Comments on: Other People's Challenges

By: Melody Lamere

Melody Lamere — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:21:07 +0000

By: Kristin Hansberry

Kristin Hansberry — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:37:25 +0000

I like this weblog very much, Its a rattling nice situation to read and get information.

By: best bread maker

best bread maker — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:17:57 +0000

In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first.

By: Claud Ramsdale

Claud Ramsdale — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 21:42:32 +0000

Thank you very much for this illuminating program! There is only one conclusion that sticks most in my mind and that is that Americans need to start saving or at least live more within their means. America is far to important to the world than to be dragged down by our own want and greed. My hope is that the next generation(my generation) will learn some valuable lessons from what is happening now and this will be the sharp u-turn that had to happen in order to have a better future.

By: Brendan Himelstein

Brendan Himelstein — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:34:56 +0000

It is my opinion diferrent because my friends and family use another model.But next kitchen productsI’ll think of this as Kitchen productsthat you just present.Grate!!!

By: Shira

Shira — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:30:09 +0000

As was noted above, it’s the constraints that get you, not so much the budget- the tiny kitchens, limited storage, lack of equipment, lack of time to get somewhere to buy bulk food and schlep it back by public transportation, sometimes lack of a predictable schedule or stability of residence. All the stories of coping have a momma in them, a momma who is willing to make soup stock, cook a pot of beans while she does the laundry, put on bread to rise while she makes breakfast and bake it when she gets off work at night, keep an eye out for specials on cabbage and plan the menu around it.

It’s easier in middle class digs, even on the same budget. More kitchen space, more equipment, more storage space. The cyclical nature of my business is such that I plan on gardening, canning and planting a winter garden in the summer, because the winter may be verra thin. This winter exceeded expectations. Business was miserable, the garden froze out in a big winter storm, we lost power and the baggies of green beans melted and got foul in the freezer. The larger items were OK, thankfully, at least nobody’s died so far. I think I’ve spent $200 total on groceries in the last three months. We ate well anyway, what with eating up the frozen stuff and what I had stashed around the place.

As for a dinner party out what’s on hand, that would be normal. I’m planning on dandelion greens, a giant squash from last year’s garden, refrozen chickens, and handmade matzot for Passover. I have some homemade wine left, but I plan to take pity on my guests and buy the wine.

Shira in Bellingham, WA

By: Jyotsna

Jyotsna — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:22:05 +0000

Anyone can live on a “food stamp budget”, but it takes a food stamp recipient to really say that. IMHO.

BTW, I post newbie food storage info on my blog, tho it isn’t on the scale of Crunchy Chickens blog! : )

FYI!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:54:03 +0000

I do miss the Friday food storage Quickies. Those helped keep me focused.
Plus had a conversation with a friend, who is concerned her husband’s hours are about to be cut back.

Lisa

By: Crunchy Chicken

Crunchy Chicken — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:23:40 +0000

I’ve done a lot of challenges that can be considered nauseating, but I didn’t think this was one of them

Siobhan, the intent of this challenge was to show people that it may be more difficult to achieve eating sustainably on the federally stated allotments, but that it was doable for most of us.

Clearly there are some serious issues at hand when one is talking about the poor, resources being a big one, as you mentioned, but the biggest and hardest one to get over is the problem of accessibility. Sustainably grown foods just aren’t generally available in areas (particularly inner-cities) where the poor are doing their shopping. Food prices in those areas tend to be higher as well for a number of different reasons.

The book _Closing the Food Gap_ that Sharon mentions goes into to this far better than I am in this comment. Either way, I wanted to state that the challenge isn’t to marginalize the poor even more than they already are, but to counter the argument that eating sustainably is unaffordable to most. The Food Stamp allotments are only being used as a guideline instead of me arbitrarily picking numbers.

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:44:44 +0000

Ya know, I’ve been on food stamps myself. And I know it is possible to feed three growing boys plus myself quite well, if monotonously, on what they give you. You just eat more beans and rice.

And there’s no reason a pot of beans can’t be simmering on the counter in a crockpot all the time. Or a pot roast. And cornbread is quick to make when you get home.

No, working and going to school and all that other stuff is really no excuse. It can be done. I know, I’ve done it.

I’m no longer on food stamps, but we still eat as though we were; I cook extra on my days off so we have stuff to take to work, we do a lot of crockpot cooking, and we eat little meat.

Regarding vegetables, eating seasonally is really the key to low cost fresh veggies. Like now for instance, cabbage is 39 cents a pound at my supermarket. I can get two or three meals out of one head, and the leftovers go to my chickens. Like I said, a little monotonous, but cheap, nutritious, and yummy with the right spices.