Running Head: MODULE ONE ASSIGNMENT 1

Module One Assignment

Bryttni D Pugh
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
MODULE ONE ASSIGNMENT 2

Module One Assignment

The meal plans that follow the SNAP guidelines are in the charts below. Meal leftovers
are marked with an L in parentheses.
Full Service Grocery Store: Whole Foods Market
Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
Week Break- Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
one fast Cereal Muffins Cereal Muffins Cereal Muffins Cereal
Lunch Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
PB&J Pasta (L) Salad Soup PB&J Nuggets Tofu (L)
Dinner Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
Pasta Baked Burger Alfredo Alfredo Tofu Pasta
potato (L)
Week Break- Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
two fast Cereal Muffins Cereal Muffins Cereal Muffins Cereal
Lunch Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
Pasta Salad Soup PB&J Nuggets PB&J Salad
(L)
Dinner Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
Baked Burger Alfredo Alfredo Tofu Tofu (L) Burger
potato (L)

Convenience Store: Walgreens

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat

Week Breakfast Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
one Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal
Lunch Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
PB&J Soup PB&J Soup PB&J Soup PB&J
Dinner Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
Pasta Rice & Pasta Rice & Pasta Rice & Pasta
Beans (L) Beans Beans (L)
(L)
Week Breakfast Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
two Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal Cereal
Lunch Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
Soup PB&J Soup PB&J Soup PB&J Soup
Dinner Water Water Water Water Water Water Water
Rice & Pasta Rice & Pasta Rice & Pasta Rice &
Beans Beans (L) Beans Beans
(L) (L)
MODULE ONE ASSIGNMENT 3

The ingredients lists that follow the SNAP guidelines are in the charts below. Some items
are used for more than one meal. A cost will be in parentheses if an item is repeated and only
needs to be purchased once. Some items will only need to be purchased once because they can
create multiple meals; some items will need to be purchased more than once to create multiple
meals.
Ingredients List (Full Service Grocery Store: Whole Foods Market)
Meal Ingredients: Amount: Cost:
Beverages *Water for every meal- *24-pack *$3.99
365 Everyday Value Spring Water
Cereal *365 Everyday Value Frosted Flakes *1 box (14 oz) *$2.99
*Blue Diamond Almonds Almond *1 jug (96 fl/oz) *$5.99
Breeze Original Almond Milk
*Banana *1 bunch (1 lb.) *$0.79
Muffins *Vermont Bread Company All Natural *1 bag (12 oz) *$3.49
100% Whole Wheat English Muffins
*Earth Balance Original Buttery *1 tub (15 oz) *$3.69
Spread
*Banana *1 bunch (1 lb) *$0.79
PB&J *365 Everyday Value Creamy Peanut *1 jar (16 oz) *$2.79
Butter
*365 Everyday Value Concord Grape *1 jar (17.5 oz) *$3.99
Jelly
*365 Everyday Value Classic White *1 loaf with 15 *$3.99
Bread slices (22 oz)
*Kettle Brand Sea Salt Potato Chips *1 bag (5 oz) *$2.99
Pasta *365 Everyday Value Fusilli *1 box (8 oz) *$1.99 (x2)
*365 Everyday Value Organic Classic *1 jar (25 oz) *$2.29
Pasta Sauce ( jar/meal)
Baked *Russet Potato *1 pair *$1.29
potato *Earth Balance Original Buttery *1 tub (15 oz) *($3.69)
Spread
*365 Everyday Value Organic Cut *1 can (14.5 oz) *$1.59 (x2)
Green Beans
Salad *Romaine Lettuce Stalk *1 stalk *$2.99
*Grape Tomatoes *1 case (10 oz) *$3.99
*365 Everyday Value Vegan Caesar *1 bottle (8 oz) *$3.99
Dressing
Nuggets *365 Everyday Value Breaded *1 bag with 14 *$4.49
Chickenless Nuggets nuggets (10 oz)
*365 Everyday Value Crinkle Cut Fries *1 bag (32 oz) *$3.99
*365 Everyday Value Organic Yellow
Mustard *1 bottle (14 oz) *$2.69
Alfredo *365 Everyday Value Linguine *1 box (8 oz) *$1.99 (x2)
*Victoria Vegans Vegan Alfredo Sauce *1 jar (18 oz) *$7.39
( jar/meal)
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Tofu *Neareast Couscous Mix Roasted *1 box (5.8 oz) *$2.59 (x2)
Garlic and Olive Oil
*365 Everyday Value Kidney Beans *1 can (14.5 oz) *$1.59
*365 Everyday Value Organic Cut *1 can (14.5 oz) *$1.59
Green Beans
*365 Everyday Value Organic Extra *1 box (14 oz) *$1.99
Firm Tofu
Soup *365 Everyday Value Tomato Basil *1 can (12.3 oz) *$2.69 (x2)
Soup
Burger *365 Everyday Value Classic White *1 bag with 15 *($3.99)
Bread slices (22 oz)
*Boca All American Classic Veggie *1 box with 4 *$4.49
Patties patties (10 oz)
*Romaine Lettuce Stalk *1 stalk *($2.99)
*365 Everyday Value Organic Yellow *1 bottle (14 oz) *($2.69)
Mustard
Total $99.96 with $0.04 remaining

