What's It Like To Be On Food Stamps?

By Anthony Todd in Food on Sep 16, 2010 5:20PM

In Illinois, more than 1.5 million people live on food stamps - a total daily food allotment of $4.50. [Ed's Note: A report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau claims the poverty level in America is the highest it's been since the 1960s. - M.G.] If you're not one of those people, do you think you could make it? No cheating, now - and remember, all that nice stuff you have in your fridge would be gone in a couple of weeks. No morning coffee from Starbucks. No steak, no Whole Foods, no bottled water. Many people spend more than that on lunch every day.

Feeding Illinois has created the SNAP Hunger Challenge to raise awareness about the life of people on public food assistance and to raise money for hunger-related charities around Illinois. Many people don't realize how hard it is to survive, and to eat healthy foods, on food assistance until they try. We've heard our share of blowhards going on about how, if the government paid for their food, they'd be living like kings and never go to work again. Now's your chance to try it out.

From September 19-25, Feeding Illinois challenges you to live on $4.50 a day. Try it for a week or just for a single meal, and record your experiences on their website. The rules are simple. Spend no more than $4.50 a day, including beverages. Don't use any food already on hand, except for salt and pepper. Don't accept food from friends and co-workers to cheat. Try to get a healthy, balanced diet. Use your foodie expertise to create a recipe that only costs $1.50/person. Pledge to support others who are taking the challenge, or consider donating the money you don't spend on food next week to a local food pantry.