Right, that's why fast food is thriving despite everyone knowing what shit it is - it fills a hole fast and cheap enough, and you're not using any of your own energy - physically from the utility, but also physically, and mentally, from yourself to prepare it (and before that you have to refrigerate ingredients or keep them frozen so you have to own and pay to run a fridge/freezer as well as an oven or toaster or hob, and before that you have to shop for ingredients, it all takes money, time, and energy of every kind).

The problem isn't how people go about trying to survive (like eating cereal for dinner), it's the people making billions off of the industries and institutions that require workers be in such a desperate state in the first place.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I don't want to sound unsympathetic, but rice takes 15-20 mins in the microwave (if done right it's perfectly fine) so it's just seconds of button pressing and then walk away to do whatever else you need to and I buy canned beans that are already cooked so all you need to do is reheat them.

The hardest part for some is learning not to hate eating leftovers. I never had this issue so it comes easier to me, but my easy weekly meal (it's just me so it's simpler) is canned vegetables, canned beans, and a chicken breast all the the slow cooker with some basic seasoning. I can add whatever I want afterwards to change the flavors so it's not always the "same." I really don't spend any time over an oven unless I want to.

All that said I imagine this gets 100000x harder when kids are involved, but luckily for me I'm pretty much the least desirable man on earth so I don't need to worry about procreation lol

[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 months ago (1 children)

15-20 minutes is a long time when you have a 30-minute gap between your two jobs.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I just do it once a week and make a bunch, but if you're working 2 jobs 7 days a week then yeah just about anything is too much :(

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I've been there and it almost killed me. It wasn't money that got me (that much), but the lack of time and sleep. I'd live by vending machine junk and naps in the car between jobs.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Beans from a can, champignons from a glass, bit of corn from a can. Put it on a tortilla with a bit of salsa for flavor. I add some flax seeds cause they are supposed to be good for your intestinal health. Obviously this tastes better when you take some time to prepare it in a pan, but it's cheap, very filling and takes a few minutes to prepare at most. I like to eat it cold on hot summer days.