Challenge Recipe

The nearest "corner store" to me was the CVS in Dinkytown. After taking the brisk 2 block walk, I arrived inside and started cruising my way through the 3 aisles dedicated to food. For the meal design process, I ended up actually visiting CVS twice. Once to get an idea what was available, then a second time the next day after looking back over the USDA's meal guidelines.

One thing to note about CVS as a corner store, the company itself is seems to be more focused on it's pharmacy business, just by looking at it's website and reading through the Corporate Information session. They also offer services such as photo development, clinics, and optical centers in some of their locations. Since I've also shopped there on numerous occasions, I know that the food prices are also quite a bit higher than other grocery stores further from campus. This could a result of being so close to campus and knowing that student's will pay the money, since there are few other nearby options.

Below you can see the cost breakdown for a meal for two people. The meal that I planned was a very basic Chicken Cacciatore consisting of homeamde tomatoes sauce, onions, and canned chicken, on top of brown rice with an apple on the side. One thing to note about the portioning of different groups in this meal, the protein is actually a little on the low side, since the chicken was quite expensive relative to the actual amount receiving (3-4 ounces ounces, which when broken down to two people is less than half the daily recommended amount of protein).

	qty	UP		price
Instant whole grain rice	1	2.67		$ 2.67
Tomato	2	0.99		$ 1.98
Canned Chicken	1	2.77		$ 2.77
Apple	2	0.59		$ 1.18
Onion	1	0.59		$ 0.59
Total				$ 9.19

Thinking about this challenge in a reflective lens, it shows that when a place like CVS is your main source for food, eating healthy and inexpensively is not very feasible at all. When I was shopping for protein options, it came down to either canned fish or chicken, overly processed pork and beans, or salami from the cooler. The only vegetables in the store that were "fresh", where the tomatos and onions, and there were empty spots for carrots and celery. I took me about 8 minutes to find the brown rice, and that was the only whole wheat grain option besides whole grain bread and oatmeal also (no whole grain pasta options).

Yes a store like CVS can be convenient for picking up something quick while you pick up your prescription, but it is by no means a grocery store substitute, and should not be used as one.