Open Arms of Minnesota

SNAP Challenge: That Stinks

About this time last year in my SNAP Challenge, around Day 6, I opted to eat less, rather than trying to swallow some truly unappetizing food. Last year, I struggled with eating a pound of ground turkey (.99 from Aldi’s) that I swear was part turkey and part sawdust. This year, I’ve been struggling with quick oats. After having my three-egg omelet, enhanced with canned green beans for my Day 6 dinner, the oatmeal looks good again.
I’ve had no vegetables during this SNAP Challenge. I bought the can of green beans because I could purchase it for .69 at Walgreens (with a coupon). When I opened the can and the kitchen filled with the aroma of the briny beans, I knew I had to do something to make my only vegetable of the week palatable. Having eggs left, I decided to toss some green beans in an omelet. Instead of making the green beans tastier, I made the eggs more disgusting. Fortunately, I had a crust of bread that I could toast and I had a half a can of syrupy fruit cocktail to enhance the entrée. When my partner walked into the dining room and looked at my dinner he said, “That stinks.” He meant that it literally smelled, which it did.

At this point, I’ve eaten my yogurt and have no peanut butter or cereal left. I have two slices of bread, one ounce of raisins, a pack of ramen noodles, a couple swallows of milk, some coffee, oatmeal and the remainder of my can of green beans. It’s plenty of food for my last day, but just like last year, I might opt to go hungry. Having just finished my green bean omelet, that sounds better than another meal with canned green beans.

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