The Hunger Challenge begins tomorrow, and I did all of my shopping and planning on Sunday. I am a picky eater, and I try to shop frugally most days, but I did not do a good job of shopping multiple stores/farmer's markets to find good deals when finding my hunger challenge items. That is something that I should be doing EVERY time I shop, and I will do that from now on.
Sunday afternoon, list in hand, I headed out to my local grocery store. I looked for good staple items, and piled those into the cart first (oatmeal, canned vegetables, potatoes). I found a pretty good deal on "healthy" bread and boneless, skinless chicken breasts... so I added those to the mix. Canned tuna was next, but the most affordable choice was "packed in oil". I added them anyway, but was disappointed that I couldn't find a healthier option. I am not a fan of fresh veggies, but I do love fruit, so I looked for a good deal on fresh produce but couldn't find much that would fit into the budget. I walked away with a pack of cherry tomatoes, which will have to cut it for both a fruit and veggie. By the time I was ready to check out I realized I had NO condiments or spices, NO coffee, NO snacks or treats. I didn't have the budget to cover those items, so I was truly left with staples, pretty bland and basic. But, I did come in under the budget limit, so I might head back out and pick up some coffee after all.
It is very difficult to stick this very limited budget, find healthful selections, and add flavorful variety to meal choices. But millions of people have to do this every week. They prepare their limited lists, do their homework about which stores have the best deals that week, and head out to shop. They face hunger challenges each and every day. but do their best to make the most of the opportunities out there. The challenge begins tomorrow, and I will do all I can to make the most of my opportunities.
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