Soup Kitchen

One aspect of the SNAP Challenge that I found particularly interesting was that we were required to eat once at the local soup kitchen. I had volunteered at soup kitchens in high school, but I had never eaten at one as a guest.

Kristie and I went to the Soup Kitchen together, and I was really nervous at first. I didn't know what to expect, and I was unsure of how I would feel once inside. We were told not to wear any RWU gear or to bring a nice purse, or dress nice, so that we would fit in and not prompt a lot of questions. So we left all our belongings in the car, walked in, and hoped for the best.

When we first walked in, we entered the kitchen, where we were given our grocery bags. Later at home, we discovered that the bag was filled with similar items to what we had purchased at the grocery store the day before. I think this similarity is due to the fact that these items are inexpensive and easy to make. Some of the items included canned vegetable, canned fruit, peanut butter, and canned pasta (resembling Chef Boyardee). In addition to the canned goods, we were given a choice of hot dogs or chicken, and since we had already purchased chicken, we chose hot dogs.

One interesting thing that happened while we were at the soup kitchen was that we recognized someone once we walked in. A student that we go to school with was volunteering in the kitchen. He looked at us, and we looked at him, and we are pretty sure we recognized each other, but neither of us said anything to each other. We didn't want to say hello and "blow our cover" or make it obvious that we were RWU students, and I'm sure he was confused and didn't understand why we were eating there.

Kristie and I were worried that people at the soup kitchen would try to talk to us and ask us where we were from, and that we would have to make up a story or avoid answering questions about ourselves. In fact, the opposite of that occurred. We noticed that everyone at the soup kitchen pretty much kept to themselves. There would be several people sitting at a table, but there were rarely conversations going on between them. Everyone kept to themselves for the most part.

Being at the soup kitchen and actually sitting with the people who eat there made me very sad but also hopeful at the same time. It was very sad that this many people (there were about 25-30 people there when we went) are in need of assistance when it comes to food, which is a human necessity. At the same time, the fact that they have a resource such as the soup kitchen and the food pantry are a true blessing. I commend the workers and volunteers at the soup kitchen, and at other charitable food providers, for the help that they give to so many people. In today's economy, many Americans are struggling, but it is nice to know that people in dire need are getting assistance.

Back to Reality...

Two things I learned from my food stamp experience were ‘planning’ and ‘family’. While on food stamps, I ate relatively normal as I usually do on my college budget, but I learned that food stamps takes away from the ‘convenience’ and ‘luxuries’ of eating. During the ten days I had to drive home to New York and I had to plan my meals ahead. I couldn’t just conveniently stop at a McDonalds on the side of the road when I got hungry. Even when coming to campus, I had to pack my lunch in the morning… I couldn’t just run into the commons when I got hungry in the middle of the afternoon. Furthermore I didn’t drink any coffee for ten days (which I’m probably better off to be quite honest!) because that just wasn’t a luxury I could afford. Overall, although I didn’t eat much differently, I had to think ahead planning all of my meals because I didn’t have the funds to just grab food on the go.

I also took away from this experience the concept of ‘family’. I participated in this program with my two roommates and while we do often have ‘family’ dinners, we maybe have them only two or three times a week, but during the ten days my roommates and I went grocery shopping together, as well as planning, preparing and eating dinner together every night. Along with planning what we would eat at each dinner ahead of time, we also worked to coordinate our schedules so that we would all be together each night for dinner.

Through this experience, I was given insight into the everyday life of a SNAP participant. I learned the everyday foods (that I typically take for granted) that I had to forgo while on the SNAP program. First thing I bought off the SNAP challenge? Coffee… and not just any old regular coffee, I went all out and purchased the Caramel Macchiato…sometimes the alarm just goes off too early and I’m rushing and I need to buy that coffee on the go to keep me moving all day and for the past ten days I’ve missed that luxury and convenience terribly!

Visit to the Soup Kitchen

My visit to the soup kitchen was probably the most interesting part of this experience. Going to the grocery store, we had a Visa gift card (since we couldn’t have an actual food stamp card), so we just seemed like regular shoppers using a gift card and did not get any looks or feel uncomfortable. But when visiting the soup kitchen we were immersed in the environment and there was no way of telling us apart from the other patrons. When walking into the soup kitchen we first saw other RWU students who were at the soup kitchen volunteering. Those volunteers clearly recognized us as fellow students, but had no idea why we were there and we definitely received looks of pity from them.

When walking into the actual dining area of the soup kitchen I was shocked by how full it was! In a small town like Bristol, I never would have expected so many people to utilize the soup kitchen. We were clearly the youngest people there, which I think made us stand out somewhat, but I do have to say we weren’t young by far. There were definitely some other diners there who couldn’t have been much older than 30 years of age, which was surprising to me. Furthermore, although everyone may have looked up when we initially entered the dining area, we were not made to feel uncomfortable by any means. The diners either kept to themselves or sat with their friends and caught up, nobody gave us a second glance.

