Hunger Challenge Day 5: Why does winning feel so weird?
Any runner can relate to the victorious and triumphant feeling of beating themselves into the ground for hours, only to end up crossing the finish line first. Imagine the speechlessness of the figure skater who has worked all her life for this moment, to now, 20 years later, be awarded a gold medal and hearing the tones of her country's national anthem resonating in her ears. And just so everyone has something to relate to... how about the sheer sense of joy and awe of the video game player who, after many long sessions, has finally beaten the latest version of Zelda.
Five days ago, I began United Way of King County's "Hunger Challenge."
I had $7 a day, the maximum food stamp benefit for a Washington resident. The goal was to eat three nutritious meals a day for an entire week. Unlike last year's miserable attempt, this time, I will not only have a few bucks leftover, but I will have plenty of food, and will easily beat this challenge.
But I don't consider this a victory.
If you've followed my story this week, you understand that what you're reading is more of a daily journal, which is likely to contain several of my opinions, right? Writing what "I" think about things is not something I get a chance to do as a reporter. And I have to admit, it was really refreshing to be able to take you along, and to be honest about my frustrations while taking the Hunger Challenge.
As I look back at the week, I'm very proud of the improvements made over last year's attempt at the Hunger Challenge. So many of you offered feedback during my last attempt, and I used that as I planned this year's effort. It paid off, so thank you. I was able to shop smarter, cook smarter, eat smarter, and most importantly, have plenty to eat.
Before we get to closing thoughts, here's the final accounting: I have $3.05 left of the $35 budgeted for food this week. After days of eating tuna sandwiches, spinach salads, my delicious pasta bake (if you haven't yet, go back to Day 3 and watch the video), the beans and rice dish, my cereal that was a perfect choice for breakfast, and my bunch of bananas (they only last until Wednesday afternoon, but at least I had fresh fruit most of the week).
As I wrote about yesterday, my menu wasn't all that exciting, as I kind of rotated through the same five dishes for lunch and dinner, but I was never hungry. Last night, I pretty much polished-off the pasta bake.
Today for lunch, I'll finish the beans and rice, and then treat myself to a "victory dinner." Remember the chicken I purchased at the grocery store? I wanted to make some soup with it, but instead, tonight I'll likely grill it, make up the rest of the beans, and perhaps take my $3.05 to the produce stand for a good, green vegetable to go with it.
Things I learned this time around...
1. Coupons and store ads are your best friend. Driving 20 miles to save a dollar doesn't make much sense, but driving to three different stores close to your house to save a few bucks does. I got lucky -- I made one stop at one store, and everything I needed with one exception was on sale that week! That doesn't happen every week, so use the fliers that come in the paper, and do your homework before heading out on the shopping trip.
2. Store brands and non-traditional grocery chains need to be your best friends. In almost all cases, the "house" brand is the same thing as the national brand, only much less expensive. And places like Grocery Outlet and the dollar stores can really save you a bundle not only on food, but on things you need around the house.
3. It helps to have a support circle. I credit my success this time to those of you who invested the time to offer recipes, and the very suggestions I just listed. My hope is that everyone trying to scrape by gets help like this from their friends and family. And by all means, you never know who's reading this, so leave your shopping tip as a comment!
So why the mixed emotions in beating the Hunger Challenge?
While I tried my best to be sincere and follow the rules of the game, for me, this *was* a game. Tomorrow, when the challenge is over, I return to the comfortable lifestyle I've built for myself. I'm no rich guy, but I am comfortable. And tomorrow, the Hunger Challenge becomes only a memory.
I will remember two things: It wasn't a very fun experience to go through, and for thousands of people in Washington, this is reality on a daily basis. The only difference? They do a better job balancing what they have with what they need than I ever could. I heard from several who protested, "$7 a day? I do it on $2 or $3 a day!"
That's what makes this victory bittersweet for me. I know there are families out there who manage on very few dollars a day for food, and I also realize that there are families who aren't able to manage a few dollars a day very well. They are forced to choose between putting a few bucks in the gas tank and a nice meal. Any minor car repair or doctor's procedure can through off the food budget for weeks.
Today is Hunger Action Day in Olympia, and many people will gather on the Capital grounds to make sure lawmakers are aware we have a problem some would argue is more significant than school shortages and state service cuts.
