SNAP Week 1 Day 3

Frank only spent money today for our on hand cheese he needed for breakfast-$10.95 left for this week.

People that receive SNAP are given a card that is swiped at the checkout counter, like a debit card.  They can check the balance by phone or online.  The assistance money is directed right to their card.  I read that they have to let the cashier know that they are using a SNAP card because the cashier has to push a special key that will process the transactions.  This seems simple enough.  Since only food is allowed to be paid for by SNAP, I guess everything else will ring up and need to be paid for some other way. I have not gone to a store yet to ask for myself about the actual procedures, but I do intend to....I will share what I find out.
Any store will take the card.  Even gas stations with convenient stores, CVS, Walgreens, Dollar General.....as long as food is purchased.  I see this as a possible dilemma for some people. Think about what types of food can be purchased when you are not at an actual grocery store? 

Here are some facts from the Indiana Government website:
Eligible Foods You Can Buy With Indiana Food Stamps
- Fruits and vegetables
- Dairy products
- Cereals & Breads
- Plants or seeds that produce food to eat
- Meats, poultry and fish

(I would have thought the list would end here, but no......)

Additional Indiana Food Stamp Food List

- Energy drinks that have a nutrition facts label are eligible foods
- Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, ice cream are food items and are eligible items
- Seafood, steak, and bakery cakes are also food items and are therefore eligible items
- Live animals may not be purchased with SNAP benefits
(and then what you can not buy.......) 
Non Eligible Food Stamp Household Food items
- Beer, wine, liquor
- Food that will be eaten in the store
- Cigarettes or tobacco
- Hot foods
- Vitamins and medicines
- Non foods like Soaps/Paper/Pet Foods/Household Supplies
- Energy drinks with supplement label are classified by the FDA as supplements are not eligible

We had unexpected company last night which became overnight guests.  Luckily Chef Frank had put together that pot of pozole soup, which was able to feed everyone.  This still gave us yummy leftovers that Frank and I ate tonight as a quick dinner.  (I gave Chef Frank the night off from cooking, which he appreciates, but only every so often-he is pretty possessive about his kitchen).  We had left overs for lunch today also.

For breakfast this morning, Chef Frank put together a Frittata-potatoes with onions and sweet peppers, topped with sautéed spinach, egg, cheese, tomatoes-cooked on the stove top then finished under the broiler.  He said, "I love Frittatas, once you learn how to make a Frittata, you can put almost anything in them".

This was enough to feed Frank, I and our guests.  Not hurting our week's budget in the least.

On Hand
$0.50 Mozzarella Cheese (1/4 lb.)