"Kulongoski is taking the weeklong challenge to raise awareness about the difficulty of feeding a family on a food stamp budget."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070425/ap_on_re_us/a_week_on_food_stamps

I thought it was interesting. I am not sure how real a view he is getting by doing this for a week but it's sure to get attention on the issue.

As for the amount they stated, I have no idea what food stamp values are. I thought it went by income and family size though.

$21 seems very low to me but I guess it depends on the cost of food in the area.

I'm with Pat on this one. I've seen people on food stamps eat better than we do. And you do have to give the man credit for trying, provided he actually does it when no one is looking.

Hey Pat, remember the challenges you came up with on about? Why not try that here? I think it would be interesting to see how others come up with ways to survive in drastic circumstances that may or may not change. I keep thinking about what you have been writing in your blog about the financial outlook of this economy and how it's possible to be back in throws of a depression in a short time. Would we all survie it? Would we be able to give up our modern conveniences?

This is a good idea, but really to be effective, he (and others taking the experiment) should try it for several weeks, say 6-8, at least.  He would get an even more realistic idea of how to stretch those dollars as far as possible, as well as learn to take into account for special meals, such as for birthdays, holidays, and company, etc.

Many years ago I read a magazine article in which a politician's family (sorry, I don't remember who it was) lived on food stamps for 1 month.   The wife got pretty creative with her meals and learned that things such as snacks, sweets, and soda don't really fit into the budget when shopping with food stamps.  She fed her family and no one went hungry, but there weren't many extras on the table for them that month.

Kudos to this govenor for doing this.  Perhaps more "folks in charge" should give it a try, too.

 ImTheGram 

Two resources I have mentioned in other posts:

Good Recipes for Hard Times--the most frugal recipes that supply a nutrition packed diet I have ever found

The 1 week $45 dollar emergency menu, complete with lists, menus, recipes:

http://www.familyresource.com/health/healthy-eating/the-1-week-45-dollar-emergency-menu-feeds-4-6-people

My sister uses this Emergency Menu every month--she spends a little more but never more than $65 MONTHLY for herself. 

ImTheGram:

This is a good idea, but really to be effective, he (and others taking the experiment) should try it for several weeks, say 6-8, at least.  He would get an even more realistic idea of how to stretch those dollars as far as possible, as well as learn to take into account for special meals, such as for birthdays, holidays, and company, etc.

I agree. One week isn't enough to really see what it's like. From some of the things the article mentions, he normally spends quite a bit on groceries.  Whether his $21 is a normal food stamp amount or not, he might learn something by having to shop like "common folks." At least he's trying.