#SNAPchallenge Day 1

We got up a little earlier than usual.

Today was ONE LESS CAR DAY in Missoula and rode my bike down to the end of the street to walk back through the neighborhood and scoop up kids along the way.  I wore cloth shoes and it rained, but the rain has finally cleared the wildfire smoke from the air, and everyone was in good spirits. 

Breakfast was quick.

4 tortillas (0.15 x 4 = $0.60)

5 eggs (0.25 x 5 = $1.25)

2 ounces of cheddar cheese (0.16 x 2 = $0.32)

Coffee (cost of my coffee share per day $1.52)

Cherry Tomatoes (FREE – no really – I have been saving these seeds for 5 years now.  These were tomatoes that volunteered in my yard when we moved to our house and I have replanted them every year since.  I grow them for the cost of water, except I have a flat rate water bill that doesn’t change based on use…  so we will just call them FREE!)

Total Breakfast Cost: $3.69 for a family of 4

Wet shoes and all, I walked to the Clay Studio to get a few hours of work in before heading to my Wednesday City Council Committee Meetings.  I am working on a custom order of mugs that are forcing me to branch out from my usual shapes and patterns.  It is fun and challenging.

Lunch was equally quick and poor planning on my part.  I should have just packed a lunch last night and saved myself a commuting trip.

1 tortilla (0.15)

Left over pulled pork (from Adam’s staff party)

Salsa (0.12)

Total Lunch Cost: $0.27 (for myself – Adam packed left overs)

For tracking purposes, I will track the cost of food when I prepare it.  We often eat/pack left overs for lunch and their costs will be recorded the first time a meal is served.   

Both of our kids are now in school and it is a Title 1 school.  An overwhelming percentage of our student body is low income and therefore all students have the option of a free school lunch.  Both of my kids often choose to participate in the lunch program.  Direct effect on my food budget = $0. 

I did purchase a coffee during the city council meetings – for transparency I am mentioning it – but am not tracking it as a food purchase.  Why do you ask?  During the time that received SNAP benefits.  I had a separate, very modest monthly budget for coffee purchases at coffee shops.  Unlike coffee, the ingredient, purchased at a grocery store, coffee purchased at a coffee shop is not an eligible SNAP expense.  I allowed myself the small luxury of guilt free coffee shop purchases, because I realized that I needed a mental health break during my week.  So, so many blog posts on this blog were written in that setting and the kids and I were all so much better off for that small expense. 

Snack

Popcorn (0.15) 

Popped from bulk kernels.  

Dinner was a summer favorite.  Tomato Pie.  The basic recipe can be found here, but I omitted sour cream and sugar, and reduced the milk to half a cup. 

Tomatoes (CSA share)

Basil (CSA share)

Onion (CSA share – I purchased a CSA share this spring.  The price I paid for the averages out to a daily cost during the season of $4.07, but I purchased it from a vendor that participates in the Double SNAP Program.  This would reduce the per day cost of fresh fruits and vegetables delivered each week to $2.04 per day.  That is amazing.  I just used Tomato, Basil and Onions in a pie for a total cost of $2.04.  My next CSA delivery is tomorrow and I still have beets, carrots, and chard from last week.)

Milk (0.07)

Cheddar Cheese (4 ounces x .15 per ounce = 0.60)

Egg (0.50)

Flour (0.09)

Butter (0.7)

Total Cost for Dinner: $3.65 for a family of 4 with leftovers

Total for the Day: $7.76

Quick note on price calculations:  If they are items I purchased recently I am using receipts to calculate per item cost.  For pantry items (flour etc..) I am googling the costs based on volume used.

Even I am surprised by the daily amount spent! 

The low amount of funds spent on meals is LARGELY the result from the ability purchase a CSA share through the Double SNAP Dollars program.  The cost of tomatoes alone starts at $3 per pound, onions often range around $1 per pound, and basil is pricy… and I multiple pounds tomatoes, a giant onion, and a liberal handful of basil…  Suddenly one tomato pie hoovers in the $10 - $13 range.  That is a huge difference if the daily food budget is a total of $20.   

SUPPORT DOUBLE SNAP DOLLARS BY CLICKING HERE 

End of SNAP Challenge Day 1!