This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 17, 2013 - This Friday a number of community groups are getting together to combat hunger locally.
Local activists report that almost one person in six in Missouri receives food stamps -- including more than 230,000 residents of St. Louis city and county, who receive an average benefit of $1.42 a meal. Even more people depend on free food from local pantries, but unfortunately donations of food and money have not kept up with demand. All too frequently, they add, eating healthy becomes a big challenge for people on food stamps or people relying on food banks.
That got us to thinking about what we eat and how much we spend. So while it's hardly a scientific experiment, a number of Beacon staffers decided to keep a food diary for Monday, Jan. 14. Think of it as a quick snapshot of a variety of households.
Our findings come with one big caveat:
To prepare foods with the ingredients we typically use would require an significant initial investment in staples like oil, herbs and spices, etc., which is tough on a more restricted budget. That mean food doesn't taste as good or you have less to eat because of what you have to buy for preparation.
Here's what we discovered.
Household No. 1
Diane
Breakfast: oatmeal (20 cents); orange juice (25 cents); coffee (25 cents) = 70 cents
Lunch: cottage cheese (40 cents); peaches (45 cents); veggie chips (30 cents) = $1.15
Dinner: baked chicken (55 cents); salad (45 cents) = $1
Total cost of three meals = $2.85
Bob
Breakfast: oatmeal (20 cents); banana (10 cents); coffee (20 cents) = 50 cents
Lunch: oatmeal cinnamon bar ($1.10); coffee ($2.50) = $1.35
Dinner: Subway teriyaki salad ($5.50); potato chips ($1); wine ($1.20) = $7.70
Total cost of three meals = $9.55
Rob
Breakfast: oatmeal (20 cents); banana (10 cents); orange juice (25 cents) = 55 cents
Lunch: burger and baked fries ($2.65); juice (75 cents) = $3.40
Dinner: Subway chicken teriyaki sandwich ($5); potato chips ($1); coke ($1) = $7
Total cost of three meals = $10.95
Total cost of three meals in this household: $23.35
Household No. 2
Donna
Breakfast: 2 cups coffee (80 cents); cereal (75 cents); blueberries (80 cents); yogurt (80 cents) = $3.15
Lunch: pretzels (80 cents)
Dinner: crackers and hummus ($1); pasta puttanesca ($1.25); m&ms (80 cents); milk (75 cents) = $3.80
Total cost of three meals: $7.75
Household No. 3
Margie: Traveling, so most food eaten from restaurants
Breakfast: Latte ($3.50); granola with yogurt ($3); banana (50 cents) = $7
Lunch: Lentil and rice plate ($6)
Dinner: Hamburger and fries ($7); beer ($1.50); ice cream ($1) = $9.50
Total cost of three meals: $22.50
Three other adults ate roughly similar things plus 2 smoothies ($2.50 each) = $72.50
Kids (in addition to nursing) ate:
Lillian (age 1)
Breakfast: oat cereal (50 cents); mixed fruit and veggies pouch ($2); milk ($1) = $3.50
Lunch: cheese (50 cents); bread (25 cents); banana (50 cents) = $1.25
Dinner: leftover lentils; milk (50 cents)
Total cost of three meals: $5.25
Clara (age 8 months)
1 mixed fruit and grain pouch ($2); grain cereal (25 cents) = $2.25
Total cost of three meals in this household: $102.50
Household No. 4
Susan
Breakfast: cereal (60 cents); Greek yogurt ($1); banana (20 cents) = $1.80
Dinner: spinach salad ($3.75); pasta carbonara ($2) = $5.75
Coffee and diet soda: $1.50
Total cost of two meals: $9.05
Household No. 5
Dick
Breakfast: Latte (made at home); cereal and milk = $1.95
Lunch: leftover shrimp; leftover chicken breast; English muffin; leftover bean dip; crackers = $6.55
Dinner: butternut squash; bananas and clementines; tandoori chicken; brownies = $8.90
Diet sodas during the day: $1.50
Total cost of three meals: $18.90
Sally
Breakfast: Greek yogurt; banana; 2 lattes = $3.14
Lunch: string cheese; hummus; crackers; carrots; apple = $2.65
Dinner: tandoori chicken; butternut squash; banana; clementine = $5
Diet soda: $.30
Total cost of three meals: $11.09
Total cost of three meals in this household: $29.99
Household No. 6
Zack
Breakfast: 2 cups of coffee made at home (8 cents); oatmeal (17 cents) = 25 cents
Lunch (cafe): Half-club sandwich; cup of lamb stew; cup of coffee = $10.93
Dinner (at home): chicken noodle soup ($2); cup of hot chocolate ($1) = $3
Total cost of three meals: $14.18
Household No. 7
Nicole
Breakfast: coffee (10 cents)
Lunch: 2 eggs, bacon, potatoes and biscuit at Plush ($7.15)
Dinner, including two sons: leftover black bean burrito with ground turkey; chips with cheese; homemade guacamole ($4.25)
Drinks: milk for boys (60 cents); sidecar $8 =$8.60
Total cost of three meals: $20
Household No. 8
Marty
Breakfast: orange juice (40 cents); two Keurig pods of coffee (80 cents); cereal (50 cents); yogurt (50 cents); homemade cookie (15 cents) = $2.35
Lunch: coffee (40 cents); cookies (30 cents); green salad ($2); ice cream (50 cents) = 3.20
Dinner: cookie (15 cents); soda (42 cents); burger and fries ($9.40) = $10.21
Total for three meals: $15.76
Bob
Breakfast: 3 pods of Keurig coffee ($1.20); cereal (50 cents); milk (50 cents) = $2.20
Lunch at restaurant: $15
Dinner: coffee (40 cents); cookies (30 cents); diet soda (42 cents); ice cream (50 cents); burger and fries ($9.40) = 11.26
Total for three meals: $28.46
Total cost of three meals for this household: $44.22