting major shopping trips to once a month. Milk, brad, eggs, and butter etc. I bought once a wee. By limiting exposure to the center of the store the temptations are limited and it was easier to do that balancing act. There was always the food pantry for the months that things din’t work out well, but you need to know what is available at your pantry…the one here has day old donuts and bread from the grocery store up the street…ahhh great for those sweet tooth moments. Eating healthy takes either garden, a buck in deer season and time to bake and or mass prepare meals….assuming you have a freezer for that or even a larger refridgerator.
Hello,
I just discovered your blog and I am really enjoying going through your recipes and reading about this SNAP challenge. I am not sure if it has been mentioned by anyone but I wanted to let you know that on Day 15, you did not go over budget! You actually came in at $4.05 (not the $4.55) you have which means you were $.45 under budget. I realize this was over a year ago but thought you might like to know!
Megan
I think popcorn would be nice at a potluck. People could take some in a napkin or maybe you could make clever paper cones. Your price on popcorn looked very reasonable.
I know I’m late, but I’m just starting my SNAP Challenge. I blogged about it a year ago and although I wanted to do it I also didn’t want to! I did my first shopping trip today:http://thenewdaybringshope.blogspot.com/2015/01/snap-challenge-grocery-haul-1.html
I was over budget for the week, but as long as I’m under at the end of the month it really doesn’t matter since SNAP is given monthly.
I was thinking of doing a feature of some bloggers who have done the challenge at the end of mine and if I do I’d love to feature you!
I think you are great and am cheering you on! You give me ideas.
As a holistic nutritionist, I question your intake of veggies. I see that you spent .69 on a bunch of green onions. I don’t know the prices in your area, but couldn’t you get nearly one pound of yellow onions for the same price?
Meat seems a big part of your budget. I use dried beans and legumes daily. A one-pound bag (dried) can yield six to eight cups of cooked protein. So cheap, healthy, and filling. I consume meat maybe twice a month.
I also used very, very little dairy – maybe 3-6 ounces a month! Once you break the dairy habit, you will feel better and have more $$ in your pocket.
I should note that I feed two people and two pets on $12 a day in the Washington, D.C. area.
Keep up the great work!
I like your comments on bringing food to a social event. People respond to this in a lot of ways, one being to refuse the invitation out of shame/budget worries. Another is to bring something simple and relatively cheap and then probably eat too much because there is so much good food! It is also a great way to add diversity to a diet lacking in taste and nutrient variety…
I have always loved your blog but this challenge has made me a devotee! I am currently on SNAP and every month there has been more month than benefits so I have to supplement with cash (which I understand is how the program is supposed to work). I’m thankful that I can actually afford to buy food for the last week of the month when I have nothing left on my card.
I have been trying to plan meals more effectively and not splurge on junk but I get overwhelmed. I can follow recipes but I’m not very good at looking at a bunch of ingredients and creating a full meal. We pretty much eat either spaghetti, cheeseburger macaroni (I’ve figured out how to make this without the box), chicken & veggies, and that’s about it. So thank you so very much for this. I will definitely use not only your recipes but also the principles behind the choices you’ve made in my real life SNAP challenge and when I’m finally off of SNAP I will have a great foundation for not overspending on food.
Many of us who follow Beth’s blog have either been in your shoes, or functioning on very low budgets forcing us to experience the same food choices you are making. Beth’s real talents are building flavor and variety into these very low cost recipes. Long may she cook–and blog.
It sounds like you depend on ground beef and chicken–been there, done that–but think about boneless pork when you see it on sale. I can frequently still find that for about $3 per lb, and good quality hamburger is getting to be really expensive. I know that Beth has a bunch of meat stingy and flavorful recipes for pork, too. The best of luck to you–may your circumstances improve soon!
