My Food Stamp Challenge Journey

by Ellen Payne, Assistant Director, Worcester County Department of Social Services

I emailed Yolanda at the last minute agreeing to participate “in some way” and when she emailed me back and asked me what I was going to do, I told her “the $21 thing.” So, on Sunday March 9, I went to the Walmart Superstore and put my food stamp groceries in the top of the cart and my family groceries in the bottom of the cart. My food stamp bill was $15.64. I bought generics wherever possible, spaghetti, chunky peanut butter, tuna, raisin bran, spaghetti sauce, ground beef, loaf of bread and quart of milk.

On day one, I had bananas for breakfast, tuna sandwich for lunch and cereal for dinner. After I had raisin bran for dinner, I read the instructions for a procedure I was having on Friday and found out I was not supposed to have bran or nuts. And no food on Thursday. So, on day two I called the doctor’s office, told them what I had eaten (bran and nuts), and they told me it would be OK to proceed on Friday if I didn’t do it again. So, I had to go to the store (Food Lion) to buy a different cereal and smooth peanut butter (I spent $4.38, so I had .98 left). I agonized over the generic cereals, trying to find one that was reasonably healthy and also cheap.

I settled on generic Special K, which I had for dinner that night. Day three (Wednesday) I had cereal for breakfast, a peanut butter sandwich in the car for lunch, then sat through lunch with friends without ordering anything, and spaghetti for dinner which I shared with my husband (he had garlic bread). Day four I could not eat any solid food, so I drank only water until 5PM. When I began to feel light headed, I broke down and had sugar free jello and apple juice I bought a few weeks ago in anticipation of the medical test I was scheduled for on Friday. So I only lasted until Day four, 5PM.

I shared my grocery receipts and my experience with my staff. Diane Reddick, a Long Term Care Case Manager on my staff, said she tried it for one day ($3 for food). I learned that I could not buy the healthy food or the variety I was used to on the food stamp allotment. I learned what it was like to agonize over purchasing groceries, instead of just throwing what I want into the cart. I sat in a restaurant without ordering while my friends had a delicious lunch. And, I didn’t make it past Day four, 5PM!!