this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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[–] [email protected] 128 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Eating like that, no, you can't live like this. At least, not for long.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

That's not food.

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[–] tdawg 98 points 1 year ago (3 children)

If anyone is actually on the struggle bus don't get ramen. Get rice. Buy the biggest fucking bag of rice from the local Asian store you can find. You can make enough rice to last multiple days in one sitting and the bag will last you several months to a year depending on if you have family or not

[–] c0mbatbag3l 60 points 1 year ago (3 children)

If you can spring for it buy some high protein beans or lentils or some other legume and mix them, almost every society on the planet no matter the geography invented rice and beans because it's so damn easy to store for long periods of time and will get you the protein and calories you need to survive.

Is it fun? No. But it will get you fed and it's an excellent base to throw in other things to spice it up. Get a little extra money and can afford a bit of meat and veggies? Sauteed them up and you get a full blown meal with a side dish and a porkchop/fish filet/chicken breast with your rice.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wait, rice and beans isn't fun? It requires some extra seasonings but Carrib style rice and peas are my jam. Though it does have a Lotta aromatics.

[–] c0mbatbag3l 16 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Well... personally I think rice and beans can be delicious but it's not most people's idea of comfort food I suppose. At least where I'm from.

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[–] themeatbridge 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The price of rice is pretty high right now. It's still a good value, especially in bulk, but it's not as cheap as it used to be.

[–] citrusface 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Only gonna get higher, so buy now.

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[–] Phoenix3875 18 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Make sure to put the rice in a freezer if you're going to store it for a long time. This is important to prevent bugs, especially in hot and damp weather. If that's not possible, sprinkle some dried chilis or peppers.

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[–] NatakuNox 86 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (13 children)

People make fun of this. But if you are on a poverty budget, you have to buy cheap calorically rich food as you would starve on expensive healthy options. Not to mention, most poor people live in grocery food deserts where the closest food market is a dollar general that doesn't carry fresh/healthy food.

Edit: Since people seem to think they've solved the food insecurity for 34 million Americans. I'll continue to go with organization international and domestic that actually studied this.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/key-statistics-graphics/

https://www.chn.org/voices/food-insecurity-is-already-a-huge-problem-for-the-u-s-in-2023-it-may-get-worse/

https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/food-insecurity#:~:text=A%20definition%20of%20food%20insecurity&text=More%20than%2034%20million%20people,insecurity%20in%20the%20United%20States.

[–] [email protected] 71 points 1 year ago (11 children)

No, you wouldn't. The same amount of money going to dry beans and grains, some dairy and eggs, and some cheap protein goes much further. You'd even have enough left for fresh veggies and seasonings.

The intersection of poor and can't cook is just depressingly shitty and too common.

[–] MuhammadJesusGaySex 52 points 1 year ago (24 children)

So I live in the US. I have 2 friends that got scurvy in 2017. How did they get scurvy you might ask? Let me tell you. They live about 30 mins from the grocery store in a car. Which they don’t have. The closest person that can take them grocery shopping lives about 2 hours away. Plus they’re poor as shit.

To save money they spent 3 months eating nothing but homemade biscuits (scones for non Americans). The lack of vitamin c gave them scurvy.

They live on a fixed income. My state tightened requirements for food stamps. They were fucked.

I will say that the UN came to my state several years ago. They literally called it the 3rd world and said it was the most impoverished place in the developed world. So, there’s that.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] MuhammadJesusGaySex 14 points 1 year ago

Granted they were headed to West Virginia next. So they may have changed their tune. Heh

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (8 children)

Rice and beans, baby! It's a world wide staple for a reason.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Also cooking takes time. I make dinner every night and even with previously prepped things it's usually 20-30min every evening. If I worked 2 jobs (12-16hr) I wouldn't have the time nor energy, either.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 year ago (11 children)

Now throw in a being a single parent!

I honestly don't know how people do it. When my wife's out of town for a week, nothing gets done beyond basic survival. I don't have time to do any other chores, and I only work 1 job.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

This person has blown money not getting the store brand. Driving farther to get real food cannot be that much more expensive, but let’s say it’s even $4 more. You’d get your money back buying a pound of apples. As someone who didn’t grow up with means, I know a lot of people with carts like this and it’s mostly just a history of bad choices.

[–] NatakuNox 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Food deserts are places more than 20 minutes away from a grocery store. So at least that's a 40 minute round trip if you have a car. And spoiler alert, most people living in poverty don't have reliable mods of travel. It's a proven fact that processed foods provides more calories for less than fresh produce. Two oreo cookies is more calories than a apple and they keep longer. Are there some people that make poor eating habits simply because they can, absolutely! But that's not what I'm talking about. Please don't demonize people for the failings of our society.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

mostly just a history of bad choices

What a weird way to spell "chronically overstressed".

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

… rice, beans, and a $15 rice cooker?

I’m as lazy as they get in the kitchen. If I can’t throw it in a pot, walk away, and walk back to food then it’s too much effort.

Rice and beans is cheap, quick, and easy.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (7 children)

That's all part of the problem though, isn't it?

I live in central Europe and veggies and fruit are one of the first things, you see when you enter a store. They're also really affordable and you can get them in pretty much every corner store all over the town as well. There isn't a place where basic fruit and veggies are more than 15 minutes walking/public transit distance from you within the city. Never had to drive to a grocery store in my life. Some places are even open at night.

Let's not blame the people for eating like this, when that's exactly what the system is set up for.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

On a poverty budget a plant based diet is healthier and vastly cheaper. A bag of rice and a bag of beans is cheap.

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[–] [email protected] 64 points 1 year ago (1 children)

All that produce fresh from the factory!

[–] [email protected] 50 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Have you tried buying food instead of whatever the fuck this garbage is?

[–] Astroturfed 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If you're on a budget this is such a horrible cart... not to mention so unhealthy. I guess most of it doesn't go bad quickly at least... only positive.

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My stomach hurts just looking at it.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

You are weak and your bloodline is weak, instead of sugary sweet like God intended when he invented high fructose corn syrup

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago

Average moderator shopping cart.

[–] jpreston2005 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] dustyData 25 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

I would bet most of the weight in that cart is sugar, salt and plastic.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Could be twice the amount when getting store brands instead of luxury brands.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

While your point is well taken, luxury brands?

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

luxury brands?

When the product isn't really that good but you pay a lot more just because there's "Oreo's" written on the product for example.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (5 children)

That's normally called Name Brand, what you are referring to is store brand, which is usually cheaper.

Oreos are not a "luxury".

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey 14 points 1 year ago

They are if you eat them with your pinky up

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[–] FReddit 17 points 1 year ago (11 children)

Over the last 10 years or so, some kinds of convenience foods have gone up a lot. Like some types of

"value meal" is over $10. That's a bad scene if you have several people to feed.

You can beat that by cooking your own, but if you have been working a 12 hour shift that is a harsh scenario.

It just seems like people, and I'm referring to the U.S., getting food should not be such a press.

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[–] BilboBargains 17 points 1 year ago

Diabeetus be like: Don't worry, it won't be long to wait.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago

And that's exactly where the billionaires and ruling class want you.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Americans are scared to touch a bean.

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[–] MrFloppy 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

No automatic assault rifle to be seen. My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.

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