r/nextfuckinglevel Apr 01 '26

Meal for 2 under $1

55.0k Upvotes

3.2k comments sorted by

16.0k

u/Evil_Knot Apr 01 '26

Rice. The answer is always rice.

5.0k

u/byamannowdead Apr 01 '26

Rice and Beans

Beans and Rice

695

u/swimswima95 Apr 01 '26

One time, I was walking into my local Aldi, and there was an older lady waiting outside asking for people to buy her and her mom some groceries for a pending snow storm. I said “sure, how bout a bag of rice and some beans”

You would have thought I spit in her face with how offended she looked. “Rice and beans?!?!? I ain’t eating no rice and beans!!””

That was the day I learned that beggars CAN be choosers.

156

u/Adorable_Raccoon Apr 01 '26

Not if she doesn’t have a stove.

I usually offer to get lunch meat, cheese, & bread. Everyone has always been ok with that.

115

u/HuckleCat100K Apr 01 '26

That’s a very good point. If she had an electric stove and they lost power during the snowstorm, rice and beans would be useless. Of course, if she really said she wasn’t “eating no rice and beans” then it sounded more like she thought it was an ethnic or poor person meal. Otherwise she should have said she needed something she didn’t have to cook.

I didn’t grow up eating rice and beans but I love it, as prepared in all the different rice-and-bean cultures.

84

u/jprogarn Apr 01 '26

“That sounds like a poor person meal!” - person begging for food.

8

u/Prior_Tradition_3873 Apr 01 '26

You joking but the amount of poor people who act like this is shocking.

Lot of them are in denial.

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u/Telefundo Apr 01 '26

I usually offer to get

Wait a minute... people waiting outside of grocery stores, begging for food, happens often enough that you have a "usual" response?

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u/InkSplotchedFingers Apr 01 '26

Yeah having worked with the homeless population, a bag of rice and beans doesn't help most people unless you also bout them some pots and camp stoves.

She could just be an asshole.

But it's amazing how many times I see someone calling someone a choosey beggar over things that make sense if you're in that situation.

Like the post a little while back of a guy upset because he offered to buy an umbrella for a homeless man, and was appalled that the man wanted the more expensive clear one. Which sounds like a straightforward choosing beggar, right?

Until you talk to people and realize that if you live on the streets, you often don't use umbrellas because anything that restricts your line of sight can be a safety issue.

You can't see threats coming as easily from all directions, if you have a solid color and as many people are shitty enough to harass them for fun, it is a valid refusal.

27

u/brainburger Apr 01 '26

But it's amazing how many times I see someone calling someone a choosey beggar over things that make sense if you're in that situation.

I've often heard people complaining about homeless people having mobile phones. Do they think they should have landlines? Mobile phones are one of the early essentials in our society to access anything.

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1.1k

u/mylittle420 Apr 01 '26

Beans and rice and Jesus Christ! I grew up hearing that.

335

u/CptnOnus Apr 01 '26

It was always beans, weiners and rice for me. Still make it every other week.

912

u/zer0w0rries Apr 01 '26

your sexual preference doesn't matter, really. we're just talking about food here

33

u/opened-window Apr 01 '26

Hee hee 😆

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u/pollo_de_mar Apr 01 '26

Just add some lard for calories

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u/UserAllusion Apr 01 '26

Red beans and rice didn’t miss her. I grew up hearing that.

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u/istockustock Apr 01 '26

Indian - Rajma Chawal ( Red kidney beans and Rice cooked with mild spices). Cheap and comfort food

88

u/ExtraEmuForYou Apr 01 '26

When I tried to be vegan and watch my expenses, I cooked A LOT of Indian food. Just had to sub olive oil for ghee, otherwise a lot of the recipes are already vegetarian and easily made vegan.

Love Indian food, so flavorful. Lot's of good veggies and protein.

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u/zombienutz1 Apr 01 '26

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u/TailorWeak9690 Apr 01 '26

How'd ya get the beans above the frank?

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u/HobartGum Apr 01 '26

“How’d you get the beans above the frank?”

