Missing the Little Luxuries

I felt like today wasn’t as difficult as yesterday, but I did what Chris did the previous day and waited as long as I could to eat my meals.  I ate breakfast and lunch later than yesterday.  Also, I have been under the weather and I think that has worked in my favor with keeping my hunger at bay.  When I got home from work, I was exhausted and decided to take a nap.  What I was planning as a catnap turned into a 2 hour-long snooze.  I ate dinner around 8:30pm and went to bed more satisfied than the night before.

I have become more conscious over the last few days about the serving size I have been fixing, especially at dinnertime.  I have been tempted to make larger portion sizes, knowing it isn’t healthy to do so, just because I am so hungry by the time I get home.   

I have told Chris I feel like this is a learning experience for us, but it also just a glimpse into the life of someone on food stamps because we have something to look forward to at the end of the week – normalcy in our food selection, snacks, and being able to buy little things here and there throughout the week again.  We don’t realize how big of a luxury it is to be able to go grab an iced tea or coffee here and there without giving much thought to the cost.  We are very lucky to both have outstanding jobs that allow us to not have to worry about food, living expenses, etc.

Ever so often the lackadaisical tendency of my personality kicks in and I don't feel like packing my lunch.  When I go grab a salad or a sandwich, it usually costs me anywhere from $8 to $12 for my lunch.  The cost of one meal out is the same as the cost of 6 to 9 meals on a SNAP budget.  This has also strengthen my habit of consistently packing my lunch.