Phoenix mayor spends week on food stamps

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton learned what life is like for many by spending a week living on food stamps, an allowance of $29.

Last week’s SNAP Experience program was sponsored by the Arizona Community Action Association. Stanton and other participants had to live on the allowance of a typical SNAP recipient.

The Supplemental Food Assistance Program is the third-largest nutrition-assistance program in the country.

During the challenge, Stanton skipped full meals to save money and subsisted on ramen noodles, pasta, chicken and coffee.

He lost four pounds.

Stanton posted on Facebook that finding nutritious food for that amount of money was difficult.