So... I've seen some things about Gwyneth Paltrow and how she failed at the Food Stamp challenge. I needed a little diversion, so I used Walmart's new online ordering page to make my own $29 menu.
There are a couple of caveats, of course. First of all, Alabama's average payout is $29.66, and the average in the US is actually $30.71, according to KFF.org. So, I'm shooting for the Alabama amounts because I have to pick a zip code for the Walmart prices and I have information about Alabama's sales tax (and yes, it does apply to food).
Next, there's the idea that lots of people on food stamps are not cooking for 1. And I think we all know how difficult it is to cook for 1 on a budget, mainly because the most budget friendly meals are ones that you make with ingredients and you often need to buy in larger portions. For example, I did my weekly shopping today and spent $126, which is just $11 over the average payout for a family of 4. We'll have a different meal every night. But when you want to cook for one, you often have to choose between eating the same thing every single day or going over budget. Since going over budget isn't an option for food stamp recipients, there will be a lot of repetition in our menu here.
To me, this isn't really that big of a problem. I mean, if I were literally depending on the government for my groceries, then I think lack of variety in my foods would be the least of my worries. However, I decided that I do like variety, and I would try to find ways to add in some options.
Another issue that comes when you're talking about families is that while kids are in school, the children are given a free meal (or two if the school provides breakfast, which many do) every week day. So, when you talk about the per person rates, these really are not intended to cover for every single meal unless you're talking about individual adults.
Limited to $29.66, it's hard to get a balance of healthy and cheap. So, what I ended up with is certainly not an ideal diet that we should all follow.
Fortunately, though, there is pretty much no one in the country that is completely dependent on food stamps. There are churches on every corner in America, and they pretty much all have resources for people who are hungry. In all actuality, as soon as someone moves from 1 person of food stamps, I would suggest an organization like One Harvest. They have great prices and good quality foods.
My last disclaimer is that this list is based on a zero-pantry starting point. The next week, however, I wouldn't have to buy bread or peanut butter, so I could add something different in... maybe some tuna, for example.
Regardless, here's my list of food, which adds up to $27.83 (I'm not sure if states are allowed to charge sales tax on food stamps, so for those states that charge sales tax, this could be problematic. Huntsville's sales tax would take this up another $2.50, putting the total at $30.33. I will readily admit that I am having trouble getting it down below that, but I'm also having trouble believing that a person couldn't scrounge up 67 cents a week just by asking the person behind them in line if they had any change. So, we'll call that one even.)
Mahatma Long Grain Rice and Beans w/ Seasoning (2) - 3.28
Weight Watchers Smart Ones Classics (7) - 13.16
1/2 Gallon 2% Milk (1) - 1.88
Frozen Mixed Veggies 32 oz. (1) - 1.98
Bananas (2 lbs) - 1.04
Imperial Margarine (1 lb) - 0.68
Smucker's Natural PB (1) - 2.78
Eggs (1 dozen) - $1.55
Whole Wheat bread (16oz) - $1.48
Here's what a typical day will look like for this person:
Breakfast:
2 eggs scrambled - made with margarine
1 piece of toast with margarine and peanut butter
1 cup milk
Lunch:
Beans, Rice, and mixed veggies
Water
Snack:
Banana
Dinner:
Healthy Choice meal - one of several varieties
Water
Nutritional Info
Calories: 1221
Carbs: 175g
Protein: 64g
Fat: 37g
Fiber: 18g
So, as you can see...
Yes, it's boring; yes, I will be hungry if I eat this and only this; no, it's not the perfect healthy menu, but still it's doable.
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