SNAP week in review

I haven't been blogging lately...life happens. 

Last Saturday, I went to the food pantry again.  The line was as long, but it went more quickly; I was in line only a half hour.  It was the first weekend of the month, so not as many people came because they had a different source for food.  I can understand wanting to give yourself a break from the line at least one week out of the month

I'm a gregarious person by nature, so my time in line is spent talking and laughing with the people around me.  I've learned about some great places to get free second-hand furniture and clothing and some places to look for jobs and great places to find bargains.  I've learned more about the Native American belief system and about the four times the earth was flooded.  I've learned that people are just people no matter where they are and each of us can fit into any social situation as long as we are not judgmental and are just willing to put ourselves out there.

There is a yard in front of the food pantry where the children always seem to migrate to play.  Moms and Dads are in tune to where their children are and what they are doing while slowly moving forward in the line.  Once they move past the edge of the building and they can't see their kids playing, they call them to come and stand with them.  The protective parent doesn't go away just because the income does.  There are good and bad parents in all ranges of the income scale.

I got some really great stuff this visit.  I am set for yogurt for awhile because of a donation of expired products that came in.   You can freeze yogurt, but it changes the consistency.  I use it just for smoothies, so that was fine.  I also got some coffee, canned carrots, canned tomatoes, cauliflower, peppers, bread, pork patties and canned pumpkin.

I'm trying my best to augment my resources with healthy choices.  It would have been easy to load up on bread and cereal, but that wouldn't have been the healthiest choice for me.  With the visits to the pantry, I'm able to get some healthier choices from other sources.  I still have a few dollars left to spend on fresh vegetables and fruit.  My next "month" starts on the 19th, so I have to make wise choices from here out.

I do want to add that it isn't easy to talk yourself into going to the food pantry even though you may not have anything left to eat.  The volunteers and workers at St Francis do a great job, though, of making the experience normal and not shameful.  We as a society load too much shame and condescension on those who need social services instead of finding out why they are there in the first place and trying to correct the situation.

I'm getting fat on the SNAP challenge

I'm putting on weight with the SNAP challenge.  When you do the challenge for any great length of time, healthy foods go right out the window and filling foods become the focus.  I eat a healthy meal during the day, but by the time I get home from work, I'm really hungry and tend to binge on what is convenient and filling.  The problem with that is that what is quick to make is usually high in carbohydrates.  My banana muffins are making me have muffin top!

I don't have the money to just go out and purchase more fresh vegetables or some apples as fillers.  I blew through the budget early in the month and am left with canned and frozen fruits and vegetables.  They are completely unappetizing to me.

My garden isn't producing anything but lettuce and onions at this point.  There are some small cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes on the plants, but they haven't developed yet.  My beans are starting to bloom, but it won't be until next week that I start to see some production.

I'm tired of soups and stews and casseroles!  I want steamed fresh vegetables with a side of meat!

Gawd!  I sound whiny, don't I?