CNN's Sean Callebs Lives on Food Stamps

Posted by
Genna Cockerham
Feb 3, 2009

At the gym yesterday, I saw a fascinating segment on CNN. Correspondent Sean Callebs has decided to try buying all the food he needs for one month using only $176 — the highest amount a single person can receive in food stamps, according to Callebs' Living on Food Stamps blog. Food stamps are officially named the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

"The SNAP program is meant to supplement a person's food budget, not cover all food expenses," Jean Daniel, a spokesperson for the USDA, told CNN's John D. Sutter in "Tough Choices for America's Hungry." However, many people do use the SNAP program for all their food purchases.

Callebs Goes Grocery Shopping

Watching Callebs shop at the grocery store while I was working out I thought, "This guy is going to starve." Although the closed captioning couldn't quite keep up with the report, I could see Callebs purchasing a single box of Zatarain's rice mix and a can of tuna, in addition to other purchases. Callebs says in his blog he's had several people criticize him for not doing a better job but he is trying to do his best. With that in mind, I collected a few articles that might help Callebs and others who are living on the least possible amount of money.

Meal Planning Saves Money on Groceries

The best thing Callebs could do to spend his limited food dollars wisely would be to make a meal plan. Use Meal Planning to Cut Grocery Expenses covers the basics of how to go about making a meal plan.

Since his breakfast of a bowl of cereal, banana and hot tea left him hungry, Callebs could use Make a Breakfast Meal Plan to Save Money. This article discusses how to plan breakfast meals so there is some variety and lower cost. Cereal is rarely a good choice for breakfast, in terms of cost, because it also uses milk, which is expensive. Cereal doesn't necessarily keep people full for long, but quick oats are a heart-healthy, whole-grain choice that is cheap, easy to prepare and can be customized with sugar, honey or cinnamon.

Making a Weekly Meal Plan for Lunch or Dinner

How to Make a Weekly Meal Plan for Lunch and Tips for Making a Weekly Meal Plan for Dinner can also help to outline a weekly meal plan for the other meals in the day. Callebs' single can of tuna might have been a healthy choice, but it will only work for one meal. A better choice would have been a 1-pound package of Land of Frost sliced turkey breast, which sells for around $3.98 at Wal-Mart. This lean lunch-meat combined with a package of flour tortillas would have stretched further than a can of tuna and loaf of bread, since you only need one tortilla to make a wrap. Instead of a single box of Zatarain's, Callebs would have been better off purchasing a large bag of whole-grain brown rice and adding his own spices. Brown rice takes a long time to cook, but it can be microwaved in larger portions and refrigerated for a week of lunches or dinners.

Saving on Fruits, Vegetables and Milk

Callebs laments that he is missing fresh fruit and vegetables. How to Save Money on Milk and Vegetables would help him to add these items without breaking the bank. He could also benefit from How to Save Money on Meat and Bread.

Grocery Shopping Without Coupons

Callebs is focusing on purchasing generic items, and that's a great start. But How to Lower Grocery Bills Without Coupons offers other tips on how to save money at the grocery store without clipping coupons.

With the economy tightening, there is an increasing focus on frugal grocery shopping. Weekly meal plans are one of the best ways to save money at the grocery store. Combining meal planning with tips to shopping on a budget can make limited grocery dollars stretch further.

Mar 2, 2009 8:10 PM

Guest :

Dear Sean,
I have been watching your special and I have some advice for you and anyone else living on food stamps. Spend your money wisely, no instant foods, are you kiddng, didn't your mother teach you how to live on a budget? Start by buying a big bag of potatoes, that's right potatoes, no instant stuff, and if you are out of work you have lots of time to cook. Try peeling them, throw them in a big pot of cold water, boil them and then mash the up with some milk and butter, lots of salt Sean. This is what our parents lived on and we grew up on it. They didn't buy instant mashed potatoes in a box. That is expensive and it's not even good for you. And why are you buying pre-made mac and cheese? Are you nuts? Buy a giant bag of macaroni at the cheapest supermarket in your neighbourhood, and a big block of cheese, again more work, but you have lots of time, you're out of work and you have nothing to do but cook and look for a job. You can buy a lot of canned tuna cheap too and this stuff is way healthier than the processed junk you are buying man. Get with the program and spend those food stamps wisely. I could live on those food stamps like a queen. Weren't you ever a st?dent living on nothing? Get mashing all you people living on stamps!