Nicole Sova
November 11-19, 2017 is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
While Eats with Engineers uses food as a connector, it is important to recognize how fortunate we are to be able to enjoy all of the delicacies (and donuts) we feature without worrying about food insecurity.
The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food”. Last year 12.3% of U.S. households experienced food insecurity. To put that statistic into perspective, that translates to 41.2 million people.
Personally, I have been fortunate enough to never have to worry about where I will get my next meal or how I will afford it. That is not the case for millions of Americans, many of whom live within a short drive of my apartment.
Athens County’s food insecurity rate is much higher than the national average at an overwhelming 20.4%. I have been aware of the level of poverty in Athens County throughout my five years here, yet that statistic still stunned me.
In order to better reflect on the effects of food insecurity, I attempted the Ohio SNAP Challenge. The challenge is to eat off of the SNAP budget of $4.50 a day. SNAP, otherwise known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a federal program to supplement low income households to be able to purchase nutritious food.
It may sound trivial, but even just this one experience of limiting my budget to $4.50 worth of food per day ($31.5/week) made me conscious of how much excess I enjoy and how time (and thought) consuming it is to plan meals on such a strict budget.
Shopping:
In general, I consider myself to be a fairly conscious shopper. I try to minimize waste and stick to a weekly grocery budget. On Monday evening I went shopping with the intent to buy my groceries on the SNAP budget.
I walked into the grocery store and immediately found myself in the frozen dessert aisle – muscle memory. I’m a big ice cream fan. So, I often like to stroll through just to check out what catches my eye and can be picked up as a treat at the end of the shopping trip. “Not in the budget today” I reminded myself as I headed towards the bananas.
I continued my trip, stopping more often than I’d like to admit to calculate if I was still within budget. I was not used to tracking the cost with such accuracy.
I tried my best to stick to the SNAP budget and skip over the avocados and blackberries, two out of season items that I tend to keep on my regular shopping list. I headed to the checkout line unjustifiably proud of my willpower.
“What kind of apples are these?” the cashier asked.
“Um… the ones that are $0.68/lb.” I fumbled in response.
“None of the apples I’m ringing up are coming up that price.”
I offered to run back to the bin to get the produce code for the apples. I returned without a produce code, but instead a photo of the bin where the price clearly reads 68 cents.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. I’m going to have to call the manager. He’s the only one here tonight, so it’ll probably take a few minutes. I was supposed to clock out a couple of minutes ago. Would you mind if I charge you for one of the types of apples I can find, $1.27/lb?”
Now this question probably would not have aggravated me as much as it did in other circumstances. But, I had just tediously tried to stay on budget and was asked if I would mind being charged nearly double the cost advertised. I knew that I only had about a pound of apples and the worst case scenario was that I would be charged an extra $0.59, but still I was overcome by frustration and disappointment tinged with unwarranted shame.
It was in that inconsequential moment trying to buy apples that it began to set in that I would never truly understand. I have the comfort that this is just temporary and of my choosing. If I chose, I could treat myself to a dessert that costs close to the daily SNAP budget. I can afford the extra $0.59 if it came down to it. I don’t actually have to make the decision to return an item (or items) if I find that I miscalculated and am slightly over budget.
With concerns that I would be trivializing the hardships of those living on the SNAP budget, I almost canceled the challenge. However, I couldn’t stop thinking about the apples and ultimately decided to continue while keeping that doubt in mind.
A Day of Meals:
I woke up early and made my coffee before realizing I had forgotten to consider coffee in my meal plan. I quickly shifted around the excel sheet to account for the oversight, but not without pause. I couldn’t figure out how to price the coffee, knowing that a Keurig and small bags of Dunkin Donuts coffee are a luxury not afforded to most on this budget.
I got ready and decided to read a bit before breakfast. It is not unusual for me to lose track of time while reading and this morning was no different. I was about to rush out the door and grab breakfast to go before class when I remembered the challenge. I had accounted for a $0.56 breakfast. So, I returned to the kitchen and made the peanut butter and banana toast as planned.
When I finally got to Baker (the student center) I had about a half an hour less of writing time than I had hoped for, something I blamed on my morning meal and planned to just make up later in the day.
I left Baker, walking through the coffee shop. I shook my empty travel mug, having to convince myself that the refill was not worth skipping lunch later.
As a hands-on, interactive learner (like many engineers), I almost require a cup of coffee with me to focus during lecture based classes. This morning, the water bottle I had with me did not do the trick. I couldn’t help but recognize the impact that the small luxuries have on my performance. I found myself asking clarifying questions just to stay engaged.
