SNAP (food stamp) Challenge

[lessisbest]

Has anyone ever taken the SNAP Challenge? Over the years I've read several blogs about taking the challenge, read about different people (including those in politics) who took the challenge, some have only used "real" foods on the challenge to prove it's not all about empty calories and poor food choices that's affordable, and just yesterday there was "news" that Gwyneth Paltro was taking the $29 Food Stamp Budget challenge for a week. I look for meal plans and recipes from those who take these challenges because they often fit into a food class I'm teaching, or classes given at the local Food Bank.

Anyway, I was just curious if anyone has ever taken the challenge and how did they handle it? I do it on a daily basis with a food budget of $125 per month for 2 adults. Well under the $29 per person per week SNAP amount (which would be $232 for two people).

Any thoughts?

[iris lilies]

I have not done the food challenge. I know that you could do it, 0P, because of your post about cooking and food.

One have to have cooking facilities and a basic set of spices to make this successful.

[kib]

One would also need a husband who didn't have a built-in radar for preferring the most expensive food available. Only the breast of the chicken, only the medallion of the steak so two are necessary, only the fresh first third of the bag of chips, only the single packaged treats, only the processed low carb stuff double priced for no good reason, only the one low carb ice cream flavor that isn't on sale, only the really big shrimp, only the out of season fruit, only the really expensive thing I bought last month because I had a coupon then. I haven't bitched too much about him lately, >8) but this still drives me nuts, our food bill including eating out is over $700 per month for two and that doesn't even include meals he buys out of his personal spending account, probably another $150.

ETA: after reading Catherine's post I have to admit he's not a foodie, he doesn't need "the most expensive food available" - his tastes are pretty down to earth, just happen to be based on "regular" food that costs a lot more than what I would pick, with a lot of waste involved. Which is still annoying. ;)

[catherine]

My DH did a SNAP challenge when my DD worked for a hunger org. I couldn't do it because I was on the road. DH really was a great example of how NOT to eat on a low budget. He ate nothing all week except Campbell's chicken noodle soup, saltines, and peanut butter.

If I were single I could probably do it, just as kib says: it's hard when you're married to a "foodie." I'm an eat to live person and he's a live to eat person, so it makes it difficult. But as a flexitarian/almost vegetarian, I'm quite happy eating low-cost protein. My big expenditures would be vegetables.

[iris lilies]

... only the fresh first third of the bag of chips, only the single packaged treats....

That's a funny concept to me, highly processed foods, essentially dead foods, being "fresh."

It reminds me of someone I saw at the mall's food court who told the worker who was scooping up the last serving of greasy, salty fried rice "no, I want a fresh pan, go get one." As if that's going to be any better tasting. And, it reminds me of the Section 8 dweller on my block who threw away tons of canned goods from the Food Pantry saying "I'm pregnant and need fresh foods" because I had the distinct impression that she would be getting fresh highly processed food. Canned crap is canned crap.

I guess we all have different concepts of "fresh."

$700 is a lot for 2 people!

[kib]

Yes it is! It's a third more than the second most expensive thing on the budget, mortgage with property tax and insurance. :0!

I know what you mean about "fresh". Maybe it was the wrong word to use about my particular whine, though. DH is a no-finisher. Whether it's a project or dirty dishes or a bag of potato chips, there will always be some left over. Which means either this food goes in the garbage, or I wind up keeping down the budget cost by getting my calorie allowance from left over, less attractive bits of things I didn't particularly want in the first place. Since I'm trying to keep martyrdom to a minimum, I have started throwing things away and buying what I like for myself, which is the main reason our food budget has increased about 30%. It's that age old conundrum between the ideals of living the way I'd like and spending the way I'd like.

[Tradd]

I did a big of Googling and found this article from Today's Dietitian journal, about professional dietitians who took the SNAP challenge.

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030314p40.shtml

Some things stood out to me. First, there seemed to be no mention of shopping at cheaper stores, such as Aldi. One woman did mention Target.

There also seemed to be an over-emphasis on only buying fresh produce. Of course, fresh is preferred, but if you're worried about the food budget, frozen is fine, plus you don't have to worry about spoilage if you don't eat it up in a few days.

I'd love to see what a really frugal person, who actually eats some meat, would do with this challenge.

[JaneV2.0]

I think my food expenditure is about $250 a month. I should start keeping track, just to be sure. ($700!)

I've never tried to meet the SNAP requirements, but I imagine I would be eating a lot of tuna and eggs. Shopping at Grocery Outlet (as I do) would definitely help. Having a solid base of salt, spices, and staples in the house would make it easier.

[kib]

I think my food expenditure is about $250 a month. I should start keeping track, just to be sure. ($700!)

