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Missed teaching moment in welfare food challenge

Reader dismayed at the education offered to the students who took part in the exercise to eat off $26 for the week

Re: Belmont students attempt to eat at welfare prices (News Nov. 6)

I agree there is not enough money for welfare recipients but am dismayed at the education offered to the students who took part in the exercise to live off $26 of food for a week. I did a quick shopping list from current flyers:

• 2 kg of pork- 4,550 calories - $7.77

• 10 lbs of potatoes - 5,028 calories - $3.54

• 6 lbs of carrots - 675 calories - $2.54

• 3 lbs of onions - 457 calories - $1.27

• equals stew - 10,710 calories - $15.12

4 l milk - 2,117 calories - $4

4 lbs of apples - 975 calories - $5

Total - 13,802 calories - $24.12 plus tax

This isn’t exciting or trendy but it will keep you full and nourished at 1,971 calories per day. I didn’t even bargain hunt here or pool my budget with someone to expand my choices (flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, salt, yeast and butter; now we can have bread and cookies).

Education equals skills.

How about classes on shopping to cook with only $26 per week?

Heinz Zoodles are very expensive per useful calorie.

Cameron Nicol

Langford

 

P.S. Thanks mom, your stories of living through the depression and wartime (1930s and ’40s) and thriftiness were not wasted. I bet she would just love to teach a class on depression eating.