Ingredients List (Convenience Store: Walgreens )

Meal Ingredients: Amount: Cost:
Beverages *Water for every meal- *24-pack *$3.99
Aquafina Water
Cereal *Cocoa Pebbles *1 box (11 oz) *$4.19
Or *Fruit Loops *1 box (11 oz) *$4.29
*Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk *1 carton ( gal) *$3.99 (x2)
*Dole Cherry Mix *4-pack *$3.49 (x2)
Or *Nice! Almonds *1 bag (1.5 oz) *$0.99 (x6)
Soup *Campbells Condensed Tomato *1 can (10.75 oz) *$1.39 (x7)
Soup
*Ritz Crackers *1 box (3.4 oz) *$2.29 (x2)
PB&J *Jif Creamy Peanut Butter *1 jar (16 oz) *$2.59
*Welchs Concord Grape Jelly *1 jar (30 oz) *$2.89
*Natures Own 100% Wheat Bread *1 loaf (20 oz) *$3.19
*Utz Crisp All Natural Potato Chips *1 bag (3.5 oz) *$0.99 (x2)
Pasta *Barilla Spaghetti *1 box (1 lb) *$1.39 (x2)
Or *Barilla Penne *1 box (1 lb) *$1.79 (x2)
*deLish Tomato and Basil Pasta *1 jar (23.5 oz) *$2.49 (x2)
Sauce ( jar/meal)
Rice & *Nice! Instant White Rice *1 box (14 oz) *$2.79 (x4)
Beans *Bushs Original Baked Beans *1 can (8.3 oz) *$1.59 (x4)
*Tostitos Original Restaurant Style *1 bag (13 oz) *$4.29 (x2)
Chips
*Tostitos Medium Chunky Salsa *1 jar (15.5 oz) *$3.29
Total $99.06 with $0.94 remaining
MODULE ONE ASSIGNMENT 5

My meal plans and ingredients lists had to be altered quite a few times in order for me to

successfully purchase enough food for the two-week period, spend no more than $100 while

following the SNAP program, and to accommodate my vegan lifestyle. I visited Whole Foods

Market, a full service grocery store, and Walgreens, a convenience store. At Whole Foods Market

I was able to purchase enough food for two weeks, costing $99.96 with $0.04 remaining.

However, the total was initially greater than $100 because I included more meals and ingredients.

I based the meal plan off of what my mom and I cook at home, and I did not realize how much

we spent within a two-week period; I do not live off of the SNAP program, so I am able to spend

more than $50 a week. With only the SNAP programs money to use, I had to resort to store-

brand items unless one was not vegan; the store brand, 365 Everyday Value, is much cheaper

than other brands. Overall, I was able to obtain water and various foods including Frosted Flakes,

fruits and vegetables, English muffins, peanut butter and jelly, chickenless nuggets, alfredo

sauce, soup, couscous, tofu, and veggie patties. I chose water as my only beverage because 24

bottles came in a pack for a low price, and water is better for my body than soda. When I walked

past the ice cream and cookies that I could eat, I realized the high prices and decided to not

include them in my meal plan. I was not able to purchase sweets unless I were to eliminate a

couple of meals; Id rather have full meals with healthy choices than sweets.
Whole Foods Market supplies a wider variety of vegan-friendly food than Walgreens.