I know this is long past being useful at this point, being about 4 years too late lol, but Janmaus has the right idea, as tempting and yummy as ground beef is, sometimes it is more than I can afford, even with the sales my store has on meat (the day before the use by date passes they mark it down 25%, i buy it up on sale and freeze, still stays good a couple days past use by date when thawed) so I have turned from using ground beef as my go to cheap meat, to using ground pork.
1lb of the cheapest ground beef at my store is $2.25-2.49 (skillet mix, not 100% beef, has a mix of beef hearts and soy protein mixed in), while 2.24lbs of ground pork, on sale, was only $3.03
Used it to make Asian inspired pork meatballs to freeze, to add along with some frozen veggie mix to my ramen as needed! Love being a thrifty shopper and catching good sales at my store!
Your comment about being unable to attend a BBQ with friends due to coming empty handed resonated with me. Even a bag of branded potato chips costs $2.50-$4.00. One thing you could have planned into a tight budget is glazed carrots. I just bought a 2 lb bag of carrots for $1.19, but the 1 lb bags were only $.79. I sometimes do a ginger glazed carrot recipe for a family side dish. It’s both tasty and inexpensive–takes about a tsp of fresh grated ginger, 1-2 T honey and 1 T butter for 1 lb of cooked carrots, either cut into sticks or coins. It costs not much more than $1 to make enough for a bunch of servings, 4-6 as part of a meal, probably 10 at a party where folks tend to take just a little. The ginger is probably the most expensive ingredient, but a tiny knob will cost only about $.50. Folks at parties do like veggies. I always look for them as I hate to eat just meat, fats, and starch–plus there’s often a vegetarian looking for options.
janmaus,
That is a great suggestion! Thanks for sharing. I usually make a bean dip (like soak & cooked white northern beans pureed with a little olive oil & sirarachi). I guess if you are bringing a dip you should bring chips, but I’ve found usually other people have so I don’t worry about it.
Katja
I wouldn’t have suggested going with the yogurt as it’s not very filling, and meat ate up a lot of your budget. I have had to scrape by before, and do it with a huge canister of oatmeal, pasta (99 cent jar and 99 cent for like 16 oz), bananas (47 cents per lb), black beans (99 cents), rice (99 cents), frozen veggies, salsa (1.58 at walmart), fruit that’s in season, pb (dollar store?), bread (1.00). Apples are in season at 99 cents per lb, you can find avocados for 99 cents each as well.
Congratulations on both closing on the new house and finishing week 3 of this challenge. You are doing great!
Congrats on the house!
When I was on a budget but wanted to go to a potluck (who on a budget doesn’t want to go to a potluck? Endless food!) my go-to was usually a homemade bread of some sort. If you buy yeast in bulk it’s very cheap, if you can buy individual packets they’re often around $0.25 each, and even if you can’t buy yeast, and you can always make a sourdough starter if you have a couple days advance notice and then all you need is flour and a little salt. It’s less than a dollar to prepare for the whole thing, although sometimes even that can be too much…
Bingo on the recipe roulette you experienced. When on such a tight budget it’s just not feasible to experiment with the unknown. I stick with things I know I like and will eat. That may sound like a no brainer but sometimes I shop from guilt and buy things I should eat instead of things I will eat. Yeah, I have to eat the guilt buys but it’s depressing.
Now, about the coffee. That’s was non negotiable for me. I have one cup from my keurig every day. One quality cup is all I need and is not any more expensive than when I used to drink half a pot of cheap stuff. I’ll stick to two meals a day so I can have coffee.
Yep, that’s exactly why I just quit coffee instead of switching to a cheap coffee! Hahaha, I hate cheap coffee so much that I’d rather just go without. :) (that and I have no idea how to calculate the cost of the whole beans that I use to make my single cup every morning)
You’re doing an awesome job! its bittersweet reading these weekly summaries because I remember how hard it is when money’s tight and the food in the kitchen is tighter. Getting a couple hours over time when money was tightest meant stocking up on ramen when they were 10 for a dollar and any frozen veggies i could throw into the soup for something nutritious. I needed stuff that would last for when the budget ran dry and that became my back up because it was always a warm and filling meal that I didn’t have to worry about going bad.
