This post was sponsored by Y-USA as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

Being a single mom and being responsible for feeding my three boys and princess healthy meals can be somewhat of a challenge. It takes planning, organization, and time. 

With all the negativity in this world, God still is working behind the scenes to provide for the needs of children.

I participated in one out of the three-day Food Desert Challenges with my family. I admit having more family members can actually make this challenge more doable. A lot of times families cook more food than needed and end up throwing part of it away.  Needless to say, my three boys rarely leave a crumb in the dish, so we don’t have the option of leftovers very often.

I had to carefully plan our entire menu for the day. I looked at the ads and was able to find deals on meat and produce. I honestly believe this is the only way you can stay within budget and eat healthily. But then again….time is money to me.

Our breakfast is full of protein. We will continue to eat the fruit with our other meals throughout the day.

We made simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We had the leftover fruit from breakfast.

We had grilled pork tenderloin, pasta, a huge garden salad, and garlic toast. It’s always cost efficient to buy produce that is in season. 

Did you know?

The Walmart Foundation and the Y will provide 5 million meals and snacks to 250,000 kids and teens at 1,500 locations because they realize many parents rely on school breakfasts and lunches in order for kids to eat healthily. 

The YMCA commits to keeping kids healthy with their Y’s Summer Food Program. They provide kids with the opportunity to receive nutritious meals and snacks, while also giving them the chance to enjoy recreational and learning activities to keep them busy and active during the lazy summer months.

I encourage your family to take the Food Desert Challenge while spreading awareness of the Y’s Summer Food Program to others. Many people might be embarrassed to admit that they need assistance for their children, so that’s why we want to encourage all the parents in our community. We all need to pull together because no community is safe from food insecurity; it exists in every county in the United States. 

I admit, I might be a little biased in this area because I’m a single mom who doesn’t get any outside support. It’s a challenge to feed a family of five healthy meals, so the Food Dessert challenge melts my heart. 

Start the Food Dessert Challenge today!