On Food Stamps: Julie's Great Experiment

On Food Stamps: Julie's Great Experiment

Could you survive on $35 of food per week? That’s the typical budget of a person on food stamps, and eating within it requires discipline, creativity, and an awareness of the options available.

My friend Julie Flynn has put herself to the test for an entire month, eating vegan meals for $35 per week, as healthily as she can. Her thought-provoking documentation on the experiment thus far gives experiences, tips, and recipes. She’s already had some challenges, like a bottle of spilled milk (yes, there’s use crying), spoiled fruits, and an impulse $12 grilled cheese. All in all, though, she’s showing how possible, albeit difficult, the task is.

Read her blog or participate and do the challenge yourself!

From Julie:

I am doing this because I am mad as hell, and I am not going to take this anymore.

I don’t know how to fix the food problem in America, but I know that most low and middle-income people in this country don’t seem to have access to food that is healthy for them and healthy for the environment. I don’t know what to do about the fact that most of our food is unfit to eat, but I know I am mad about it, and that this is where I am going to start.

I am doing this because someone needs to draw more attention to the fact that the lack of access to quality food in this country is becoming a MAJOR public health crisis.

This Blog is about resources and barriers in the quest for a healthy but affordable diet.

By reading this Blog and increasing your awareness of the issues it tackles, OR by living on a small food budget yourself and seeking out cheap, healthy options, you can help others in your community in a major way.

Join me in conducting this valuable research by following my Blog, passing it on to friend, or by trying this experiment out yourself. Record your experience so that others can benefit from your findings.

I think we can shake things up for the better… but, I need your help!

Increasing the dialogue about this crisis is imperative, and the best way to mobilize to action. So thank you, Julie, for doing just that!

The challenge is modeled after the Congressional Food Stamp Challenge, which challenges congressmen to do the same. It’s a fascinating read.