Letter to the editor: The challenge of eating clean on SNAP

Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are published not because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest.

I am a severely ill, disabled person. I live in subsidized housing; I get the Social Security Disability benefits I worked for over the course of 30 years; I have Medicare and Medicaid for the disabled; and I am a SNAP recipient. I noted in the Friday, October 31 issue that someone mentioned  that clean eating is expensive. So let me tell you my story:

Every week I go to the grocery store with a helper. I do NOT eat food with sugar, flour, or wheat in it. I also have a dairy allergy. I have to check the labels on any new items that I purchase so that I remain on this dietary regimen. So what DO I eat cleanly?

First of all, due to kidney disease, I must drink electrolyte drinks to prevent my blood electrolytes from dropping. I always buy the “zero” version so that they do not contain added sugar. I eat applesauce that has no added sugar. I eat oatmeal from the canisters, not from the boxes or packets that are loaded with sugar.  Finally, I buy six to eight pints of blueberries, which I usually include in every meal. The total at Meijer usually comes to about $150.00.

I also order a food box from Imperfect Produce (formerly Imperfect Foods and Misfits Market.) This is rescued overstock or slightly imperfect produce. I have bought squash and zucchini from them before, stir-fried it with assistance, and shared this as my vegetable contribution to church gatherings. I also buy blueberries from them (10 x 6 oz), and 20 cups of no sugar added oatmeal in different varieties. This is also where I get my rice, flax seeds, and chia seeds plus my canned goods. Even with a 15% discount, my average box is about $125.00.

This means I spend about $275.00 each week to eat cleanly, lose weight (down 100 lbs!), and most importantly, maintain my abstinence from compulsive eating behaviors.

The government has determined that I qualify for SNAP in the amount of $23.00. Year after year, that’s what it is. During the COVID pandemic all Ohio SNAP qualifiers were maxed out at $230.00 or so per month. That still didn’t even cover a whole week for me, but I was grateful that it took some pressure off of my budget. The rest goes on a credit card that I can’t pay.

Please tell those of us who are SNAP qualifiers and are eating clean, why we only get $23.00 per month, and why we don’t need it now?

— Elizabeth Stapleton, Kent