Secretary of agriculture Brooke Rollins recently suggested Americans can get the nutrition they need on $3 meals. Here’s what happened when I tried to follow her plan.
I have many years of experience as a volunteer cooking and serving lunch and dinner to folks at church. I started in 2002 feeding 40 adults and 90 kids with a budget of $2 per person. Ground beef at Costco was $1.99/lb. Later I was serving older adults lunch and the budget was $5/person which meant I could spend more money on dessert :-).
We had a volunteer at church who was very tuned to food insecurity and she ordered bulk quantities of rice and beans and we would bag them in smaller portions for persons in need.
As Jared showed, it is very hard to eat well on a paltry budget shopping in small quantities at even a discount grocer. We were able to feed our groups on low budget because we could buy in quantity at Costco and even have food delivered from Sysco. We also had a capable crew of volunteers to prep, cook, and clean up.
Over Christmas I looked at the price of molasses for cookies. Grocery price $5 for 12 oz. A gallon of molasses (128 oz) at Costco is $18. But you need a place to store that.
Getting a budget meal on the table takes time and capital and some skill and cooking space and equipment which I think is unrealistic for persons struggling and working multiple jobs.
i'd like to add that it takes a fair amount of organization and discipline to plan, shop for, and cook all your meals at home. that's not addressing transportation cost or use? add in children or adults who might be "picky" eaters we are a household of two adults one working fulltime -and one part -time as she (me (recovers from a stroke")and a teen attending online school full time.aince were all home most of the time,we eat three meals a day at home.all of that takes a lot of planning spending and negotiatingl let's add in all the other chores cleaning the kitchen (3x a day)doing laundry, etc daily life is chock full we can afford to have our groceries delivered, we are not financially hurting but it can still be a slog - i can't imagine how hard this would be working multiple jobs and/ or low-paying jobs with young kids at home. and then sitting down to a small piece of chicken a tortilla a bit of broccoli and "one other thing" unless that that one other thing is a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs
There isn't just picky, there are real dietary restrictions. My daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease in her 20's and now must eat gluten free. GF products are expensive. I have been experimenting with making GF bread and the ingredients for a single loaf cost $10.
It is possible to live on a food budget, but it is another example of trading money for time. Chopping your own onion takes more time than buying the bagged, chopped onion.
For sure. Plus I'm pretty sure chicken should not be eaten raw, so this $3 meal also requires the electricity or gas to be on in the house so it can be cooked.
Exactly. It’s possible to eat well on a budget, but so much of that involves having ready cash when you see items on sale and/or available in bulk, to be stored for future use. It’s why grocery stores in poor neighborhoods ring up high numbers of $20 shopping carts because the shoppers are living payday to payday, and in wealthier neighborhoods we just push our carts through with whatever we need and pay whatever the total turns out to be.
Let’s get real here. Any food plan that has broccoli as the best thing is destined to fail! Thanks, Jared, for conducting a real life test. If only the talking heads of govt would do it too. Not computer simulations, but day after day of $3 meals. Here’s an idea - serve $3 meals in the Congressional dining rooms - walk the walk elected officials!
Back in Ye Olden Days when the government kinda worked, the Democrats would usually do a stunt of living on SNAP amounts of money and trying to make it thru a month on the kind of food that could be purchased as a way to shame the Republicans into funding the program. They were always shocked at how little and monotonous the food choices became by the end of the month. They never managed to shame anyone but it was always a good visual.
Rotting food in fields , food not going to factories, higher prices and coming food shortages for everyone
My local Costco has not had frozen peas or corn for weeks, I spoke directly to the floor manager.
All Dr Stacey Patton's words written in Sep 2024
Be very clear, Y’all: the current government shutdown isn’t just political theater. It is biological warfare disguised as budgeting.
Starving You is the Point: The Neuroscience of Hunger and Obedience in America
We are watching a government experiment in population management using stress, scarcity, and biology to keep people too tired to fight back.
Be very clear, Y’all: the current government shutdown isn’t just political theater. It is biological warfare disguised as budgeting.
If Congress doesn’t act in the next few days, millions of Americans could lose their SNAP benefits by November 1. That means empty refrigerators, skipped meals, and a flood of stress hormones like cortisol (the body’s built-in alarm system) spiking through entire communities. When survival becomes a daily condition, that alarm never shuts off. It wears people down, clouds their judgment, and keeps them too exhausted to fight back. Because when the body is starved, the brain’s prefrontal cortex (the part that plans, resists, and protests) goes dark.