I love what you said about wanting to be generous with other because we never know what they are going through. I hope you know how much this adventure you are on is inspiring us. Thank you so much, Beth!
i’m so impressed that you stuck to your snap plan, even with some excellent excuses to cheat! i think everyone comes here for inspiration as well as budget recipes, and you always deliver.
two items i often take to pot-lucks are cole slaw and bread sticks. both are popular, inexpensive, and easy. i make a big batch and save back some for use at home later.
congrats on your new home!
Congrats on the house! Can I ask, how are you preparing the oat bran?
Sure, I’m just adding about 3 parts water to one part oat brand and microwaving for about a minute and a half. It makes a “cream of wheat” style porridge that is high in fiber and surprisingly high in protein. I love the flavor, too. :)
Just an FYI, there is free breakfast coffee at McDonald’s until 9/29 http://news.mcdonalds.com/US/news-stories/McDonald-s-USA-Perks-Up-The-Nation-With-Free-Coffe
Nice! Thanks!! :)
I really applaud you for taking the SNAP challenge and sticking to it. Your writings have helped me, as have those of others who have taken the SNAP challenge. I know that many others in your situation have found that a vegetarian approach, with beans, brown rice, and whole grain breads as staples have helped them stretch their budgets to allow more fruit and vegetables, and filled them up more, thus cutting down on hunger.
We are not vegetarians, but vegetarian food is certainly affordable. My husband and I are working with an extremely limited budget, particularly for food, but don’t qualify for assistance, so any way we can eat a sufficient amount of healthy food and save money doing it is appealing
Linda Watson, author of “Wildly Affordable Organic,” which is subtitled, “Eat fabulous food, get healthy, and save the planet, all on $5 a day or less,” has participated in the SNAP challenge, and written about her experiences. You might find some helpful insights there.
http://www.cookforgood.com/display/Search?moduleId=10271945&searchQuery=snap+challenge
Another author whose recipes have been helpful to me is Ellen Jaffe Jones, author of “Vegan on $4 a Day.”
Congratulations on the house! Also, thanks for being so honest about your experience with the challenge.
So, question about this challenge for you. You mention that you could only get three apples for the week because nothing was on sale. In an ideal situation about half, or maybe a little less than half, your food would be fruits and/or vegetables, are you feeling like you’re even coming close to this? I know when money is tight for me I use carbs like rice and pasta to get dishes to stretch and if I have to do this for too long I do start to feel like I’m not getting all the nutrition I should. How do you think your diet is faring as far as this kind of thing is concerned?
I tried doing a lot of fruit and vegetables the first week and although it would fill me up fast, I felt hungry more often throughout the day (the fullness just didn’t last long). So in week two and three I tilted the balance a little more towards carbs and fatty foods and feel fantastic. I think I’m getting more vegetables than usual simply because of all the planning required to do this, but it’s still definitely not the recommended amount. The nutritional aspect has definitely been interesting to me! (week four has been a nutritional disaster, but you’ll see when I do the summary.)
I’ve been following your SNAP Challenge, Beth, and I want to say that your efforts to stick to the challenge are amazing. Good for you for toughing it out through the hungry and stressful times! At the beginning of your challenge I was thinking, “Beth is an expert budget eater so this is sure to go fine!” But I feel like your experience has really opened my eyes to how hard it is to eat on such a tiny budget and stay full. Thanks for doing this!
Congrats on the house! I am finding your SNAP posts very enlightening. I do hope you are able to have a killer housewarming party once the challenge is over.
Congrats on the house!! I’m loving this SNAP adventure you’re taking us all on.
How are you preparing the oat bran? I’ve only ever used it in muffins and baked goods.
