This forum is worth more than the others because it combines 2 discussions into one. We're doing this party because of the rescheduling of our first exam, but also because this forum is likely to be a little more time-consuming. This forum is worth 4 points as a result. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS FORUM WHILE YOU ARE PREPARING FOR THE EXAM!!!!!
If you can take the SNAP challenge, please follow the first set of rules below. If you have dietary or health restrictions, please scroll down and take the ALTERNATIVE SNAP CHALLENGE.
Please keep in mind: no matter which challenge you take, you MUST complete this assignment by Wednesday, October 23rd at noon.
SNAP CHALLENGE RULES:
1. Do the SNAP challenge for 3 days.
2. Your entire budget for these three days has to be $4.50 (about $1.50 per meal). This needs to include all food and beverages.
3. Please do not accept free food from friends, family, while at work, or at your dorm. The task here is to experience what it is like to live on $4.50 per day.
4. During the SNAP challenge to not eat or drink anything that you purchased prior to the challenge.
5. Keep receipts of all the food that you purchased for this exercise.
6. Blog about your experience by answering the questions posted for each day:
DAY 1: How did your shopping cart look compared to a normal day? What choices did you make about the types of food that you could afford and/or where you shopped?
DAY 2: What did you cut out of your diet that you would consumed on a normal day?
DAY 3: How has a limited budge impacted your mood? Did you think more about food than usual?

Day 1:

Before beginning the SNAP challenge, I brainstormed potential ideas for how I would spend less over the next three days. I understood that in order to meet the tight budget designated by the SNAP challenge, shopping at my traditional grocer, Berkeley Bowl, might not be the best idea. I found a local grocery outlet online that was a bit farther than my traditional grocer but would more likely help me stay within my budget constraints for the following three days. After arriving at the market, I was surprised to see the limited selection in items like bread that normally have scores of different variations at Berkeley Bowl. Many items followed this same pattern. It seemed clear to me that the easiest way to save money would be to buy items in bulk, but could not afford to do so as I assumed that I only had $13.50 to spend in total for the week. Therefore, I did my best to select food options I thought would be filling and meet minimum nutritional requirements. I bought a dozen eggs for $1.95 assuming these eggs will allow me three breakfasts of 4 eggs each. Next, I looked out for possible lunch options. I purchased a loaf of bread for $1.15. While I normally would have selected a whole grain choice, I was left with limited selection and needed to focus on staying within my budget constraint. Along with the bread I bought a jar of peanut butter for $1.25 and completed my lunch purchases for the following three days. While I normally would have meat or chicken at dinner, it seemed buying either of those things would be out of the question. However, I was able to find somewhat of a middle ground when coming across canned soups that were sold at the outlet. I purchased 3 different soups to add some diversity to my meals for $1.79 each. With a little under $4.00 remaining in my budget, I thought the best use of my extra funds would be towards more nutritious purchases. Oranges and bananas were the cheapest produce by the pound and seemed to be a good snack in case I got hungry between meals. I bought roughly 3 pounds of oranges for $2.10 and 6 bananas for $1.28. Looking at my cart was a humbling experience. While I knew that my diet would only be changed for the following three days, it was still difficult to accept the change. I worried about the nutritional value of my meals and whether my diet was conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Drinks were the last thing on my mind and I decided drinking only water was my best option. I understood that these thoughts and questions were expected when accepting the SNAP challenge, and I looked forward to the experience over the next couple of days.

Day 2:

Although my meals throughout the day were filling enough that I was never physically uncomfortable, there were a number of purchases that I could not afford to make during the challenge. For example, I have grown accustomed to a cup of coffee before beginning class each morning, but was unable to afford the two-dollar drink. Similarly, I have a bit of a sweet tooth and enjoy indulging in a donut or candy bar every couple of days. The limitations of my budget did not allow me to pursue such indulgences. I truly never considered these small purchases to be much of an expense through my day-to-day lifestyle. However, after recognizing that a simple cup of coffee was more expensive than any single meal I had planned out the three days of the challenge, I recognized what it truly means to live under a constricting budget. I have always understood the importance of maintaining a budget and being aware of how I spend my money, but these small privileges I previously took for granted were more difficult to deal with than I would have expected.

Day 3:

The limited budget absolutely affected my mood. Prior to the challenge, food was more than simply a means of meeting my daily necessities. Eating was an opportunity to take a break from my day, prepare something unique, and experience the meal once it was finished. I was not granted that same satisfaction with my simplistic meals. In addition, while I might have been full after completing a meal, I did not feel satisfied. I still craved something with more flavor or that tasted better. Therefore, I would say that I spent much more time thinking about food. I thought about the food I could have been eating if I was not constrained to the limiting budget of the SNAP challenge. Additionally, I relied on things like my morning coffee as a pick-me-up before early morning class. Those little things helped me fit into my routine and really helped me get through the day. Without food as a temporary escape from a normal day, a treat to help me with the mundane, I think my temperament was definitely affected.