Although I was able to purchase enough food under $100 at the convenience store for a two-

week period, the $99.06 that I spent only covered five meals. I had to buy multiples of nearly

every item because I had to constantly repeat meals in my meal plan. Cocoa Pebbles, Campbells

tomato soup, Jif peanut butter, Barilla spaghetti, Nice! instant white rice, and Tostitos chips and

salsa are most of the items I bought at Walgreens. Similar to the full service grocery store, I did

not buy any sweets; Oreos, the only sweets I could have at the convenience store, would have
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raised the total cost at least five dollars. Additionally, I bought water over soda. The food choices

at Walgreens are unhealthy compared to Whole Foods Market; even the healthier choices like

fruits and vegetables are more expensive and not fresh or non-existent. With little variety and

vegan options, the well-known brand items that can be compared to Whole Foods Markets brand

items managed to have a similar cost. The cereals at Walgreens are the only items that are higher

in price, perhaps due to the items not being a generic brand. The almond milk, grape jelly, soup,

and potato chips were higher in price at Whole Foods Market. The potato chips would have been

the same price if I bought the Kettle brand at the convenience store; however, the Utz chips were

two dollars cheaper, and I decided to use the other two dollars to buy Ritz crackers for my soup.

The water and beans were the same price at both stores. The other meals and ingredients that are

comparable peanut butter, noodles, and tomato sauce - were as close in price as twenty cents.

The only factors as a whole that had the most impact when shopping in a full service grocery

store versus a convenience store were the narrow or wide selection of vegan-friendly foods and

fresh fruits and vegetables.

The social determinants of health that play impactful roles on the lives of people who are

enlisted in the SNAP program are food, social exclusion, and stress. Access to healthy food is

needed in all areas, but, unfortunately, is limited in certain locations and stores. Healthy food

may include fruits, vegetables, and organic food; although fresh fruits and vegetables are the

best, canned is still nutritious. Purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables and organic food is easiest

to find at a full service grocery store (or a farmers market), while these products are limited are

unavailable at a convenience store. Canned fruits and vegetables are available at convenience

stores, but organic or healthier options are less likely to be in stock; there are more snacks and

soda for a quick and easy purchase. If people who receive SNAP benefits are in a food desert,

they will find it difficult to obtain fresh and healthy food. They will not have a well-rounded
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nutritional intake, and they may find it tempting to use their money on junk food. If people who

receive SNAP benefits have access to a full service grocery store, they will have a better chance

purchasing fresh food and healthy meals because the store will provide a variety of them. The

challenge, however, will be to balance out how much healthy and fresh food to buy. Some items

may be more expensive because they are healthier, and people will need to limit these foods in

order to not exceed the $100 amount. People who receive SNAP may also have dietary

restrictions based on their culture, diet plan, or personal preference. These people will be socially

excluded from certain places and will have a difficult time finding food items that they can have,

especially at a convenience store. Vegans, for example, will not be able to find a wide selection

of food at a convenience store and will have duplicate meals. The food alternatives or restrictions

one may have could be costly at a full service grocery store, creating a challenge to have full

meals under one-hundred dollars.

Healthy food availability and social exclusion lead to stressful situations and challenges

for an individual enrolled in SNAP. The stress includes access to a full service grocery store,

limitations in a convenience store, finding nutritious food, and staying within the SNAP

programs $100 budget. If a person is in a food desert, then he or she will feel pressure to eat less

healthy food; a person will be stressed if they cannot buy fruits and vegetables for his or her

nutrition. Not being able to have fresh foods over canned could also be stressful. If a person can

access a full service grocery store, there may be stress when deciding which foods and brands to

purchase. For the ones with dietary restrictions, grocery shopping will be stressful when

searching for the right meals to buy. Convenience stores, mainly, supply a small range of food

items that is well-known to the general public. If a vegan were to look for a specific food like

tofu, he or she will be stressed out in a store that does not sell it. Finding another meat and/or

dairy alternative will worry him or her. In any of the mentioned challenges, money will always
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be troublesome. Trying to figure out ways to provide full meals for oneself while only spending

$100 in a two-week period needs careful thought and consideration.

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References
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). (2014, July 18). Retrieved February 9,

2015, from http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items

Walgreens
Whole Foods Market