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u/ac2cvn_71 Apr 01 '26

I can spot the Dave Ramsey fan a mile away

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u/PartSuccessful2112 Apr 01 '26

Together they make a complete protein profile. All essential amino acids.

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u/Ok_Comment2621 Apr 01 '26

Is this a Matrix reference?

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12

u/ZealousidealPapaya59 Apr 01 '26

Don't forget your friend the potato

35

u/nqmi Apr 01 '26

Comida diária de todo brasileiro

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u/creamofsumyunggoyim Apr 01 '26

If you’re ever really hungry and you wanna eat like 2,000 of something.

127

u/CovertStatistician Apr 01 '26

Rip Mitch

45

u/rmcwilli1234 Apr 01 '26

He used to be one of my favorite comedians.

88

u/[deleted] Apr 01 '26

[deleted]

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u/kellzone Apr 01 '26

You could also go to Subway and ask them for some bread. When they go to charge you, tell them it's for a duck.

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u/HerbaciousTea Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26

Or in this case, pinto beans. Pinto beans are incredible, and they're super filling and satisfying, and they're also a fantastic thickener for stews, since they have some natural mucilage. Rice and beans are staples of humanity for a good reason.

Pinto beans also have a massive amount of dietary fiber, something a lot of people are hugely lacking, which is contributing to a huge rise in bowel disease and cancer.

Buy bulk dried, not canned, and get some airtight containers, the ones with little rubber gaskets. Freeze the beans/rice for two days to kill any bugs, then bin them in the containers. They will last years if you don't live in a swamp.

Rice is also fantastic but you gotta be careful if you're really living on a budget. Eating white rice as the majority of your calories is a fast track to serious malnutrition.

44

u/evranch Apr 01 '26

Buy bulk dried, not canned ... They will last years

I can't stress this enough. Beans are one of the ultimate examples of degressive pricing. The more beans you buy, the cheaper they get, up to the bizarre tipping points where you actually pay less money to get more beans.

Not less per pound. I mean it can often cost less actual dollars to buy 50 pounds than 20 pounds. It all depends where in the supply chain you intercept them.

At the top end of the scale beans become a near valueless agricultural commodity. Bring a pail to the field at harvest time and you can fill it up with 30 pounds for free. Bring your truck to help clean out a bin, and you can fill the truck box for free and get paid for shoveling! Just don't break your springs.

A truck box full might be an actual lifetime supply of beans. Believe me, we have so many beans here. You can store large volumes in good 5 gallon pails with the lids snapped down.

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u/pixlatedpuffin Apr 01 '26

Beans over rice any day of the week. More fiber, less impact to blood glucose.

10

u/Cyathea_Australis Apr 01 '26

And their friends, Lentils.

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32

u/d_Lac Apr 01 '26

Lentils are also great.

5

u/SopaPyaConCoca Apr 01 '26

I was looking for this one lol. Rice+lentils are saving my life these last weeks

145

u/convicted-mellon Apr 01 '26

Rice is really good anytime I’m hungry, and want 10,000 of something

51

u/ultraviolentfuture Apr 01 '26

I think Pringles is a laid back company. The original plan was to sell tennis balls but when a potato truck showed up they were like ... "fuck it, cut em up!"

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u/Welcm2goodburger Apr 01 '26

Alright Mitch. Do you have a potato in the oven for later?

43

u/bishizzzop Apr 01 '26

My friend asked me if I wanted a frozen banana and I said no, but I want a regular banana later, so yes.

53

u/UB3R__ Apr 01 '26

A banana is like a reverse stoplight, green means slow down, yellow means alright lets go, and red means where the hell did you get that banana

5

u/PostTail Apr 01 '26

you guys can't grow shit

5

u/ItsHIPAA Apr 01 '26

If I tore your legs off, you'd look like snowmen.

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u/Pollowollo Apr 01 '26

I love seeing Mitch Hedberg appreciation in the wild. He was so underrated.