Hunger doesn’t just weaken the body, it rewires the mind for obedience. And that’s exactly the point. A starving population doesn’t resist. It obeys.
In the 1980s I frequently had only $20 or less to spend on groceries in any given week. I was lucky enough to have 2 refrigerator/freezers and a big pantry in my apartment. I would go to one to three grocery stores with a list of what sale items to purchase at each store. The stores were also in close proximity to each other so I didn’t waste a lot of gas. If chuck roast was on sale I would determine how many pounds I could buy and then choose one or two roasts from the meat case. I would have at least one of those roasts trimmed and ground (stores did that for me back then for an extra 10 cents per pound). I would also have the butcher include the trimmed fat and bones in the package. I would render the beef fat at home and either use it for frying or save it in the freezer for later. I could make burgers, chili, or pasta sauce from the ground beef and either eat or freeze it (sometimes both), and we could have a pot roast dinner. If there was leftover pot roast I would turn it into stew. If I had a decent stash of beef bones in my freezer I could turn a chuck roast into beef barley soup. I tried to keep a supply of carrots, potatoes, onions, and frozen veggies on hand—always purchased on sale. Other items I purchased on sale were canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato paste, along with various seasonings and pasta. I also tried to keep some chicken on hand in either my fridge or freezer. Again I only bought food that was on sale. I was young and had energy to work full-time plus overtime in addition to grocery shopping and carefully planning meals for the week based on what I was buying and what I had stored. Oh, and I clipped coupons religiously, too. I hope I don’t have to resort to this type of planning and budgeting again in my life. I’m not sure if it would be possible with today’s prices and the lack of available services these days.
My daughter just earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for creating a 50 recipe cookbook of dishes using pantry staples that went out with the church food drive boxes this year. Chicken Tetrazzini - 8 servings, 379 calories each, $1.30 a serving. Lentil salad, 4 servings $1.53 a piece. Chicken pot pie casserole, $1.70. (Prices on ingredients from our local Kroger)
So, two points: a) my 17 yr old daughter is smarter than the FDA and their stupid AI ‘simulations’;
b) How about we actually give public schools money instead of starving them, prioritize running everyone through home ec, and teach them how to cook?
Also: you get year Aldi 3 pound pork loin for 8 bucks; you stick it in a crockpot with diced tomatoes, a chopped onion, some spices. You then use it for a pork sandwich one meal, then on top of pasta, I like it with wild rice.
The key to food economy is leftovers. The problem is people in extended stays who don't have much of a fridge, or Tupperware.
you are really stuck on if I can do this anyone can do this and that's just not the reality for others,...I would never leave a crockpot unattended. many in motels are banned from cooking..and on and on your reality and ability is not everyones experience,,,I eat no meat, I have learned how to eat Sorghum and millet , I am realistic Americans have been groomed to eat in certain ways and few people seek change and others have no creative ability and on and on
read my post and Dr Stacey Pattons article as to why they don't do the logical things
Except for Dr Stacey Pattons Article on Sub Stack
Be very clear, Y’all: the current government shutdown isn’t just political theater. It is biological warfare disguised as budgeting.
If Congress doesn’t act in the next few days, millions of Americans could lose their SNAP benefits by November 1. That means empty refrigerators, skipped meals, and a flood of stress hormones like cortisol (the body’s built-in alarm system) spiking through entire communities. When survival becomes a daily condition, that alarm never shuts off. It wears people down, clouds their judgment, and keeps them too exhausted to fight back. Because when the body is starved, the brain’s prefrontal cortex (the part that plans, resists, and protests) goes dark.
Hunger doesn’t just weaken the body, it rewires the mind for obedience. And that’s exactly the point. A starving population doesn’t resist. It obeys.
Which is why the ICE raids were on Farms and why they are doing it in Minnesota in the rural areas and why there is going to be food shortages
"The food was not bad, but it had quickly become joyless. Already eating was becoming just another chore."
Well, yes. This is the point; the belief that being poor makes a person unworthy of any kind of pleasure and that the best way to address poverty is to make life joyless until poor people either get to pulling on bootstraps, or do a Scrooge and "decrease the surplus population." That's the point of SNAP restrictions and taxes on "sugary drinks" that never seem to include drinks rich people like.
