One Dollar A Day Diet/Food Stamp Diet

[noobiechickenlady]

I found out just a few days ago that you can buy plants & seeds, but not the dirt to grow them in, with food stamps. As long as you can eat it, and its not bought while its hot, you can use the card. The new name of the program in MS is called SNAP. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

I've been trying to get my $700 a month friends to put some plants in around their home. They rent a house, and the landlady would love it. No luck yet.

 

[enjoy the ride]

The sadest thing I know is to see an apple tree loaded with fruit going to waste. Just today I parked at a medical office center and there was a teenie weenie apple tree with two really ripe apples on it- I kept looking at them thinkinghow good they would be right off the tree.
It would be a wonderful charity thing to go and make arrangements with all those wasted fruit people to pick those fruits and give them away. But I suppose that there is some law about a food bank accepting them- I know there is here in our town with home garden stuff. They will get overripe rejects from a grocery store but not home grown stuff that is to die for.

 

[DianeB]

The sadest thing I know is to see an apple tree loaded with fruit going to waste. Just today I parked at a medical office center and there was a teenie weenie apple tree with two really ripe apples on it- I kept looking at them thinkinghow good they would be right off the tree.
It would be a wonderful charity thing to go and make arrangements with all those wasted fruit people to pick those fruits and give them away. But I suppose that there is some law about a food bank accepting them- I know there is here in our town with home garden stuff. They will get overripe rejects from a grocery store but not home grown stuff that is to die for.

I remember when they had second harvest that use to go to peoples homes and harvest their fruit trees, berry bushes and garden to donate. That was legislated out. Not all places can give away their old food. When I worked at KFC ten years ago they had to throw out their food. How horrible that we are forced to through away perfectly good food while people starve. I don't get the point when people dumpster dive for old food. Wouldn't it be better to give them fresh food before it gets into the trash?

 

[DianeB]

That is what is so sad is that if these people had the ability to do better/more they likely would. But when you are barely keeping a roof over your head and food in your stomach, the investment in a garden just isn't practical.

Now if cities cleared out vacant lots and established community gardens for those who were in need.....that would go a long way.

Were I live there is vacant lots just about everywhere covered with weeds. I believe they are owned by a few companies/families. They are holding onto these plots until they can get a high price for them. Probably sue anyone who dared grow anything on them. Never mind that they are eyesores that have sat their for literally decades. In this case, it would be up to the city to push for this land to be used for gardening or anything else. Here there is no political will.

Ironically, there are several measures on our ballot to build over farmland for business and industrial parks though we have no businesses or industries to put into them. I swear the city council is either dense, corrupt or both.

Building over farmland and no community gardens. What a crime!

 

[sylvie]

I know a number of people who are living on ramen noodles to make ends meet. Cheaper than $3 per day but at what cost to their overall health?

 

[me&thegals]

So, maybe the question needs to be can you eat well on $1/person/day.

 

[FarmerChick]

So, maybe the question needs to be can you eat well on $1/person/day.

and can you grow some of your own or barter for homemade healthy things

 

[big brown horse]

Believe it or not in downtown Houston there were many community gardens. They rented a plot for almost nothing...a few people usually shared the cost of one plot and helped eachother water and weed it.

During H. Katrina I helped at a community center in a very poor area of the city and they had the most wonderful garden. The fresh grown food was given out free with bags of donated "shelf" food. They got fresh fruit from orange trees, loquat trees, peach trees and limes. Plus tons of fresh veggies in season. It was hot as hades working in that garden, but it was sooo worth it!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I've been talking with my board of supervisors, trying to get them to plant fruit trees that actually make fruit instead of crepe myrtles & Bartlett pears. Some are surprisingly excited by the prospect; while others are just as surprisingly vehemently against it.
I would pick them, if nobody else did.

There has also been talk about opening a few "blighted" (usually means grown up grass plot with little to no junk on it, round here) for community gardens. This is very exciting, as we have no CSAs, little variety in the farmer's markets (unless you go to the major metro areas) & I have mud not soil.

 

[DianeB]

Another problem with such a limited budget is purchasing power. If you have a family of 4 or 5 or 6 you get more money upfront from foodstamps that can be used to buy items in bulk. For familes of 2 or less they are still forced to buy smaller more expensive quantities.