I've never tried to meet the SNAP requirements, but I imagine I would be eating a lot of tuna and eggs. Shopping at Grocery Outlet (as I do) would definitely help. Having a solid base of salt, spices, and staples in the house would make it easier. $700 is for two. Is the $250 for you and SO or just for you? I have to say $700 for me alone wouldn't be impossible, if I indulged my sushi jones unabashedly I could easily spend twice that much, but it would be pretty outrageous.

[kib]

A question about the SNAP challenge: does this assume you can buy in bulk and only count the cost of the food you actually eat, or is it more real-life desperate, which is to say, you're living hand to mouth and that $29 is all you have to spend, starting from scratch. Example, if I can buy 20 pounds of rice for $8, I can claim that a serving of rice costs me $.10. But there's no way I'm buying $8 of rice if I only have $29. If I have to actually go and buy that rice out of my $29, I'll be buying a 1 pound bag for $1.00, which means $.25 per serving, a price increase of 150%.

[Chicken lady]

And that's why it's expensive to be poor. Even if you make really good choices, it's hard to get enough money at once to start gaining ground, and easy to lose it.

[JaneV2.0]

$700 is for two. Is the $250 for you and SO or just for you? I have to say $700 for me alone wouldn't be impossible, if I indulged my sushi jones unabashedly I could easily spend twice that much, but it would be pretty outrageous.

Just for me, and it would definitely go up if I went to restaurants. It may range lower than that. As I say, I've never toted it up.

[Tussiemussies]

I have never tried SNAP, but I think it would be a challenge given my needed eating habits. Food here in NJ is really expensive...Catherine do you find that to be true as well?

[catherine]

I have never tried SNAP, but I think it would be a challenge given my needed eating habits. Food here in NJ is really expensive...Catherine do you find that to be true as well?

Gee, I hadn't thought about it because I don't often shop anywhere else! I always thought it might be cheaper because of the competition in a densely populated state. But it's true that if you run into the supermarket for a couple of things it's hard to leave without spending $30. Sometimes I accept the higher prices, i.e. if I'm shopping at a farmer's market.

If I work hard at planning, I can definitely get my food budget down to $370 for two people (that's the SNAP allotment in our state). Definitely do-able, but I have to use Dave Ramsey's envelope system and plan meals properly and give up junk food.

[Miss Cellane]

First, I'd like to point out that SNAP stands for *Supplemental* Nutrition Assistance Program--it has never been intended to provide the entire food budget for an individual or family. There's a lot of confusion about this out there, and the entire idea of the SNAP Challenge seems to rest with the idea that the allotted SNAP money is all a family would have to spend on food. (Sadly, it may be, but SNAP assumes that the family has other money to spend on food, or that the kids are getting free lunch at school, etc.)

Second, I was on SNAP for about 5 months two years ago, when I hit rock bottom during a prolonged stretch of unemployment. In my state, I was awarded $189 a month, or $47.25 a week. My usual food budget, when fully employed, is $200 a month. So I basically ate the same food on SNAP as I did when working full time with a good salary. I bought fresh produce, and frozen vegetables, because they keep longer, and small amounts of beef and chicken, but no fish because that was too expensive. I really did not have to alter my eating habits at all.

But then, I was used to cooking from scratch, I had a working kitchen stocked with the necessary pots, pans, knives, measuring spoons, etc. I had the time to cook. I knew how to cook.

When I started working again, it was at two jobs, and the time I had for cooking was greatly reduced. I'm single, I can make a big batch of something and eat it for 4 or 5 days. Someone with a family can make a big batch of something and it's gone in a single meal. My return on the investment of time is much greater than someone trying to feed 4 or 5 people.

And if you are coming off a retail shift where you've been on your feet for 9 hours, you may not have the energy to stand in the kitchen for another hour to cook dinner. You want to sit down and eat something, so you can get on with cleaning the bathroom and doing the laundry and all the other tasks necessary to running a household. Cooking is one of the few things you can cut corners on, with processed food.

Time for food shopping is also reduced when you are working 55-60 hours a week. Reading the ads, making a list, shopping, putting the food away, cooking, cleaning up--all take time. It's a lot faster to do your meal planning by walking down the frozen food aisle and grabbing lasagne for one day, fried chicken for the next night and a frozen pizza for the next night. Saves a ton of time.

[lessisbest]

-As iris lilies mentioned, there can be a cooking challenge due to equipment (or lack of it). Many families don’t have a fully-stocked kitchen. We teach cooking classes at the Food Bank and choose recipes that can be made in a microwave or on a hot plate/stove-top, which is the equipment most families have, and occasionally a counter-top toaster/oven or oven. We also teach cooking classes for kids because they are often in charge of meals.

