As I start the journey toward January and the SNAP Challenge, I have already gotten a few questions- the most common being "HOW will you do it?" To be completely honest, I don't have all the answers. I think my answer, as with most things I set my mind to, is "I just will."
That being said, for those concerned that the month will be a series of fainting spells a la the Victorian Era, I want you to know that I'm putting some thought into it! Here are a few resources that I will undoubtedly turn to for inspiration and guidance as I move through January.
The link that I've included details her $25 trip to Trader Joe's, but she has successfully accomplished this at a number of other stores. I look forward to looking over her trips, seeing what I should remember and what will be out of my reach for the month.
50 Healthy Foods Under $1 a Pound: I don't want a challenge such as this to derail me from my normally healthy eating patterns, especially because money concerns are frequently cited as an obstacle for healthy eating. As I mentioned in a previous post, I will be in training for a half-marathon during this time and also have dietary restrictions. So this takes a great deal of care on my part.
I was pleased to see some foods I already frequently eat and really enjoy (apples, bananas, eggs, lentils, spinach, rice, yogurt) are on this list, and am counting on making those staples of this experiment. I will be posting recipes, so stay tuned!
Any other advice to offer? Tips to share? I am taking any and all advice :)
http://www.crowdrise.com/SNAPchallenge0113/
http://www.crowdrise.com/SNAPchallenge0113/
Previous Posts:
Oh SNAP! Introducing SNAP Challenge 2013
I was talking to my wife about this; she is a Social Worker & most of her clients are on SNAP. Something to keep in mind as one does this is that most people who don't need food assistance also have pantries--people who DO have food assistance typically can't afford to create a pantry to pull from, which winds up hurting them over time (I can always have rice with a meal because I always have rice on hand & can afford a larger hit when it runs out). SNAP recipients usually can't afford the hit for a big bag of rice that will last for longer than a given month because they have to eat it during that month. Creating a pantry is difficult if one doesn't properly think it through beforehand.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessi, I have thought about that and am going to address that in an upcoming post before I start. Right now, I'm trying to decide how much of what I already have I will allow myself to use. I've already decided my impressive/ridiculous stash of peanut butter will not count, nor will most of my gluten free mixes.
ReplyDeleteI want to do it as realistically as possible, so spices and condiments are the only items I presently have that will be included.
Thanks for helping me "keep it real" :)
Re: things you can freeze, Once-A-Month Mom (onceamonthmom.com) offers freezable, batch-cooked recipes that, while intended for family cooking, can be sized appropriately for anyone. There's now a paywall for some of their advanced features, but I believe the recipes are still available for free.
ReplyDeleteWe just got a TJs here and I'm going to hit it up this week!
ReplyDelete