Monday, April 6, 2009

The London Food Bank Challenge: Pop tarts for breakfast? Yipes

As I mentioned earlier, I’m one of a dozen people who recently agreed to live on the groceries a typical food bank client receives.

I suppose during a huge recession is the best time to learn about the concerns of the local food bank and the growing number of those who rely on it for help.

I’ve been asked to record my challenges, concerns, complaints and how long the food lasts?

Today’s entry, thus far:

Breakfast: leftover oatmeal w milk - very good (I felt I needed to finish off the last of it before it turned into a science experiment)

Snack: pop tart - tasty but worrisome e.g. what is it and what is in it? (Several years ago I ate pop tarts during a camping trip. I took them only because the slim packages could be stored easily inside motorcycle saddle bags.)

Lunch: Primo brand ‘grilled chicken and two kinds of rice’ soup with two toasted whole wheat rolls - very good as well

Concerns: That was the last of the ‘quality’ canned soups , and the whole wheat rolls are on their last legs too.

Looks like Kraft Dinner for supper - again.

Thank goodness I can add a bit of homemade chili to the plate, even though it’s cheating.

***

Is there a food bank in your neighbourhood? Is it busy too?

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello Gord,
My wife and I tried to spend only $150 on food for the two of us this past month. Now, we did have a pantry with some stuff and a freezer but we did not use much and everything was bought on sale. We did it. We spent just under $150 and I blogged after each week. To get by on a tight budget one must know how to cook - nothing prepackaged - and one must vary the menu - no boredom - and one must use everything - no waste. Lastly, menus were adapted to match whatever was on sale that week. Find tomatoes on sale at 55-cents a pound and pasta at 99-cents for two pounds and start thinking Italian. It can be done but one almost needs an instruction book. I could not have done it without my wife.