Many families don’t purchase ingredients to stock the kitchen, they purchase 88-cent frozen dinners instead. Teaching them the value of ingredients over ready-to-heat-and-eat is a challenge. Include that 88-cent frozen entrée, meal, or frozen pizza as your emergency back-up meal, not everyday meals. Ingredients give you more options and generally cost less. The same ingredients it takes to make pancakes (flour, egg (optional), milk, baking powder, salt and fat) are also the ingredients needed to make a cake, cookies, breads….. Instead of buying packets of instant oatmeal, buy a 42-oz. box at Aldi for $2.29. You will get MANY more servings of oatmeal (you can actually make your own “instant” oatmeal packets), plus with a few additional ingredients you can make cookies, granola, pancakes, muffins, scones, and many other things.

-Tradd – would “love to see what a really frugal person, who actually eats some meat, would do with this challenge” – I do it all the time on a $125/month food budget. I try to keep meat to $2 or less a pound (although that’s getting harder to do), and no matter how much it is per pound, I only budget $10/week for meat. Some weeks I don’t purchase any because there isn’t a bargain, or I already have enough in the freezer, so that means I transfer that meat money to the next week when I might find a bargain and could spend $20 instead of $10. We consume two 3-oz. servings of meat (or meat alternative) each day. By using low-costing meat alternatives like eggs, beans, nuts, dairy, grain/bean mixtures, gelatin, nutritional yeast flakes, I can serve less meat. You get some protein from nearly all food, not just meat. We enjoy steak, chops, roasts, ham, chicken, turkey – but it’s all purchased within the budget. We also have a lot of vegetarian meals, and still get the appropriate amount of protein. I read recently “the U.S. is the only place on earth where “poor” people eat meat twice a day”. I use mixtures of grains/beans for a complete protein: 1 c. lentils, 1 c. rice, 4 c. water – cook like you would rice for a vegetarian substitute for ground beef. By mixing beans/grains you get a complete protein.

With meat prices going up, I’ve switched to ground turkey instead of ground beef. I even use ground turkey to make “sausage”. Ground turkey is often reduced for quick sale ($1.99#) for an even bigger savings. Jane V2.0 said she’d “eat a lot of tuna and eggs”. When lg. eggs were 99-cents a dz. around Easter, I stocked up and even froze several dozen. I generally purchase medium eggs after reading “Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half” by Steve & Annette Economides. “Given the small difference in average liquid volume between medium and large eggs, a sharp consumer ought to always check the price of medium eggs. If the price difference is less than 5-cents per dozen, buy the larger size. If greater than 5-cents, buy the smaller size.”

Tuna actually isn’t cheap – not when you price it per pound. A 5-oz. can of tuna at 69-cents = $2.21 (rounded up) per pound. I just purchased a huge ham for 99-cents per pound. You can lower the cost by mixing tuna with low-costing meat alternatives like eggs and beans to make more servings. The ONLY way you can “stretch” a protein is by adding a less-expensive protein. Adding more starches/carbs in the form of pasta/noodles, is adding to your daily source of grains, not meat/meat alternatives.

Kid – You can buy in bulk, as long as it’s within your SNAP budget. In fact, it’s recommended to purchase in bulk when possible. Dried beans are cheaper than canned. A heaping ½ c. of beans = one 15-oz. can. A 1# bag of beans is roughly the same amount as 3 (15-oz.) cans of beans. Buy the largest bag of frozen vegetables you can afford. Use a portion as mixed vegetables, but separate out the remaining bag into individual vegetables. Now you have mixed veggies, as well as corn, green beans, peas, carrots, etc. (whatever the combination is). Within my frugal budget, I purchase enough powdered milk to last us a year. That’s not possible for SNAP participants, and that’s the difference between a frugal cash budget and a regulated purchases on a SNAP budget.

Here’s a little guideline for breaking down a food budget to cover all the basic foods needed for a healthy diet each week:
For Every $25:
Vegetables - $6
Fruits - $5
Grains - $4
Protein - $4-$5
Dairy - $4
Other - $1-$2

We also teach to use $5 each week to buy ahead - taking advantage of discounts, specials, and other reduced food options. Not to mention growing your own (seeds for planting are also covered by SNAP) and finding free food.

-As Miss Cellane pointed out, it is a “supplement”. And it may not be the ONLY supplement. Some also receive WIC and free or reduced breakfast and lunches at school.

[pinkytoe]

I like this food blog though its heavy on carbs; she did the Snap Challenge last year:
http://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/10/snap-challenge-final-thoughts/

[JaneV2.0]

The key seems to be educated, mindful, and frugal--and avoid waste. No matter how careful I think I'm being, I still seem to throw out spoiled vegetables.

