SNAP Challenge¶

Social safety net programs are one way to combat economic inequality. These programs are frequently controversial. This exercise allows you to examine one of these programs – the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In doing so, you can think through sociological analyses of the causes of and solutions to poverty.

To Do¶

• Approximately 15% of North Carolina residents receive SNAP benefits. In this assignment, you will assume that you have a SNAP allotment of $121 per month/per person (the North Carolina average) for you and your 10-year old child for a total of $240 a month.
• Based on your $60 per week food budget, take a trip to your local grocery store (either online or in person) to plan a week of meals for yourself and your child. Make certain you allot yourself the amount of food you typically eat. As a reminder, the recommended daily calories for a 10 year old are 1,400-1,800 and an adult are 1,800-2,600.

Rubric¶

These are guidelines, but feel free to try new things and stretch your creativity for a high pass. In your submission text, please clearly state which set of requirements you are attempting to fulfill.

Note: Please submit these all on the same document for easier grading. For instance, if you make a table in Excel, you should copy paste it into Word alongside your reflection. PDF submissions are encouraged.

For this assignment, you should submit your grocery list (sample below), menu (sample below) and reflection.

High Pass

For a high pass, you need to complete some sort of comparison, either between different types of stores or diets.

• Two or more grocery lists
  • Displays items, costs, and some relevant nutritional information in a clear manner, uses up the $60 but does not exceed it.
• Meal Plans (for each grocery list)
  • Plan clearly shows what is consumed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks.
  • Attempts creativity in meals and avoids repetition.
• Reflection
  • Shares the process of completing this application, including: Was it easy to meet the guidelines? Difficult? What did you have to give up, if anything? Are your meals nutritionally balanced? How does this differ from your own diet growing up?
  • Compares and contrasts the two meal plans.
  • Makes connections to at least two course concepts(options listed below
  • 300 word minimum

  Samples

  • Sample Grocery list (might be easiest in a Spreadsheet):
    • Gallon of milk- $4.20
    • 7 Bananas – $3.00
    • 5 apples – $3.00
    • [The rest of your list]
  • Sample menu (This shows just the first day. You need to do the full week.)
    • Breakfast: 1 c cereal, 1 c milk, banana 1 c coffee (336 Cal)
    • Lunch: 2 slices bread, 1 slice lunchmeat, 1 apple, 1 Diet Coke (320 Cal)
    • Dinner: 1 c pasta, .25 c pasta sauce, 1 c broccoli, 1 tbl butter (380 Cal)
    • Snacks: 1 granola bar, 1 c carrot sticks (250)

Use 2 of the following concepts for the reflection part that asks to make a connection between two course concepts

• Social stratification

• social inequality
• Social class
• socioeconomic status (SES)
• intersectionality
• The U.S. Social Class Ladder
• Status Inconsistency
• Feudal System
• Wealth
• Prestige
• Cultural capital
• Social Reproduction
• everyday class consciousness
• Social mobility
• Closed System
• Open System
• Intergenerational mobility
• Intragenerational mobility
• Structural mobility
• Relative and absolute deprivation
• Federal poverty line
• Culture of poverty
• Residential segregation
• Disenfranchisement

• digital divide