Well, we made it through the week and it was a worthwhile experience. Even though I knew it was only for the week it was still an important challenge to put myself in the place of someone who truly must watch every single food dollar spent.
We had plenty of food because of SHARE, but it was a lot of work to plan and cook it all. No coming home late from work and grabbing a rotisserie chicken. Counting the mushrooms to divide them among two recipes, when I would ususally just use the whole packge. Skipping my glass of milk so there would be some for breakfast. A cup of herb tea rather than a glass of wine. None of these things were really big sacrifices, but together it made a week of always thinking about our food budget and stretching each item.
My husband's birthday dinner was ham and scalloped potatoes with a big salad. He is true to his Irish roots and loves potatoes in any form, so it was a hit with him. No cake was ok--I promised we'd celebrate again over the weekend when I have time (and money) to bake.
The Food Stamp Challenge re-enforced my idea that living richly is not a function of how much money you have or how much you spend. I think richness comes from using your resources well and giving at least as much as you get. I invite you to share your stories of living richly while maintaining your household budget. What enriches your life?
What a great experience! Thanks for sharing this past week. When I take a step back to look at what we eat on our limited food budget, I realize how important it is that I know how to cook. That is such a missing piece in many families today. I'm able to take inexpensive ingredients, whole foods, and turn them into healthy meals. Growing a garden and preserving what we can from it as well as from local farmers' markets--when certain vegetables are in peak season and therefore least expensive--also gives us more room in our budget, but especially enriches our lives. Thanks again for SHAREing
ReplyDelete..."richness comes from using your resources well and giving at least as much as you get." Excellent point, Paulette. The big issue here is stewardship: Being a good steward of your ingredients (forcibly so in your one week challenge), your talents (ability to cook), and most importantly, your time. You had to make time to prep breakfast and lunch, pack lunch, and make dinner. It is far too easy for us (yes, I include myself in this mix, as I am guilty of it as well) to not consider or allot time for prep and cooking, and with the limitations of the Food Stamp Challenge, take time to consider how to work best with the ingredients we have.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experiences.