[pinkytoe]

[QUOTE]I still seem to throw out spoiled vegetables. [/QUOTE
I did too until I started saving bits and pieces to make vegetable stock. The rest goes in the compost pile.
I tend to buy best deals in produce with little thought to how I will use so my meals are ingredient driven by what I have on hand.

[kib]

Jane, yeah. I have a tendency to nibble. Cheese, berries, nuts, cherry tomatoes - the easy parts of a salad. So I shop for "salad" and then basically eat around the lettuce because it's too much bother. Then I'm ready to make The Salad one day, at which point I realize the leafy vegs have gone bad. I'm fine with produce I can just pop in my mouth, I'll even eat a red pepper like an apple, but the ones that require prep or cooking tend to go to the back of the fridge.

[lessisbest]

The key seems to be educated, mindful, and frugal--and avoid waste. No matter how careful I think I'm being, I still seem to throw out spoiled vegetables.

They say wasted food is the most expensive food we purchase, and the best way to avoid that is to plan meals. If I purchase lettuce I know I will need to use it in 3-4 meals. I use lettuce leaves instead of bread for a lettuce wrap. Another way is to use a dehydrator to dry foods rather than letting them die of loneliness in the refrigerator. Dried kale is a wonderful pantry food and it can be added to all kinds of things. I dry a lot of garden produce, and as soon as herbs start producing in the spring, that's when I dry them. That's when they have the best flavor. Late season herbs I use to make herb vinegar (Christmas basket gifts).

Use the salad bar at the grocery store when you only need a small amount instead of buying a large amount that might go to waste. The salad bar is a great place to get pizza toppings, a few olives, chopped bell peppers when they are expensive in the winter and you need 2-tablespoons for a recipe.....

[Miss Cellane]

Coming back to add--when I was getting SNAP, I was able to buy a lot of things in bulk, or buy large quantities when things went on sale. That was, in fact, one of the best things about the program for me. In the months prior to getting SNAP, my food budget was basically, "Spend as little money on food as possible." I was temping, and then the temp jobs dried up. So no money was coming in, and I was hoarding what money I had. So $10-$15 a week seemed like a lot, when there was rent to pay.

As a result, I bought the smaller, more expensive sizes of things. I did not have a healthy diet. I ate what was cheap and would fill me up. Getting that SNAP card--the first trip to the store I bought 5 pounds of rice, the large carton of oatmeal, 5 pounds of flour, the big bag of beans. It was heaven to be able to buy wisely, instead of miserly.

They talk about food insecurity. That's what SNAP did for me--made me feel much more secure about food. I had almost $200 a month that I could only spend on food and I got that money once a month, at the beginning of the month, so I could plan out what I was going to buy. Yes, it freed up an equal amount of money from my savings to go to rent or gas for the car or the like, but knowing that I could buy food and not waste money was the best thing about it.

[Seven]

They say wasted food is the most expensive food we purchase, and the best way to avoid that is to plan meals.


This, and the ability to take three kinds of leftovers and turn them into a meal. I'm not a good cook, but I have a basic idea of what can go together, so there's always the option of making a stew or wraps with leftover food.

[catherine]

Coming back to add--when I was getting SNAP, I was able to buy a lot of things in bulk, or buy large quantities when things went on sale. That was, in fact, one of the best things about the program for me. In the months prior to getting SNAP, my food budget was basically, "Spend as little money on food as possible." I was temping, and then the temp jobs dried up. So no money was coming in, and I was hoarding what money I had. So $10-$15 a week seemed like a lot, when there was rent to pay.

As a result, I bought the smaller, more expensive sizes of things. I did not have a healthy diet. I ate what was cheap and would fill me up. Getting that SNAP card--the first trip to the store I bought 5 pounds of rice, the large carton of oatmeal, 5 pounds of flour, the big bag of beans. It was heaven to be able to buy wisely, instead of miserly.

They talk about food insecurity. That's what SNAP did for me--made me feel much more secure about food. I had almost $200 a month that I could only spend on food and I got that money once a month, at the beginning of the month, so I could plan out what I was going to buy. Yes, it freed up an equal amount of money from my savings to go to rent or gas for the car or the like, but knowing that I could buy food and not waste money was the best thing about it.

Thank you for your insights on this, Miss Cellane. We can all be very wise about how we spend our money when our survival doesn't' depend on it. Fear and insecurity make us act in ways in which we would probably not act otherwise--I don't care who you are. That's why I get so annoyed when I hear certain sanctimonious politicians who have NEVER been in the shoes of someone afraid for their daily survival make judgements on what the poor should or shouldn't be doing.

I remember when DD went on food stamps for a while. She had the same feelings of abundance because of the small of money on that SNAP card for the exact same reason you state--she had to spend the SNAP money on food--so all of a sudden she felt like she was living like a queen, when in reality she was still managing within a very tight food budget--but she could take that factor out of her daily spending mental gymnastics.

