SNAP Challenge: My Reflection

Over all, I’d say that this was a pretty eye-opening experience. It forced me to realize just how much I take for granted in my everyday life. I never really considered grocery shopping as a luxury; but after being on such a constrained budget, I have gained an appreciation for all the options that are available to me in my normal life. I think that this challenge also brought to light the importance of making wise shopping decisions. When one is on a budget, it is important to be economically frugal but it is just as imperative that one does not sacrifice health and nutrition for the sake of saving money. 

Now, I realize that a lot of impoverished people do not have the time to really examine the health risks and benefits of the food items that they buy. They most likely have more pressing issues to deal with and just need to get food in their bellies. However, I think if we could better educate the public about making healthier choices, people on a low-income budget might be able to see the economic benefits of eating healthier. A healthy diet means a decreased chance of getting sick, which in turns may alleviate some of the stresses from medical bills. 

I am not saying that this is an easy solution, and I am by no means an expert. But from my own experiences, I found that I functioned much better when the food I consumed was more natural and less processed. It isn’t impossible to find cheap healthier options but it is most definitely a challenge. Since nutrition is very important to human development at all ages, I think that it is something that people should take very seriously.

If given the chance, I would do this challenge again; but I would definitely change my approach to it. I would find a way to incorporate more healthy options into my food storage and spend less money on processed bulk foods like the mac n cheese. Perhaps next time I should purchase a single serving box of mac n cheese and use the extra money to buy more deli meat and vegetables. I would have more variety and I would have healthier options.

             

Though this project was illuminating, I think that merely participating in it is not enough to make a difference in the hunger problem. While it might expose participants to a sliver of the struggles that those in poverty endure, it doesn’t actually help the hungry. That is why it is important for participants to donate or volunteer at organizations that focus on helping those in need (make sure to do thorough research on the organizations before donating to them).

Now that you’ve gotten a taste of the impoverished life, it’s time to take action to stop hunger.

 

Thanks for reading and sharing this journey with me. I will see you all very soon.

~Lizzie 

Disclaimer: The gifs are not mine; credit to the owners