blog 4InboxxKatie 8:59 AM (6 hours ago)
to me Today was better because I made a bunch of rice pasta, much more filling than fruits & veggies, and ate some for lunch and dinner. I had a bowl of oatmeal (no PB… gotta conserve that) with a banana and coffee for breakfast and packed a few thinly sliced carrots and my leftover potatoes for snacking throughout the day. I took a library break in the late afternoon and ate a banana with peanut butter and returned for an evening shift with an apple and some pasta. Of course I was hungry again by the time I got home kinda late and had another apple. I miss lemon and garlic and green vegetables. Also, I usually eat eggs for breakfast a few times a week and miss getting creative with them.
I think this challenge has been good for me because it's made me realize how much I usually indulge. I think it's hard for us to adapt since we usually have such different diets than we do this week. If we were living on a SNAP budget more long term, our tastes would probably shift and we wouldn't crave fancy foods like goat cheese. That's what happened when I became a vegetarian, I just stopped wanting meat. Food is one of the most important things to me as it has such a huge effect on how I feel. I've become pretty attuned to my body and know when it is happy and not. My stomach has been making some weird noises honestly. And I have felt less than 100% all week (partially due to school stress). But sacrifice is good for us sometimes, especially for putting things into perspective. With every aspect of my life lately, I am continually reminded that other people always have it worse, with everything from final papers & exams to lacking basic necessities. So we should stop complaining and be grateful for all we have. Tis the season I suppose.
On Nov 20, 2014, at 8:43 AM, Katie <[email protected]> wrote:
New challenges:-Bananas rapidly turning brown and mushy (increasingly so, if they live in my backpack)-Running dangerously low on PB!!! (main source of protein/sustenance)-concerns about skin turning orange due to increased consumption of carrots-being a distraction in the library by loud carrot chewing-never being full
Dietary changes: Eating a lot of the same thing… kinda boring
I started the day off with an unsurprising bowl of oatmeal + peanut butter and a cup of bad coffee. Snacked on a banana between classes, carrots and potatoes in the library, an apple and peanut butter during the greenbag talk, followed by a second banana in the afternoon plus coffee (filling). Around 5 pm I made a banana/PB snack (3rd naner of the day) to hold me through till 8:30 when my class ended. Although I wanted (not really though) to go back to the library to work on my research paper, I couldn't imagine working indefinitely on a hungry stomach. So I was forced to return home to make another bowl of oatmeal and cook more potatoes. Without any kind of liquid/grease/oil added to the potatoes, they turned out almost like french fry consistency because I baked them at a really high temperature. Maybe I just want french fries and was reimagining them in my mind. Either way, they were good and fun to eat in really small bites! :)
I have had several brief conversations about SNAP. Most people just ask "is it really hard?" and don't ask about the actual assistance program. In general, although I am limiting my spending and consumption of food, I don't feel like I really have a deep understanding of what it's like to be dependent on SNAP. I know that at the end of this week, I can go back to my normal diet. I also feel endless webs of support around me in the charleston area. If I actually was relying solely on SNAP to feed myself, I would have lots of friends, teachers, and community members that I know would be there for me. A lot of people don't have that support system and that's what pushes them over the edge when they lose their job or something and are forced to move out of their home. I know we have a food bank and a few homeless ministries run by church groups, but how else can the whole community act as a support system? I would love to host some community meals with all donated food where people can build relationships and get to know our neighbors.
I am shocked that able-bodied adults without dependents can only receive SNAP benefits for up to three months in a three year period! This seems very short-sighted, like a quick fix solution. Say hypothetically that a homeless and unemployed individual is on SNAP (is that possible?) and within the first month finds a job. Is it reasonable to think that he/she can fully support him/herself in two months? Doubtful! Without SNAP benefits, the individual will lack the means necessary to continue working because they'll be spending all of their time finding their next meal. I became a supporter of welfare after recently spending six months in Europe and seeing how well it works. The most generous welfare states (Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands) have some of the highest levels of total employment. Long-term support is clearly needed, and we should all feel more responsible for taking care of our fellow citizens because it ultimately benefits everyone when the whole population is contributing to and engaged in society. Where might the U.S. get this extra funding from? Maybe we should consider taking it out of our defense budget.
Nov 19, 2014, at 9:09 PM, Colleen Sullivan <[email protected]> wrote:
Hey bloggers!
I am really sorry I am sending this reminder about our third blog so late… its been a crazy day! But.. Congrats on being half way through the challenge!
Please try to send me your third blog tonight or tomorrow morning. I also wanted to say your blogs have been great. Its been really amazing reading through them!
As always, if you have any questions please just send me an email!
