Thursday, July 28, 2011

Living on a Food Stamp Budget Day 28

I was up at the crack of dawn; alright half past crack but early.

One of the trainers at my gym was teaching his first class and he asked me to take it. He promised that it was going to be BOOT CAMP, a lot of repetitive exercise and no choreography.

I can dance. I learn it the moves slowly and painfully and once I have them, I'm good.

Classes at gyms however are another matter. I can't understand the silly sing song voice so many instructors use, especially with the overloud music, and I don't want to step right, step left, up down in a room full of strangers.

Beginning my day with 4.56 I ate. 

Anyway...I got up and had coffee, turkey and a potato that had been pre-boiled. I threw the potato in the skillet with the turkey and it was something like hash, but was fast and I needed fuel.

Coffee .25
Potato .11
Turkey 1.00
Total 1.36

The class was not bad, but there were some silly exercises that involved too much movement; Crawling push ups...Walking lunges?

Sorry...I will do them in one place thanks.

But it got me up and moving early in the day and that is not a bad thing.

I was also ravenous when I got home. 8 dumplings (I've kept them in the freezer) at .15 each
1.20

I wanted iced tea but was out of ice. I went out and had a couple of meetings and got home ravenous yet again. (Now I know why those aerobics junkies always get so fat)I ate the leftover pizza so my cost was 0.

I went out...I had a lot going on today and got some vegetables and a nectarine. I KNOW I have not been eating enough veg but I had to shop and price carefully.

I came home and started to feel a bit down. I wished I had the stuff to make chicken soup but decided to put some extra garlic into my pork belly to kill any bug I might have been exposed to.

I did a braise of the pork belly with a lot of garlic, chard and sugar snaps from the garden, and Pea shoots. Excellent and very filling.

4 ounces pork belly.70 (2.79 a pound this time)
Garden Veg .10
Pea Shoots .50
1/2 head garlic .12
Rice .15 (I made a lot of rice)
Total 1.57

I posted a photo of pea shoots at the top of the page. If you have never tasted them, head to an Asian market. They are in season and a wonderful taste treat. 

1,974 calories with better nutrition than I would have guessed on a day without fruit. 
Day Total 4.13

I carry over .43

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

While I love reading what you cook and eat, I can't image any mother on food stamps being able to afford the lamb, beef at that price or even organic food. It costs alot to feed a family.

Karl said...

You are correct. It does cost a lot to feed a family. That is why I am often making a point of making at least 4 servings of something (like the lamb) and breaking down the cost per serving. It is possible, but I realize there are pressures on moms to spend money differently than I do.

Kids want foods that don't work for me and expensive cereal for breakfast.

No way is this easy for anyone.