Pork Rinds & Marshmallow Fluff? The Struggle to Eat Healthily for $3 a Day

by Rochelle Davis, HSC Executive Director

Last week, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), appeared on the "The Colbert Report" to talk about her participation the "Food Stamp Challenge."

For one week, Schakowsky spent only $3 a day on food, the amount the average food stamp recipient receives.  (Take a look at Schakowsky's blog entries from the challenge to see what she was able to eat for $21 per week –- and what she learned from the experience.) 

Stephen Colbert, known for his biting satire, asserted that $3 was plenty -- just eat pork rinds dipped into marshmallow fluff. (Of course, Colbert then snacked on this combo while talking with Schakowsky).  Check out the video here:

Colbert had a point. Healthy food is more expensive that unhealthy food.  This helps explain how we can have, at the same time, an obesity epidemic and a hunger problem. 

While Schakowsky was attempting to demonstrate the inadequacy of the food stamp program, the same could be said about the school food program. 

Maybe we should get all of the cafeterias on Capitol Hill to serve a lunch that only costs $2.40, the amount that schools have to provide a meal to students.