United Way of the Midlands Blog

Greg, a professor at USC has spent more than 50 days on the SNAP diet! Below are his observations from the experience. 

In 2011, I spent 50 days on the SNAP diet. Encouraged by the United Way Financial Security Council, my wife and I decided to take the SNAP challenge for a 40-day stretch in May and June (with a one-day interruption for our 20th wedding anniversary).

This fall, we did another 10-day stretch while I was co-teaching a class on the geography of food at USC. Many of our 34 students in the class also took the challenge.

Greg’s rules: We should spend no more than $320 on food for the two of us for a 40-day period. We should not compromise nutrition.

What we learned:

1. It’s possible. We spent about $300 total and ate like Michael Pollan suggests: Eat real (not processed) food; Not too much; Mostly vegetables. We did have meat about 3-4 days each week.

2. It takes a lot of planning and time. Using whole foods is more nutritious, but the preparation time is longer. Shopping takes a lot longer. While I didn’t like the extra time shopping, I don’t regret the extra time cooking, and for families this can be valuable time together.

3. It’s boring. We made batches of food that sometimes lasted for 3-4 meals, typically a dinner and the next two lunches, sometimes more. For a couple of “foodies” this was a bit of a sacrifice. Oh, but what we could have done with more time!

4. It takes more energy. Dry beans are cheaper than canned beans, but part of this is because someone else used the energy to cook the canned beans. (We did not calculate the extra energy costs.)

5. It takes a village. Pot lucks are nice and we did a few of those. More importantly, we belong to a food coop where $10 buys us a big box of fruits and vegetables from the State Farmers Market. It takes a little organization to get a group of people to pool their resources.

6. We did not use coupons. Most coupons are for less nutritious products.

7. We did shop around. Honestly, we stiffed the supermarkets by going to 2-3 in a week (more energy) and buying only their particular specials. The point: we did not usually choose what to eat first, then look for it in the store. Instead we saw what the store had on special, or what we could afford, and made the most of that.

8. We did not eat out. Well, only once for a buy-one-get-one-free burger at Hardees. And yes, we stiffed them too — no fries and no drinks. We took it home, sliced a real tomato on it, and washed it down with water. Just $1.99 for two, and the American farm subsidies for corn and beef paid the rest.

9. We did not drink alcohol. We’re not big drinkers, but 50 days without a glass of wine was a bit of a sacrifice.

10. We are privileged. We’ve had the benefits of education to know how to eat well. Since we were students for a long time, we learned how to live frugally. We are in social circles that allow us to share readily.

Great observations about the other factors such as time, transportation and education that can impact a SNAP diet. Today’s article with more information: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/budget.html

Another update from Jennifer on the SNAP Challenge:

Last night’s dinner was half a chicken breast and a roasted zucchini cut in quarters. I was happy for the veggie, but must admit looked longingly at the salad our children were eating as well (they are not participating in the Challenge this week). Looking back at my shopping list I would have tried to make changes to include more vegetables. But, again, I reflect on the slim margin of error there is in shopping and preparing meals when on such a limited budget.  I’ve also been inspired by many of our SNAP Challenge participants this week detailing their meals. I’ve seen folks talking about low cost, healthy options. My project Sunday will be baking my own whole wheat bread!

I’m interested to see the proposal Senator DeMint releases today for entitlement reform. I’ll be looking to see how potential changes may affect programs like SNAP. I always support efficient, well run federal programs that monitor for waste or abuse, but know so many people in need depend on program like SNAP. Many children in our community fall behind their peers in their development and academic success just because they do not have sufficient food to eat.  During this week’s Challenge I have thought a lot about what I would do as a mother to protect my own children from food insecurity. In these insecure federal budget times, I’m also thinking of how we can all protect resources for people struggling in the Midlands.

Rebecca, a volunteer participant in the SNAP Challenges shares some of her experiences with the challenge. What do you think the hardest part about working within a budget is?

I got ready for the big day by going over the newspaper sales and coupons. Spent $80.00 so far. I planned the menu for the week based on what was available.

We eat breakfast at home everyday and take lunch (leftovers). For the evening meal we will have chicken and dumplings made from Sundays lunch, salmon patties with grits and okra with tomatoes. I will make split pea soup and cheese toast. Spaghetti pie for later in the week. We have a least one non starchy vegetable and fruit per meal. It is not easy and sometimes not fun sticking to a plan.

This high fiber cereal really looks better in person and who cares if they have to use chocolate milk to get it down. Add eggs and soy sausage ( yes we really eat this Monday-Friday)and everyone is full till lunch. No need for a snack. This helps with the price of soy sausage bought in bulk. Can’t afford Egglands Best on SNAP. It is hard to worry about what the chicken is eating while I am worrying about how to feed the family on $84 a week.

I used the leftover chicken from Sunday lunch and made broth from the carcass. Tried a new dumpling recipe using canned biscuits. The recipe said DON”T STIR. I didn’t but they fell apart any way. My family assured me it was tasty anyway. It is a good thing since they have to finish it tonight!

We’ll have more updates from Karen, Jennifer and Rebecca later in the week! Send any updates of your own to wbragg@uway.org. 

