Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

On being poor and eating...


Recommended Posts

Oh, agreed. I was astounded, when I taught these, how many people had no clue what to do with a bag of dry beans.

 

That, of course, brings up the issue of what can be cooked healthily, cheaply and QUICKLY. Often a concern for the working poor, who don’t have that hour to prepare a meal.

  • Like 4

Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In terms of SNAP, I've penciled things out...I'm fine.

Things definitely aren't as good as they were a year ago and I do worry...inflation probably won't level-out anytime soon.

I do still have a bit of surplus of SNAP funds at the end of the month.

That is due to New York pumping funds into the program, but I don't know how long that will last.

I refuse to feel guilty for indulging in fancier foods occasionally.

I pride myself in working hard to make every penny go as far as possible on good food.

 

Edited by Martin Fisher (log)
  • Like 9
  • Thanks 2

~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/21/2022 at 8:13 PM, Kim Shook said:

We are starting to hear of some food pantries having to close because their landlords are chasing them out with rent hikes.  

 

This totally sucks!

Most pantries in my area are church hosted so there's no rent, but there is occasionally an issue with finding enough help.

My 82 year old aunt retired last month after running a local pantry for 20 years.

 

  • Like 4
  • Sad 1

~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Martin Fisher said:

 

This totally sucks!

Most pantries in my area are church hosted so there's no rent, but there is occasionally an issue with finding enough help.

My 82 year old aunt retired last month after running a local pantry for 20 years.

 

 

The problem with food pantries in my experience is that you need some form of transportation to get to the food bank or soup kitchen, and thence to get food home.  Don't get me started on falling through the welfare system cracks.  I am angry and frustrated to this day.  The American welfare system, public and private, is awful, just awful.  I couldn't even contact a social worker when I needed one.  The county told me I would have to contact the township social worker.  The township told me they did not have a social worker but they contracted with the neighboring township to provide social services.  When I contacted the neighboring township, they said "We don't know anything about this."

 

Meanwhile the county welfare office contracted bedbugs.

 

Well meaning donors and politicians don't think through the problems -- but I don't wish to hijack your thread.  Thankfully I am now on Social Security, Medicare, and rum, and much better off.

 

Unemployment insurance payments could help poor people so much, but when I became unemployed in 2006 I did not qualify for unemployment,* and I was denied food stamps because my deceased parents left me mineral rights valued in 1958 at $10.  Forgive me for being bitter.

 

 

*despite having paid into the State unemployment fund for years and years and years.

 

 

  • Sad 5

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On a similar note, the county operates a bus to take old people to their doctors.  But if the doctor is more than five miles over the county line, that is too bad for you.

 

My doctor assures me there are all sorts of resources for poor hungry people, but that is in a different county.

 

  • Sad 2

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

The problem with food pantries in my experience is that you need some form of transportation to get to the food bank or soup kitchen, and thence to get food home.

This is very true. Our local food bank does have a delivery service but it's mostly focused on people with mobility issues, not just those with transportation issues. There is bus service to the food bank, which is quite centrally located, but that could still be awkward. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread got me to check into what food delivery services might be available for low income seniors in my area so I consulted the website of the largest area food bank.  I was rather shocked at just how low the threshold is.  They are using 130% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines as the qualifier and show the table below on their website.  Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?  But before looking at the table, consider that the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment around here is $2305/month. Good grief. 

00EA82C4-9456-4080-97E4-04488E9F0687.thumb.png.6aa0fd05d63a48c058f1862238c5c188.png

  • Sad 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Sweetie and I both grew up in homes where mom cooked from scratch.  My Sweetie and I cooked from scratch, not quite as much these days - health issues, and our daughters learned to cook from scratch. That has stood them well in their lean times.

 

My younger daughter needed to be on WIC for a couple of years, and knowing how to cook, worked well for her. WIC was a supplement but covered most of her needs.

Edited by Porthos (log)
  • Like 4

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...