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Fresh vegetables aren't cheap if you cannot keep them from spoiling. You assume everyone has adequate refrigeration. Beans and rice and lentils are cheap: But

Fresh vegetables aren't cheap if you cannot keep them from spoiling. You assume everyone has adequate refrigeration. Beans and rice and lentils are cheap: But you have to have the cooking utensils and time to cook them. It will help greatly if you have storage containers and freezer space. Hopefully your electric/gas aren't turned off in the meantime. Discount meats aren't too bad, but you have to be able to shop on the days they are discounted. Plus, as above, you must have adequate refrigeration and cooking stuff - and hopefully you are making soup. You are also completely neglecting that making these things taste of anything besides, well, meat is expensive. Spices aren't cheap. The cheapest place to buy spices is, well, at dollar stores (in general). This advice is like telling folks to buy in bulk - but it doesn't matter if the 10-pack is cheaper if you only have the money for the 2-pack and don't have the means to save up or take from other things. If we want folks to eat better, we should really give people the money and time to do so. Stronger safety nets and better public transportation and better workplace scheduling laws, for instance. Better supporting housing. Schools the can't pay for basic maintenance or have enough computers for students can't very well install kitchens to teach kids how to cook. To be fair, though, I'm over 40 and had "cooking lessons" where we learned how to set a table, made maybe one meal a week, and cooked as a group. We were 12 or 13. I was already cooking at the time, so it wasn't helpful. My sister failed one for changing a recipe slightly: It was cinnamon toast. These classes aren't really all they are cracked up to be. Plus, if you are in a poor area, you can't really give homework without providing food and making sure folks have access to cooking stuff.

GordonS 7y ago
> Spices aren't cheap. The cheapest place to buy spices is, well, at dollar stores (in general) With a few exceptions, I don't agree. The cheapest place to buy spices is an Asian supermarket or online, where you will easily find bags/tubs 10x bigger than those you'll find in a dollar store or supermarket, but for the same price or even cheaper. And once you've bought them, they last a long time (sometimes years!), because you're only using small quantities at a time. > Beans and rice and lentils are cheap: But you have to have the cooking utensils and time to cook them I mean, if you're not buying cold, ready to eat food, of course you need some way of cooking; I'm not really sure what your point is here. Regarding cooking time, rice takes 10-15 minutes on a stove, depending on how you cook it. Tinned beans are cheap and already cooked - you can actually make a cracking bean chilli for practically nothing.
- Broken_Hippo 7y ago
  I didn't live anywhere near an Asian market until I moved to Norway and lived in an actual city over 100k people: never when I was broke. I only lived one place with busses, honestly, and a few places without cab service. One of the places with cab service wasn't reliable enough to get one to work. When I was truly broke, dollar stores were the only constant because I could either walk to one or get a ride occasionally. As far as online goes: This does require you have access to a few things: Minimally, internet and online payment forms. I personally gave up hot water for internet at one time because it meant I was able to have some entertainment - but I know not everyone does this. (Handwashing clothing was interesting). Payment is becoming slightly more common since more employers force folks to have cards. There is also waiting time and shipping costs since I couldn't usually afford enough to have free shipping. Yes, sure, you want some cooking method. Unfortunately, one of the downsides to poverty is having unstable utilities since you don't always have money to pay them. Sometimes, you have inadequate cooking devices. You can eat that can of beans, but you might be warming it up in the can. You might not have a stove at all, just a microwave. You might have a hot plate that doesn't have the strength of a stove burner, so all of your food takes longer because it takes too long for water to boil - or that might because your house is 55 degrees inside. Hopefully, you don't work two part time jobs. Poverty is insidious, and unfortunately, you haven't set your boundaries low enough to account for many people's situation. The point that you talk about is a step up - I'm still happy I can take advantage of some of the things.

GordonS 7y ago

> Spices aren't cheap. The cheapest place to buy spices is, well, at dollar stores (in general) With a few exceptions, I don't agree. The cheapest place to buy spices is an Asian supermarket or online, where you will easily find bags/tubs 10x bigger than those you'll find in a dollar store or supermarket, but for the same price or even cheaper. And once you've bought them, they last a long time (sometimes years!), because you're only using small quantities at a time. > Beans and rice and lentils are cheap: But you have to have the cooking utensils and time to cook them I mean, if you're not buying cold, ready to eat food, of course you need some way of cooking; I'm not really sure what your point is here. Regarding cooking time, rice takes 10-15 minutes on a stove, depending on how you cook it. Tinned beans are cheap and already cooked - you can actually make a cracking bean chilli for practically nothing.

Broken_Hippo 7y ago
I didn't live anywhere near an Asian market until I moved to Norway and lived in an actual city over 100k people: never when I was broke. I only lived one place with busses, honestly, and a few places without cab service. One of the places with cab service wasn't reliable enough to get one to work. When I was truly broke, dollar stores were the only constant because I could either walk to one or get a ride occasionally. As far as online goes: This does require you have access to a few things: Minimally, internet and online payment forms. I personally gave up hot water for internet at one time because it meant I was able to have some entertainment - but I know not everyone does this. (Handwashing clothing was interesting). Payment is becoming slightly more common since more employers force folks to have cards. There is also waiting time and shipping costs since I couldn't usually afford enough to have free shipping. Yes, sure, you want some cooking method. Unfortunately, one of the downsides to poverty is having unstable utilities since you don't always have money to pay them. Sometimes, you have inadequate cooking devices. You can eat that can of beans, but you might be warming it up in the can. You might not have a stove at all, just a microwave. You might have a hot plate that doesn't have the strength of a stove burner, so all of your food takes longer because it takes too long for water to boil - or that might because your house is 55 degrees inside. Hopefully, you don't work two part time jobs. Poverty is insidious, and unfortunately, you haven't set your boundaries low enough to account for many people's situation. The point that you talk about is a step up - I'm still happy I can take advantage of some of the things.