Prepping for the SNAP Challenge...

As I mentioned in my previous post, Zach & I are going to embark on the challenge of trying to eat healthfully on the amount of money given to SNAP (food stamp) recipients while still having enough to eat.  Today I went to the store to do my first shopping for the challenge. Let me be clear..I'm already not good at this. While I never shop extravagantly I never use a calculator as I shop either. I do read labels & try to make good decisions on what we eat. Today, some of that went by the wayside, not by choice, but by necessity. I don't eat  much bread but when I do, I eat sprouted whole wheat bread. It's expensive so there will be none of that this week. For Zach's lunches, I also try to buy whole wheat bread (he doesn't love the sprouted). The loaf can be $3.00/loaf or more. Today, I bought him a loaf of Great Value bread. It cost $1.28.  Oof.  The other big error I made was a spaghetti squash. I LOVE spaghetti squash & know it would be a filling, healthy dinner. However, I wasn't counting on the price. It was .99/lb. I tried to pick a light-ish one but it was still $4.00. I could put it in the closet & use it after the challenge but I think I should have to work with the errors I made along with the good choices.

I have $64.00 to work with & spent $46.97. I wanted to leave myself money to use later in the week.
Here is the list of what I purchased along with the prices:

Great Value Wheat Bread: 1.28                                       1 lb whole wheat pasta:   $1.00
3 lbs bananas:  $1.78                                                        store brand salsa (for crock pot meal): $1.98
1/2 gallon 1% milk: $2.38                                                 3 cans store brand tuna in water:  $2.22
3lbs boneless skinless chicken breast: $6.98                      can black beans:  .68
spaghetti squash: $4.16  (ouch)                                         can store brand corn: .68
Spring mix salad: $1.50                                                     almond milk: $1.69
bag of yellow onions: .99                                                   steel cut oats: $2.69
granny smith apples: $3.34                                                1 dozen eggs: $1.79
green squash: .49
2 grapefruit: .80  (.40 ea)
green grapes: $2.43
red bell pepper .57
box of store brand corn flakes: $1.98
1 lb brown rice .78
100 cal packs (Zach's lunch): $2.50
peanut butter (generic): $2.28 (I always get all natural PB w/ just peanuts & salt..this one has more stuff..
                                               not loving that.)

So there ya have it....tomorrow morning we're off & running.