Great distraction from the 💩 going on here. Gotta say this meal plan would be preferable to the McDonalds one Sam was trying to get someone to do. I listened to your video and only in reading this after did realize there was NO coffee or any kind of fun beverages. No wonder there was a headache, and no joy. Chalk one up for the guy taking one for The Bulwark, you sir. Also these people fail to consider some places where people have to buy their water. My daughter lives in IA and they have been told not to drink the water. She has to buy it in bulk weekly.
I’m keto, as a cancer survivor, I’d NEVER be able to survive on what you sustained yourself on, and I am an old lady. I do love Aldi though. Caw. Caw. I think Sam should take you out to Capital Grill, or at least Five Guys to thank you. Again, thanks for letting me smile as you shared your experience. I hope at least the editor, or someone there, left some extra fun snacks on your desk after you met deadline. 🍪 🍿 😋
No life without coffee and Tea, damn I've earned that , Yes some sugar in my tea, cane sugar. when I was in my twenties snacks were prunes and dried apricots, my sandwiches were huge, four, five eggs, maybe some meat thrown in, I kept losing weight, It was work, painting off high scaffolding on freeways, kind of a rush, thirties, snacks were oranges, occasional raisin, zero chips, a few nachos, warmed in oven, no cheese, nor salsa, nighttime maybe three times a month , ice cream with few roasted peanuts, tiny bit of choc syrup. kept losing weight, keep honey on hand, but not every day
we/I did eat quite large meals, heating w/wood, dragging log w/horses, roofing, trying to keep clean white socks on three nature loving younger girls/women, still lost weight.
in my early fifties, I started to just stand more, was working long days, but would refuse
to plop, so, I worked in a different way, grooming a little strip of woods, and some bicycle
did not put on any weight till age 63, now I need to lose, maybe seven pounds. Work one summer on something totally new and enjoy it you will take off 25 pounds without trying.
I never diet. favo foods, corn bread, celery, avoid bacon, only eat co-jack or quality cheese, none of that fake stuff, pasta, but then have to work it off, I can eat all the bread I want. quality leafy food, lentils, beans, dried peas, drain the grease, don't put in your body. Wendy's left town so, that saved, I miss the chili and wrap sandwiches full of vegetables.
it is about movement, bending, thinking not watching a stupid box, pick up a book, go outdoors in hammock, $ for food now, is no fun at all. It's awful, now can only eat half
of the month what I desire. PIzza, my weakness, and oddball salads, lots in there. Luckily I like , pickles, mustard and the outdoors, not afraid of getting dirty, make mulch, one's own dirt, stopped gardening, but try help others with horse manure a little new soil.
I'll cut out a lot in life, but not food I want, enjoy. and COFFEE. DOING okay, would not
want to budget to feed five in a family it was challenging back then. as we made double
payments on everything. determination. I still have that.
Had to eat half the tuna and be very choosey over that. stopped baking, that is sad
cut back on a lot cheaper meat, have an occasional rib eye, worth it. watch the nitrates.
1) Frozen broccoli was the highlight of Jared's $3 meal? Um... faint praise indeed.
2) Has our Secretary of Health and Human Services weighed in on a suggested diet that does not include beef tallow? I've never purchased beef tallow and have no idea if it's readily available at Aldi or Walmart, but I suspect it's too pricey for this model of a family dinner.
3) My experience after working 40-some years in the corporate and non-profit worlds is that what an organization counts is what gets done, and what doesn't get counted doesn't get done. So here we have our federal government no longer counting the number of people on SNAP benefits to understand how many people (including the children they say they care so deeply about) are likely not getting the range of nutrients they need, but demanding immigration officials meet daily quotas on how many humans are rounded up and detained/deported. The results speak for themselves.
I appreciate the effort behind this. I wouldn’t survive a New York minute because I am assuming that the $3 plan allows no leeway for coffee or tea or even a bag of M&Ms, correctly portioned over several days. Yikes.
Thank you for testing this ridiculous idea. I truly appreciate the fact that you examine not just the calories from meals, but the nourishment the soul derives from variety and taste.
Thank you, really enjoyed this video. I especially appreciated that it was focused on a serious topic(food insecurity) and not a rant about tallow fries.
