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Convenience is important for some people and there are only so many hours in the day.
Really, I consider $10. for a meal for two to be on the high side, let alone one. I keep the protein under that, and the rest of the meal is only a buck or two.
Some recent examples are a nice piece of swordfish, $8.99, and a strip steak, for $9.75.
Today, I intend to make lasagna, and that will come in at about $3. a serving...and that is using aged provolone, not mozzarella.
I think there are so many big spenders these days on food that 9.95 a plate sounds like a bargain.
Today for lunch I had a salad kit and banana for 2.50 and for dinner huge can of beans and potatoes for like 2.00
The big can of beans had 50 grams of protein with lots of fiber, iron and vitamins, I had four servings of veggies and a serving of fruit for half the price of one of these meal-kits.
Many of these meal packages say they are 9.95 a meal but it seems like they usually send out 6 portions a week for around 60 dollars.
I notice that many of these packages have one expensive meal that many would consider worth the 10 dollars a portion and following that for the other 4 out of 6 portion a week is something that fancy sounding but extremely cheap to make.
Not true.
Which ones are you referring to?
Yes of course it's cheaper "to make" but that's not your premise. You're saying they're offering sub standard meals with a hook of one good one. And why are you comparing a huge can of beans and some potatoes to that? I don't know typical people who would be happy with THAT choice regularly. Of course, also, broke people can't be that fussy.
You realize YOU get to chose your menu items for the whole week, right? They don't just "send" stuff out.
I think you're confused when they might offer one "more gourmet" entree like Coq au Vin but all the other meals are still normal. Then again, not all meal plans are equal. Nothing on Blue Apron appealed to me, either.
Also you have the option of low carb or vegetarian. So of course you're not seeing lots of animal protein on that one.
Choose from 11 fresh recipes featuring steak, chicken, pork, fish, vegetarian and beyond. You’ll discover a variety that meets your needs with recipes changing weekly.
2 Skin-On Barramundi Fillets
½ cup Sushi Rice
2 cloves Garlic
2 Scallions
1 Avocado
1 Lime
½ lb Broccoli
2 Tbsps Ponzu Sauce
1 Tbsp Mirin
1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
¼ cup Tempura Mix
which bears pretty much zero resemblance to a can of beans as a meal. It's pretty much irrelevant that a supper of canned beans and potatoes costs a quarter of what a Blue Apron meal costs, because the person buying a Blue Apron meal would not ever contemplate replacing that with a can of beans and considering it an reasonably even exchange. And yes, of course someone can cook this meal themselves, but the point of these meal kits is that you don't have to go shopping and buy all the food to cook, including small amounts of a fairly large quantity of specialized ingredients like Sambal Oelek. They want the quality meal with an easier way of accessing. I personally think the benefit of these meal kits are outweighed by the price, but that's not my point. It's that people who are looking at the cheapest form of reasonably healthy calories are not the target audience (and frankly, a meal of beans and potatoes doesn't even count as reasonably healthy IMO, never mind that it's not very appetizing to envision)
Your choices aren't limited to EXTREMES of either 50 lbs or some unknown small amount you forgot to list @$3.50.
You don't have to get a $20.00 bag of 50 lbs. @ $.50 per lb.
You can get a $10.00 bag of 20 lbs. @ $.50 per lb. from Walmart.
Costco? Long Grain, White, 50 lb. – $19.99 (.40/lb.)
You can get a $12.00 bag of 15 lbs @ $.85 per lb. And other increments. Even on Amazon.
Where on earth do most people store a 50 pound bag of anything? If they can even carry it! Remember, prices aren't the same everywhere. And every WalMart doesn't carry the same products.
FINALLY! I don't understand how people don't understand that you can't spend money you don't have. If you have $50 per week to spend on food, that means aren't able to save up $150 worth of food money unless you don't eat for some of that time.
And even when people are trying to save up a bit to try to stock up, they still need to have a good month and don't get hit with an unexpected car repair or dental bill, etc. And of course, not having the money to have routine preventative care or car maintenance means that those unexpected expenses are even more likely to occur.
The reality is that it takes money to be able to save money. Anyone who doubts this should read Nickeled and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America for an eye opening glimpse of what living in poverty is really like. It was written almost 20 years ago, but things haven't improved a whole lot since then for those at the bottom on the economic ladder in our society
I was getting almost $200 in food stamps. When I started cooking, I spent easily $50 on spices alone. By the time I was finished buying the other stuff I needed (that I'd never bought before), I could barely afford to buy the food to use it with. That first month trying to cook was brutal. One of my friends was helping me out by giving me some food. I'm by myself, so I could do it, but I'd never do that and watch my kids go hungry.
Now, of course, everything runs out at different times so I'm not making the original purchases over every time I shop and it's much easier.
The other thing is, some people live in motels and places where they only have a hot plate, if that. Others have roommates, which means whatever they buy and cook gets eaten by someone else who probably won't pay for it. If you have to share your fridge with other people, there's only so much you can fit in it.
Home cooking is definitely cheaper, but unless you've been cooking, it takes a large outlay in cash to start. And that cash is then not available to buy the food for that month.
And as Emm says, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is a book written by Barbara Ehrenreich and is an excellent book to read
I remember a time when I got some of my food from food pantries. They gave out little printed recipes about how to fix cheap meals. One of them actually said, "use salt and pepper if you have them."
I don't know why, with so many tragedies in the world, but that hit me as one of the saddest things I have ever read. The key to cooking on the cheap is to have a nice supply of basic staples to start with, including seasonings of all kinds, which can make even the lowliest meal taste wonderful. But...if someone is trying to simply keep their belly full, how are they ever to build up a basic store of such things?
There's a little dream creeping around in the back of my mind, and it's been there for a while.
