Carbs... Delicious Carbs

Carbs... Delicious Carbs

Oct 12, 2021

As I sit in my nest of pillows uploading documents in hopes that my family can get a little financial assistance in the way of food stamps, I came up with a brilliant idea inspired by a sad truth I've been living for many years... In all my searching and speaking with people attempting to help with diets and health, I have never seen good sources that are actually meant for people in my budget range. Maybe it's because I live in a landlocked state that's really good at producing wheat products with a potato state as a neighbor (oh MAN the carbs!!), or MAYBE, just maybe, it's the fact that no one wants to genuinely think about those of us sitting down here.

I hear on far too many occasions that I could feed my family of four with $200 a month, and this is absolutely true. But there are side effects that come along with feeding a family so cheaply. Most of the product I buy is going to be carbs. I have two pre-teens in my house, I need food that will be filling and will last. Carbs fit the bill, but carbs and cheap tomato sauce or just rice and eggs makes for a boring menu. Not to mention lacking. Where's the FRUIT, where's the VEGGIES? What about that oh, so fancy food pyramid? When my kids have a check-up and I am inevitably asked, "How many fruits and veggies a day? Are you getting your 5?", I can never say they are, and that kills me as a parent. Carbs, while delicious, also have this nasty habit of liking the human body and sticking around. It's why they are a favorite for athletes the day before a big event, they are PURE energy! But not meant to be eaten all day, every day. It leads to all sorts of health problems, including obesity.

But let's get to the point of this blog, or this post at least. I was, until recently, a single parent to three children, two of which were high needs. At times, I worked up to three jobs to keep a roof over our heads and food in their bellies. Even with this insane amount of work, I was also the one who took them to and from school or picked them up, or, or or... There was no babysitter (in that there was no one paid. I was lucky for a good while to have my sister and brother-in-law living in the same town. Not everyone is so lucky!) and there was DEFINITELY no daycare. I couldn't have afforded that. So, in this particular scenario, my children would often have to watch and govern themselves while I was at work praying that the passing ambulance wasn't headed to my house. And I worked my backside off. I applied for food stamps but never had the time to attend any of the meeting or make any of the phone calls or even fax the appropriate paperwork to the offices as my town decided to get rid of their DPHHS offices, so I was never approved. I couldn't afford to work less and I also NEEDED to for my kids. My carb eating, obese self couldn't even think of having time to focus on my health.

And I know I'm one of many! The obesity epidemic in the US is largely due to people not having the funds or time to even think about health, and so many sources online are all about helping people who have spending money after... most of the bills are paid. Let's be real, you and I know that if all bills were paid every month, a lot more of us would starve. Those of you who have never been at this level of poor, let me tell you something... This isn't even with extravagant bills. This is rent in the most run-down place because it's all you can afford, it's a heating bill that you're grateful can't get turned off during winter, it's a phone bill on the cheapest plan you can find because you need it for the kids, and it's internet so you can try to find any bit of assistance you can or the kids have schoolwork. After those very few bills (note I left out important things like... I dunno, an emergency fund or savings or health and car insurance... It was NOT an oversight), you are often left wondering if you have enough food to last the week because you need a tank of gas to... you guessed it, go to work. The only vacations I have ever had the luxury of taking were paid for by other people, and those are few and far between.

It's the type of poor that so many of us are forced to be comfortable in but, for all the resources that are out there, there's almost no time to obtain them. And so these resources go to the people who DO have time, and, in some cases, don't need it. So it all adds to the stigma.

ANYWAY, overall poverty is a subject I am passionate about. I have also been wallowing in my own self-pity for far too long. I am creating this blog so you all can follow me on my journey in discovering a way to be healthy while sitting in poverty. I know those who came here for info most likely know all the well-known resources like food banks, snap, and the like, so I will do my best to mention them very little. I intend to go on a journey so my family can finally eat healthy on that $200 a month and show you all how I did it. Maybe I'll even throw in some quick workout suggestions that I use myself. I know from first hand experience how it is to live well below the standards of poverty and will keep that in mind every step of the way. Every suggestion will be given with the best of intentions and based on my own experience. Let's get going!

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