The food at the soup kitchen wasn’t bad at all. We received a balanced meal of spaghetti, meatballs, corn, bread and even a cupcake for dessert! If you wanted a second helping, the soup kitchen was accommodating. I left my meal at the soup kitchen feeling more than full!

We also received one grocery bag overflowing with food items from the soup kitchen for me and my two roommates. I found the contents of this bag interesting, because it literally contained the same food items we bought on our trip to the grocery store. We were given the option between chicken or hot dogs and we chose hot dogs. Other items in the bag included peanut butter, hot dog rolls, rice, canned vegetables, pasta, mashed potatoes, tuna and cereal. Had we known we were going to get such an abundance of food all we would have had to buy was milk when we went to the grocery store! The only minor difference between the food we purchased and the items in the soup kitchen grocery bag was that we bought frozen vegetables versus the non perishable canned vegetables we were given.

Overall I had a good experience at the soup kitchen. I will admit I was very nervous entering into this experience, but the other visitors weren’t concerned with us. The staff who worked at the soup kitchen was welcoming, the patrons visiting that day went about their own business and the food was great!

First Thing I Will Eat!

After living on food stamps for roughly ten days, there have been a lot of foods I've had to forgo. I missed my daily bagel with cream cheese. I couldn't grab a quick lunch during the short break in my three hour senior seminar. The worst part was not being able to grab a coffee on those days I had to get up earlier than what I think of as a reasonable hour. Tomorrow, my SNAP challenge ends. I'm so excited to return to my regular eating schedule. Although this time around, I'll have a new appreciation for the luxury of being able to grab a quick bite when I'm hungry. I know have a better understanding of what its like for the many Americans struggling with food security. This program has given me insight into this problem in a way only first-hand experience could.

I haven't quite decided what food I'm going to indulge on tomorrow. A baconator cheeseburger from Wendy's? Pepperoni pizza from Classics? I've debated driving through McDonald's for breakfast to grab a sausage egg and biscuit sandwich before class. I can tell you for sure that whatever I choose to eat, I will be especially thankful for the gift it is to be able to afford food.

My Experience at the BGN

Bristol Good Neighbors Soup Kitchen

I thought that the BGN was really amazing at serving food and helping us get our bags. When we got there it was like going into a lunch room and sitting down while someone else serves you. There was a person to serve the lunch, which was very very yummy, and then someone else had a tray full of drinks and someone else served the dessert. So for lunch it was chicken salad sandwich, pasta salad mixture, and a side salad, I think it was supposed to be coleslaw like. But it was wicked tasty. The tone was really pleasant, there was small talk and people had friends there, and it was like a little community that didn't mind others coming in and eating with them. Overall I think it was a great experience.

For myself, and my own reaction to eating there I felt small, like it didn't matter who I was, I was just in need of food for that day, and it did feel strange. But once people started eating and talking, I didn't feel so bad. I think it was just because we were new and had our own perceptions of what was going to happen. I think also that a lot of people have helped out at a soup kitchen before but they may never get the chance to sit on the other side and interact with the people they were helping, and by doing this challenge I think that people can get another perspective of life.

Ok so the food portion ended and we were given our bags for the month: included in my bag was 2 cans of soup, a big box of mashed potatoes, a big can of baked beans, hot dogs (frozen), canned cut yams, canned asparagus spears, one can of tuna fish, some pasta, rice, canned green beans, and canned beans, and a can of unsweetened appled sauce. What is nice about the food pantry is that they give you a bag (like a stop and shop bag) that is sturdy enough to hold everything in it and won't rip to shreds. I also like that if you have food allergies or are a vegetarian that you can go through your bag before you leave and take out what you will not eat. So for me, I can't eat anything with gluten in it. So I had to give back the hot dog buns and the pasta, even though I love pasta, and some soup that I didn't like. Other than that the bag had a lot of nutritious foods in it. Overall I would say that the BGN helped me a lot throughout this process and it was definitely had a positive effect on me.

Christina's SNAP Challenge Reflections

I am fortunate enough to have never had to live with hunger. I've always been in a position where having enough to eat has never been something I've had to worry about. Okay, there have been a few times where my finances have fun low and I've resorted to eating more pasta than a girl probably should. However, I've never been in any serious need. Unfortunately, I realize there are many people in this world who aren't as lucky. When I heard about the SNAP program, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to put myself in someone else's shoes and experience what living with that need might be like. I realize this program is only ten days and for many people the struggle to afford food is life-long. However, my experience so far has definitely given me new insight I didn't have before.