Here’s an update from Karen Oliver on Day Two- 

Grand plan to have oatmeal, and for some reason I fail.  Too much water.  Do I throw out?  Do I drain and go about my day?  I drain, add yogurt and half an apple.  Very tasty despite the failure in execution.

For lunch I have rice, beans and carrots.  Kind of yummy if the beans are seasoned,  and you adds vinegar and cayenne.

Tonight I am substituting pre-SNAP leftovers (brown rice and steamed broccoli) for SNAP purchases.  This means that I’ll have to subtract some white rice and maybe some Kale.  I don’t want to substitute, but I really don’t want to waste good food.  Seems to defeat the purpose of this exercise- live on a limited (very limited) food budget.  Food is precious when the resources to get it are limited.

Day 2 Food Cost:

Breakfast= .55

Lunch= = .55

Dinner= 1.29

Maybe I can have the Kale after all

Update: Karen sent us a picture! 

 Here’s a SNAP update from Karen Oliver,  another member of our Community Impact  team, on her experience so far with the  SNAP Challenge. Let’s see how her week is  going so far.

Saturday-  game day, getting ready for the SNAP challenge.  I have my grocery list.  I have my calculator.

I find diced tomatoes, fresh spinach and eggs on sale- I’ll save $2.33.  I find a special on yogurt-$0.25/6 oz container.  I’ll buy seven and save $0.75 that I planned for yogurt.  The number of plastic containers bothers me, but I can afford this yogurt, and I can’t afford the others.  My carbon footprint karma is damned but I saved enough money to buy tangerines.

 I get home and realize I already made a mistake.  Intended to buy brown rice and picked up the other kind.  I was so caught up in price, and this rice was cheaper, so that I lost some “unprocessed”  benefit.  Truth?  I lost a gram of fiber by not buying brown rice, but maintained the protein (3 g) and gained in iron and other fortifications.  I think about returning the rice, but the time, gas and silliness is too much.  I make a pot of rice for the week.

 For this week I spent $26.07.  I planned to  spend $23.00 or less so that I could “spend”  $5.00 on oil and spices from the pantry and  some fresh herbs from the garden.   I’ll adjust  and use half the onions I bought (that will  save me $1.50) and only half the tangerines  (saving me $1.25).

This is the photo of food  for the week.  It is  nutritious.  I’ll be able to  ”mix and match” in  some tasty ways.  It looks  like a lot.  We’ll see  what happens.

 Follow @UWMidlands on twitter for more  SNAP Challange updates, and be sure to use  the hashtag #SNAPMidlands to tweet your  own experience!

United Way of the Midlands and Harvest Hope Food Bank are partnering to launch the SNAP Challenge during Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week – November 13-19, 2011. The SNAP Challenge asks participants to live on the same budget as people living on food stamps, approximately $4 per person per day for a week. The Challenge is not meant to be an exact replica of the experience of people depending on SNAP, but to bring awareness to how we all make food choices and how more limited resources affect those choices. 

This week we’ll be hearing from volunteers and staff about how their participation in the challenge is going. First up, Jennifer Moore from our Community Impact Department on her experience with day one!

My basic strategy for the week is to budget as little as possible for breakfast and lunch. Here was my shopping list for the week:

Green peppers (2 small)               $1.33 (red peppers have more vitamins, but green are less expensive)

Cucumber (1)                                    $.75

Zucchini (1)                                         $.75

Onions (2 small)                                $.99

Canned red beans                           $.89 (dried would have been less expensive, but too time consuming to cook during the week)

Bag of rice                                           $.99

Bread                                                    $1.79 (had to have the whole wheat)

Dozen eggs                                         $1.67

Chicken (3)                                         $4.49

Small piece of fish                            $1.25

Peanut Butter                                   $2.95

Bag of frozen black eyed peas    $1.69

Bag of frozen corn                           $1.59

Bananas (3)                                        $.86

Pasta                                                     $1.29

Jar of sauce                                        $1.89

Pantry items I already had           $2 (I allowed for use of salt & pepper, cooking oil, etc…)

Total:    $27.17

So back to my strategy… This morning’s breakfast was a boiled egg and slice of toast (estimated cost 15 cents). Unfortunately I slightly over cooked the egg (it was less than wonderful). This morning I remembered there is little margin of error in my food budget since I didn’t feel I could cook another egg. This afternoon is another test of the Challenge. I am attending a lunchtime meeting of the State Homeless Coalition Board of Directors. Typically, during the SNAP Challenge I’d forego lunch provided at a meeting; however, since this will be at a soup kitchen I think I’ll count it as a blessing for the day.  However, I have two other meetings this week with typical catered lunches that I’ll need to skip for the Challenge.

At the end of Day 1 I have already failed. The SNAP Challenge is $4 per person/per day for a week. So, I based my shopping on $28 for the week. However, for a single person in South Carolina receiving food stamps the typical amount is about $80 per month – or $20 per week. By budgeting my Challenge at $28 – I’ve already failed.

On to Day 2….

We’ll see some more posts from Jennifer, and other participants, later in the week. Check out these blogs from other participants in the Midlands:

USC School of Law

Sacraments Wholesale