Posted by Dorine King on January 12th, 2017 in #RedPhoenixSNAP, Cooking Through the Seasons, SNAP Program, Uncategorized

Join Me (and Molly) in the SNAP CHALLENGE!

This is going to be difficult unless I really commit to the SNAP Challenge.  I have already spent $259.55 of our $357 allotment. I have less than $100 left for the entire month of January — $97.45 to be exact!  Well, at least I have food in the fridge, freezer and pantry.  It’s still going to be tough – I will be using the rest of our allotment on fresh fruits, vegetables and on milk, cereal and bread for my husband.  It will be tight, but I am determined to make this work!

In looking over my receipts, I am wondering if I could have not spent a bit of money.

1. Red Gold Tomatoes were on sale for .69 each with a maximum purchase of 12. I really didn’t need 12 cans, I could have bought 4 instead, saving $5.52
2. Molly (my cocker spaniel) was sick and needed to go on a bland diet.  That means hamburger, chicken, cottage cheese and rice or pasta for her.  Should that have come from my medical budget, or my grocery budget?  I took $22.49 from the grocery budget for my dog.
3. When I decided to do this SNAP Challenge, I already had a special 8-course Italian dinner planned for New Year Day. I could have passed on the bread sticks because I also bought little crackers and a baguette, saving $1.89.  I also bought a couple of impulse items of corn tortillas, cotija cheese, which could have saved me $7.88.  I splurged on cannoli, gelato and rosemary nuts at $18.96 (we had Christmas cookies we could have eaten for dessert instead and I could have toasted and spiced some nuts from the freezer).

Not counting the money for the extra food for Molly, I could have saved $34.25 and not have changed my life or even felt deprived (but look at her!  What would you have done?).  So now, the challenge is how to make the $97.45 I have left in my food budget for the month last 4 more weeks!  Time to plan some menus!

Happy Cooking!

Dorine (and Molly!)