My first shopping experience put things in perspective. I went with my two roommates, who are also participating in the SNAP challenge. We avoided the fresh produce section, seeing as how that was more expensive. We were careful to grab the store brand instead of the name brand. Inexpensive frozen vegetables and $0.87 bags of pasta were thrown in the cart. Our first trip to the grocery store gave us enough food for a few good meals (as well as some so-so ones). However, as a college student who usually shops on a budget, I didn't feel too limited by the amount of money I had to spend.

My biggest struggle has been when I don't have time to prepare a meal at home. As a college student with a full course load, an internship as well as a job it's sometimes hard for me to find time to eat at home. Usually, I'll try to grab something to eat in between classes on campus. However, there is no room in my limited budget for any extra spending on pre-made food. Also, inexplicable cravings for McDonalds french fries of Wendy's cheeseburgers that I don't normally experience keep creeping up on me. I think the fact I knew I couldn't have it made me want it more. There's still a few days left in the SNAP challenge, and I'm happy to report I have yet to give into these temptations. In all sincerity, this challenge has given me insight into what its like to struggle affording food (yes, more than I've gained from being an average college student!) It's been an eye-opening experience and I feel grateful for the opportunity to participate.

First trip to the grocery store

It is never a good idea to go grocery shopping when you are hungry. It is an equally bad idea to go shopping while you are hungry and on a new budget. At this is what my room mates and I discovered last Monday when we went to the grocery store for our first trip during the SNAP Challenge.

I chose to participate in this challenge because there are many people in Rhode Island, and throughout the country, who are in need of help. I believe that through this SNAP Challenge, we can be a voice for these families, and we can provide a small glimpse into what these families go through just to survive.

The first thing I noticed during the SNAP Challenge was how difficult it was to shop when you are on a strict budget. When I go food shopping normally, I grab foods that I need, mostly name brands because they are the most trusted, and I rarely refrain from buying something because of price. When my room mates and I traveled to the store with our SNAP points, we realized that we couldn't do this if we wanted to buy enough food to last us for the duration of the Challenge.

As room mates, we usually eat dinner together, and we usually split the cost of groceries. We decided that we wouldn't change this for the SNAP Challenge; however, instead of shopping at our usual Stop&Shop, we shopped at Seabras because of their lower prices. We also decided to plan out our meals more precisely. We bought enough food so that we could have cereal/yogurt for breakfast, a sandwhich/canned meal for lunch, and a dinner including a meat, carbohydrate, and a vegetable. We had to consider while we were shopping what ingredients we were going to need for the meals, which was interesting, and something we don't typically do.

Being typical college students, we always like to have a pizza in the freezer. You never know when you're going to need that fix of cheesy, saucy, bread-y deliciousness. Since we were on a budget, we could not buy this week's pizza. A single pizza was about $5, and we could simply not afford it if we were going to buy food for the rest of the week. It was the first difference that I noticed, even though it was very minor.

While shopping on the SNAP Challenge, we noticed that meat is pretty expensive when the shopper is on a tight budget. After doing a little math to figure out the price per pound, we found that we couldn't afford to buy steak. We could afford a little over a pound of ground beef and a tray of chicken strips. I can't help but wonder if the amount of meat we bought would be enough to feed a family with several growing children. For one person, it is enough for ten days, but I question if it is enough for an entire family.

While selecting sliced cheese, I noticed something interesting. I usually buy Kraft Singles, individually wrapped cheese slices. Kraft is known for their cheese, and I figure that they are the best thing to buy. Since we were shopping on a budget, I looked a little further. The Kraft Singles cost more than the generic store version of sliced cheese, but interestingly enough, they offer less slices. After purchasing the generic brand, I have discovered that generic cheese tastes almost exactly like Kraft cheese but gives me more for my buck.

With the SNAP Program, individuals can not purchase pre-made food such as sandwiches and/or hot meals. This made it very difficult for us as students, seeing as we are on campus for most of the day. Whereas we usually eat Quizno's subs for lunch, we now had to plan to go home and make a lunch, or wait until dinner to eat. It offers an interesting insight into an individual on SNAP. Many of the foods that can be purchased with a SNAP card require a kitchen for the food to be prepared in. If someone is at work and doesn't have a lunch break, it may be difficult for them to eat three meals a day.

Toward the end of our Seabras Shopping trip, we spotted some Dunkaroos. Remember the days in elementary school when lunchtime meant comparing and trading your Dunkaroos for Oreos? As much as I wanted to buy Dunkaroos and Oreos, we could not afford them while staying within our budget of the SNAP Challenge. I know it is something extremely minor, and it is something people normally don't think about, but it made my heart ache for little kids out there who sit down at lunch dessert-less, surrounded by their friends who all have Dunkaroos and cookies.

