Food Stamp Challenge creates need for planning to penny

Cristin Ross

March 18, 2008 08:20 pm

— Food Stamp challengee Cris Neeld got the jump on her challenge week on Sunday.
Cris, myself and three other locals — Fran Daniel, Robert Haberle and Dale Jamerson — are eating like we’re on food stamps this week. The average food stamp payment to an individual is $21 a week, so that’s how much we are spending for food for the week.
After spending $20.98 of her allotted $21 for a week’s worth of meals, Cris’s menu features a lot of chicken.
“Sunday was the first full day I did the Challenge. I bought a whole chicken, baked it, and then froze little portions of it for the rest of the week,” she said. “I’ve got enough for a few sandwiches and some chicken salad.”
She did manage to get a few fresh veggies, including collard greens, an onion, a pair of red potatoes, carrots and green beans, and a bunch of bananas.
“The onion was the most expensive,” she confided.
One entree Cris has planned features ground turkey, macaroni and a can of tomato sauce.
“I’m going to have pasta and turkey meatballs for dinner — I’ve never had that before,” she admitted with a laugh. “It’s tough. You basically have to plan your menus almost down to the last penny.”
Cris also admitted — and I agree — it’s hard planning meals for just one person. (Cris’s husband Hugh is on a strict diet and isn’t participating.) And on such a small budget, there’s just no room for extras.
“There’s nothing left for coffee, tea, spices, sauce or even spread for your toast,” she said. “It was quite a challenge just getting enough for the actual meals. And if it’s going to last all week, the portions are going to have to be tiny.”
She confessed that she did splurge a bit on a can of cream of chicken soup, “so I can have a little bit of gravy,” she explained.
Monday’s menu consisted of oatmeal and toast for breakfast, chicken sandwich and a banana for lunch and the turkey pasta for dinner.
“We’ll see how it goes,” she mused.
Looking into the future, Cris said she predicts a rise in people utilizing the county’s food banks, like HOPE’s Manna Pantry and Soup Kitchen, and the Good Samaritan.
“With so many people potentially losing their jobs in this area, the need is going to be that much greater,” she said. “The HOPE Kitchen is going to be full.”
Which is the reason she agreed to take the Food Stamp Challenge.
“I hope this challenge will help make the general public aware and that they’ll continue their support of HOPE and all the food banks in this area,” she said. “There’s going to be a lot more unexpected guests that need their help and that’s what they’re there for — they just need the community’s support.”
See tomorrow’s Progress for the continuing Food Stamp Challenge saga.