There are some realities of living in poverty that are reflected in how Jared handled this exercise. The average SNAP benefit of a single person is $188/mo. As Lisa M noted, many in poverty do not have the ability to buy in bulk because they don't have the funds to make a bulk purchase. The time & effort to plan a more complex meal plan is often not available to those living in poverty, who are often carrying multiple part time jobs.
Those living in poverty in rural area face the reality of residing in food deserts where their only food option is a Dollar General or similar store. You would be lucky if you could put together the ingredients that Jared used let alone have any better options.
Personally I am very fortunate that I have a full pantry with spices and Costco sized staples, I agree I could make a month of meals more interesting than what Sec of Agriculture Rollins presented -- which was the exercise -- could a person make the meal she presented for $3 a meal and consume it for 3 days. She didn't present other options.
I'm surprised you could actually get food for under $3 a meal. The meals you were able to make don't meet all the nutritional needs of an adult. But we shouldn't worry, affordability is just a liberal hoax!
Besides, if they're too poor to afford food for their kids they should just take on extra shifts of their $9 an hour job at the burger joint (the burger joint they probably can't afford to eat at). They're just grifting off the gazillionaires, so who cares. Or, in the words of one of the agents who killed Alex Pretti) boo hoo.
I doubt she meant have chicken and tortillas at every meal, but if you're on your own and you only have $27 to spend -- you probably would have to repeat a few meals. I would've have bought chicken thighs -- cheaper than breast meat and you'd have money to spare for some hot sauce. Also throw in some refried beans, a jalapeño and a dozen eggs and you've got huevos rancheros for breakfast -- just a little less monotony. When I was in grad school 30 years ago I lived on $60 a month -- I went food shopping twice a month, spending $30 each time. At that time I could get a whole chicken, a cabbage, a pound of carrots, five pounds of potatoes, a few apples, a pound of split peas or dried beans, a pound of bacon, a dozen eggs, onions, a stick of butter, a tin of tomatoes, coffee, and some rice for under $30. Once a month I also bought a package of frozen bread dough--something like 5 loaves for $1.00. Every three months I picked up a jar of peanut butter and some oatmeal. So twice a month, I roasted the chicken with potatoes and carrots and that gave me four meals. Then I made soup out of the carcass and the leftover vegetables--which I sometimes froze. The second week I lived on split pea soup or beans and rice, fried cabbage and baked potatoes. I baked up the bread once a week and had peanut butter sandwiches for lunch almost every day. It worked, it was monotonous, but it got me through the first year. The second year I decided I had enough and borrowed more money so I could eat better and go out once in a while. Very hard living on a really restricted budget.
Many food insecure folks can't afford to drive from grocery store to grocery store looking for sale items. Many food insecure people can't afford to buy in bulk/to stock up on those sale items. Many food insecure people work more than one job and thus don't have time or energy to cook labor intensive meals. Etc. Many variables.
It probably is indeed possible to cook a nutritious meal for three dollars if you are able to buy in bulk when things are on sale and you don't include the price of gas/electric, seasonings and oils and anything else that makes food taste good. The secretary could have used a much better example, to say the least. Most probably she has never cooked a meal for a family? She's had help for that? Like Trump she's never shopped for "groceries"?
As with everything else these knuckleheads are doing, this is insulting to those who most deserve our sympathy, help and understanding. I am embarrassed for them.
You can bet neither the secretary nor her staff tried this out before coming out with this preposterous state. No attempt to determine it's viability or long term effects.
I can't tell you how despicable I think these folks are! And I keep asking myself - how DID we get here?
I have many years of experience as a volunteer cooking and serving lunch and dinner to folks at church. I started in 2002 feeding 40 adults and 90 kids with a budget of $2 per person. Ground beef at Costco was $1.99/lb. Later I was serving older adults lunch and the budget was $5/person which meant I could spend more money on dessert :-).
We had a volunteer at church who was very tuned to food insecurity and she ordered bulk quantities of rice and beans and we would bag them in smaller portions for persons in need.
As Jared showed, it is very hard to eat well on a paltry budget shopping in small quantities at even a discount grocer. We were able to feed our groups on low budget because we could buy in quantity at Costco and even have food delivered from Sysco. We also had a capable crew of volunteers to prep, cook, and clean up.
Over Christmas I looked at the price of molasses for cookies. Grocery price $5 for 12 oz. A gallon of molasses (128 oz) at Costco is $18. But you need a place to store that.