[flowerseverywhere]

Miss Cellane pointed out the most important fact, it is supposed to be supplemental food assistance. I do not think the government ever claimed it was supposed to be your only source of food. Around here most kids get free lunch and breakfast, and there is a summer lunch program for kids too. there is a free no questions asked soup kitchen for a nutritious mid day meal every day. There are food pantries at least in each mid sized town and a large community ity garden that grows a huge amount of fresh produce for the food pantries. The soup kitchens and pantries are run by volunteers. With effort you can grow food year round here. Is it hard to be poor? Absolutely but there are resources out there for most. Some people will fall through the cracks but a lot of these challenges make the government seem like a villain when it is taxpayers money they are using for these programs. Perhaps people need to be resourceful and band together to make the world a better place than trying to make a useless point like trying to live on $29 per week. Maybe identifying resources, helping make them available to as many people as possible and giving money to support good causes is a better use of time and energy.

[Zoe Girl]

good point about when it is SNAP then you HAVE to use it for food. I know when I was struggling with young kids the food budget was hard, always seemed I could save just a little more. I never thought of paying 80% of my power bill.

[Tussiemussies]

Hi again Catherine,

Not sure that the prices are more expensive but we try to eat as much organic produce as we can and I eat a lot of Stoneyfield yogurt. I pretty much eat the same thing every day. The only thing is when DH runs to the store in the middle of the week it turns out costly.. since I don't eat sugar and the only animal product I eat right now is yogurt, since I am working to be vegan, it just seems more expensive....I probably need to cook mote...

[lessisbest]

Hi again Catherine,

Not sure that the prices are more expensive but we try to eat as much organic produce as we can and I eat a lot of Stoneyfield yogurt. I pretty much eat the same thing every day. The only thing is when DH runs to the store in the middle of the week it turns out costly.. since I don't eat sugar and the only animal product I eat right now is yogurt, since I am working to be vegan, it just seems more expensive....I probably need to cook mote...

Tussiemussies-

To save even more money, make yogurt at home. Save some your Stoneyfield yogurt in 1-Tablespoon amounts in an ice cube tray (or dollops on a cookie sheet) and freeze the cubes/dollops to use as yogurt starter to make homemade yogurt. Thaw the cubes in the refrigerator when using them as a yogurt starter. One of the benefits of using Stoneyfield yogurt over other brands is the six live, active cultures, while other brands only have two cultures. Occasionally, I'll find a small container of Stoneyfield discounted at the store and I'll freeze it in portions to use it as a starter for homemade yogurt. I'll make yogurt with fresh goat milk when I can get a 1/2-gallon of it, or I use powdered milk (which I've used exclusively since 1987 for our milk at home).

Even better (for you and cost comparison), is to make kefir at home. I use homemade kefir as a substitute for buttermilk, cream cheese, sour cream and plain yogurt, which is a real boost to the budget. I make it using live kefir grains that I use over and over and powdered milk. No special equipment needed for making kefir - just a clean jar, lid, at ambient temperature on the kitchen counter.

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks Catherine...the reason I buy Stoneyfields is for the ressons you mentioned SaAS s teen I took antibiotics for a long time for cystic acne...so I want to make sure my stomach is in tip top shape... I am not sure about freezing it as I think it would kill the cultures. I think it is possible to use yogurt from the batch just made and that will be fine. I have a nice yogurt maker that DH gave me but I just have to get using it...

Right now we also use the Ezikal (sp) English muffins which are protein. I used to make nice homemade English muffin, but they are considered a minor protein.

I wish so badly that I could have s garden this year, but some house projects have to take precedence, unfortunately...

Thank you for your input...Christine

[catherine]

Thanks Catherine...the reason I buy Stoneyfields is for the ressons you mentioned SaAS s teen I took antibiotics for a long time for cystic acne...so I want to make sure my stomach is in tip top shape... I am not sure about freezing it as I think it would kill the cultures. I think it is possible to use yogurt from the batch just made and that will be fine. I have a nice yogurt maker that DH gave me but I just have to get using it...

Right now we also use the Ezikal (sp) English muffins which are protein. I used to make nice homemade English muffin, but they are considered a minor protein.

I wish so badly that I could have s garden this year, but some house projects have to take precedence, unfortunately...

Thank you for your input...Christine

Christine, I wish it were I that wrote such a helpful post to you, but it was actually lessisbest! :)

[Tussiemussies]

Sorry lessisbest!!!

