Newark, N.J. Mayor Cory Booker is taking the SNAP Challenge this week and living on the same food budget as 44.7 million Americans who by necessity participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—better known as food stamps. Booker has a food budget of little more than $4 per day, and hopes to shed light on the government’s role in providing quality nutrition to its less-fortunate citizens.

“A Twitter user Tweeted me her opinion that ‘nutrition is not the responsibility of the government,’” Booker posted on LinkedIn Monday morning as he began the challenge. “This comment caused me to reflect on families and children in my community who benefit from SNAP assistance and deserve deeper consideration. In my own quest to better understand the outcomes of SNAP assistance, I suggested to this specific Twitter user that we both live on a SNAP equivalent food budget for a week and document our experience.”

Therefore, from Dec. 4 to Dec. 12 Booker is embarking on a food journey where he will only eat what he can purchase with just less than $30. And after less than two days in, he’s already facing challenges. The vegetarian has rejected many helpful suggestions that contain meat, and withdrawn from caffeine. His breakfast yesterday consisted of chickpeas and lettuce, no coffee, according to Twitter.

My #SNAPchallenge food for the week@ City of Newark instagr.am/p/S1QE4cPUUm/

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) December 4, 2012