SNAP Challenge: Day 1

Wow! Wow is all I can say about my shopping experience yesterday.

I started by making a list earlier in the day for items that I thought would be cheap and still nutritionally sound  to live off of for the next 5 days. Then I spent my lunch break at Publix with my list. I found each item and wrote next to it how much it would cost if I purchased it there. I was shocked when I hadn't even made it halfway through my list and I had already run out of money! YIKES! Okay, time to revisit this! So, I shortened my list... by quite a bit. I still tried to be as healthy about my choices as possible with what I was given to work with. I didn't want this experiment to turn into a "Let's see if I can survive solely on Ramen Noodles" challenge.

A few things occurred to me during this process...

1 - I realized I was acting like a spoiled brat when I was thoroughly annoyed that I had to buy a lesser quality product. For example, I absolutely HATED that I had to buy applesauce that had added sugar instead of the no sugar added variety. And HATED that I had to buy salad dressing that had high fructose corn syrup in it. These are big problems right??? Then it hit me. For some people, making that choice isn't even an option. Some people have to make the choice of whether or not THEY eat... or their child eats. Or whether or not their family goes hungry... or they pay to keep their lights on.

2 - I realized how much I take for granted the variety I am allowed to have when it comes to food consumption. In order to find foods that somewhat fit into my budget, I needed to eat basically the same thing for 5 days straight. Sort of takes any enjoyment factor out of it, right? This was most definitely a lesson that I had to look at food purely as fuel for my body, nothing more.

I added everything up it was close. Like really, really close. I decided not to purchase there. I figured I'd try Winn Dixie on the way home to compare prices. I did, and as expected, they were a bit cheaper. Though,  not by much. Of the $22.50 I was allowed, I spent $20.71. Talk about cutting it close. That leaves me with a whopping $1.79 if something should run out before my 5 days is up.

I've planned out my meals for the week and so far today I'm sticking to what I said I would eat. It's hard though, not being able to stray from that. For example, one of my employees has a candy dish on her desk that I may or may not visit throughout the day ;) (What?? She has Twix! I'm only human!!) If I'm being true to this challenge though, that's a no no. So I'm staying away.

Wish me luck folks! And stay tuned tomorrow for a post on the nutritional value of what I was able to afford!

xoxo!
Julie :)

The SNAP Challenge w/ Feeding America

September is Hunger Action Month and I was challenged by the Junior League to take the SNAP Challenge. I was so inspired at our General Membership Meeting last week that I couldn't possibly say no. Will you join me??

Please watch this video and read more about the challenge below...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsRjPZN0cCU

Can you eat on just $4.50 a day? Make the SNAP Challenge pledge now, and then invite your friends!

What is the SNAP Challenge?

The SNAP Challenge encourages participants to get a sense of what life is like for millions of low-income Americans facing hunger. By accepting the SNAP Challenge, you’ll commit to eating all of your meals from a limited food budget comparable to that of a SNAP participant - $1.50 per meal.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) provides monthly benefits to supplement the food budgets of families in need, but in many cases these households still struggle to put food on the table. While it is impossible to fully comprehend the difficult decisions low-income families face, sharing your experience with the SNAP Challenge will help raise awareness about the issue of hunger in America.

Choose the duration of your SNAP Challenge. For Hunger Action Month, we are encouraging everyone to take the SNAP Challenge the week of September 15-21, so we can combine our voices on social media for maximum awareness.  However, any day or week (or longer!) is great for the SNAP Challenge.

Your food budget for the week or day of your Challenge will be based on the average SNAP benefit, which is $4.50 per person per day– for ALL your food and beverages. You can use coupons while taking the Challenge but should not shop at membership clubs.

Using your Challenge budget, decide on groceries to purchase and how much to put aside for food incidentals. Be aware of ALL food purchased and eaten during the Challenge week/day.

During the Challenge, do not eat food that you purchased prior to starting the challenge.

Avoid accepting free food from friends, family, or while at work.

Keep track of receipts on food spending and take note of your experiences throughout the week, in particular the choices you made between the variety and quality of food you ate.

Invite others to join you, including your co-workers, family members, and elected officials.

Share your SNAP Challenge through social media and by blogging about your experience.

Maximize your impact by talking about your SNAP Challenge on social media. Below you will find seven prompts, one for each day of a week-long SNAP Challenge experience. Use these as a starting point for a blog post, Facebook post or tweet; tag @FeedingAmerica and use hashtag #SNAPChallenge so we’ll see it!

DAY	PROMPT
1	How did your shopping cart look compared to a normal week? What choices did you have to make about the types of food you could afford, where you shopped, or the nutritional quality and variety of food?
2	What have you cut out of your routine to stay on budget (e.g. COFFEE)?
3	How would this experience be different if your spouse and children were also eating off a limited food budget for the week?
4	How has eating on a limited budget impacted your mood? Your concentration? How has that impacted your interaction with family and coworkers?
5	Are you worried about your groceries running out before the end of the Challenge? Do you feel you are you eating a healthy, balanced diet? What nutrition decisions did you have to make?
6	We know that low-income Americans have to make choices between groceries, prescriptions, gas for the car, utilities, and other household necessities. After living on a limited food budget this week, how has your perspective changed about the decisions families facing hunger must make?
7	In November 2013, the government will cut SNAP benefits for all recipients. These cuts will be $36 for a family of four - dropping the average benefit per person per meal to under $1.40.  How would this week have been different for you if you had even less money to spend on food?

SNAP Facts

Over 47 million low-income Americans participate in SNAP to help purchase food.

76 percent of SNAP households include a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person. These vulnerable households receive 83 percent of all SNAP benefits.

83 percent of SNAP households have incomes at or below 100 percent of the poverty guideline ($19,530 for a family of 3 in 2013). These households receive 91 percent of all SNAP benefits.

Program eligibility is limited to households with gross income of no more than 130 percent of the federal poverty level and no more than $2000 in assets. Participants must also meet work and citizenship requirements.

The average SNAP household has about 2 people, with a gross monthly income of $744 and countable assets of just $331.

The average monthly SNAP benefit per person was $133.41 in FY2012, or less than $1.50 per person per meal.

90 percent of SNAP benefits are redeemed by day 21 of the benefit period – meaning most SNAP benefits are not enough to last recipients all month.

 All SNAP participants have seen a drop in their benefits on November 1, 2013 – the average decrease will be $36 for a family of four. Over the entire year, the average family of four will have $396 less to spend on food.