[lessisbest]

I just saw news on BING - Gwyneth Paltrow reveals that she lasted only four days. Let Them Eat Barbeque: Gwyneth Paltrow Ends Food Stamp Challenge With $80 A Plate Meal (http://www.inquisitr.com/2018886/let-them-eat-barbeque-gwyneth-paltrow-ends-food-stamp-challenge-with-an-80-a-plate-meal/)

I've been accumulating recipes all week that would fit a SNAP challenge to use for a class at the Food Bank. It is probably much easier when you are always on a tight budget and not just for a one-week challenge. I really don't have the opportunity to be tempted by $80 A Plate Meals..... I would also say having a well-stocked pantry is essential and will pay many dividends in hard times, and why I follow the LDS Church practice and have enough stored for a year. It's the old parable of the grasshopper and the ant.

I did run into some really CRAZY ideas of what SNAP meals would look like. I saw one basket of food that included a whole white onion (yellow onions are less expensive - dried onions are even less expensive and should be a home staple), a leek, and a bunch of scallions. That's a lot of onion-related food items for one week of meals!!! One of them would have been more than enough for a week. And if you cut the root ends of the scallions off, be sure to plant them and you'll get the next batch "free" ;)

[ApatheticNoMore]

She probably succumbed to cravings because she didn't consume sufficient calories mostly (although sufficient nutrients also help - even the poor that have better ways to successfully subsist on that, are often statically more than a little overweight, which would tend to point to the cheapest diet possible being less than ideal.)

Of course being a celebrity she probably doesn't even realize she's subsisting on no calories, as they're probably so used to being on a diet constantly (hunger what's that? Oh you mean that feeling I feel 24/7/365?).

Of course she's also a foodie right? It's no kind of foodie allowance at all in that case :)

[Packy]

Gwynyth or however you spell it. Rhymes with "thinnith". Well, that's nice of her to try the publicity stunt, but I'd hate to see her get any skinnyer. If she went out on a breezy day, she's liable to go airborne. Now, maybe if Kelly Clarkson or the pop-singer known as "Pink" did the SNAP Food Challenge, why--that might be very beneficial to them, because they are getting a bit on the hefty side. After all, in show biz, a womans' Attractiveness is her stock-in-trade. That's also a reason why--after seeing some o' the welfare mamas from the low-income apartment 'plexes around here, it would help them slim down so they can find a working man to subsidize them, FNO.

[lessisbest]

She probably succumbed to cravings because she didn't consume sufficient calories mostly (although sufficient nutrients also help - even the poor that have better ways to successfully subsist on that, are often statically more than a little overweight, which would tend to point to the cheapest diet possible being less than ideal.)

Of course being a celebrity she probably doesn't even realize she's subsisting on no calories, as they're probably so used to being on a diet constantly (hunger what's that? Oh you mean that feeling I feel 24/7/365?).

Of course she's also a foodie right? It's no kind of foodie allowance at all in that case :)

I think she is gluten-free, but I'd be more embarrassed knowing I was taking the SNAP challenge while I had a tidy $400+ million nest egg to "bring awareness". Everyone on a limited food budget is fully AWARE of the situation.

People who are truly hungry, or started to feel faint after a couple days on the challenge, may need to add more fat to their diet, limit simple carbs, increase fiber (which keeps you feeling full longer) along with protein. The cheap carbs (white bread, white rice, white pasta) burn in your body like stoking a fire with paper plates instead of wood. I noticed most of the shopping carts of sample foods for people taking the SNAP challenge neglected to add some good fat like butter or coconut oil, or even lard (if you can find the real stuff, not the hydrogenated stuff at the store). Buy tuna in oil, not water, as an example. I purchased fresh chicken thighs Wednesday and removed the skin and made schmaltz (the forgotten fat) with them. It will keep nicely in the freezer and can be used for cooking, baking, and as a bread spread. Keep the fat that congeals on the top of homemade broth and use it in cooking/baking. Knowledge is a powerful thing. In our fast-food world, we've lost the ability to be self-preserving.

[Tiam]

Has anyone ever taken the SNAP Challenge? Over the years I've read several blogs about taking the challenge, read about different people (including those in politics) who took the challenge, some have only used "real" foods on the challenge to prove it's not all about empty calories and poor food choices that's affordable, and just yesterday there was "news" that Gwyneth Paltro was taking the $29 Food Stamp Budget challenge for a week. I look for meal plans and recipes from those who take these challenges because they often fit into a food class I'm teaching, or classes given at the local Food Bank.

Anyway, I was just curious if anyone has ever taken the challenge and how did they handle it? I do it on a daily basis with a food budget of $125 per month for 2 adults. Well under the $29 per person per week SNAP amount (which would be $232 for two people).

Any thoughts?


Maybe I'm wrong (and I haven't read this entire thread) but I thought the thing Paltrow signed up for was the living below the poverty line challenge which wasn't food stamp based.? $l.50 a day per person...is that the same challenge?http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-escarra/how-live-below-the-line-p_b_7190078.html

[Tiam]

I think that people who took the challenge got "sponsors" or paid out of their own pockets and the money went to charity?

