Could You Eat Well on $4.50 a Day? DelBene Takes SNAP Challenge

Could you have three good squares a day if your budget was $30 a week, or just $4.50 per day?

That's the challenge food stamps recipients face, and the latest legislator to pledge to eat in their shoes for a week is Congresswoman Suzan DelBene.

Beginning Sunday, June 16, DelBene started living on a food stamp budget for meals, in what is known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--or SNAP--Challenge.

The beginning of DelBene's challenge coincides with the end of Hunger Awareness Week in Kirkland, during which local organizations have aired free screenings of A Place at the Table, a film about hunger in America. There are still screenings scheduled tonight and tomorrow, June 17 and 18.


If you had a budget of $30 for a week for food, what would be on your menu? Tell us in the comments. 


In a press release, DelBene explained why she is taking the challenge:

“It’s critically important to raise awareness and stand up for the millions of families, children and seniors across the country who rely on nutrition assistance programs by ensuring our safety net is adequately funded,” said DelBene. 

As part of the broader Farm Bill, there are currently proposals to make deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The proposed cuts would affect 47.5 million Americans, nearly half of whom are children. Eighty-three percent of all SNAP beneficiaries are children, seniors or disabled adults.

During the mark-up of the Farm Bill in the House Agriculture Committee, DelBene sponsored a number of amendments to restore support for SNAP and funding for school lunches.

If implemented, these cuts would be in addition to cuts to SNAP that are set to take place in November 2013, when temporary increases approved in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expire. 

DelBene will live on a food stamp budget from Sunday, June 16 through Saturday, June 22. All food purchased and eaten during the week will be included in the total spending. DelBene will also be sharing photographs of some of her meals and thoughts throughout the week on her Facebook andTwitter pages using the hashtag #SNAPchallenge.