I would love to start some kind of non-profit that would put a modest collection of basic herbs and spices, as well as a few staples, in the hands of everyone on such a limited budget, as sort of a "starter pack" for good food.
I know that facilities and utensils are also an issue, but, for the record, I have lived in one place where I had only a hotplate and a microwave, and another where I had only a microwave and a wood stove, and I was still able to cook. Then again, I know there are those who don't even have that...
I remember a time when I got some of my food from food pantries. They gave out little printed recipes about how to fix cheap meals. One of them actually said, "use salt and pepper if you have them."
I don't know why, with so many tragedies in the world, but that hit me as one of the saddest things I have ever read. The key to cooking on the cheap is to have a nice supply of basic staples to start with, including seasonings of all kinds, which can make even the lowliest meal taste wonderful. But...if someone is trying to simply keep their belly full, how are they ever to build up a basic store of such things?
There's a little dream creeping around in the back of my mind, and it's been there for a while.
I would love to start some kind of non-profit that would put a modest collection of basic herbs and spices, as well as a few staples, in the hands of everyone on such a limited budget, as sort of a "starter pack" for good food.
I know that facilities and utensils are also an issue, but, for the record, I have lived in one place where I had only a hotplate and a microwave, and another where I had only a microwave and a wood stove, and I was still able to cook. Then again, I know there are those who don't even have that...
I hate to break it to you ... but history has proven when you give something for FREE to the masses of poor people they will promptly sell / trade it for something else they want more
I would go all in on any bet and state for the record that 97% of the spices you would give away for free or donate would be either: thrown away immediately or promptly traded for cigarettes drugs alcohol or sold for 10% of their value to someone looking to flip and re-sell them in another market
2 Skin-On Barramundi Fillets
½ cup Sushi Rice
2 cloves Garlic
2 Scallions
1 Avocado
1 Lime
½ lb Broccoli
2 Tbsps Ponzu Sauce
1 Tbsp Mirin
1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
¼ cup Tempura Mix
which bears pretty much zero resemblance to a can of beans as a meal. It's pretty much irrelevant that a supper of canned beans and potatoes costs a quarter of what a Blue Apron meal costs, because the person buying a Blue Apron meal would not ever contemplate replacing that with a can of beans and considering it an reasonably even exchange. And yes, of course someone can cook this meal themselves, but the point of these meal kits is that you don't have to go shopping and buy all the food to cook, including small amounts of a fairly large quantity of specialized ingredients like Sambal Oelek. They want the quality meal with an easier way of accessing. I personally think the benefit of these meal kits are outweighed by the price, but that's not my point. It's that people who are looking at the cheapest form of reasonably healthy calories are not the target audience (and frankly, a meal of beans and potatoes doesn't even count as reasonably healthy IMO, never mind that it's not very appetizing to envision)
So, fish and rice? You can find those anywhere. If you're really into Asian food, you can easily find ponzu, mirin, sesame oil, etc. Heck, I have char siu and soy sauce in the cabinet. Tempura "mix" is made from flour/corn starch and water.
Maybe people aren't that acquainted with certain ingredients and to them they appear to be exotic or "gourmet." I've been informally studying food for years and these ingredients are kind of average in the big scheme of these for Asian cooking.
So, fish and rice? You can find those anywhere. If you're really into Asian food, you can easily find ponzu, mirin, sesame oil, etc. Heck, I have char siu and soy sauce in the cabinet. Tempura "mix" is made from flour/corn starch and water.
No, you can't find those anywhere! Aside from sesame oil and soy sauce, you won't find any of those items in my local grocery stores. I'd have to travel well over an hour to a large city that might have an Asian market. I don't know if they do since I'm not driving over an hour for groceries. Many areas are like this. Typically, only large cities will have an Asian market or a grocery store with a large Asian section. Millions of people don't live anywhere near large cities.
So, fish and rice? You can find those anywhere. If you're really into Asian food, you can easily find ponzu, mirin, sesame oil, etc. Heck, I have char siu and soy sauce in the cabinet. Tempura "mix" is made from flour/corn starch and water.
Maybe people aren't that acquainted with certain ingredients and to them they appear to be exotic or "gourmet." I've been informally studying food for years and these ingredients are kind of average in the big scheme of these for Asian cooking.
The fish isn't a type you can find at most local stores. I just checked my store and they don't carry it.
I remember a time when I got some of my food from food pantries. They gave out little printed recipes about how to fix cheap meals. One of them actually said, "use salt and pepper if you have them."
I don't know why, with so many tragedies in the world, but that hit me as one of the saddest things I have ever read. The key to cooking on the cheap is to have a nice supply of basic staples to start with, including seasonings of all kinds, which can make even the lowliest meal taste wonderful. But...if someone is trying to simply keep their belly full, how are they ever to build up a basic store of such things?
There's a little dream creeping around in the back of my mind, and it's been there for a while.
I would love to start some kind of non-profit that would put a modest collection of basic herbs and spices, as well as a few staples, in the hands of everyone on such a limited budget, as sort of a "starter pack" for good food.
I know that facilities and utensils are also an issue, but, for the record, I have lived in one place where I had only a hotplate and a microwave, and another where I had only a microwave and a wood stove, and I was still able to cook. Then again, I know there are those who don't even have that...
What a lovely idea! No one should be eating bland food (unless for medical reasons), but one does need to spend a bit upfront to begin to build a spice collection. I think it's something that you can do quite easily. You can procure spices in bulk from online sellers, and package them yourself in bottles or small plastic bags. The warehouse stores (Costco, Sam's Club, etc.) sell commercial-sized bottles of most basic spices, so you could get those and break them down into smaller portions as well. I'm not sure where your distribution points would be, but you probably already have someplace in mind. Go for it!
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