Getting a budget meal on the table takes time and capital and some skill and cooking space and equipment which I think is unrealistic for persons struggling and working multiple jobs.
i'd like to add that it takes a fair amount of organization and discipline to plan, shop for, and cook all your meals at home. that's not addressing transportation cost or use? add in children or adults who might be "picky" eaters we are a household of two adults one working fulltime -and one part -time as she (me (recovers from a stroke")and a teen attending online school full time.aince were all home most of the time,we eat three meals a day at home.all of that takes a lot of planning spending and negotiatingl let's add in all the other chores cleaning the kitchen (3x a day)doing laundry, etc daily life is chock full we can afford to have our groceries delivered, we are not financially hurting but it can still be a slog - i can't imagine how hard this would be working multiple jobs and/ or low-paying jobs with young kids at home. and then sitting down to a small piece of chicken a tortilla a bit of broccoli and "one other thing" unless that that one other thing is a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs
There isn't just picky, there are real dietary restrictions. My daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease in her 20's and now must eat gluten free. GF products are expensive. I have been experimenting with making GF bread and the ingredients for a single loaf cost $10.
It is possible to live on a food budget, but it is another example of trading money for time. Chopping your own onion takes more time than buying the bagged, chopped onion.
For sure. Plus I'm pretty sure chicken should not be eaten raw, so this $3 meal also requires the electricity or gas to be on in the house so it can be cooked.
Exactly. It’s possible to eat well on a budget, but so much of that involves having ready cash when you see items on sale and/or available in bulk, to be stored for future use. It’s why grocery stores in poor neighborhoods ring up high numbers of $20 shopping carts because the shoppers are living payday to payday, and in wealthier neighborhoods we just push our carts through with whatever we need and pay whatever the total turns out to be.
Let’s get real here. Any food plan that has broccoli as the best thing is destined to fail! Thanks, Jared, for conducting a real life test. If only the talking heads of govt would do it too. Not computer simulations, but day after day of $3 meals. Here’s an idea - serve $3 meals in the Congressional dining rooms - walk the walk elected officials!
Back in Ye Olden Days when the government kinda worked, the Democrats would usually do a stunt of living on SNAP amounts of money and trying to make it thru a month on the kind of food that could be purchased as a way to shame the Republicans into funding the program. They were always shocked at how little and monotonous the food choices became by the end of the month. They never managed to shame anyone but it was always a good visual.
I remember this!
I think the White House should set the example! No more wasteful Big Macs!
Just chicken, rice and broccoli. Every day, 365.
Ha! Great suggestion. It makes me laugh just imagining this…
This is what the ICE raids are also about
Rotting food in fields , food not going to factories, higher prices and coming food shortages for everyone
My local Costco has not had frozen peas or corn for weeks, I spoke directly to the floor manager.
All Dr Stacey Patton's words written in Sep 2024
Be very clear, Y’all: the current government shutdown isn’t just political theater. It is biological warfare disguised as budgeting.
Starving You is the Point: The Neuroscience of Hunger and Obedience in America
We are watching a government experiment in population management using stress, scarcity, and biology to keep people too tired to fight back.
Be very clear, Y’all: the current government shutdown isn’t just political theater. It is biological warfare disguised as budgeting.
If Congress doesn’t act in the next few days, millions of Americans could lose their SNAP benefits by November 1. That means empty refrigerators, skipped meals, and a flood of stress hormones like cortisol (the body’s built-in alarm system) spiking through entire communities. When survival becomes a daily condition, that alarm never shuts off. It wears people down, clouds their judgment, and keeps them too exhausted to fight back. Because when the body is starved, the brain’s prefrontal cortex (the part that plans, resists, and protests) goes dark.
Hunger doesn’t just weaken the body, it rewires the mind for obedience. And that’s exactly the point. A starving population doesn’t resist. It obeys.
DR. Stacey Patton on subs tack https://drstaceypatton1865.substack.com/p/starving-you-is-the-point-the-neuroscience
Please go read the whole article, please read about what she does with the subscription money and get a sub...
Excellent idea.
