Have you missed reading about eating for a week on $30 a person?   No, I haven’t decided to repeat the challenge.  Not yet at least.  The husband needs time to gain a rosier view of the past.  But fortunately, plenty other folks have taken the challenge and shared their thoughts.  For a bonus post, I want to direct you to some of their stories to give you more perspectives beyond just mine.  And just maybe the power of positive peer pressure will convince you to try it out.  Maybe even for just a day on $4.30?

Many Marylanders have chronicled their experiences here.

Our neighbors in D.C. have taken the challenge, too, and shared their experiences here.

But this isn’t just an east coast phenomenon.  For a look at challenge-takers across the nation, check this out.

I won’t reinvent the wheel, so I’m going to keep linking away to those who have said it best (easiest blog post I ever wrote!).  One particular goal of this challenge is to get public officials and those with the media’s attention to take the challenge and share their experiences on a big scale and to use what they learn to impact public policy and public opinion.  I’ve already mentioned the mayor of Phoenix who skipped meals and ended up losing 5 pounds in the course of a week.  The idea is that the experience will be so memorable that when changes to the program come before them, the decision won’t be based on just balance sheets and instead also account for the human experience of $30 becoming $25 or something like that.

For even more stories, search #SNAPchallenge on twitter for more insights.