7 ms·

"cheapest protein possible" Okay. I always figured that ambition went sloping downward along the lines of "Hormel SPAM to Armour Treet Original Luncheon Loaf

"cheapest protein possible" Okay. I always figured that ambition went sloping downward along the lines of "Hormel SPAM to Armour Treet Original Luncheon Loaf to Tender Vittles to Libby's Potted Meat Food Product." You can always find something cheaper in the categories of "Material formerly regulated as cheese" or "Material formerly regulated as meat". It doesn't have to contain a particular noodle.

lostcolony 8y ago
It has to just be talking about the historical context of it. The modern take (which they also mention) is providing cheese (flavored things) that is shelf stable. I say this because nowadays peanut butter is a cheaper source of protein pretty much universally. I've known people to buy peanut butter for exactly that reason, protein at the cheapest cost (and with a reasonable breakdown of other macronutrients to boot); I've never known anyone to buy cheese (flavored things) for that reason.
- danieltillett 8y ago
  When I was younger, poorer and lifted iron I used to live off skim milk powder. It would have to be the cheapest protein gram for gram that I know [0]. 0. Don't do this if you are lactose intolerant.
  - Swizec 8y ago
    > skim milk powder. Isn't that basically what they do for most of those pre-made protein shakes? Pack it full of dairy protein, which is essentially skim milk powder. Of course they add a nice markup as well.
    - danieltillett 8y ago
      Yep minus the lactose and 5x price.
    - jschwartzi 8y ago
      It depends. A lot of companies use soy protein in their drinks. The newer, more expensive shakes like Muscle Milk use whey isolate so it's basically a whey shake with some soluble fiber in it.
      - grendelt 8y ago
        ...and the whey comes from: ____
    - lostcolony 8y ago
      Yes and no. Full of dairy protein, but not essentially skim milk powder. Skim milk powder is mostly casein, a protein that is comparatively slow to absorb (and which, along with the high level of lactose, can mess with those sensitive to dairy). Whey protein concentrate/isolate is the 'other' kind of protein found in milk, doesn't tend to bother people as much, and is absorbed faster. Concentrate/isolate has lactose, too.
      - danieltillett 8y ago
        Whey protein is from the leftover liquid when you make cheese. It was a n unusable waste product until some genius figured out that you could sell it to bodybuilders. Absorption of casein is not such an issue, but dumping a 100g of lactose into your digestive system if you are not lactose tolerant will really mess with you. You will find out very quickly if you are lactose tolerant or not.
  - lostcolony 8y ago
    Yeah, that's probably true. I don't know how thoroughly the people I knew had done their research; I just know that from my own it's cheaper than anything 'cheese flavored' that I've seen, for a given amount of protein (and I wouldn't even think to have checked skim milk powder, because dehydrated milk of all forms I find disgusting when reconstituted).
    - danieltillett 8y ago
      I don’t mind the taste when it is made up into a thick paste (that is the way I used to eat it), but I agree that normal rehydrated milk tastes terrible.
megaman22 8y ago
Spam is unfairly lambasted. It's actually pretty solid ham shoulder
- crooked-v 8y ago
  "Solid" is a poor word to use for something that can be easily cut with a butter knife.
  - metiscus 8y ago
    By that logic sodium and lithium metal are not solid either.
- JackCh 8y ago
  Furthermore I wouldn't call it cheap. If you want a cheap breakfast meat, sausage meat is significantly cheaper. Spam being shelf-stable often makes it worth the price though; I love it when camping.
  - megaman22 8y ago
    I love Spam in general. It's a fantastic breakfast meat. Short of ham steak, there's nothing better.
bluedino 8y ago
It's not the cheese, it's the noodles. Pasta is nutritious - full of complex carbohydrates and protein, and low in fat (unless you use egg noodles). So it's the opposite of what the health world wants you to eat right now (high carb, low fat), but you could eat far worse things if you're on a budget. It gets it's bad rep from being combined with rich buttery sauces and fatty meats, easily turning into a calorie bomb.
protomyth 8y ago
I remember in college (89 or 90), when the local grocery story sold $0.05 per box of mac & cheese (powered cheese). I bought $5 worth (I was very cash poor). It certainly seemed filling if a little repetitive. Went well with the Ramen Noodles and the group homemade pizza.