In the 1980s I frequently had only $20 or less to spend on groceries in any given week. I was lucky enough to have 2 refrigerator/freezers and a big pantry in my apartment. I would go to one to three grocery stores with a list of what sale items to purchase at each store. The stores were also in close proximity to each other so I didn’t waste a lot of gas. If chuck roast was on sale I would determine how many pounds I could buy and then choose one or two roasts from the meat case. I would have at least one of those roasts trimmed and ground (stores did that for me back then for an extra 10 cents per pound). I would also have the butcher include the trimmed fat and bones in the package. I would render the beef fat at home and either use it for frying or save it in the freezer for later. I could make burgers, chili, or pasta sauce from the ground beef and either eat or freeze it (sometimes both), and we could have a pot roast dinner. If there was leftover pot roast I would turn it into stew. If I had a decent stash of beef bones in my freezer I could turn a chuck roast into beef barley soup. I tried to keep a supply of carrots, potatoes, onions, and frozen veggies on hand—always purchased on sale. Other items I purchased on sale were canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato paste, along with various seasonings and pasta. I also tried to keep some chicken on hand in either my fridge or freezer. Again I only bought food that was on sale. I was young and had energy to work full-time plus overtime in addition to grocery shopping and carefully planning meals for the week based on what I was buying and what I had stored. Oh, and I clipped coupons religiously, too. I hope I don’t have to resort to this type of planning and budgeting again in my life. I’m not sure if it would be possible with today’s prices and the lack of available services these days.
No it is not possible the only way to do it is to have the money for the freezer,
eat a Whole Foods plant based diet with no dairy , meat or oil or sugar and little salt.
Have a community garden plot and a CSA
Eat beans for protein and cut out refined flours
Also learn to eat sorghum and millet , which by the way is still cheap and workss well when you season it and cooking an instant pot
Also replace oatmeal with whole oat groats
By the way even though you have $ now food shortages are coming, it is part of what the ICE raids are about
Read my post for more,
And eating like we did in the 80's is part of why we age so badly, so many of us.
Forewarned is forearmed , check out Sutton Daze on you tube and Rose Red Homestead on You Tube
You will not be untouched by the coming crises but have the money to be prepared ( and I don't mean those awful patriot meals)
My daughter just earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for creating a 50 recipe cookbook of dishes using pantry staples that went out with the church food drive boxes this year. Chicken Tetrazzini - 8 servings, 379 calories each, $1.30 a serving. Lentil salad, 4 servings $1.53 a piece. Chicken pot pie casserole, $1.70. (Prices on ingredients from our local Kroger)
So, two points: a) my 17 yr old daughter is smarter than the FDA and their stupid AI ‘simulations’;
b) How about we actually give public schools money instead of starving them, prioritize running everyone through home ec, and teach them how to cook?
Also: you get year Aldi 3 pound pork loin for 8 bucks; you stick it in a crockpot with diced tomatoes, a chopped onion, some spices. You then use it for a pork sandwich one meal, then on top of pasta, I like it with wild rice.
The key to food economy is leftovers. The problem is people in extended stays who don't have much of a fridge, or Tupperware.
you are really stuck on if I can do this anyone can do this and that's just not the reality for others,...I would never leave a crockpot unattended. many in motels are banned from cooking..and on and on your reality and ability is not everyones experience,,,I eat no meat, I have learned how to eat Sorghum and millet , I am realistic Americans have been groomed to eat in certain ways and few people seek change and others have no creative ability and on and on
read my post and Dr Stacey Pattons article as to why they don't do the logical things
Except for Dr Stacey Pattons Article on Sub Stack
Be very clear, Y’all: the current government shutdown isn’t just political theater. It is biological warfare disguised as budgeting.
If Congress doesn’t act in the next few days, millions of Americans could lose their SNAP benefits by November 1. That means empty refrigerators, skipped meals, and a flood of stress hormones like cortisol (the body’s built-in alarm system) spiking through entire communities. When survival becomes a daily condition, that alarm never shuts off. It wears people down, clouds their judgment, and keeps them too exhausted to fight back. Because when the body is starved, the brain’s prefrontal cortex (the part that plans, resists, and protests) goes dark.
Hunger doesn’t just weaken the body, it rewires the mind for obedience. And that’s exactly the point. A starving population doesn’t resist. It obeys.
Which is why the ICE raids were on Farms and why they are doing it in Minnesota in the rural areas and why there is going to be food shortages
I think you give them too much credit. Most of the MAGAs just aren't very bright. It's a minority that are actively evil.
It is talking about the elite that run things not the citizens who buy into the illusions and have been manipulated
"The food was not bad, but it had quickly become joyless. Already eating was becoming just another chore."