I’m adding three parts water to one part oat bran and microwaving for a minute and a half. It makes a “cream of wheat” style porridge that is super tasty! :)
Really appreciate your honest comments about the challenges you are experiencing on “the Challenge”. Didn’t want to be a negative Nancy at the beginning by posing questions that questioned aspects of test conditions vs. real life… I think some of that is coming forth just naturally. One thing that jumped out at me from the beginning was the families with people with bigger appetites. I have nephews and the quantities allowed per serving would barely qualify as appetizers for them… especially after their sports practices and games. To your knowledge, is anyone addressing this reality in the challenge. I think it’s great that SNAP is getting this focus and people are motivated to try it and that recipients will get helpful information about how to stretch their dollars. However, the amount of food is a critical aspect – you’ve mentioned that you were hungry. PS, your vegetable stir-fry is a glorious rainbow – will try the recipe. I love your recipes and your latest SNAP creations.
I have a 17 year old and a 16 year old, regarding quantity and bigger appetites, I let them eat and I practically starve. We still almost run out of food by the end of the month so I have to play food police. I caught my daughter sneaking a package of ramen to her room last night, she said she was hungry but I made her put it back and get a glass of water instead. I hated doing that but what else can I do? There is no car and nobody I can get a ride from so I have to walk to the store. Even if I could buy in bulk I never have enough money to do so. We do not have cable and internet will be gone next month. High food prices are literally killing me.
That was actually one of the first concerns I had in week one! :D If I’m finding myself hungry, what about people who are twice my size or who work very physical jobs? The SNAP benefits don’t take these things into consideration (I don’t know how they could even figure out how to do so), so it’s likely to be twice as hard for many as it has been for me. :(
I am totally loving this series of posts. Your reflections are very thoughtful and bring up valid points related to food and people in our society, such as the social impacts. Our family went through a very tough time financially beginning in 2008 and we were on food stamps for about a year. Even after that, our budget is very tight and food is often one of the few areas where I feel we have any flexibility although it’s often tightening the belt, rarely loosening it:) I did find that we became less social because of the expenses related to food and drink. We can’t afford to go out to dinner but even inviting people over for dinner or a bbq can over-stretch an already strained budget. I know we’ve also turned down invites because we can’t reciprocate or at the moment we can’t afford the B in the BYOB or to bring something to contribute.
I also appreciate the thought you put into not just staying within the dollar amount but doing it nutritionally. Unfortunately, store sales and coupons that help stretch food dollars are often on less nutritious foods.
This series definitely illustrates how critical planning is to being able to stretch your food dollars and to maintaining a healthy diet while doing it. Thanks for the great info!
I agree with the comments above, about your sharing of the impact of the challenge on your daily life. My husband and I cook at the local shelter every Thanksgiving – and Christmas, when we can – because we want to give back, having been there. For those residents who are lucky enough to have celebrations to attend, the shelter tries to supply them with whatever food offering they want to take, be it a pie or a side dish. It’s one of those things that helps them keep connected to their families and their community.
I am absolutely loving this challenge. I’m fresh out of college and the budget is tight. You’ve got so many awesome ideas on your site that it makes budgeting seem feasible… and tasty :) I also adore your cookbook; I use it all the time! Keep up the good work Beth!
I love how you’re documenting how “real life” impacts on this challenge!
Do you think you’d be able to meet the SNAP challenge without eating the same dish every night of the week?
What would change if you had to plan dishes for the full month instead of a week at a time?
I plan out two weeks at least for a family of seven. I try to always plan for one extra meal than I intend to eat that’ll just be in the freezer and double or triple favorite meals we like a lot. Doing it all at once means the budget is easier to stick to, I save more because I buy in bulk (also less waste) and we don’t get bored as easily because there’s a freezer full of different meals if what’s on the menu ends up not sounding great. We no longer qualify for SNAP but our food budget is still very small so this helps us make it work.
I don’t think I’d be able to eat something different each day because it would require buying too many different grocery items. I think over time I’d build up my stock of freezer portions (leftover portions from previous weeks that I froze), which would help me change up my meals throughout the week, but eating leftovers is definitely necessary to staying within the budget (IMHO).