Thanks,Colleen Google Apps ProfileClick here to Reply or ForwardUsing 2.74 GBManage©2014 Google - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy - Program Policies Powered by Last account activity: 0 minutes agoOpen in 1 other location Details
to me Today was better because I made a bunch of rice pasta, much more filling than fruits & veggies, and ate some for lunch and dinner. I had a bowl of oatmeal (no PB… gotta conserve that) with a banana and coffee for breakfast and packed a few thinly sliced carrots and my leftover potatoes for snacking throughout the day. I took a library break in the late afternoon and ate a banana with peanut butter and returned for an evening shift with an apple and some pasta. Of course I was hungry again by the time I got home kinda late and had another apple. I miss lemon and garlic and green vegetables. Also, I usually eat eggs for breakfast a few times a week and miss getting creative with them.
I think this challenge has been good for me because it's made me realize how much I usually indulge. I think it's hard for us to adapt since we usually have such different diets than we do this week. If we were living on a SNAP budget more long term, our tastes would probably shift and we wouldn't crave fancy foods like goat cheese. That's what happened when I became a vegetarian, I just stopped wanting meat. Food is one of the most important things to me as it has such a huge effect on how I feel. I've become pretty attuned to my body and know when it is happy and not. My stomach has been making some weird noises honestly. And I have felt less than 100% all week (partially due to school stress). But sacrifice is good for us sometimes, especially for putting things into perspective. With every aspect of my life lately, I am continually reminded that other people always have it worse, with everything from final papers & exams to lacking basic necessities. So we should stop complaining and be grateful for all we have. Tis the season I suppose.
On Nov 20, 2014, at 8:43 AM, Katie <[email protected]> wrote:
New challenges:-Bananas rapidly turning brown and mushy (increasingly so, if they live in my backpack)-Running dangerously low on PB!!! (main source of protein/sustenance)-concerns about skin turning orange due to increased consumption of carrots-being a distraction in the library by loud carrot chewing-never being full
Dietary changes: Eating a lot of the same thing… kinda boring
I started the day off with an unsurprising bowl of oatmeal + peanut butter and a cup of bad coffee. Snacked on a banana between classes, carrots and potatoes in the library, an apple and peanut butter during the greenbag talk, followed by a second banana in the afternoon plus coffee (filling). Around 5 pm I made a banana/PB snack (3rd naner of the day) to hold me through till 8:30 when my class ended. Although I wanted (not really though) to go back to the library to work on my research paper, I couldn't imagine working indefinitely on a hungry stomach. So I was forced to return home to make another bowl of oatmeal and cook more potatoes. Without any kind of liquid/grease/oil added to the potatoes, they turned out almost like french fry consistency because I baked them at a really high temperature. Maybe I just want french fries and was reimagining them in my mind. Either way, they were good and fun to eat in really small bites! :)
I have had several brief conversations about SNAP. Most people just ask "is it really hard?" and don't ask about the actual assistance program. In general, although I am limiting my spending and consumption of food, I don't feel like I really have a deep understanding of what it's like to be dependent on SNAP. I know that at the end of this week, I can go back to my normal diet. I also feel endless webs of support around me in the charleston area. If I actually was relying solely on SNAP to feed myself, I would have lots of friends, teachers, and community members that I know would be there for me. A lot of people don't have that support system and that's what pushes them over the edge when they lose their job or something and are forced to move out of their home. I know we have a food bank and a few homeless ministries run by church groups, but how else can the whole community act as a support system? I would love to host some community meals with all donated food where people can build relationships and get to know our neighbors.
I am shocked that able-bodied adults without dependents can only receive SNAP benefits for up to three months in a three year period! This seems very short-sighted, like a quick fix solution. Say hypothetically that a homeless and unemployed individual is on SNAP (is that possible?) and within the first month finds a job. Is it reasonable to think that he/she can fully support him/herself in two months? Doubtful! Without SNAP benefits, the individual will lack the means necessary to continue working because they'll be spending all of their time finding their next meal. I became a supporter of welfare after recently spending six months in Europe and seeing how well it works. The most generous welfare states (Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands) have some of the highest levels of total employment. Long-term support is clearly needed, and we should all feel more responsible for taking care of our fellow citizens because it ultimately benefits everyone when the whole population is contributing to and engaged in society. Where might the U.S. get this extra funding from? Maybe we should consider taking it out of our defense budget.
Nov 19, 2014, at 9:09 PM, Colleen Sullivan <[email protected]> wrote:
Hey bloggers!
I am really sorry I am sending this reminder about our third blog so late… its been a crazy day! But.. Congrats on being half way through the challenge!
Please try to send me your third blog tonight or tomorrow morning. I also wanted to say your blogs have been great. Its been really amazing reading through them!
As always, if you have any questions please just send me an email!
Thanks,Colleen Google Apps ProfileClick here to Reply or ForwardUsing 2.74 GBManage©2014 Google - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy - Program Policies Powered by Last account activity: 0 minutes agoOpen in 1 other location Details