Food Stamps

I'm an NPR fanatic. I no longer listen to popular radio stations, just NPR. I've become my mother. Yesterday I managed to catch the end of an interview of a restaurant reviewer who has lost his job and is now on food stamps. As he is single, he receives $200.00 in food stamps from the government per month. $200 a month?! It's easy for me to go to Whole Foods and spend over half that amount in one visit. The secret for him, he says, is shopping at the farmer's market. Now this is where I believe in divine coincidence. I got home and opened the current issue of Garden & Gun magazine. Low and behold, there is a feature on the "The Secret South" and what do I find? Gainesville, Florida's Alachua County Farmer's Market featured because all of its produce is sold by the farmers who actually grow it. Lovely. The only thing that makes me nervous is none of the vendors say "organic." Oh and to top it off? I received an email from NPR's book club all about new cookbooks featuring farmer's market recipes... God? Hello?



I'm starting graduate school at the University of Florida in a few weeks. I am receiving 100% of my financial aid through the Federal government therefore my budget is somewhat limited. If someone on food stamps can make it on $200 a month eating locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables, why can't I? I'm absolutely making this a goal once I move to Gainesville next week. I am limiting myself to $200.00 a month for groceries. Let's see if I can do this!

Check out the NPR interview here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127743434