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I ran out of money in college and didn't think to turn to loans, grants, parents, food bank or anything. I managed to keep paying rent but ran out of food excep

I ran out of money in college and didn't think to turn to loans, grants, parents, food bank or anything. I managed to keep paying rent but ran out of food except for a bag of flour and a gallon of oil. I literally lived on nothing but Navajo style fry bread. Just a simple water flour dough fried in some oil. It's absolutely insane to look back on, but it makes me understand how people fall into eating so terribly when you're poor. Looking back I would instead just eat potatoes, carrots, rice, beans, and try and throw some apples/oranges in there occasionally. Homemade bread when you've got time is a nice and cheap addition as well. You can live just fine on everything I just listed and it won't cost you much.

bilbo0s 7y ago
The apples and oranges will be pretty pricey for a poor person. Should probably only do that when you're splurging. Also, if you're in a place where the rest of the list is too expensive, priority should be placed on the rice and beans. Potatoes and carrots aren't strictly speaking "necessary" when you're in crisis like that. Try to get a fishing rod and use your local lakes and rivers. Varying degrees of healthy there, but fishing can usually be done for free on off hours.
- Scoundreller 7y ago
  Bananas are a lot cheaper. But they’re not a domestic crop, so we can’t be pointing that out.
  - bilbo0s 7y ago
    Well, I'm just trying to list things that won't potentially spike in price. Bananas are, calorie for calorie, a better option than most of the foods on the list. But I don't think any reasonable person would argue the fact that they occupy a very precarious place in the global food supply chain right now.
  - opportune 7y ago
    Bananas are not great nutritionally. Ok source of fiber, ok source of potassium, lots of calories
    - Scoundreller 7y ago
      It is double the calories, but that’s an extra 80 per fruit. If you’re counting every calorie, it’s a problem. If you’re dirt poor and need to save where you can because you’re trying to avoid cheap grains, go for the banana.
neilv 7y ago
A friend of a friend, as a poor MIT student, actually got scurvy, from eating mostly instant ramen noodles, plain (without the seasoning packet). Presumably the student had previously taken health classes in primary school, and probably gotten good grades. But it's very easy to be slammed with work and stress (like a poor person might be), and just not have the time/energy to think about nutrition.
- ngngngng 7y ago
  That's what I find so interesting about Samin Nosrat's "Salt Fat Acid Heat". Sure it's a list of what it takes to make food taste good, but it also happens to be a comprehensive list of what you need to stay alive. It's also why I added oranges into the list, although there's probably a cheaper way to not get scurvy?
  - Scoundreller 7y ago
    Pine needle tea!
  - ryanmcbride 7y ago
    Onions actually! They keep pretty long, they go well with a lot of dishes, and they have a fair bit of vitamin c!

bilbo0s 7y ago

The apples and oranges will be pretty pricey for a poor person. Should probably only do that when you're splurging. Also, if you're in a place where the rest of the list is too expensive, priority should be placed on the rice and beans. Potatoes and carrots aren't strictly speaking "necessary" when you're in crisis like that. Try to get a fishing rod and use your local lakes and rivers. Varying degrees of healthy there, but fishing can usually be done for free on off hours.

Scoundreller 7y ago
Bananas are a lot cheaper. But they’re not a domestic crop, so we can’t be pointing that out.
- bilbo0s 7y ago
  Well, I'm just trying to list things that won't potentially spike in price. Bananas are, calorie for calorie, a better option than most of the foods on the list. But I don't think any reasonable person would argue the fact that they occupy a very precarious place in the global food supply chain right now.
- opportune 7y ago
  Bananas are not great nutritionally. Ok source of fiber, ok source of potassium, lots of calories
  - Scoundreller 7y ago
    It is double the calories, but that’s an extra 80 per fruit. If you’re counting every calorie, it’s a problem. If you’re dirt poor and need to save where you can because you’re trying to avoid cheap grains, go for the banana.

neilv 7y ago

A friend of a friend, as a poor MIT student, actually got scurvy, from eating mostly instant ramen noodles, plain (without the seasoning packet). Presumably the student had previously taken health classes in primary school, and probably gotten good grades. But it's very easy to be slammed with work and stress (like a poor person might be), and just not have the time/energy to think about nutrition.

ngngngng 7y ago
That's what I find so interesting about Samin Nosrat's "Salt Fat Acid Heat". Sure it's a list of what it takes to make food taste good, but it also happens to be a comprehensive list of what you need to stay alive. It's also why I added oranges into the list, although there's probably a cheaper way to not get scurvy?
- Scoundreller 7y ago
  Pine needle tea!
- ryanmcbride 7y ago
  Onions actually! They keep pretty long, they go well with a lot of dishes, and they have a fair bit of vitamin c!