potrero view

May 2009

Eating on Twenty-One Bucks a Week

By Sarah Marloff

Last fall the San Francisco Food Bank challenged the City’s middle- and upper-class residents to spend just $21 a week, a dollar a meal, on food.  That’s the average amount a low-income San Franciscan is provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, or food stamp, program.  More than 100 people took the challenge, documenting their experiences and the anxiety they felt trying to eat on such a minuscule allowance.

Since the fall challenge, a new president has been elected, more than two dozen banks have failed, and unemployment has spiked.  I decided to investigate whether it’s gotten any easier to feel well fed on a $21 a week diet.  

Carbohydrates, such as beans, rice, and noodles, are the least expensive food group.  But, I prefer to avoid carbs.  I invested my single Jackson and a sole Washington in the following items:  one package of plain tofu, one large container of plain yogurt; a bag of frozen vegetables; one carton of soymilk, five bananas, a loaf of bread, and a gallon of water.  I spent the remaining buck-fifty on two handfuls of banana chips.  The bread and yogurt would serve as breakfast, the bananas were for lunch, with tofu and vegetables for dinner.

The challenges – and resulting cheating – started even before my first breakfast.  A pound of coffee was provided for free by a friend.  I quickly categorized gum as a nonfood item, but chewing it made me hungrier.   I started to raid the family for which I provide child care’s refrigerator, and sneaked their instant coffee to ease my cravings.  On the fourth day the family, unaware that I was taking the challenge, took me to a seafood restaurant, where I gobbled down oysters — which usually make me queasy – wrapped in bacon; and I don’t eat pork!  In addition to satisfying my deep hunger, the dinner meant that I had one less night of eating the same tofu and vegetable dish, and could stretch my meager food supplies longer.

Feeling hungry all of the time was distracting.  I couldn’t go out for a beer with friends because I was too hungry to drink. I spent more time digging through the food at work than I did working.  My stomach growled when I went to sleep at night.  I did learn a few survival tricks:  no one will miss a few free handfuls of supermarket bulk-food; if there’s a sale, stock-up; pack your freezer with frozen foods; buy things like peanut butter that lasts for a while.

I don’t make a middle class income.  It’s by luck, rent control and a great roommate that I can afford to live in San Francisco.  I know what it’s like to be short on money.  But this was far beyond what I’ve ever experienced.  People cannot live off such a tiny sum of money.  Forget about purchasing organic chicken – even the stuff pumped with hormones is too expensive – and any kind of fruit is a luxury.  If you don’t believe me, take the challenge yourself.  Let the View know how it works out.

For information about ways to fight against hunger visit www.sffoodbank.org.

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