Day 1, Monday, Oct. 6:
I’m hungry. I’ve been awake for an hour, and it’ll probably be another hour before I eat. Oatmeal takes a long time to cook, and rice takes even longer.
As I stand over the stove, I think, “What on earth am I doing?”
I elected to take a shortened version of the 2014 SNAP Challenge, which gave me $27 to spend on groceries for the full week, or $7.71 for two days. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the formal name for what is generally known as food stamps.
I went to the grocery store last night and purchased enough food to last me two days. My receipt looked like this:
Oatmeal, $2
Green beans, $.99
Brown rice, $1.89
Lentil soup, $.99
Chili beans, $1.00
The total originally came out to $10 and I just about had a heart attack. It was reduced to $7 when I went to pay for it. I’ve never been more grateful for a grocery store membership card.
The next question that runs through my head is “Why am I doing this?”
In Arizona, 18.6 percent of individuals live in poverty. Many downtown Phoenix residents are part of this percentage, and it is especially hard for them to find nutritious and affordable food because downtown is somewhat of a food desert. A single-parent family without a car would likely have to cross a freeway to access a grocery store. When the option arose to take the SNAP Challenge, I took it in solidarity to try to understand what it is like to live on SNAP, even if I only get a small glimpse of the greater picture.
I don’t expect to be able to relate to anyone who lives off of SNAP, but it’ll be interesting to see what it’s like. I want to say it will be easy, but I don’t want to discredit anyone who subsists on the program. I have a feeling this will be a challenge.
So today I shall consume oatmeal, lentil soup, rice and nothing else (except for the butter I put in my oatmeal, because I can’t handle it alone) while contemplating why I have taken this challenge.
Day 2, Tuesday, Oct. 7:
I had a lot to do this morning, so I only made one large batch of rice and ate part of it for breakfast (with milk and sugar, because I really didn’t feel like eating it plain). I didn’t plan ahead and didn’t bring enough food with me today. My lunch today was chili beans and rice, which gave me barbecue breath. It was disgusting. My dinner was leftover lentils and rice from yesterday, and I ate it at 5 p.m. It is now 9 p.m.
Let’s just say I’m failing at the end of day two. I’m caving. I have to take a final for an eight-week course. I’m choosing to take the final at a coffee shop, and my growling stomach won’t let me focus. There is a cup of drip coffee within arm’s reach, and I can hear a coconut scone calling my name. The SNAP Challenge has been real, and “fun,” but I can’t handle it any longer.
Day 3, Wednesday, Oct. 8:
I realize that subsisting on a SNAP budget is harder than I thought. While it was easy to plan ahead for grocery shopping, my options were limited and not terribly nutritious. I consumed no vegetables (although I could have had that can of green beans) and ate far too many grains.
Cooking ahead of time was difficult as well. Part of the reason I broke down at the end of day two was because I hadn’t packed enough food for the day, and I was far away from home. While I planned ahead in grocery shopping, I didn’t do so well in bringing food along with me wherever I went.
I have a new level of respect for everyone who lives on SNAP in this food desert. They face challenges I couldn’t possibly fathom.
Contact the author at alacasse@asu.edu