I headed to the lab after class. I had a little over an hour between class and a scheduled experiment, the perfect amount of time to have lunch and catch up on that writing. Unfortunately, in my hurry, I forgot to pack my premade lunch. I shrugged it off knowing that the experiment should be short. I could leave the lab, go home for lunch, and work from home afterwards.
I felt like I was cheating the challenge (returning home after forgetting lunch is not an ability many people have) as I left around 3:30pm, but the seven hours between meals had me convinced it was okay.
I threw my rice and chicken soup lunch (prepared the night before) into a bowl and microwaved it before I even took my coat off. It was sub-par, but sustenance was all I was after.
I continued with work as usual until 6:45pm when I grabbed an apple and headed to the gym.
I returned from my work out with quite an appetite. I looked at the excel sheet and recalled that I had a meal of spinach salad, tuna, and rice planned for dinner. I was craving something heartier. I spent a couple of minutes trying to figure out a substitute meal, but as my Ohio SNAP groceries were limited, I ended up eating the planned dinner.
I concluded the day with reflection, writing, and planning for tomorrow. This is how I try to end most days. Usually, I accompany the process with something sweet: a bowl of ice cream, a cup of hot chocolate, or a bowl of sweet fruit. Today, it’s not in the budget.
Budget Breakdown:
Afterthoughts:
I did not predict I be would be as impacted by the experience as I am. I knew it would be a reflective process, but I did not expect the “challenge” to be in the reflection (as opposed to the task of staying on budget).
There were many things I learned from this challenge. A few I had anticipated, many I had not.
•     I am fairly reliant on convenience based items, especially in the morning. I often grab a single serving oatmeal cup as I head to work or buy coffee and a croissant at the coffee shop on my way in. I considered these luxuries on this budget.
•      It takes a lot of difficult planning. Buying in bulk seems to be the best option, but the upfront cost of some bulk items may be a burden. Single serving items (like my tuna packet and rice) are convenient and easier to pay for up front, but are much more expensive in the long run.
•      Items with little nutritional value have no place in a tight budget. Ice cream and donuts are the first to go. When a treat costs nearly ¼ of the daily budget, it no longer feels like a treat.
•      It is difficult to be flexible on such a strict budget. There is no wiggle room to change up plans: even if you are having an off day, are craving something different, or are in need of a treat. This caused me more stress than I would like to admit.
The USDA defines hunger as a “physiological condition that may result from food insecurity.” What is not included in the definition is the psychological stress of food insecurity. I have not experienced hunger, but after this I am able to better recognize a few of the (many) stresses related to food insecurity.
I started this expecting it to be a bit of budgeting, a few food photos, and a short article to spread awareness about food insecurity. Those of you who have made it this far into the article will recognize that it was not. I will be reflecting on this long after National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness week concludes.
Take Action:
There are many things you can do to help the issue of food insecurity, especially during the upcoming holiday season. If you are able to contribute by donating money, time, or just by spreading awareness to others I encourage you to do so.
- Challenge yourself to try your own version of the Ohio SNAP Challenge and spread the message.
The Ohio SNAP Challenge was effective in motivating me to reflect on how I view food, excess, and what I can feasibly do to help change the food insecurity statistics (especially in Athens County). - Donate.
Find your local food bank, contact them, and see what types of donations are needed.
Athens County Food Pantry accepts all unexpired non-perishable food items, but has a list of needed items on their website.
Meals on Wheels and other similar organizations also help alleviate food insecurity and are good donation sites.
Ohio University Baker Center has a food pantry that is open whenever the facility is open. The food is donated by the community and served the community. The shelves are often stocked full of food for those in need to take.
*If you are at Ohio University, Theta Tau (the engineering fraternity) is hosting a food drive until December 8th. There are boxes located in the ARC atrium and Stocker lobby; items will be donated to the Athens County Food Pantry.* - Volunteer your time.
Community dinners and other community events that provide free meals are often in need of volunteers to prepare, serve, and clean up after the meals.
This upcoming holiday season, find a local community Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and volunteer. - Seek out other ways to get involved.
If you’re a member of a university community, contact any organization associated with the College and University Food Bank Alliance.
If you have the ability, host a food drive.
Eats with Engineers was founded because of a love for food and its ability to bring people together. Today, with a newfound appreciation, I am grateful for the food I’ve been able to enjoy and looking to help share food with the community this holiday season.