Day 1 Live Below the Line 2013

For the second year I'm taking part in Live Below the Line, a poverty and hunger awareness campaign that also raises money for poverty-related projects. 

It takes some planning, and the insights just keep coming. I shopped at a fairly cheap urban grocery store yesterday, and realized that whatever veggies were available were what I would get - decided not to make another trip to get something different to add variety. For one thing, poor people usually have to sacrifice variety for a bit of an economy of scale. And last year my broccoli was sad and limp by Thursday and Friday, so this year I decided on carrots.

food for the week, not including olive oil and salt

I'm using half of the beans, and 5 of the eggs. This is a cheat, because we're not supposed to buy more than we would eat in the 5 days unless we go in with friends (like low income people do in some areas of the world). But I just priced it out by portion - and I'm having all of the rice and all of the lentils.

(My other cheat: coffee in the morning. The headaches and constipation that go along with my addiction withdrawl do not bear contemplating.  Or discussing. But no rice milk in my coffee!)

all of the food, rice, beans and lentils  cooked, carrots
cut up and ready to simmer in the cups of bean cooking water,
olive oil and salt in little bowls

simmered the carrots in the bean water so I can have some "soup" in the afternoon

5 days of rice, beans and lentils. add an egg and a bowl of carrot "soup" each day and I'm good to go.

sold one serving (1/4 cup) of dried beans to Sheila for 16 cents!

My calculations for daily intake: (one serving of each dried food is 1/4 cup)

    .25      1 free range egg

    .26      2 servings rice

    .44      3 servings black beans minus a few tablespoons

    .26      2 servings lentils

    .12      .2 lb carrot

    .22      2 T olive oil

    .01      1 tsp salt

$1.50 !!!/day