Live on £1 a Day: Hannah Day 1

I had pancakes last night (well, it was Shrove Tuesday!) and I really enjoyed them, but ate too much – I think partly because I could, but also because I thought I wouldn’t have enough to eat today and so wanted to binge a little. It doesn’t work like that. I felt bloated during the evening and REALLY hungry in the morning!

Breakfast

I had porridge oats with mostly soya milk and a little water as already I’m concerned the milk won’t do 5 breakfasts. I had blackcurrant squash instead of my usual fruit juice and although it was sweet and added a small amount of flavour in between spoonfuls of very plain porridge, it was a bit too sugary for first thing in the morning. However, I did feel pretty full for most of the morning.

I work full time and decided that as tea and coffee is always on offer at work, if I’m offered a drink, I will have one but I won’t help myself during this 5 day period. I hadn’t advertised the fact that I’m doing this appeal, but luckily, my colleagues enjoy a cuppa as much as I usually do so, by lunchtime, I had had 2 cups of tea. Lovely.

Lunch

I had lunch a little later than planned (or was it just that I was hungry earlier…?) and my vegetable cuppa soup and carrot sticks did hit the spot and I enjoyed it. I have previously attempted the 5:2 diet and my lunch was always soup and vegetables sticks so today was fine. Tomorrow and the next day…?

Tea

I got home about 5.30pm and was feeling very hungry. I hadn’t particularly planned what would go with my pasta each day, but as I’m hoping to attend the gym tomorrow, I’m saving half my fish for then and the other for the weekend when I think I’ll be flagging. So it was pasta (weighed out to ensure it would last the whole 5 days) and 2 spoons each of tinned tomatoes and chickpeas stirred in. It was tasty, but I ate very slowly trying to make it last.

My husband isn’t taking part in this appeal, so I cooked a separate pasta meal for him. This really made me think of all the families and parents who ensure their children or partner are fed first and then if there’s anything left or just if there’s enough, only then will they eat. I also thought of the scene in the film Erin Brokovitch where she takes the children out for tea and doesn’t order anything because she can’t afford it, but tells them her lawyer took her out for a fancy lunch and she’s still full. I expect this sentiment is expressed all over the country in homes, by mums and dads.

Today I was very aware of the snacks I eat during the day, especially the sweets I have in my car for if I ‘need’ something and the cost of all these things would add up to at least my £5 budget which is providing me 15 whole meals. I’m also thinking of the snacks I would normally have after tea – I don’t have pudding as such, but quite often during the evening I’ll have a hot drink and some fruit or chocolate.

If you are thinking of getting involved, please do get in touch. Or next time you do your food shop, think of donating something filling like rice pudding or tinned potatoes or long life sponge puddings to keep people who receive out support going through the day.