by Yolanda M. Dockery, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Family Investment Administration, Maryland Department of Human Resources
Peanut Butter must be the preferred and "affordable" staple this week. I too had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for mid evening snack last night and I have PB&J for lunch today. This morning I was a little pressed for time and I did not have anything readily prepared for my lunch. I quickly scrambled to make PB&J sandwiches for lunch and still strived to be out the door by 5:40 a.m. I thought to myself how much quicker and easier it would have been to throw a bag of salad in my lunch bag along with a yogurt or piece of fruit as I normally would have done if I wasn't a participant in the challenge. None of the previously mentioned items were affordable this week with my $21 stipend. My co-workers and I agree planning meals that are "some what" desirable and sustainable are not the easiest thing to do on at $21 budget. I had oodles of noodles last night at 10 p.m. for dinner. I've lost 3 lbs. since beginning this challenge. I hope I haven't also acquired high blood pressure from all the sodium that I've been consuming with the soup and oodles of noodles. Hopefully all the water I've been consuming has been keeping my system flushed. WE SHALL SEE! My breakfast remains the same. Jello & Fruit Cocktail. I also have applesauce so maybe tomorrow I'll switch up a bit. I mean variety is the "spice of life" right or does that only apply to people that aren't on food stamps who can make daily choices about their menus. I hope to have time to make my tuna/mac salad for dinner tonight and possibly lunch tomorrow. As I was driving to work this morning I was dreaming about having one of my favorite lunches next week which is a salad of any kind (spinach, regular garden salad). I sure hope the end result of this challenge is a higher Food stamp allotment for needy individuals so that they can make healthier food choices for their families and themselves. If not we could be inadvertently spending less in Food Stamps and more on Medical Assistance. Do we really want to trade one for the other? I must admit, I'll be glad when this is over. I want to eat healthy again. I can't imagine being in a position such as many of our customers where this is what they have to do day in and day out, where is is no light at the end of the tunnel.
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I must applaud you thus far. You are seeing and feeling the correlation between poor diet and health. Be cautious of your own health during this exercise. For so many, when this "existence" continues for a prolonged time, in conjunction with unemployment, it is small wonder that their spirit is broken. Turning to alcohol, drugs and crime at this point, seems almost understandable.
When this challenge is over, you will be fortunate enough not to have to imagine the entire plight of your customers. You will be able to say that you have experienced some of their misfortune first hand.
Again, I applaud your commitment and your honesty and hope that this makes a true difference to the future lives of your customers.
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