Bridget here with reflections on the third day of the SNAP challenge. I’m worn down mentally and physically. Even though I ate what I thought would be a satisfying lunch (half a tuna salad sandwich and bell pepper strips with nonfat ranch dressing), I was still very hungry by the end of the workday. Driving home was difficult – I found it hard to concentrate on driving and even just staying alert on the road. When I got home, I immediately made a piece of toast with egg to tide myself over until dinnertime.

Thankfully, my dinner was substantial and filling. I made a taco salad with romaine, corn, black beans, and bell pepper. To top it, I baked another batch of homemade tortilla chips. For the dressing, I mixed plain yogurt and lime juice with a little honey and salt and pepper. This recipe was one I found in the online cookbook, “Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4 a Day.” I would highly recommend this book to anyone taking the SNAP challenge and any real SNAP recipients as well. Without this cookbook, I would have totally run out of motivation to try new recipes, which is something I’m sure SNAP recipients feel on a daily basis. When you can’t be sure a new dish will turn out right or taste good, your motivation to try something new is almost nonexistent – especially when every dollar counts.