lostcolony 8y ago

It has to just be talking about the historical context of it. The modern take (which they also mention) is providing cheese (flavored things) that is shelf stable. I say this because nowadays peanut butter is a cheaper source of protein pretty much universally. I've known people to buy peanut butter for exactly that reason, protein at the cheapest cost (and with a reasonable breakdown of other macronutrients to boot); I've never known anyone to buy cheese (flavored things) for that reason.

danieltillett 8y ago
When I was younger, poorer and lifted iron I used to live off skim milk powder. It would have to be the cheapest protein gram for gram that I know [0]. 0. Don't do this if you are lactose intolerant.
- Swizec 8y ago
  > skim milk powder. Isn't that basically what they do for most of those pre-made protein shakes? Pack it full of dairy protein, which is essentially skim milk powder. Of course they add a nice markup as well.
  - danieltillett 8y ago
    Yep minus the lactose and 5x price.
  - jschwartzi 8y ago
    It depends. A lot of companies use soy protein in their drinks. The newer, more expensive shakes like Muscle Milk use whey isolate so it's basically a whey shake with some soluble fiber in it.
    - grendelt 8y ago
      ...and the whey comes from: ____
  - lostcolony 8y ago
    Yes and no. Full of dairy protein, but not essentially skim milk powder. Skim milk powder is mostly casein, a protein that is comparatively slow to absorb (and which, along with the high level of lactose, can mess with those sensitive to dairy). Whey protein concentrate/isolate is the 'other' kind of protein found in milk, doesn't tend to bother people as much, and is absorbed faster. Concentrate/isolate has lactose, too.
    - danieltillett 8y ago
      Whey protein is from the leftover liquid when you make cheese. It was a n unusable waste product until some genius figured out that you could sell it to bodybuilders. Absorption of casein is not such an issue, but dumping a 100g of lactose into your digestive system if you are not lactose tolerant will really mess with you. You will find out very quickly if you are lactose tolerant or not.
- lostcolony 8y ago
  Yeah, that's probably true. I don't know how thoroughly the people I knew had done their research; I just know that from my own it's cheaper than anything 'cheese flavored' that I've seen, for a given amount of protein (and I wouldn't even think to have checked skim milk powder, because dehydrated milk of all forms I find disgusting when reconstituted).
  - danieltillett 8y ago
    I don’t mind the taste when it is made up into a thick paste (that is the way I used to eat it), but I agree that normal rehydrated milk tastes terrible.

megaman22 8y ago

Spam is unfairly lambasted. It's actually pretty solid ham shoulder

crooked-v 8y ago
"Solid" is a poor word to use for something that can be easily cut with a butter knife.
- metiscus 8y ago
  By that logic sodium and lithium metal are not solid either.
JackCh 8y ago
Furthermore I wouldn't call it cheap. If you want a cheap breakfast meat, sausage meat is significantly cheaper. Spam being shelf-stable often makes it worth the price though; I love it when camping.
- megaman22 8y ago
  I love Spam in general. It's a fantastic breakfast meat. Short of ham steak, there's nothing better.

bluedino 8y ago

It's not the cheese, it's the noodles. Pasta is nutritious - full of complex carbohydrates and protein, and low in fat (unless you use egg noodles). So it's the opposite of what the health world wants you to eat right now (high carb, low fat), but you could eat far worse things if you're on a budget. It gets it's bad rep from being combined with rich buttery sauces and fatty meats, easily turning into a calorie bomb.

protomyth 8y ago

I remember in college (89 or 90), when the local grocery story sold $0.05 per box of mac & cheese (powered cheese). I bought $5 worth (I was very cash poor). It certainly seemed filling if a little repetitive. Went well with the Ramen Noodles and the group homemade pizza.