First trip to the grocery store!

I chose to be a part of the SNAP program because I wanted insight into what this program is really about by experiencing it firsthand. I wanted to learn the rules and regulations for participants, what they can and cannot eat, and what their diet is really like.

I come from a farm on the Eastern End of Long Island where we have a retail trade. Our retail market often works with customers who are on a program similar to SNAP called WIC (Women, Infants and Children). As fresh produce is typically more expensive, New York State has set up a Farmers’ Market Nutrition program in accordance with WIC. This program provides fresh, nutritional food items to people on the program while also supporting local farmers by allotting funds to WIC participants that can only be used at local farmers markets. In my opinion this is a great initiative because it supports fresh, local produce while also providing increased nutritional benefits to participants. Since, I work with customers on this program on a daily basis all summer I was interested in learning more about the diet and nutrition of participants on such programs. Surviving on only $2 a day is a startling statistic, so I wanted to experience what such limited, regulated eating habits really feels like.

My first trip to the grocery store put things into perspective. We were given just over $30 to last us 10 days and I typically only spend $12-$15 per week on groceries anyway, so to be quite honest I shopped just as I usually do as a college student with limited funds. I chose generic over name brand and looked for sales and deals. I bought basically the essentials of pasta, sauce, rice, cheese, frozen vegetables, meat, bread, milk, and butter. These items would allow for me to mix and match different things all week to maintain a variety. After purchasing so many items (and still having money left over!), my initial reaction was that living on only $2 a day is easy… then I got to thinking about all of the ‘extra’ things we would use that we already had in our cupboards, so obviously didn’t need to buy. Items such as salt, pepper, bread crumbs, ketchup, mustard, flour, sugar, etc. are all items that add flavor to food. These were items we already had, so we didn’t need to buy them, but someone on the SNAP program who lives month by month on only these funds, but doesn’t already have these items in their cupboard would not be able to buy them, therefore they’d be left with very bland, generic food.

As the first few days of the program progressed I started to look at the nutritional value of the food I was eating. I was basically eating meals as I usually do. They were all relatively balanced with a meat (chicken or ground beef), a carbohydrate (pasta or rice) and a vegetable (canned or frozen). So for the most part I was happy with my diet. But at the same time there were some luxuries missing from my typical diet (which some of those items may actually be healthier for me!) such as coffee, soda, juice, cold cut meat, lettuce for salad and a variety of other fresh produce. When I went shopping I completely avoided the ‘fresh’ section of the supermarket, which includes the deli and produce, because those are the items that are typically more expensive. So while I do feel my diet on SNAP is relatively normal, it is lacking some of the usual nutritional value because the items I am eating are higher in sodium and not as full of nutrition (at least in regards to the vegetables) because they are not fresh. Maybe that’s just me as the farmer speaking, but generally fresh produce is a key component of my diet that I cannot currently indulge in with limited funds, which of course brought me back to the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition supplement and made me realize how valuable that program is.

So overall, my first week with SNAP hasn't been too bad. I am by no means starving, I am just craving all of the indulgences I am typically able to purchase (Quiznos sandwich from the commons? Dunkin' Donuts coffee?!). So with a only a few days left we will see if I can resist the temptation!

What was I thinking???

For my first blog, I am going to address the question I have been asked countless times when I explain to people that I am participating in the SNAP Challenge. That is, 'Why in the world would you agree to do it?' I'm sure this answer is going to vary amongst the SNAP Challenge participants, as I feel it was a very personal decision for me. Last semester for my Speech class I gave a speech on World Hunger. I was astounded by the statistics on hunger in first of all, our own country, which is arguably the richest country in the world, and then the statistics of developing countries where people survive on than less than 2 dollars a day. It baffled me that there were people in our country who were considered food insecure, and that this included families with children. As a child in a middle class family, I have never experienced food insecurity. I have never been told there wasn't going to be any dinner tonight. Obviously I am grateful for my current situation, but I feel that something must be done for those who are in less fortunate situations. From this program I hope to gain some perspective as to what it is really like to not be able to afford groceries and be dependent on assistance in order to feed myself.

Another question that was asked of me was "How are you going to do that if you are vegetarian?" When people asked me this I laughed. Did they not realize that meat is exponentially more expensive than beans? Apparently not. What I think is sickening, is the fact that if everyone on the planet followed a vegetarian diet, there would be no hunger. The amount of food that is produced in order to feed livestock is astronomical. If this food was instead, used directly for human consumption there would be a surplus of food instead of a shortage. This fact really calls to me as an environmentalist. I also would like to think that there are people on the SNAP program or other programs similar to it, that do follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, and that they may encounter different problems than those who eat meat.