SNAP Challenge Day 2 – Lessons and Questions

I felt as if I plodded through Day1. My friend Bebe’s words about the presentation of the food is just as important as the taste resonated with me as I prepared dinner. I made a point to serve dinner on cheerful looking dinnerware. Dinner was turkey chili (I used the kidney beans and black beans I purchased in the chili) with brown rice served with spinach and cucumber salad. I made a vinaigrette using balsamic vinegar, peanut oil and a few spices.

A few lessons I learned on Day 1:

• Having a snack is important for me. I ate the soup at 1:30pm . I ate 1/2 an apple at 3 p.m. I had a 7:15 p.m. meeting at a restaurant. I didn’t eat anything, but as I felt  more hungry my
  

  preparing to make hummus

  concentration slipped and I secretly hoped the meeting would end sooner than scheduled so I could go home and eat. After dinner I made hummus and sliced and packaged carrots to take with me as a snack for the remainder of the week. The hummus recipe from budget bytes was a great help.

• I should not wait too long to eat. I was cranky and scattered when I got hungry. Not good for anyone.
• I didn’t drink as much water as I would have liked, especially while at work. I have a Britta water pitcher at my desk. No excuse.

homemade hummus

I want to share and respond to questions that were posed to me on Day 1:

• Q: What kind of fruit did you purchase?
• A: Two apples, two bananas, one orange, and one grapefruit

• Q: Did you really spend $33
• A: My groceries cost $33.32 before deductions. Here’s the receipt:

• Q: Did you decline attending any events this week?
• A: Yes, I declined attending a couple of wine dinners. There will be other events.

• Q: Why are you participating?
• A: I’m participating because not too long ago this scenario was me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t eligible for assistance and I subsisted on a meal allowance of $5 to $10 a week.

My goals for today:

• Drink plenty of water
• Bring  carrots and hummus to snack on.
• Watch portion sizes to ensure my food is available all week.

Day 2 is going to be a busy day.  Are you ready follow today’s adventure?  What questions do you have for me?

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by InkPlus LLC

About Tina Patterson

Follow the adventures of a single female diner as she navigates her way through all things dining related - cooking classes, beverage tasting classes and events, exploring restaurant menus, and more! Trip Advisor Top Contributor. Open Table Top 250 Contributor.

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