Everyday, people in Washington go without food. By all means, if you have the means, support the efforts of great groups like Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline. And yet even with the help these fine organizations provide, people right here in one of the richest countries on Earth can't afford to eat good, nutritious food.
What will we do as individuals, as communities, and as a state to make sure no one is hungry?
Five days ago, I began United Way of King County's "Hunger Challenge."
I had $7 a day, the maximum food stamp benefit for a Washington resident. The goal was to eat three nutritious meals a day for an entire week. Unlike last year's miserable attempt, this time, I will not only have a few bucks leftover, but I will have plenty of food, and will easily beat this challenge.
But I don't consider this a victory.
If you've followed my story this week, you understand that what you're reading is more of a daily journal, which is likely to contain several of my opinions, right? Writing what "I" think about things is not something I get a chance to do as a reporter. And I have to admit, it was really refreshing to be able to take you along, and to be honest about my frustrations while taking the Hunger Challenge.
As I look back at the week, I'm very proud of the improvements made over last year's attempt at the Hunger Challenge. So many of you offered feedback during my last attempt, and I used that as I planned this year's effort. It paid off, so thank you. I was able to shop smarter, cook smarter, eat smarter, and most importantly, have plenty to eat.
Before we get to closing thoughts, here's the final accounting: I have $3.05 left of the $35 budgeted for food this week. After days of eating tuna sandwiches, spinach salads, my delicious pasta bake (if you haven't yet, go back to Day 3 and watch the video), the beans and rice dish, my cereal that was a perfect choice for breakfast, and my bunch of bananas (they only last until Wednesday afternoon, but at least I had fresh fruit most of the week).
As I wrote about yesterday, my menu wasn't all that exciting, as I kind of rotated through the same five dishes for lunch and dinner, but I was never hungry. Last night, I pretty much polished-off the pasta bake.
Today for lunch, I'll finish the beans and rice, and then treat myself to a "victory dinner." Remember the chicken I purchased at the grocery store? I wanted to make some soup with it, but instead, tonight I'll likely grill it, make up the rest of the beans, and perhaps take my $3.05 to the produce stand for a good, green vegetable to go with it.
Things I learned this time around...
1. Coupons and store ads are your best friend. Driving 20 miles to save a dollar doesn't make much sense, but driving to three different stores close to your house to save a few bucks does. I got lucky -- I made one stop at one store, and everything I needed with one exception was on sale that week! That doesn't happen every week, so use the fliers that come in the paper, and do your homework before heading out on the shopping trip.
2. Store brands and non-traditional grocery chains need to be your best friends. In almost all cases, the "house" brand is the same thing as the national brand, only much less expensive. And places like Grocery Outlet and the dollar stores can really save you a bundle not only on food, but on things you need around the house.
3. It helps to have a support circle. I credit my success this time to those of you who invested the time to offer recipes, and the very suggestions I just listed. My hope is that everyone trying to scrape by gets help like this from their friends and family. And by all means, you never know who's reading this, so leave your shopping tip as a comment!
So why the mixed emotions in beating the Hunger Challenge?
While I tried my best to be sincere and follow the rules of the game, for me, this *was* a game. Tomorrow, when the challenge is over, I return to the comfortable lifestyle I've built for myself. I'm no rich guy, but I am comfortable. And tomorrow, the Hunger Challenge becomes only a memory.
I will remember two things: It wasn't a very fun experience to go through, and for thousands of people in Washington, this is reality on a daily basis. The only difference? They do a better job balancing what they have with what they need than I ever could. I heard from several who protested, "$7 a day? I do it on $2 or $3 a day!"
That's what makes this victory bittersweet for me. I know there are families out there who manage on very few dollars a day for food, and I also realize that there are families who aren't able to manage a few dollars a day very well. They are forced to choose between putting a few bucks in the gas tank and a nice meal. Any minor car repair or doctor's procedure can through off the food budget for weeks.
Today is Hunger Action Day in Olympia, and many people will gather on the Capital grounds to make sure lawmakers are aware we have a problem some would argue is more significant than school shortages and state service cuts.
Everyday, people in Washington go without food. By all means, if you have the means, support the efforts of great groups like Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline. And yet even with the help these fine organizations provide, people right here in one of the richest countries on Earth can't afford to eat good, nutritious food.
What will we do as individuals, as communities, and as a state to make sure no one is hungry?