My friend Charlie invited me to his temple to speak about my three months on SNAP. I went on a Friday night, even attended a little bit of the service first. The congregation was about to embark on a one-week SNAP challenge and they wanted some direction, information, inspiration.
All the things that occurred to me that night have occurred to me before: it's not hard for someone who isn't really on SNAP to take the challenge. Although most people who take it subsist (unwisely, I believe) on junk food and frozen food and feel awful after a few days, they start with a baseline of health and well being, which may not be the case with real SNAP recipients. If you are basically healthy, one week of hunger and frustration won't kill you. Much as we think we can get a glimpse into the life of someone on SNAP by reducing our budgets, it's clear that we cannot. We have warm homes, too much clothing, cars that have been paid for, can go off SNAP any time, have lots and lots of options in lots and lots of areas. Plus, for me: I love love love to cook and I especially love to cook within really tight parameters, whatever they may be. I have skills that not everyone has. And on top of all that, I have quirky eating habits. And am on the small side.
But I'm not saying that the congregation is doing this indiscriminately, insincerely or lightly. They are doing just the opposite: they are taking the challenge so that they can get a little bit of insight into the lives of people on SNAP but more importantly so that they can do more; their challenge (unlike mine was intended to be) is not an end in itself for them. What can we do, they ask, to change policy, to make a big impact? Can they get their town to offer Bounty Bucks? EBT at farmers markets? Can they donate the money they save during their challenge to make someone else's real-life challenge easier? They are doing the SNAP challenge as a kick starter for themselves but are really interested in making a big impact.
I went into this challenge to prove a point: that if you have the skills, desire and know-how, you can cook and eat well on such a limited budget. And what I discovered is that you can.
What did I learn?
Doing this challenge has definitely changed the way I think about shopping/cooking/eating and I have no doubt I will save thousands and thousands of dollars as a result. That isn't/wasn't really the point but any kind of consciousness helps, right?
Cooking really, really matters (ok, I already knew that).
Having a limited budget sucks.
Having to pinch and save is draining in every way possible.
It's embarrassing to be on SNAP (I don't care how many talking heads say that people take advantage of the system, I do not believe that anyone feels good about being on SNAP).
If you have a few very simple recipes in your arsenal you can cook all the time.
It's hard to walk by raspberries and not even be able to think about buying them.
Shop sales.
Having to worry if you will have enough money to get through the month is unimaginable.
You have to get used to eating the same thing over and over.
Don't waste your money on empty calories (which includes a lot of things that are not classified as junk).
Comparison shop.
Buy food that gives you a big nutritional bang for your buck.
Pay attention to serving size.
Be sure you get enough protein.
Having staples really matters (should SNAP offer staples to first-timers? should grocery stores offer discounts on items like oil, vinegar, flour, spices, etc. to SNAP recipients?)
What would I recommend to the USDA if they knocked on my door:
Sorry but I don't think recipients should be able to buy "non-food". I'm not sure where I would draw the line but I surely wouldn't allow soda and I surely wouldn't allow any kind of chips. I understand the argument that the government shouldn't tell you what to eat but if they are giving you the food or the money for food, strings attached seems like a fair bargain to me. SNAP should be more like WIC.
SNAP should offer basic cooking classes, with incentives for participation. Maybe if you take a cooking class, you could get a discount on the items used? Or cooking equipment.
Now what?
I'll keep posting SNAP friendly- meaning inexpensive, simple and delicious - recipes.
Thanks for reading......
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