Commission learns from week-long 'Food Stamp Challenge'

MOSES LAKE - A bag of potatoes can go a long way, which is a handy tip for families grocery shopping on a budget, according to the Washington State Potato Commission.

Six WSPC staff members participated in a week-long "Food Stamp Challenge" last week to highlight how affordable and nutritious potatoes are.

They met Friday to share their experiences as well as their favorite recipes from the week.

WSPC Executive Director Chris Voigt said staff members regularly watch food or agriculture-related documentaries to keep up with industry issues. They recently watched a documentary about a couple who attempts to eat a well-balanced diet on a food stamp budget, he said.

In 2012, the average monthly benefit for a state resident was $129.69 a month for individuals and $241.96 per household.

However, staff members felt the documentary didn't capture the true reality of life for people who rely on food stamp benefits, Voigt said.

The couple in the movie shopped at high-end supermarkets and typically only bought organic food, he said.

"It didn't seem realistic about what it's like to rely on food stamps," he said. "So we all decided we would do the challenge."

The food stamp challenge began April 6. Participants could only spend $29.56 on groceries for the week and potatoes had to be a key ingredient in each of their menus.

They also had to avoid accepting free food from families, friends or while at events where food was being served.

The challenge ended Friday.

Voigt said since his wife and two children participated in the challenge with him, they didn't use the $29.56 per person allocation.

Instead, their menu was based on a $1 per person, per meal budget, said Voigt. The family spent $83.55 on groceries for the week.

WSPC's Brandy Parker said participating in the challenge made her realize how much food people waste on a regular basis.

"We always make too much food and then throw out the leftovers," she said.

Parker said the average family in the United States throws out about 20 pounds of food each month. Operating on a very limited food budget means you can't afford to throw out any food, she said.

Parker said she re-used a lot of leftovers and incorporated them into the next day's meals during the challenge.

"I had no waste this week and everything was eaten," she said.

Ryan Holterhoff, the commission's director of marketing and industry affairs, said the challenge forced him to get more creative in the kitchen. "I never made hash browns from fresh potatoes before, so it took a little bit more thought in the kitchen to make it happen," he said.

He said a bag of potatoes can go a long way in people's kitchens because they're both inexpensive and versatile.

Voigt said he is glad staff members decided to go on the food stamp diet.

"The question before we did this was 'can you eat healthy on a food stamp diet,'" said Voigt. "The answer is 'yes, you can do it on a limited budget if you're smart about it.'"

Voigt said they all learned the value of shopping at different stores to take advantage of sales, building menus off of what products were on sale, avoiding food waste and cooking meals from scratch.

"We're finding the recession has really changed people, and made them much more frugal," he said.

There's a lot of people who don't receive food stamp benefits who find themselves on a limited food budget anyway, he said.

Incorporating potatoes into their meals can help families stick to their budgets while still getting enough nutrition, Voigt said.