Oh SNAP!

Challenge: 4 days, only $5/day for food. 

This is what you have available to spend on food if you are dependent on SNAP benefits (previously termed Food Stamps) for every meal.  This challenge was given to my community nutrition class as an assignment.  Most people have said they were STARVING the entire time they did this assignment.  I tried to prove the opposite over the past 4 days.  I tried to make healthy, well balanced meals while feeling full instead of famished.

As you look over these meals, keep in mind a few items:
- I learned (through being a college student that eats on the run) that if I eat my breakfast and lunch meals in sections I felt fuller longer (i.e. Yogurt at 9 AM, Grapes at 10 AM, Banana at 11 AM etc.) and this allowed me to eat what I did and still feel satisfied. 
- These prices are according to the portion sizes I ate.  What Tom ate may have exceeded the $5.00 limit. :)

                       Day 1 (Total: $3.74)
      Breakfast                                    Lunch
Shredded Wheat - $ 0.24                 PB&J - $ 0.55
 Milk (10 oz) - $ 0.14               Red Grapes (7 oz) - $ 0.28
    Banana - $ 0.28

                                Dinner
               Dijon Mustard Fish Fillets - $ 1.38
                Cheesy Mashed Potatoes - $ 0.31
                       Green Beans $ 0.20

Day 1 Dinner: * We would recommend not using the amount of Dijon sauce that we did, it was too strong of flavor.  A small amount goes a very long way with this sauce!

                           Day 2 (Total: $4.89)
           Breakfast                                 Lunch
Yogurt (1 1/2 Cups) - $ 0.46          Cheese Quesadilla - $ 1.29
      Grapes - $ 0.61                            Banana - $ 0.28

                                   Dinner
                    Saucy Stuffed Shells - $ 1.85 
                         Garlic Bread - $ 0.20
                           Broccoli - $ 0.20       

Day 2 Dinner

                       Day 3 (Total: $3.36)
          Breakfast                             Lunch
 Oatmeal (1 C) - $ 0.16                 PB&J - $ 0.55
1 Med. Pancake - $ 0.08               Apple - $ 0.63
     2 eggs - $ 0.33
                                  Dinner
                     Chicken Marsala - $ 1.36
                          Wheat Rice - $ 0.05
                  Zucchini/Onion Blend - $ 0.65

Day 3 Dinner

                          Day 4 (Total: $3.20)
        Breakfast                                Lunch
Shredded Wheat - $ 0.24             Tuna Sandwich - $0.50
      Milk - $0.14
    Banana - $ 0.28
                                    Dinner
                         Giant Calzone - $ 1.84
                       Steamed Spinach - $ 0.20

Day 4 Dinner

 All of these meals were delicious and I would recommend any of them!  For sake of space, I have not included the recipes for my dinner meals (if enough people are interested, let me know and I will include the dinner recipes in a later post). 
I learned a lot from this assignment, but mostly I was happy to see that the foods I ate were well under my allotted food costs.  And yes, I did not go hungry:)!  I still haven't come to a conclusion about my personal beliefs about SNAP benefits, but my eyes have been opened to a different way of living.  These meals required time and knowledge of cooking, which are commodities that many people do not have.