[lessisbest]

Maybe I'm wrong (and I haven't read this entire thread) but I thought the thing Paltrow signed up for was the living below the poverty line challenge which wasn't food stamp based.? $l.50 a day per person...is that the same challenge?http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-escarra/how-live-below-the-line-p_b_7190078.html

The link you provided is for something other than the SNAP Challenge. The SNAP Challenge encourages participants to experience what life is like for millions of low-income Americans. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) was formerly known as the Food Stamp Program.

[Miss Cellane]

Paltrow took the food stamp challenge. The "live below the poverty line challenge" has been discussed here in early posts. I think that one is especially challenging here in the US, because you can't really buy small portions of food, unless you happen to be lucky and live near a bulk store that will sell tiny amounts of things. Otherwise, you are stuck buying the smallest sizes of foods, which are the most expensive per unit.

I've tried to make meal plans for the below the poverty line challenge, although I've never followed through on them. The food stamp challenge looks like an oasis stuffed to overflowing with food when you compare the two. I could buy carrots, potatoes, oatmeal, a can of tomatoes, a bag of frozen vegetables, a loaf of bread and a small jar of peanut butter--no salt, or oil or other fat to cook with, no flavorings of any kind, no meat or poultry. Not if I wanted the food to last for 5 days.

[flowerseverywhere]

I think she is gluten-free, but I'd be more embarrassed knowing I was taking the SNAP challenge while I had a tidy $400+ million nest egg to "bring awareness". Everyone on a limited food budget is fully AWARE of the situation.

People who are truly hungry, or started to feel faint after a couple days on the challenge, may need to add more fat to their diet, limit simple carbs, increase fiber (which keeps you feeling full longer) along with protein. The cheap carbs (white bread, white rice, white pasta) burn in your body like stoking a fire with paper plates instead of wood. I noticed most of the shopping carts of sample foods for people taking the SNAP challenge neglected to add some good fat like butter or coconut oil, or even lard (if you can find the real stuff, not the hydrogenated stuff at the store). Buy tuna in oil, not water, as an example. I purchased fresh chicken thighs Wednesday and removed the skin and made schmaltz (the forgotten fat) with them. It will keep nicely in the freezer and can be used for cooking, baking, and as a bread spread. Keep the fat that congeals on the top of homemade broth and use it in cooking/baking. Knowledge is a powerful thing. In our fast-food world, we've lost the ability to be self-preserving.
I love this post. Everyone used to know this stuff.

[lessisbest]

Paltrow took the food stamp challenge. The "live below the poverty line challenge" has been discussed here in early posts. I think that one is especially challenging here in the US, because you can't really buy small portions of food, unless you happen to be lucky and live near a bulk store that will sell tiny amounts of things. Otherwise, you are stuck buying the smallest sizes of foods, which are the most expensive per unit.

I've tried to make meal plans for the below the poverty line challenge, although I've never followed through on them. The food stamp challenge looks like an oasis stuffed to overflowing with food when you compare the two. I could buy carrots, potatoes, oatmeal, a can of tomatoes, a bag of frozen vegetables, a loaf of bread and a small jar of peanut butter--no salt, or oil or other fat to cook with, no flavorings of any kind, no meat or poultry. Not if I wanted the food to last for 5 days.

The biggest problem with the challenge, and those taking it, is presuming you have NOTHING else in the house to eat except what you purchase with your SNAP assistance. That's just not the case in most households receiving it. If you purchase a bag of flour, pound of lentils, and pound of rice, it will last longer than just one week, as will many other staples. I can realistically feed a person a well-balanced diet on $25/week. In our household, I do it for just under $17 per person per week - that's if I spend my entire food budget, but I don't ever spend every cent. I save back a portion each week so I can make large purchases (grains, legumes, powdered milk, etc.). There are all kinds of meals that can be made for less than a $1 per serving. People who qualify for SNAP can also get government commodity distributed foods, Food Bank, and other assistance.

As a guideline for every $25 per person, here's how to divide the money:

vegetables - $6
fruit - $5 (I'd include a container of frozen orange or grape juice in this category.)
grains - $4
protein - $4-$5
dairy - $4
fats/other - $1-$2

[flowerseverywhere]

I was also thinking what is missing in these challenges is community.
If I go to the grocery store to spend my $29 i won't get much


but what if two people each spent part of their $29 week after week on larger bags of things and split it? Potatoes, carrots, a head of cabbage, rice, a bag of apples , large container of eggs, big blocks of cheese, lots of stuff is much cheaper in a larger quantity. Also, many items go on sale, buy one get one free. On a fixed budget what are you going to do with two containers of something. Or one box of butter split in half? That would last for many weeks.