Adding my congratulations on the house :) And I’m guessing that being so busy with it all certainly has helped keep your mind off food – and grateful that there is always ‘something’ ready to eat. Not taking away from what you’re doing – but to some extent one of the difficulties in feeding yourself or your family on such small amounts is the boredom that must creep in with reliable dishes. I have really gotten a lot out of your reflections :)
Congratulations on the house! (We built a house last year, and it’s been the most stressful time I’ve ever had, still haven’t fully recovered.) Hey, why not celebrate it with a big housewarming party to make up for the lost opportunity this week due to budget restraints? I’m wishing you all happiness in the world in your new home, and of course lots of recipe inspiration :)
I definitely plan to have a big housewarming/end of SNAP celebration! ;D
I love your reflections on each day.
Congrats on your house purchase! Isn’t it amazing how many times you have to sign your name?!
I agree that trying to limit grocery store runs to once a week saves me money. When I go in for a second, or third, time the one item that I ran in for multiplies into several more items.
How about making some of your bean burritoes for next week?
I appreciate your comment on how stressful it is going to the grocery store multiple times during the week. For me, going to the grocery store is fun, but I know I waste too much time doing that. I should plan ahead. I could save both time AND money!
Congratulations on the house! I’ve noticed that you purchase whole wheat pasta, and now special eggs. Might you share some of your philosophy on what guides your food purchases and recipes?
The eggs were actually a mistake! ;D I buy those normally because I like them better and had planned to buy the cheapest eggs while on the challenge, but then when I was at the store I totally forgot and just grabbed my “usual”. :P I decided to buy the whole wheat pasta just to get some extra fiber in my diet because I knew with a restricted budget I might also be restricting nutrients. It was about the same price as regular, so I felt good about that choice. :)
Hi, I’ve been reading your blog for a little while now, and I just wanted to say how refreshing it is to read your daily reflections. They bring more reality to your experience and I really appreciate it : )
Excellent point on the social gathering aspect — when humans get together we always want copious amount of fooood! When my boyfriend and I were working low-paying entry level jobs it was so stressful going to holidays and birthdays because it’s appropriate to offer to bring a dish to help the host/ess out, or make a special dessert for the person being celebrated but I don’t think anyone ever knew (and I would never want them to) just how much making that one cake or one side dish affected me being able to purchase enough groceries for my boyfriend & I to live off of for the next 2 weeks. As in, we might have to go without a few lunches or dinners while working 12 hour days, ouch.
I just wanted to commend you on sticking to the SNAP challenge and reporting honestly on how it is working for you. I think you are doing a good job of including whole grains, vegetables and fruits, despite their cost; while staying on budget. As someone who has received food assistance for a short time, I found it gets harder the longer you have very limited funds. It is amazing what tastes good by the end of the month.
Thank you for posting great recipes on a regular basis and congratulations on your house!
Beth, I am so impressed with this series. It has been one of my favorite things to read on your blog. It really makes me think carefully about using what I have on-hand and not shying away from things that are cheap, filling and substantial (like pasta, grains, etc) because of past conditioning that somehow these things are “bad” for me. I appreciate your transparency in the struggles you’re having and the notes about how this is changing how you think about things. Keep it coming! I’m sharing this with my friends and family.
On another note, I wonder how you could maybe get your community (us readers) involved? Is there a way that we can donate (food, time, money) or do any other activism if we’re inspired by your project to want to help folks living on minimum food allotments?
Yes, I plan to add “ways to help” to my final reflection. :D I hope that a lot of people will be jumping at the opportunity after reading about the challenge.
Are you only drinking water as part of your SNAP challenge? I don’t remember you mentioning drinks until now with the coffee issue.
Yep. I’m a water only drinker anyway. Just not into juices and other drinks. I drink coffee and tea usually, but that’s it.
i’ve been reading your blog for a while and didn’t even realize you are in new Orleans too!