SNAP Challenge reflections

So, I've come to the conclusion that eating healthy on SNAP involves using some of the other assistance available.  The food pantry and soup kitchen are great sources for healthy ingredients and meals, but there still is a way to personally coordinate all of these sources for the best impact.

One common tendency for people on SNAP is to use their foodshare benefits right away and then seek out the pantries and soup kitchens.  I've done this myself and I can completely understand why people make this mistake.  The SNAP money doesn't go that far, and leads to limited menu options.  When the beginning of the month rolls around again, it is an opportunity for different menu choices, so we blow through the SNAP money because everything in the store looks good.  For me, budgeting and planning go right out the window at the sight of fresh fruit and vegetables and a meat option that I haven't spent the entire last week eating.

The best way to get the maximum health benefits from SNAP is to look at the other sources you seek out and combine these resources throughout the month instead of always at the end.  Most food pantries will let you visit once a week, so plan that into your month.  Visit there before shopping at the grocery store so you don't buy duplicates and have more to spend on healthy options.  I recommend that even at the food pantry you have your shopping list.  That way, you are an active participant in your own healthy choices.  Don't just grab food and plan to use it later.  The worst thing you can do to other food insecure families is take something you won't really use and end up throwing it away when someone farther back in the line would put it to good use. 

If you tend to run out of food by the end of the month and spend the entire last week eating at The Community Table, plan those visits throughout your month.  If you normally eat there five times at the end of the month, plan at least once a week to eat there.  This allows you to work these visits more into your schedule instead of being at the mercy of the serving schedule they offer.  Also, The Community Table of Eau Claire posts their day's menu on the answering machine, so if they are serving something you don't like, you can go another day that works with your schedule. 

Whether you are on SNAP or not, just making a few changes to the way you use your food resources throughout the month can give you more control over your schedule and your food dollars and can take some of the stress out of food insecurity.