SNAP 4 day Challenge

Half an onion & half a bag of peas. I feel like I used my food & money very efficiently. I think I hit all the key nutritional aspects and really didn't feel hungry. I was most surprised by the mental aspects of this challenge. The lack of freedom to eat what I wanted, when I wanted it. I had to ration my food and plan ahead on ways above and beyond anything I've done before. The lack of variety became very challenging. I may have gotten a fruit, a couple vegetables, and some protein everyday but they were always the same ones. Having limited access to food also impacted my ability to exercise the way I normally do. I can easily see that I would start pursuing empty calories to try to make up the difference, which would create a vicious cycle. Finally, I can only hope that I never have to try to feed my kids on $4.20 a day. I cannot imagine placing these same limits on my kids. Kids should never have to be told they can have an apple or a banana but not both.

Sarah - Dinner 4 Black bean/onion/rice patties w/ yogurt/tomato/lemon juice. 2 tomatoes & 1/2 an avocado. This was actually really really good & I'd eat it again, just not today. I need a bean & rice break.

A few slices of bread, some peanut butter, oatmeal, 2 eggs, and some milk. We didn't buy anything that didn't get mostly used, but really we had enough food. It just wasn't the food we wanted.

Kim & Dave's last dinner A chicken thigh with crushed tomato, corn, & roasted sweet potato. Not a bad way to finish up.

Many people have asked me why? Why bother? I don't have the words to answer that yet, but here's one person's answer.

Breakfast was my last container of yogurt & my last banana. I actually ate lunch twice a couple hours apart, both times were bowls of the pasta salad, which is now gone. Going into the last hours of the challenge I have probably 3 cups brown rice (uncooked), 1 can of black beans, 1/2 an avocado, 1/2 bag of peas, 2 tomatoes, 1 onion, 1 lemon & a little yogurt sauce. Plenty of food but damn, I'm tired of the lack of variety.

I'm a little bit cranky today.

Breakfast was the same as yesterday. Lunch was the same as last night's dinner. Blah, blah, blah. I am very hungry today, probably carry over from the 4 mile run last night. It is much easier to be me and tell myself it's no big deal because I can eat whatever I want tomorrow when the challenge ends. Much harder if this was my actual way of life.

$146. ÷ 7days ÷ 4people = $5.22

Oven roasted sweet potato & broccoli. Filling, but not very exciting. Being able to use more of my seasonings would make this a lot better.

Kim & Dave - dinner #3 Black beans & rice with beef, corn, and crushed tomatoes. Dinner was filling. My 20 year old self would have been proud. My current self sees processed white rice, 80/20 ground beef, and things from cans. But I repeat, it was filling.

A says "People should at least get enough to buy a balanced meal. I know the Government wants to give as little money as possible because there's so many people in the country but that doesn't seem fair that people can't eat good food and be healthy ."

I ran 3 miles on the treadmill before lunch and felt fine. My bowl of spaghetti seems to be enough to maintain a reasonable energy level for work.  Plus I have a packet of oatmeal to hold me over.  Still wish I had some potato chips though.

I want chips & cheese & guacamole. Also, I've learned I think about eating when I'm bored.

More of the same. Breakfast was a scrambled egg, a piece of white toast, and weird watery OJ. Did get to add half a banana, so that's awesome! Lunch is the last of the leftover spaghetti. Food boredom is one of the issues I am facing here. I realize it's not a real issue, but it does make for interesting thoughts about food as a social and pleasurable experience rather than just an energy need.

Sarah - Dinner 2 Tuna salad. 1 can tuna, 1 container yogurt mixed w/ juice of half a lemon, 1 tomato, 1/2 small onion, green peas, pasta. Looks terrible but tasted fine & filled with protein.

Kim asked me to get celery or an apple on the way home. Something to put peanut butter on that isn't white bread. Celery costs $1.99. Single apples cost about a buck each. But 2 bananas were only $.57. So, mission not exactly accomplished, but it's something.