Day 2: Choices

There is a major wall to the SNAP challenge that prevents true understanding of the situation for those with a limited food budget--I chose to do this: I chose when I was living on $1.50 per meal, how long I was living for $1.50 per meal, and what I had to change to live on $1.50 per meal. The people truly living on SNAP alone do not have this luxury of choice. The challenge doesn't end after just a week.

Keeping the privilege of choice on my mind this week is important to me. Every day of this challenge I have woken up asking "What would today be like if I didn't know this was ending on Thursday?" It wouldn't be pleasant. I'm having difficulty dealing with the bouts of hunger even while acknowledging that its only temporary. I give so much credit to the people of the world who have to deal with hunger in all its forms every single day. To be honest, I don't think I could handle it.

As this challenge progresses I am growing more aware of how much I eat, how often I eat and how much it all costs. Food, as it turns out, is expensive. Financing three meals is hard enough, let alone all the snacking I do in between (and let's not forget that college-student-second-dinner that usually occurs around 10 pm). I have been taking my access to food for-granted. Just this evening I saw a take-out menu on my dresser and thought why not order-in tonight?, before remembering that I was in the midst of the SNAP challenge. That incident illustrated to me how automatic my eating (and spending) had become. How many people get to make ordering take-out a habit?

Another thing is also clear--I will probably run out of bread, if I don't run out of peanut butter and jelly first. I have been eating additional sandwiches to help carry me between my planned meals (which I have tried to space efficiently throughout the day to minimize hunger). I've been mulling over those remaining $4 in my mind, asking what would be the most efficient way to spend this? The correct answer is probably more ramen noodles, but I foresee myself ordering off of the dollar menu at McDonald's.

In the end, this week is founded on difficult choices.

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Today's Meals
Breakfast: A yogurt cup and a banana
Lunch: Three eggs scrambled, followed soon after with PBJ and carrots
Dinner: Ramen noodles and microwaved string beans

Note: the only thing that I have been drinking and will continue to drink this week is water.