Gwyneth Paltrow, purveyor of organic kale-based smoothies and self-proclaimed "common woman", has decided to take up the ‘Food Bank Challenge’, in which she will attempt to live off a $29 (£19.84) food allowance for a week – the equivalent of what 1.7 million New Yorkers are expected to survive on in the form of food stamps.

But the actress, whose life-style publication Goop was heavily criticised recently for suggesting women should steam-clean their vaginas, has fallen at the first hurdle, despite her earnest attempt at “walking in their shoes to see how far we get”.

She had signed up to chef Mario Batali’s challenge to do her part in helping to end hunger in the state; to challenge others to try and live off the small amount of money; and to help put pressure on America’s Congress to redress the cuts that have been made to New Yorkers’ food stamps, now known as SNAP.

Paltrow tweeted a picture of her food shop worth $29 which included a dozen eggs, a pack of black beans, a pack of rice, kale, peas, an onion, an avocado, a tomato, garlic, tortillas, a chilli, lettuce, corn, spring onion, coriander, one sweet potato and seven limes.

Unfortunately for Paltrow, as soon as she showed fans the food she had bought she received a wave of criticism for her particular choices, which were seen as unwise or unrealistic for those living on such a tight budget, while many took her attempt to live as someone who is poorer than they are, as condescending.