I wanted to buy a can of cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie filling for a simple Thanksgiving dinner. But at checkout, the screen flashed: Balance: $3.14. I froze. People behind me sighed, so I removed two items quietly. Then I learned SNAP doesn’t cover hot food when the cashier rejected my mashed potatoes. I walked them back, pretending I didn’t care. We ended up eating discounted canned turkey. My kid asked, “Why do other families get a real turkey?” “Next year,” I told him. “Next year we will too.” #SNAP #LowIncomeLife #ThanksgivingStruggles #FoodInsecurity #RealLifeUSA