I was also raised by a single Mom and can attest to a similar experience. Although I don’t remember a great deal of fast food. It was a kind of luxury thing we had a few times a month. I remember my Mom trying to avoid it. We were also on assistance and ate out of food pantries a lot. We had lots and lots of canned food e.g. soup and various kinds of vegetables, and they gave us ridiculous amounts of cheese. You basically take what you can get. My Mom used to trade excess cheese blocks with my grandmother for laundry detergent.

I’d have to ask her about time and sleep but I remember it being more hectic than it was strained. This may not have been as true without the assistance we were able to take advantage of. I remember being woken up very early (around 4-5 AM) to be taken to a baby sitter. I must’ve been 4 or 5 at the time. I would sleep in the car along the way.