Maine is a state rich with fresh and locally grown food, especially during the summer months.
However, with about 200,000 Mainers receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to USDA data, it can be a challenge accessing the abundant offerings across the state on restricted food budgets.
Thankfully, a statewide program launched in 2015 facilitated by the Maine Local Access Food Network, or MLFAN, creates an incentive for SNAP users to go to farmers markets and local food retailers by offering Maine Harvest Bucks, which allow shoppers to receive matching funds to purchase additional fruits and vegetables when they use SNAP.
Farmers markets have accepted SNAP since the early 2000s, according to Jimmy DeBiasi, SNAP program coordinator for the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets. But with Maine Harvest Bucks creating an added incentive for SNAP users to make it to market, DeBiasi said SNAP sales are up since these incentives were rebranded as Maine Harvest Bucks last year.
“In general, SNAP sales in the state at farmers markets are on the rise,” Deblais said. “From Maine Harvest Bucks, it’s definitely been increasing.”
While similar incentives were available at various farmers markets before Maine Harvest Bucks, this program is the first statewide incentive program which allows any market in the state to utilize the program if it chooses to, according to Leigh Hallett, Maine Federation of Farmers Markets director.
Maine Harvest Bucks is the product of a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant received by MLFAN. With the grant running out in March of 2018, DeBiasi said other sources of funding for the program are being explored. Hallett said the program likely will be able to continue regardless of whether the grant is renewed.
At Maine farmers markets last year, there was more than $80,000 worth of Maine Harvest Bucks redemption, meaning there had to be at least $80,000 in other SNAP sales, DeBiasi said. These purchases not only provide low-income Mainers with healthy foods but help support local farmers and food producers.
“That’s thousands of dollars from the SNAP sales and the Harvest Bucks that’s going into the local economy, to farmers, rather than to grocery stores which are not always locally owned,” Deblais said.
But whether you’re shopping at a farmers market or at the grocery store, there are several strategies for shopping on a budget.
Last month, at the Houlton Community Market, 100 copies of the cookbook “Good and Cheap: Eating Well on $4/Day” were given away to SNAP shoppers. The cookbooks were donated to the market by Lee Auto Mall, according to a post on the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets Facebook page.
The cookbook, written by Leanne Brown, is designed to address how people who rely on SNAP — who receive about $4 per day per person for food — can implement shopping and cooking strategies that will stretch their funds and their food.
The book includes over 180 pages of cooking tips, shopping plans and recipes that include broken down price points. Brown’s ethos in writing the book was that if you have basic cooking skills and purchase food that can be used in a variety of meals, “you can conjure deliciousness in any kitchen at any time.”
“On a restricted budget, it’s a struggle to have enough variety in your budget,” Brown said. “But buying things that you can make multiple meals out of makes [the item] stretch and makes it interesting.”
Eggs — local if possible — are good sources of protein and perfect eaten at any time of day sunny side up on toast, as an omelette or in a quiche, Brown said. Tomatoes, fresh or canned, are another great multipurpose item, she said, easily transformed into soups or sauces.
The cookbook also includes several recipes for making bulk batches of commonly bought things such as tortillas or broth, which can be less expensive when made from scratch.
Buying in bulk is another cost cutter in the long run, Brown said, because generally the price per unit is lower on bulk items. However, only items that you know your household will eat before it expires should be purchased in bulk.
Kate Yerxa, a University of Maine Cooperative Extension dietitian, agreed that buying in bulk is a good way to cut food costs, though it’s important to keep them properly stored.
When looking to cut costs, your freezer can be your best friend, Brown and Yerxa said. Whether it’s packaging and freezing big batches of meals you’ve already cooked for use later, or preserving in season produce for later use.
“Freezing is a great way for you to eat well in the middle of winter,” Yerxa said.
While having a freezer full of usable food is a good way to avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store, when you’re sick of the frozen items, purchasing fresh produce is best to do when the item is in season.
DeBiasi said vegetable prices are the cheapest at market when that item is in season and farmers have a large supply of the product. “At the peak of tomato season, there will be boxes of unsorted tomatoes that they’re just trying to get rid of,” DeBaisi said.
But regardless of your budget or the time of year, Brown said there are a host of ways to make your wallet and your pantry provide you and your family with nutritious meals.
“Even if you don’t have much money you can still make something you love for yourself and your family,” Brown said.