In the US, we are facing a significant problem with food insecurity, which means that many families face the prospect of not knowing where their next meal will come from. In the US, we have a system of public benefits, one of which is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP and formally known as the Food Stamp Program) What is currently happening with this program?

Many individuals believe that food stamps provide enough food for families to make it through an entire month with enough food to sustain them. In this exercise, you will test this out for yourself. Consider when you are doing this whether you have the resources that poorer members of the community many not enjoy – transportation to the market of your choice, ability to buy in bulk, enough cash/credit to take advantage of sales.

SNAP Challenge Create your average food menu for the entire week (3 meals each day) and price this using grocery ads, online, etc. Remember to take into account portion sizes and additional ingredients to cook/bake something. If you eat out, you may include this.

SNAP Challenge You will assume you have the weekly SNAP allotment of $33 The national average allotment is about $133 per month per person What is the difference is between your first weekly food budget and the weekly SNAP budget? Revise your weekly food menu to stay within your weekly SNAP allotment.

SNAP Challenge What did you have to cut or revise? Was this relatively easy to do? What are the challenges of living within a SNAP budget? What strategies help to stay within your budget? Are the cheapest foods the most nutritious? If you used this budget for an entire month, would you expect to run out of food? What would you do then? Did you account that you may not have the resources that you are accustomed to – transportation, credit, etc.