Last week on my facebook page I announced how I have had a burden for people who are receiving food stamps {or SNAP}. I talked about how I see that there are a couple of issues in today’s families that stand between them serving a wholesome, healthy, FRESH meal:
SKILL = Many women/men never learned to cook. Several women that I am friends with even, don’t know basic food preparation skills. The extent of their cooking knowledge is preparing hamburger helper or microwaving a vegetable.
TIME = Many families feel that they don’t have TIME to prepare nutritionally dense, FRESH foods. {If this wasn’t true the processed foods industry or fast foods industry wouldn’t be booming businesses.}
MONEY = Many families feel that they don’t have enough money available to them to purchase REAL, wholesome foods.
I started this blog as a way to chronicle how I kicked processed foods and started preparing REAL, wholesome, or clean foods. I have always been a frugal shopper {some of you know me from my couponing days at The Centsible Sawyer blog}. As I’ve walked down the aisles of my local grocery store I see grocery carts full of convenience food – junk food. These families are from all walks of life, some with large budgets, but mostly, in the community where I live, the families have a limited grocery budget.
As I talked to more women on my facebook page I realized that there are SO MANY families who genuinely WANT to eat better, they just aren’t sure how to go about it or where to start on a limited income. All along I’ve been saying that I want to show families that eating REAL food, organic food even, isn’t just for the elite and that cooking from scratch isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Well, now I am putting my money where my mouth is – LITERALLY.
I am taking on a challenge – to cook healthy, REAL food meals, on a food stamp budget. What will that look like? Here are the parameters of this challenge:
My goal is to spend $100 per week – or $400 per month for my family of 4. Why $400? The federal government would give a family of 4 with NO income about $630 a month in SNAP benefits. Most families on food stamps/SNAP are recieving much less because they report SOME income or assets. The amount of benefits you recieve depends on that figure. So, that means the federal government expects that if you aren’t recieving $630 per month in benefits, that you are making up the difference in your own income. Now, that said, many families with limited income don’t have the exta to contribute to groceries. After talking with several women on my facebook page – both those on SNAP and those who are not, the consensus seems to be that a limited budget would be about $400 per month.
I’ll be cooking ALL meals from home. That means that $100 per week must stretch to 7 days a week x 3 meals a day x 4 people. This budget will also include snacks. What does that mean? If you just did the math, that means I’ll be spending an average of $1.19 per person, per meal.
I’ll still be sticking to my own food rules. That means processed foods are out and real food is in. That means antibiotic free chicken and grass fed beef. That means raw and/or organic dairy. That means some organic produce. I’ll be squeezing in quality ingredients at every turn.
I will assume that families that might replicate this have two working parents and NOT a lot of extra time. That means the meals will be simple and quick. Dinner around here happens in 20 to 30 minutes on most nights. I’ll be teaching some organization along the way and I’ll help you figure out how to make it work on a packed schedule with too many obligations and not enough time.
I’m starting with an EMPTY pantry/fridge. The reality is that my pantry and fridge is far from empty. But, many people who are on food stamps/SNAP run out of food before the month is over. So, I am going to act as though I have nothing. So, if I use something I already have in my pantry and fridge I will still be subtracting it from my budget as if I had to purchase it for the first time this month. So, when I say I will prepare 21 meals on $100 bucks, EVERY ingredient will come out of that budget.
I won’t be using coupons. WHAT?! I know, I can hear the shock in your voice! The fact of the matter is, there are very few coupons on items that I’ll be purchasing and besides, not everyone has access to coupons. I’m trying to level the playing field here. Now, store circulars are not out of the question. I will be taking advantage of sales and price matching, but I won’t be rushing to store multiple times per week. One or two stores, once a week is my goal.
I’ll be recording my journey through weekly check ins on this blog. Every week you can expect a post with my success and failures and thoughts along the way.
I’ll be keeping track of the meals we eat and groceries we buy so that I can offer you a FREE monthly meal plan at the end of each month. So, in other words, if you choose to follow my meal plan, you’ll be spending $400 on a month’s worth of groceries that will be REAL, nutritional food.
I’m hoping to offer you more – like video quick tips along the way. I’m still working out the details on this…so stay tuned. I am also working on some great give aways for REAL food and needed equipment for families on low incomes – so stay tuned on that too so you can find out how to nominate a family in the coming months.
When will this start? NOW. I’ve already begun tracking my meals and groceries and am planning to update you on the progress at the first of next week! I’ve also added a place in my menu bar {right up top} under “Wholesome Food” called “OH SNAP! REAL food on a Food Stamp Budget,” where I’ll be adding my weekly check ins! I am SO excited about this challenge. I think it will be difficult, but doable, and I’ll learn a lot along the way. I think it will be a total blessing to those who read it and I hope the information here helps more families than I ever could have dreamed. I am literally crying over my computer now {just so you know}. I know that God is in this. You may or may not believe in Him, but I know He is my inspiration and He wants to use this for His glory.
Any more questions? I’m all ears. I’d love your comments and questions – so fire away!