SNAP Challenge 2014 - Day 5: Lobster and deserts

snack time

Day 4 got off to a late start - I overslept after staying up very late to complete a deadline driven task for work. I attempted to run out the door to my first appointment, but stopped and took the time to eat breakfast. I'm glad I did because I didn't have lunch until 330pm.  I looked at the clock again and it was almost 430pm. I needed to leave soon for the volunteer event and hadn't eaten a snack, much less dinner. I  ate a few pieces of carrot  before heading out the door to the volunteer event.

arugula salad with lobster and quail egg

I should clarify, the volunteer event was being a volunteer assistant in a cooking class. I signed up for the class long before I knew the dates of the SNAP Challenge. The topic of this particular class was "Everything You Ever  Wanted to Know About Lobster". This was also a participation class; students would prepare their own dishes and the chef/instructor prepares a sample dish for the students to see that is served to the volunteer assistants.  Chef Bernard did a wonderful job demonstrating how to use every part of a lobster in a meal. When he finished preparing the arugula salad with lobster and quail egg  and began to create mini plates for the assistants he passed a plate to me. When I declined the plate he asked if I liked lobster. I replied that I was fasting in preparation for a procedure. He apologized and I offered my plate to another assistant. For the remainder of the evening when food was bring distributed I would disappear to the back and work with a member of the staff to dry dishes. The other assistants heard my reply to the instructor and told me they didn't know how they could volunteer in a cooking class and not eat. After class we cleaned up and I got home as quickly as I could. I was terribly hungry and tired. And while I didn't eat the food prepared in class, my best made plans had gone awry.  At 1118pm dinner was served.

Day 4 dinner

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley, [often go awry]

- Robert Burns, To A Mouse

Lessons learned on Day 4:

• More snacks may have been an option than trying to carry my dinner with me.
• While I did fast - it was last week for labwork. Is there a better way I could've answered the offer of food from the chef? I need to think about that because I'm assisting in another class very soon.
•  While I may have been tired, my will power to stay on track with the SNAP Challenge remained steady.
•  As I prepared my lunch for Day 5 I realized I have enough soup for Saturday, but will need to be creative with my option for lunch on Sunday. 

clean cooking classroom!

 Questions posed to me on Day 4 and my answers:

• Q: Did you comparison shop for your food?
• A: I did comparison shop (see Day 1) and I also consider myself fortunate because I have my own transportation and drive to a store with access to fresh fruits and vegetables. I know there are food deserts - places without ready access to fresh, healthy, affordable food. 

Cooking Class Volunteer

• Q: When you were unemployed did you consider emergency food services?
• A: I didn't. 

• Q: How did your friends and family respond to your change in circumstances?
• A: My immediate family was supportive as they could be, but they have commitments in their own lives that they have responsibility for. As for friends, this change in circumstances was an opportunity to experience my support network in action. And yes, there were those who distanced themselves because I couldn't go to happy hours and other events.

• Q: what's in your hummus?
• A: chick peas (ceci, channa), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, peanut butter and sriracha. See budget bytes for the recipe.

Day 5 marks the beginning of the final stretch of the SNAP Challenge for me. I have enough split pea soup for Days 5 and 6. I will need to think creatively about what to eat for lunch on  Day 7. Perhaps a fruit medley for lunch on a bed of spinach?  Any suggestions?

Be well,

Technicolor girl

Add caption