I Eat A Lot

So let me start by saying I cheated. A good amount. But I justified it to myself, and that's all that matters. I chose to do the Food Stamp Challenge today, knowing that I would have a free Indian dinner after a religious ceremony that I attended at 8 pm. I know, I know, it doesn't really count. But I figure that was the only way I would physically be able to get through a day with just $3. When people are on food stamps, they get $21 to buy in bulk, and can also use their own income, so I figured this would level the playing field by my free dinner. Wouldn't be bad, right?

Wrong. I usually eat breakfast most mornings, and when I woke up, I swore when I remembered that today was my Food Challenge day. So, after my stomach started rumbling during my 9 am class, I knew I was not cut out for this. I went at 11 to go grab Pad Thai from the cart by OML for $3, and I knew that would be the end of food for me till night. I looked at it and it wasn't enough. I wanted more. I was still hungry during classes, which run straight for me from 1130-320 on Tuesdays. I left class several times to get water from the fountain, hoping this would trick my stomach into thinking I was full. Didn't work. I wasn't even fasting, and I still couldn't get food off my mind. So, I paid little attention to my classes.

After class, I played basketball with my roommates, and that actually helped. I stopped feeling hungry and knew I would make it till dinner. So, by the end of the religious ceremony at 830, I couldn't wait for food. I serve at the soup kitchen on Friday nights, and I always marvelled at how fast some people fiinish their first plate of food and are ready for the second. I now understand completely. I literally went through 3 plates of food in 20 minutes. It was a little disgusting, but oh so satisfying.

So, there ended my day on the food stamp challenge. I know I kind of cheated, but it definitely opened my eyes to how little $3 really is. There would have been no way for me to use that money for more than one meal. I struggled through a day, I can't even imagine a week or a month or a year on food stamps.