With all my calories planned out in a utilitarian fashion, I had to focus on high fat and high protein food. We also added flavor with hot sauce because it's cheap.
So I am pleased to see the Food Stamp Challenge cropping up again on Social media lately. First, with this awesome *free* cookbook for living on $4 a day.
And then I saw this article about going shopping with a mother experiencing homelessness. The description of walking through the grocery store with an internal ticker tape rolling brought back my experience. Even the apples, her biggest splurge, were also something I craved and splurged on.
I was cranky when I was eating cheap, utilitarian food. I craved fresh foods and wanted to eat better. I had little energy and slept more.
A diet like the one so many people live on is not a choice. No one would choose all fat all the time. The fact that dairy and grain are the cheapest foods is, however, a choice that our legislators make every day.
When I lived in Britain, I was surprised how cheap fresh vegetables were, especially compared to the meat which was much more expensive than it is here. That's not an accident; that's how much those foods cost in a more balanced system. Granted, the Scots are not known for their fresh, healthy foods. (Ahem - haggis and whisky.) But the people on food assistance at least have a fighting chance to eat balanced healthy meals, and provide those to their families.
I ache and pray for families in this country who have the deck stacked against them. With a quarter of our children in poverty, I grieve so much for their little tummies at each meal. What do I want for them? What do I hope for their futures as the grow? Apples! Lots and lots of apples!