Well, yes. This is the point; the belief that being poor makes a person unworthy of any kind of pleasure and that the best way to address poverty is to make life joyless until poor people either get to pulling on bootstraps, or do a Scrooge and "decrease the surplus population." That's the point of SNAP restrictions and taxes on "sugary drinks" that never seem to include drinks rich people like.
Jared - Hello from Occupied MN.
Great distraction from the 💩 going on here. Gotta say this meal plan would be preferable to the McDonalds one Sam was trying to get someone to do. I listened to your video and only in reading this after did realize there was NO coffee or any kind of fun beverages. No wonder there was a headache, and no joy. Chalk one up for the guy taking one for The Bulwark, you sir. Also these people fail to consider some places where people have to buy their water. My daughter lives in IA and they have been told not to drink the water. She has to buy it in bulk weekly.
I’m keto, as a cancer survivor, I’d NEVER be able to survive on what you sustained yourself on, and I am an old lady. I do love Aldi though. Caw. Caw. I think Sam should take you out to Capital Grill, or at least Five Guys to thank you. Again, thanks for letting me smile as you shared your experience. I hope at least the editor, or someone there, left some extra fun snacks on your desk after you met deadline. 🍪 🍿 😋
No life without coffee and Tea, damn I've earned that , Yes some sugar in my tea, cane sugar. when I was in my twenties snacks were prunes and dried apricots, my sandwiches were huge, four, five eggs, maybe some meat thrown in, I kept losing weight, It was work, painting off high scaffolding on freeways, kind of a rush, thirties, snacks were oranges, occasional raisin, zero chips, a few nachos, warmed in oven, no cheese, nor salsa, nighttime maybe three times a month , ice cream with few roasted peanuts, tiny bit of choc syrup. kept losing weight, keep honey on hand, but not every day
we/I did eat quite large meals, heating w/wood, dragging log w/horses, roofing, trying to keep clean white socks on three nature loving younger girls/women, still lost weight.
in my early fifties, I started to just stand more, was working long days, but would refuse
to plop, so, I worked in a different way, grooming a little strip of woods, and some bicycle
did not put on any weight till age 63, now I need to lose, maybe seven pounds. Work one summer on something totally new and enjoy it you will take off 25 pounds without trying.
I never diet. favo foods, corn bread, celery, avoid bacon, only eat co-jack or quality cheese, none of that fake stuff, pasta, but then have to work it off, I can eat all the bread I want. quality leafy food, lentils, beans, dried peas, drain the grease, don't put in your body. Wendy's left town so, that saved, I miss the chili and wrap sandwiches full of vegetables.
it is about movement, bending, thinking not watching a stupid box, pick up a book, go outdoors in hammock, $ for food now, is no fun at all. It's awful, now can only eat half
of the month what I desire. PIzza, my weakness, and oddball salads, lots in there. Luckily I like , pickles, mustard and the outdoors, not afraid of getting dirty, make mulch, one's own dirt, stopped gardening, but try help others with horse manure a little new soil.
I'll cut out a lot in life, but not food I want, enjoy. and COFFEE. DOING okay, would not
want to budget to feed five in a family it was challenging back then. as we made double
payments on everything. determination. I still have that.
Had to eat half the tuna and be very choosey over that. stopped baking, that is sad
cut back on a lot cheaper meat, have an occasional rib eye, worth it. watch the nitrates.
Inherit good genes
Don't hang around waiting rooms, germs
there are good germs in the world
avoid pills, protect your liver
dance
inherit good genes
Three thoughts:
1) Frozen broccoli was the highlight of Jared's $3 meal? Um... faint praise indeed.
2) Has our Secretary of Health and Human Services weighed in on a suggested diet that does not include beef tallow? I've never purchased beef tallow and have no idea if it's readily available at Aldi or Walmart, but I suspect it's too pricey for this model of a family dinner.
3) My experience after working 40-some years in the corporate and non-profit worlds is that what an organization counts is what gets done, and what doesn't get counted doesn't get done. So here we have our federal government no longer counting the number of people on SNAP benefits to understand how many people (including the children they say they care so deeply about) are likely not getting the range of nutrients they need, but demanding immigration officials meet daily quotas on how many humans are rounded up and detained/deported. The results speak for themselves.
Hey...I like broccoli. Wasn't it hated by Bush I or Reagan? I suspect it's a lefty, woke vegetable and surprised they recommended it.
