Another Day, Another 3 Dollars

In terms of particular dietary habits, there is little new to report on the FSC front. My meals continue to consist of cereal and milk when I get milk from the dining halls once a day, and breakfast bars when I've run dry. After only a few days, I've already settled into the generally two-meal grain-filled routine, and, having gotten used to this habit, sticking to the challenge hasn't been overly challenging.

That isn't to say that the FSC is particularly enjoyable. Bearable might be a better descriptiong. In terms of the effects of the challege-imposed diet, I've been getting enough to eat, though in a repetitive manner. I suppose this is a reminder of how affluence not only allows us to have more food, but also to have a variety. One aspect that has been troublesome is the hydration aspect - grains are energy rich and get me through the day, but they're also fairly dehydrating. I didn't realize this at first, and so now that I've noticed I'm always thirsty I've been intaking more (free tap) water throughout the day.

Michael's point about reinforcing class divisions through food interaction rang true with me, and I've been able to observe this by not being able to participate in most of the campus food rituals. It's not an absolute problem, since not all interaction occurs in the prescence of food, but not being able to take part in meals is socially disadvantageous. And it's still possible to go out to food establishments - I went out to A1 after casino night with friends, for example - but it's glaringly obvious when one doesn't order anything, and if it hadn't been for a cause, it would have reminded everyone present of whatever disadvantage I might have had.

One quick postscript on the whole social effect issue: those who are actually on food stamps may or may not have a social life similar to a Yale students, but it should be noted that in this aspect as in other's, my "food stamp" experience does not quite correlate to the realities that it is meant to imitate. What I mean by this is that adults don't eat all their meals at dining halls, nor do they live on a college campus where everyone has a meal plan, and they may or may not have friends who would cover their tab if need be.