The Food Stamp Challenge as experienced by Jan and Russ Melby
March 8-11 and 15 through 17, 2008
Friends, we are sharing our thoughts and meal plans with you in the hope that you might find these reflections and meal examples helpful. In addition, we have listed the food purchased for 7 days of eating, along with the unit and total costs. We would love to see your food lists and what you ate, too, along with any reflections you may wish to share.
We found our 7 days of eating on almost $42.00 to be quite manageable, and, contrary to any “fears” Russ had, centering on “getting enough to eat,” we had plenty to eat. We never felt “hungry” or too moody. What Russ experienced more than Jan was the loss of “buying power” to purchase a cup of Starbucks on Saturdays, when he is in town and doing errands, or stopping by Panera’s for a “pumpkin muffie” and paying $2.75 for a muffie and coffee to go. Further, it was a little frustrating knowing that we could not buy “whatever” we wished to purchase, within reason.
We were aware, too, of our middle class benefits, such as well-running cars to drive to several grocery stores to do some comparison- shopping. We also did not have to be concerned about “condiments” or paper and cleaning products during our 7 days of eating on $42.00. We also benefited from “snacks” as part of colleagues and friends’ hospitality, as reported in our daily meal schedules. Further, we knew we could wash clothing and dishes using the soap we had on hand.
We wondered how folks on limited incomes felt as they shop in grocery stores, knowing their options are limited. In other words, the loss of economic freedom in food purchases was probably our biggest frustration, though, to be sure, Russ experienced this more than Jan. Likewise, drinking “inferior” coffee and “inexpensive” wine were minor concessions. But, the fair trade coffee we drank on the morning of the 8th day was truly appreciated!
Benefits included “knowing” that we could, at least for awhile, spend $42.00 and have a far greater amount of food left over than we anticipated. We felt a certain “empowerment,” knowing that we could, if necessary, eat reasonably well on our limited food budget, at least for a week. The experience has made us better comparison shoppers. It just takes a little more time in the grocery stores. We did not use coupons, mostly due to our habits of not doing so. We also learned, and appreciate, the importance of planning our shopping trips (Russ enjoys shopping more than Jan) to maximize our purchasing, thereby minimizing the number of times we drive to the grocery store.
As mentioned above, we did not have to be concerned about paper and other necessities such as dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo, and other household items. We wondered if folks on limited income have to choose between toothpaste and tomatoes. We did not experience going to a food pantry, being registered as guests, handed a bag of groceries, and left to wonder whether or not we “deserved” the food, in spite of the best efforts of volunteers who might try to make us feel welcome. We did not have to experience turning down invitations to go out for “coffee” or “beer” knowing that we could not afford to say “yes.”
We spent almost $42.00 on
groceries, and determined, following the end of our seven days of eating, that
the cost of the condiments we consumed (and were already in our cupboards and
refrigerator) were “offset” by the food we had left-over. We purchased all but a few dollars worth of
groceries on Saturday, March 8, at Aldi Foods Store # 48, Cub Foods, and HyVee,
all located in
A Few Final Reflections
We were surprised that we were able to eat a diet fairly similar to the diet we typically eat with the exception of adding beans and rice and using cooked oatmeal vs. a mixture of uncooked oatmeal and granola. We consumed more eggs and less meat than usual, although we generally do not consume meat in large quantities. A minor sacrifice was the exclusive use of 2% milk vs. a combination of 2% and skim milk. We thought and talked more about food than usual, especially in terms of planning what we could eat, how to space out our food resources, and whether or not we could afford to purchase additional items toward the end of the 7 days. In some ways we actually appreciated our food more by being conscious of what we consumed. A few of our food habits have changed after our experience of living on $42. We are consuming and enjoying cooked oatmeal for breakfast. We rediscovered the joy of home baked bread. We have become more careful shoppers. We are even more grateful for the gifts that we are blessed with every day of our lives.
