Image: Live Below the Line

Working at Concern, I’ve been lucky enough to see the impact of what we do, working with some of the world’s most vulnerable communities who face a daily struggle to feed their families.

You might already be thinking about taking the challenge this year. You might also have noticed how much you’re currently spending on food (I know I did) and the thought of cutting back is now a bit daunting. As someone who’s already lived through the week, I thought I would share the lessons I learnt.

Doing the challenge, one of the most important lessons I learnt was about choice. When you have little money, you have little choice. I was glad to be able to buy eggs as they were pretty much my only source of protein for the week, but I hated having to buy really cheap ones as they were probably from some very unhappy chickens. However, at times the challenge was quite liberating. Being restricted in what I could eat meant that after the initial planning and shopping, I actually spent less time thinking about what I was going to eat.

Here are my top tips for a successful challenge:

Get organised! Do a meal planner so you know exactly what you’ll be eating for the five days. Check out our Pinterest board for ideas and tips on how to create a plan.

Do a meal planner so you know exactly what you’ll be eating for the five days. Check out our Pinterest board for ideas and tips on how to create a plan. Shop around for the best prices – I ended up buying food from different supermarkets. Find some friends to do the challenge with – you can save money by buying in bulk. I shared bread, eggs and potatoes with two friends. You can also give each other moral support.

– I ended up buying food from different supermarkets. Find some friends to do the challenge with – you can save money by buying in bulk. I shared bread, eggs and potatoes with two friends. You can also give each other moral support. Drink lots of water. Often when you think you are hungry, you are actually thirsty.

Often when you think you are hungry, you are actually thirsty. If you drink lots of caffeine, cut down the week before to avoid withdrawal headaches. You can also get a headache from sugar withdrawal. If you eat a lot of sugar, then cut that down before the challenge too.

to avoid withdrawal headaches. You can also get a headache from sugar withdrawal. If you eat a lot of sugar, then cut that down before the challenge too. If you don’t ask, you won’t get! Approach everyone you know for sponsorship – I found that people were quite intrigued by the thought of living on £1 a day.

Approach everyone you know for sponsorship – I found that people were quite intrigued by the thought of living on £1 a day. Keep busy – it helps stop you thinking about eating and food.

By taking the challenge, I really came to appreciate just how difficult it is to eat a healthy and balanced diet when you have only a small amount of money to spend on food. I didn’t get hungry as you can buy a lot of cheap carbs (pasta, bread, potatoes for example) but I really missed fresh fruit and vegetables. The challenge took organisation, shameless badgering of my friends to sponsor me and a certain amount of will power but overall, it is a really rewarding experience.

The total raised during the Live Below the Line challenge week in 2014. Image: Live Below the Line

You can do it – but it will really make you appreciate the variety and quality of what you usually eat and understand how undernourished those who can’t afford what you can must be.

Go on; sign up and Live below the Line yourself this year to help us tackle hunger for the world’s poorest people.