The food stamp challenge is one of the best ways to learn about the nutrition hurdles that low-income Americans face every day. The Challenge usually entails eating on a budget of roughly $1 to $1.25 per meal (per person), an amount that approximates the average allocation of food stamp benefits.

Since restaurants do not accept food stamps, dollar value-meals and the like are off limits. Most supermarkets as well as many farmers’ markets accept food stamp dollars – if you’re not sure, just ask!

Many people who take the challenge, such as US Members of Congress, have done so for a period of one week. However, the longer your challenge, the more you will learn!

You may also want to download the Food Stamp Challenge Toolkit at www.frac.org.

As you take the Challenge, you may want to keep a journal, write a blog, or invite your friends and family to take the Challenge as well. To assess your nutrition intake, review what you ate with a nutritionist, or enter the information into a free online nutrition assessment website such as www.nutritiondata.com. You may never look at your grocery list the same way again.

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