Living On Food Stamps: Newark Mayor Cory Booker Starts Challenge Today
This amounts to $30 a week for food - no, not for your lunch today . . .
FOR THE WEEK! Could you do it?
UPDATE: STUNT OR LEARNING EXPERIENCE?
UPDATE: WHAT ITS LIKE TO EAT ON $4.32 A DAY (I don't think he's a very good shopper: Booker will have to survive off 17 cans of beans, seven yams, two bags of frozen vegetables and two apples for the next seven days) {now we also know he bought Organic Olive Oil and 2 packages of premixed salad greens ???}
Mayor Booker is quoted as saying he used the majority of his food stamps to buy mostly on fruits, some vegetables and "lots of beans".
I don't know where he shops but he's not going to get a good amount of fresh fruit and veggies for $30 let alone the rest of his meals!
Using only the PC Half Price Sales flier from this week and Food Prices In Canada site,
I wanted to see what we can buy for $30 that will last us 3 meals a day for a week:
Breakfast:
Simply Orange or Apple Juice: $3.99 or a bag of 8 oranges for $4.99
Corn Flakes: $4.67
Milk: $2.38
Tea and/or Coffee I'll do without because it is too expensive to add in cream and sugar as well! Forget any juice or fruit too - Breakfast is expensive!
Maybe a 1 egg special at a greasy spoon diner might be a better option?)
((with a bottomless cup of coffee!!))
Lunch: Sandwiches every day!
Dempster's Whole Grain Bread: $2.49 a loaf
Butter: $3.00 (half price)
Eggs: $3.09 (I'll assume there is Mayo in the fridge for egg salad sandwiches!)
Onions: $1.48
Cheese Slices: $2.73
Canned Soup: $1.00
Canned tuna: $1.25
Dinner:
Hunts Pasta Sauce: .97
Package of Pasta: .97 (2 meals)
Mini Potatoes: .99 (for soup or hash with onions and eggs)
Brocolli: $1.99
Carrots: $1.99
Long Grain Rice: $3.00
Chicken leg/drumstick (approx 1 lb): $4.00 (can make stirfry or stock for soup with left over bones etc)
Grand Total for the week: $30.92 (hopefully rice will be on special and I'll save my .92)
As you can see, I had to remove a few items from my list as I hadn't enough money for them. What I left in can be mixed and matched for a variety of meals, but none too exciting! Obviously, if you have a well stocked pantry and you're using the $30 to build on what you already have, it would be much easier. But I'm assuming if you're on food stamps, you've already eaten everything in your pantry!
I tend to stock my pantry at The Bulk Barn so I have everything I need on hand and can whip up anything.
Food prices may be cheaper or more expensive in your area; See what you'd be eating for a week for $30, you might be surprised!
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