Bush 1 famously hated broccoli, but he also vomited on the Japanese PM at a dinner so he may have been delicate.
I appreciate the effort behind this. I wouldn’t survive a New York minute because I am assuming that the $3 plan allows no leeway for coffee or tea or even a bag of M&Ms, correctly portioned over several days. Yikes.
Thank you for testing this ridiculous idea. I truly appreciate the fact that you examine not just the calories from meals, but the nourishment the soul derives from variety and taste.
Thank you, really enjoyed this video. I especially appreciated that it was focused on a serious topic(food insecurity) and not a rant about tallow fries.
There are some realities of living in poverty that are reflected in how Jared handled this exercise. The average SNAP benefit of a single person is $188/mo. As Lisa M noted, many in poverty do not have the ability to buy in bulk because they don't have the funds to make a bulk purchase. The time & effort to plan a more complex meal plan is often not available to those living in poverty, who are often carrying multiple part time jobs.
Those living in poverty in rural area face the reality of residing in food deserts where their only food option is a Dollar General or similar store. You would be lucky if you could put together the ingredients that Jared used let alone have any better options.
Personally I am very fortunate that I have a full pantry with spices and Costco sized staples, I agree I could make a month of meals more interesting than what Sec of Agriculture Rollins presented -- which was the exercise -- could a person make the meal she presented for $3 a meal and consume it for 3 days. She didn't present other options.
I'm surprised you could actually get food for under $3 a meal. The meals you were able to make don't meet all the nutritional needs of an adult. But we shouldn't worry, affordability is just a liberal hoax!
Besides, if they're too poor to afford food for their kids they should just take on extra shifts of their $9 an hour job at the burger joint (the burger joint they probably can't afford to eat at). They're just grifting off the gazillionaires, so who cares. Or, in the words of one of the agents who killed Alex Pretti) boo hoo.
Right, those kids should get jobs too. /s
And their moms should stay home with them (in addition to working triple shifts)
I doubt she meant have chicken and tortillas at every meal, but if you're on your own and you only have $27 to spend -- you probably would have to repeat a few meals. I would've have bought chicken thighs -- cheaper than breast meat and you'd have money to spare for some hot sauce. Also throw in some refried beans, a jalapeño and a dozen eggs and you've got huevos rancheros for breakfast -- just a little less monotony. When I was in grad school 30 years ago I lived on $60 a month -- I went food shopping twice a month, spending $30 each time. At that time I could get a whole chicken, a cabbage, a pound of carrots, five pounds of potatoes, a few apples, a pound of split peas or dried beans, a pound of bacon, a dozen eggs, onions, a stick of butter, a tin of tomatoes, coffee, and some rice for under $30. Once a month I also bought a package of frozen bread dough--something like 5 loaves for $1.00. Every three months I picked up a jar of peanut butter and some oatmeal. So twice a month, I roasted the chicken with potatoes and carrots and that gave me four meals. Then I made soup out of the carcass and the leftover vegetables--which I sometimes froze. The second week I lived on split pea soup or beans and rice, fried cabbage and baked potatoes. I baked up the bread once a week and had peanut butter sandwiches for lunch almost every day. It worked, it was monotonous, but it got me through the first year. The second year I decided I had enough and borrowed more money so I could eat better and go out once in a while. Very hard living on a really restricted budget.
Many food insecure folks can't afford to drive from grocery store to grocery store looking for sale items. Many food insecure people can't afford to buy in bulk/to stock up on those sale items. Many food insecure people work more than one job and thus don't have time or energy to cook labor intensive meals. Etc. Many variables.
It probably is indeed possible to cook a nutritious meal for three dollars if you are able to buy in bulk when things are on sale and you don't include the price of gas/electric, seasonings and oils and anything else that makes food taste good. The secretary could have used a much better example, to say the least. Most probably she has never cooked a meal for a family? She's had help for that? Like Trump she's never shopped for "groceries"?
"Rollins said her department had “run over a thousand simulations” to develop this meal-planning guidance."
lmao
As with everything else these knuckleheads are doing, this is insulting to those who most deserve our sympathy, help and understanding. I am embarrassed for them.
You can bet neither the secretary nor her staff tried this out before coming out with this preposterous state. No attempt to determine it's viability or long term effects.
I can't tell you how despicable I think these folks are! And I keep asking myself - how DID we get here?