Turns out last week there was a whole challenge devoted to eating on a meager budget by the San Francisco food bank (and Marin food bank) and I didn’t even know about it!  CBS 5 even went to Foods Co. and did a news story where I have been shopping. They could have walked by and I wouldn’t have even known.

They asked others to walk for a minute in other people’s shoes. If you were on a food stamp budget, how would you fare?

They asserted that the daily amount an individual in California would receive on food stamps, is $4.72. It almost makes me want to increase my daily amount. That would be almost a dollar more per day! 7 dollars more per week! I could do so much with that.

People participated in this challenge, again like Chef Wilder ( Where does he find goat cheese on $4.72 per day?) and also this CBS 5 Reporter. I really want to embed the video where it shows the reporter, buying whole wheat bread (with HFS),  peanut butter possibly having hydrogenated oils and top ramen but the embedding isn’t working.

It’s not necessary! I admit, I already had a few staples in my cabinet when I started  (grapeseed oil, olive oil, tahini, salt, cinnamon, reduced fat mayo, miso but I am budgeting 20-30 cents per day for this), but this is what I bought the first week:

organic banana

free range eggs

ww pastry flour

organic rolled oats

nutritional yeast

wheat free tamari

organic yellow split peas

white pasta

potato

onion

multi grain bread

romaine lettuce

brown rice

salmon (parts)

tofu

canari melon

ginger

cabbage

dandelion greens

banana

flax seeds

organic popcorn

cilantro

green onions

organic peanuts

bagel

carrots

Fritos

Total amount spent: $25.92.

On 4.72 ( minus .25 per day on seasonings) I would have had $31.32 to spend, which I didn’t do and choose much better in my opinion.