Day 1: When food envy reached new levels

'No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.' 1 Corinthians 10:13

Today marked the beginning of living on £1 a day for all my food and drink. I am interested in how I will cope and react as I go about my daily routine not being able to accept any offers of food and drink and buy snacks when my stomach dictates when it is hungry. Today I can say that it was the temptation of food around me that was the most difficult thing.

The day started well with my bowl of porridge made with water and even as it solidified in the microwave it struck me that even on this minuscule budget I still had the luxury of using the microwave to make sure I cope with the demands of poverty line living.  I nearly failed before I had started as well, reaching for some apple juice from my fridge before remembering and putting it back - breaking daily habits is going to be difficult.

Lunch today was tasty and tomato soup with 4 slices of bread has never tasted so good and I will tell you why. I was at a meeting today which took place in a pub and after we had discussed the matters in hand everyone ordered some lunch. I obviously couldn't partake in this and had to first turn down a FREE pub lunch and secondly refute offers of chips form those who had a lovely looking chicken and chorizo wrap in front of them. 

Two different people have said to me today when I politely declined their offer of food that I should take their food as if someone in the developing world was offered food they would take it. This, on the one hand seemed like a ready made justification to eat a few chips. However on the other I know that my environment surrounded by friends and family who are nowhere near the poverty line means I am in the fortunate position of having a low risk of actually going hungry so have to be intentional about sticking to the challenge and bucking the comfortable 'food bubble' I am saturated in. It is the wider environment and support network that contributes to hunger moreover than simply an individuals plight.

Dinner - it tasted better than it looks (only a little)

So today I can say that at times I was  a little hungry (especially after cycling back from the station and then playing football) but my dinner of rice, kidney beans, mixed vegetables and curry sauce was substantial in quantity so filled gap and got me through the day. What I have realised today is the difficulty in being restricted in my food choices by my (adopted) means and small things like not eating when I want but having to be organised with what I eat and when I eat it.

Day 1 complete, only 4 more to go.