SNAP + Match + local Food Rules

SNAP  + Match + local Food Rules

I am still shocked at how little money people receive through food stamp programs.  I started shopping at the market this summer, since I was volunteering there.  So I have decided to challenge myself to see if I can successfully combine the SNAP and local food challenges by purchasing most food items at the farmers market. I am creating this specific challenge because it seems that almost everyone believes that farmers markets are too expensive for people who have a limited food budget. The SNAP Match is the only way I can theoretically add money to the $2.40 x 5 days = $12 amount I will have.  I found out that the Eugene farmers market does not have SNAP Match yet, but the Springfield Sprout market does. This amounts to a maximum additional  $5 for $10 worth of tokens purchased.  This means I will have a total of $17 to spend. I plan to fudge this aspect of my challenge as I will be shopping at the Eugene market and not the Sprout market. I am “pretending” that Eugene already has SNAP Match, which means I have created a hypothetical, but still realistic purchasing scenario.

I plan to start on Saturday October 10th, as I want to take advantage of lower prices at the peak of the harvest season. I decided to do the challenge for only 5 days rather than 7, as I have a lot going on next week, and a paper to present on Friday the 16th.

I have made a list of the foods I think will fit within my budget and together provide balanced nutrition. These are eggs for protein, oatmeal for carbs and to keep me full, onions for flavor, a winter squash for vitamins and good taste, cabbage because it has a lot of calcium and is versatile.  I hope I can afford some apples as my fruit. I will use butter as my fat for cooking, but I am not sure if I can buy this at the farmers market.

“Rules”

1. It’s OK to buy food ahead of time in order to prepare.
2. It’s OK to drink hot herbal tea that I already have on hand (this is going to be my only “pleasure”).
3. It’s OK to use a few specific condiments, which will be: salt, cayenne pepper, oregano and cinnamon.
4. I will keep track of how long it takes to walk to the market, shop and return home.
5. I will take a picture of the tokens and money I will spend.
6. I will take pictures of the food I purchase and use.
7. I will record how much time it takes to prepare each meal.
8. I will take pictures of every meal I eat, and keep a record of what that meal is.
9. I will take a picture of any food that is left at the end.
10. I will try to budget my food consumption, so the food lasts the entire 5 days.
11. I will only eat what I purchase (no additional food bought, accepted or consumed)
12. If I become weak, or I run out of most foods, I will sensibly stop (ex. If only oatmeal is left by day 5, I stop!).