Think if three or four people got together.
it isn't easy but it can be done. Finding creative solutions is so much better than looking for flaws, which is the easy way out.

[Tiam]

The link you provided is for something other than the SNAP Challenge. The SNAP Challenge encourages participants to experience what life is like for millions of low-income Americans. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) was formerly known as the Food Stamp Program.

Thank you. Yes I am aware my link was for the other challenge. I think I got confused because I just saw Jack Monroe commenting on the live below the poverty line challenge....gets confusing!

[Zoe Girl]

People who are truly hungry, or started to feel faint after a couple days on the challenge, may need to add more fat to their diet, limit simple carbs, increase fiber (which keeps you feeling full longer) along with protein. The cheap carbs (white bread, white rice, white pasta) burn in your body like stoking a fire with paper plates instead of wood. I noticed most of the shopping carts of sample foods for people taking the SNAP challenge neglected to add some good fat like butter or coconut oil, or even lard (if you can find the real stuff, not the hydrogenated stuff at the store). .

i noticed one winter i was really focused on low fat, i was already vegetarian and my mom and aunts were all diagnosed with cholesterol issues. i was freezing! the weight wasn't a big change but the drop in the fat really affected my body functions. i also know that people prone to depression should have fat in their diet, there is something protective about that. i am not quoting anything i just know how my body felt with super low fat.

[Tiam]

i noticed one winter i was really focused on low fat, i was already vegetarian and my mom and aunts were all diagnosed with cholesterol issues. i was freezing! the weight wasn't a big change but the drop in the fat really affected my body functions. i also know that people prone to depression should have fat in their diet, there is something protective about that. i am not quoting anything i just know how my body felt with super low fat.

I don't find coconut oil that cheap for being on a super low budget. But most people on SNAP don't put a lot of time into detailed menu/meal plans. Also, no one is going to go into SNAP in real time, having zero in their larders, so asking people to live ONLY on what they buy with$29 isn't really realistic. If I went on SNAP tomorrow, and had to make it work, I still have oil and salt and flour in my pantry to make a go of it. The living below the poverty line is more hard core in terms of making it on a limited amount. People who find themselves unemployed and having to rely on SNAP tomorrow aren't starting from scratch. They most likely have a bit in their cupboards.

[lessisbest]

I don't find coconut oil that cheap for being on a super low budget. But most people on SNAP don't put a lot of time into detailed menu/meal plans. Also, no one is going to go into SNAP in real time, having zero in their larders, so asking people to live ONLY on what they buy with$29 isn't really realistic. If I went on SNAP tomorrow, and had to make it work, I still have oil and salt and flour in my pantry to make a go of it. The living below the poverty line is more hard core in terms of making it on a limited amount. People who find themselves unemployed and having to rely on SNAP tomorrow aren't starting from scratch. They most likely have a bit in their cupboards.

I agree, coconut oil isn't cheap, but there are less-expensive brands like LouAna (from Wal-Mart). When you bake with coconut oil, you can usually cut the amount of fat called for in a recipe by 25% and get the same results, so there is some savings there. There are other health benefits from coconut oil that would make it a priority item for me over buying "bad" fats like margarine and vegetable oil; and one jar could last many months. This is yet one more reason people need to make food a priority and stockpile as much food as possible when they can. It's the old fable of the grasshopper and the ant. Even when we lived well below poverty level, I always bought ahead when things were on sale and had at least 3-6 months worth of basic foods from all the food groups. That helped the weeks I only had $5 to spend on groceries (although $5 back then would purchase at least one paper grocery bag full of food).

[Miss Cellane]

The biggest problem with the challenge, and those taking it, is presuming you have NOTHING else in the house to eat except what you purchase with your SNAP assistance. That's just not the case in most households receiving it. If you purchase a bag of flour, pound of lentils, and pound of rice, it will last longer than just one week, as will many other staples. I can realistically feed a person a well-balanced diet on $25/week. In our household, I do it for just under $17 per person per week - that's if I spend my entire food budget, but I don't ever spend every cent. I save back a portion each week so I can make large purchases (grains, legumes, powdered milk, etc.). There are all kinds of meals that can be made for less than a $1 per serving. People who qualify for SNAP can also get government commodity distributed foods, Food Bank, and other assistance.

As a guideline for every $25 per person, here's how to divide the money:

vegetables - $6
fruit - $5 (I'd include a container of frozen orange or grape juice in this category.)
grains - $4
protein - $4-$5
dairy - $4
fats/other - $1-$2

I was referring to the "Below the Line" Challenge, not the SNAP challenge.

Below the Line allots $1.50 per day for five days. Compared to that, the SNAP budget is luxurious.