Could you feed yourself for just $1.75 a day?

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It almost sounds impossible when you first hear it, feeding yourself for only $1.75 a day.

But, starting next week people across the world will try to get by spending no more than that for five days.

It’s all part of the Below The Line Challenge.

As the name suggests, people are encouraged to try to live below the poverty line.

So how do people get by?

Toronto chef Christian Pritchard has a suggestion.

“Some of these dishes are pretty amazing with lentils and split peas. They’re very high nutritious, good protein, excellent vegetables and good for you. You can be very creative with food and do it to be value-conscious as well.”

He’s doing the challenge himself this year.

“I would be full of it if I told you it wasn’t a challenge for me, but there are a lot of great things and recipes that you will find.”

One of his favourites is a smoothie made from spinach, ice and peanut butter.

Nutritionist Nadia Chychrun took on the five day challenge with her entire family last year, including two kids and says it was an eye-opener.

“They realized that wow, you can’t eat very much for $1.75, ‘I want to have that apple, well no you can’t have that apple’.”

Her suggestions?

“There’s a lot of cheap carbs, you have your brown rice and your oatmeal. From a protein perspective, it’s actually not as tough. We did a lot of beans and eggs.”

She catalogued everything her family ate and says they were able to consume enough calories and appropriate nutrients.

Some parts were more difficult than others.

“It’s hard to get good fat. Your olive oils or your omegas are expensive. But the cheap fat, sure no problem.”

She’s doing it again this year, minus the family.

For more info you can go to www.livebelowtheline.com, the challenge starts Monday.