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Grocery shopping has become a calculated exercise for many families, with every item carefully planned and selected to stretch limited budgets.

For more than 700,000 Missouri families and thousands more in Kansas who rely on SNAP benefits, the average weekly allowance of $46 to $74 per person must cover all their food needs.

I went on Tuesday to a south Kansas City, Mo., grocery store to see what food I could buy with a $46 to $74

budget for a week.

A cart full of staples produce, fresh fruit, dairy and a package of meat represents what the average person on SNAP benefits can afford for an entire week. When I shopped with this budget, I spent $48, right in line with the national average.

The government shutdown will likely cause SNAP benefits to stop

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