To try to better understand hunger worldwide, we decided to take the $1.50 challenge. Over 1 billion people survive on less than $1.50 in food a day EVERYDAY. So Max, Alex and I decided to try it just for one day. We pooled our resources to get $4.50 worth of food. We didn’t actually purchase the food, since we had it already, and we estimated the cost of the food assuming we were purchasing in bulk and that we were purchasing from a low cost store such as Walmart.
This was our menu:
Breakfast
1-1/2 cups oatmeal (70.6 cents)
wild blackberries (we picked them along the road: no cost)
1/2 cup sugar (13 cents) (for sweetening berries & oatmeal)
1 cup coffee (for Kate)
Lunch
1 cup white rice (22.25 cents)
2 eggs (48 cents total) (Kate didn’t get an egg since she had coffee)
1 can black beans (62.5 cents)
Dinner
1 cup white rice (22.25 cents)
6 eggs (144 cents)
1 cup green peas (from our garden: no cost)
pear sauce (pears from our pear tree)
1 cup milk (14 cents)
More wild blackberries (no cost)
Lots of water (no cost)
Total cost: $4.27*
*the extra 23 cents should be applied to the tiny bit of butter we added to the rice, and to the salt we used.
It was a really tough day. We tied Koko’s leash around the refrigerator to remind us we couldn’t just snack from it. And it was a good thing we did…both kids said the challenge made them realize how often they just go to the fridge and grab something. It was the same for me. But the really hard thing for me was not having a glass of wine with dinner! I was cranky from hunger by the end of the day, so I really needed it. We also realized that we were incredibly lucky to have a garden and fruit growing around us. If we hadn’t had the fresh peas, black berries and pears, I don’t know if we could have done it.
PS: Max says he is going to wake up at midnight and raid the fridge.
Koko’s leash securing the fridge.
Breakfast!
Lunch: craving PB&J!
Dinner…still hungry
Alex commented, “I was so happy to be done with the $1.50 challenge that the next day that I made everyone chocolate fudge brownies. They were delicious and eaten really fast.”
Making the brownie batter.
Brownies frosted with melted chocolate chips. (ready to eat!)
