4 ms·

It's not only meal prep (which I think you are understating the cost of), it's also having access to a kitchen and cooking supplies (knives, pans, bowls etc.) t

by wdewind 11y ago

It's not only meal prep (which I think you are understating the cost of), it's also having access to a kitchen and cooking supplies (knives, pans, bowls etc.) that allow you to easily cook, which is not cheap.

ghaff 11y ago
I actually agree that there are a lot of understandable reasons that people (perhaps especially Americans) eat crappy food rather than cooking something more nutritious--time, knowledge, living environment. I'm just arguing that, while the relative cost plays some role, it's not the overriding factor that it's sometimes made out to be.
- hueving 11y ago
  See jandrese's response to your comment. It's not a trivial $6/day is not a trivial cost for even lower middle class people.
  - federico3 11y ago
    On the contrary: http://www.ibtimes.com/us-spends-less-food-any-other-country-world-maps-1546945 http://www.ibtimes.com/us-spends-less-food-any-other-country...
deegles 11y ago
Don't forget, you also need to have some cooking skills, access to recipes, and time. Lots of time (relative to fast food.)
- Shorel 11y ago
  In Latin America 'fast food' like hotdogs and hamburgers is usually the slowest to get to the plate. I can sit in a restaurant chair and be taking my soup within 60 seconds of sitting, in lots of places. And it is usually (but not always) healthier than 'fast food'.
  - eridius 11y ago
    At a sit-down restaurant, yeah, a burger will often take longer than most other items. That's because it's being prepared fresh. A real "fast food" place doesn't prepare its food fresh like that. An actual fast food burger can be prepared and put into your hands in less than a minute if people aren't busy (and it's not held up by the rest of your order).
michaelbuddy 11y ago
if you want cooking hardware cheap its fairly easy in the u.s. Thrift stores' more reliable items to find are always cooking hardware, all manner of containers, utensils. things like a large crockpot can be had for under $30 new. Also people state that fresh veggies are expensive, but frozen vegetables can be found for cheap. The practice now has been flash freezing for a lot of these I think so nutrients are preserved.

by wdewind 11y ago

ghaff 11y ago

I actually agree that there are a lot of understandable reasons that people (perhaps especially Americans) eat crappy food rather than cooking something more nutritious--time, knowledge, living environment. I'm just arguing that, while the relative cost plays some role, it's not the overriding factor that it's sometimes made out to be.

hueving 11y ago
See jandrese's response to your comment. It's not a trivial $6/day is not a trivial cost for even lower middle class people.
- federico3 11y ago
  On the contrary: http://www.ibtimes.com/us-spends-less-food-any-other-country-world-maps-1546945 http://www.ibtimes.com/us-spends-less-food-any-other-country...

deegles 11y ago

Don't forget, you also need to have some cooking skills, access to recipes, and time. Lots of time (relative to fast food.)

Shorel 11y ago
In Latin America 'fast food' like hotdogs and hamburgers is usually the slowest to get to the plate. I can sit in a restaurant chair and be taking my soup within 60 seconds of sitting, in lots of places. And it is usually (but not always) healthier than 'fast food'.
- eridius 11y ago
  At a sit-down restaurant, yeah, a burger will often take longer than most other items. That's because it's being prepared fresh. A real "fast food" place doesn't prepare its food fresh like that. An actual fast food burger can be prepared and put into your hands in less than a minute if people aren't busy (and it's not held up by the rest of your order).

michaelbuddy 11y ago

if you want cooking hardware cheap its fairly easy in the u.s. Thrift stores' more reliable items to find are always cooking hardware, all manner of containers, utensils. things like a large crockpot can be had for under $30 new. Also people state that fresh veggies are expensive, but frozen vegetables can be found for cheap. The practice now has been flash freezing for a lot of these I think so nutrients are preserved.