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Food for Thought

Posted by: SuperUser Account on 9/11/2012
This month the Virginia Interfaith Center is focused on calling attention to the realities of poverty and hunger right here in our Commonwealth.  Consequently, a number of us on staff and in the community committed to eating according to the Poverty Diet, or the equivalent budget of an individual on food stamps. The goal of the experience is to better understand the tough choices many Americans face each day, ultimately spending no more than $4.32 per day on food.

I spent three days on the poverty diet last week and I learned that while it is easy to find low-cost food, it is not always nutritious. Nor is it always nearby, or necessarily what I want to eat.  On day one, I spent $10.90 on groceries for three days – just under the $12.96 allowance that I agreed to.  I was almost proud of myself for coming in under budget when I realized that I hadn’t purchased anything green.  I concluded that frugal shopping doesn’t buy much good nutrition, even if it offers plenty of calories.

Unfortunately, my search for bargains did more to shape my menu than anything else.
But it is also worth noting that I live within walking distance of three grocery stores.  Most low-income people don’t have very many options when it comes to where they shop for groceries, and often rely on public transportation to get them to and from the store.  Carrying groceries on and off the bus and then walking home in the heat of summer or the cold of winter adds additional challenges for many.  

Often enough, law-makers have challenged the choices that low-income people should be able to make with respect to spending what they get through public assistance. For example, you can spend SNAP (food stamps) money on vegetables, but you can’t spend it on toilet paper or tooth paste.  I get it, the choices we make are important.  But in the case of low-income families, I think the choices that they don’t get to make are equally important.  Low income families don’t get much say in where they live and where they can afford to shop.  They also don’t get much say in what kinds of food are available and affordable at the stores they can easily access.  Finally, because low-income people often prioritize rent and medical bills over food and clothing, they often cut their food budget and don’t get the same nutritional choices than many of us make each day.

I hope you will consider adopting the poverty diet yourself this month. Try it for three days like I did or even just for one day. And if you can, offer a prayer at each meal. Let us know about your experience and help us call attention to poverty throughout September and for as long as families and children remain in need.
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