RECENTLY UPDATED: APRIL 21, 2009
APRIL 13, 2009
I knew new shopping ads would take effect midweek, so I headed to Albertsons to grab a few sale items. I paid $78.61 for 38 items and my receipt reported $58.10 in savings. I stocked up on essentials: vegetable oil, sugar, flour, oatmeal, cereal, butter, cheese, meat and more — plus two bags of Lay’s Kettle Chips, which I consider a necessity. I also bought a few kid-friendly items for packed lunches; kid items do seem pricey.
At checkout I felt a bit stressed. I couldn’t imagine relying on food stamps and not having enough. I’m aiming to stay under a $130 budget, and I still need produce and other items, leaving $51 to finish the week. That’s the real challenge — stretching the remaining money to cover what’s left.
APRIL 14, 2009
Reality set in and the challenge started to feel intimidating. I lost sleep worrying about how to spend the remaining $52. Today’s grocery ads weren’t as strong as I hoped; deals tend to be better before major holidays. I checked local produce prices and began to panic a lot.
I had to reassess my menu and strategy. I’m frustrated with myself for not sticking to a list — I bought impulsively and now regret some purchases. For example, two bags of chips may mean no room in the budget for ice cream, and a can of non-stick spray could have been avoided since butter or oil would do the same job. I’ll stick to a list from now on.
This is where the Hunger Challenge gets real: budgets force tough decisions. I’ve already cut items that aren’t cost-effective. I thought about how different the exercise would be over two weeks, since basics like flour, oil and sugar wouldn’t need to be repurchased as often. Small comforts aside, I spent $1.02 on a loaf of whole-grain white bread tonight.
Off topic: we’ll host 30 people this Sunday for my son’s first birthday with traditional Korean food and other dishes. It’s humbling to be able to celebrate while others live on much tighter budgets.
APRIL 17, 2009
So far we’re doing okay, though I still regret overshopping on the first trip. I stopped at Fred Meyer for Kiva coffee on sale ($4.99/lb with coupon) and bought under half a pound for about $2, plus a half-gallon of generic vanilla ice cream for $2. I also bought 30 lunchbox apples, 10 kiwis and 15 lemons for $5.50 — a great price at Top Foods. At Sam’s Club I bought 18 eggs for $2.15 and a gallon of milk for $1.79. The day’s total was $13.44, bringing the running total to $92.05 for the challenge.
APRIL 18, 2009 Part A
I’ve been under the weather, but the challenge prompted some reflection: What am I trying to accomplish? Is it aligned with the challenge’s spirit? Do I eat well?
My original goal was to create creative, low-cost meals, but that overlooked a key reality: families on tight budgets prioritize feeding everyone affordably and reliably, not culinary creativity. The challenge is about building empathy and understanding, not designing gourmet budget meals — although cooking from scratch usually yields better results than relying on boxed or canned options.
As for my own diet, I eat a lot of carbs — whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice, but also chips, cakes and cookies. This exercise is helping me reevaluate those choices.
APRIL 18, 2009 Part B
Preparing for my son’s birthday, I shopped at a Korean grocery and found produce incredibly cheap: cilantro $0.25 per bunch, onions $0.19/lb, green onions 6 for $1, grapes $0.69/lb. My purchases included cilantro $0.25, a yellow onion $0.10, avocado $0.89, lime $0.33, two tomatoes $1.25, jalapeño $0.16, red grapes $1.20, carrots $0.50 — total $4.68. Great value compared to regular grocery ads.
APRIL 19, 2009
At my son’s birthday we enjoyed delicious Korean food. With the Hunger Challenge starting the next day, I picked up a few bulk items at Fred Meyer: a gallon of OJ on sale $2.50, two small pears $1, corn tortillas $1, two bags of spinach $2.38, mushrooms $0.50, and small amounts of spices and dried cranberries — total $7.52. It may seem odd to buy just a spoonful of spices, but on a tight budget you buy what you need. Running total: $105.27 — over $100 already.
APRIL 20, 2009
I bought flour tortillas $2.50 and a sweet potato $0.34 at Fred Meyer, spending $2.84 and bringing the total to $107.59. That left $22.41 — I had hoped to dine out by Friday, but more shopping remained.
APRIL 21, 2009
Today I shopped at Double D Meats and H-Mart. Double D has excellent deli prices; I bought under half a pound of smoked turkey for $1.49. At H-Mart I purchased green leaf lettuce $0.99, fish sauce $1.29, soy sauce $1.99, green grapes $1.25, red bell pepper $0.23, rice vermicelli $0.89, a 10 lb bag of potatoes $1.99, five garlic bulbs $0.34, green onion $0.17, two yellow onions $0.17, bean sprouts $0.69, strawberry tomatoes $1.29, asparagus $1.93, red onion $0.15, four bananas $0.75, edamame $1.25 and two zucchinis $0.68. Both stores totaled $17.54.
As a small treat, I stopped by a new conveyor-belt sushi spot and bought a Las Vegas roll for $2.50 plus tax ($2.74). I figured a modest splurge was allowed.
Today’s total was $20.28, leaving $1.63 remaining. Not enough for a full meal out, but enough for a small coffee.
Looking back, I would avoid overbuying on the first trip. I likely could have saved at least $10 by being more disciplined. Still, many items purchased will last well beyond a week, so if this were a longer challenge those initial investments would free up money for more fresh produce and protein later. Overall, considering the circumstances, I did reasonably well.