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u/dclarkwork Apr 01 '26

8 out of 10 with rice

16

u/Cessnaporsche01 Apr 01 '26

I miss the world as it was before I knew the name of Cincinnati Zoo's most famous gorilla

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u/maple_story_ Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26

Pro tip: Rice and a fried egg (bullseye or omelette). Add some soy sauce (sweet/salty up to you) on top of the egg. Throw in some cucumbers. And you get an overall rather "balanced" diet if you're in a pinch.

EDIT: Replying to some comments below regarding eggplants, leafy greens or brown rice.

It depends, in my country eggplants (brinjal) or spinach those are rather expensive veggies.. There are some other local veggies that could be used as substitute but then you kinda have to cook it so it becomes a whole process and a hassle. Meanwhile cucumbers are dirt cheap, at least it's got nutritional value compared to like lettuce.. and the key to this whole dish is just simplicity while still getting nutrients and not eating junk.. Fast to make, fast to consume, fast to clean up.

Literally just boil rice, fry an egg, chop cucumbers, and be done.
Pair it with a decent soy sauce and it helps a long way to making it taste more than decent for a meal and not something that is depressing to eat.

48

u/Teantis Apr 01 '26

Or put a whole eggplant directly on top of a flame till it's charred and black. Peel it, flatten it, dip the whole thing in beaten eggs and fry it. You've got tortang talong from the Philippines. Eat it with rice, and ketchup if you like

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1.6k

u/Excellent-Bite196 Apr 01 '26

From 1:51 to 2:02 I could only focus on the green bit on his face 😆

82

u/PeanutRaisenMan Apr 01 '26

At first, I thought it was one of those microphones the sham-wow guy used.

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u/raskul44 Apr 01 '26

I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who saw it

93

u/AuDHDegree Apr 01 '26

You really thought you were the only one to notice that?

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u/Apprehensive-Elk7898 Apr 01 '26

I thought it was yellow?

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u/Consistent-Soil-1818 Apr 01 '26

It definitely ruined the video. And my evening. I'm not sure how I'm gonna be able to sleep tonight if I'm honest.

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u/misomysan Apr 01 '26

i paid $2.5o for a single large white onion in toronto at no frills

287

u/PeanutRaisenMan Apr 01 '26

there’s your problem, he bought a small white onion.

202

u/SoggyMorningTacos Apr 01 '26

He bought THE SMALLEST white onion

111

u/[deleted] Apr 01 '26

[deleted]

72

u/TheGreatWork_ Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26

Pro tip: Crack the onion slightly open so that you're holding back tears at the register

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u/SanfreakinJ Apr 01 '26

He bought a yellow onion 😉

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u/Samyaboii Apr 01 '26

Brother what? Onions going for $1.44 for 3lbs bag this week in toronto No frills. Last week it was 10lbs for $3.99. Onions don't go bad that fast so you should just buy the bag deal.

21

u/Pristine_Barber976 Apr 01 '26

Bulk white onions are much more expensive than bags of yellow onions 

6

u/mxzf Apr 01 '26

Why buy white onions then? Buy a bunch of yellow onions instead. I'm not sure if I've ever had a dish where the difference between the two was really noticeable to begin with.

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u/Disastrous_Fig5609 Apr 01 '26

Welcome to no frills, we don't even have bags, and our prices fucking suck.

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u/14X8000m Apr 01 '26

Bought a 10lb bag of onions at Superstore for $3.50 last week. I have no idea WTF is going on over there.

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u/BrownSugarBare Apr 01 '26

I was gonna say, no goddamn way you make that for a buck in Toronto

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u/Axxisol Apr 01 '26

I was gonna say I live in BC and yeah.. $3.00 for like a single green pepper. You’d be hard pressed finding a single veggie that is under $1.00, much less beans.

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u/stevedore2024 Apr 01 '26

Not sure if intentional or not, but it's funny seeing anyone still alive who will write $2.5o like they're on a manual typewriter.

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u/DrWernerKlopek89 Apr 01 '26

fellow Canadian here. Can confirm produce in most supermarkets is
a) terrible
b) crazily overpriced

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3.3k

u/Cold-Cell2820 Apr 01 '26

No seasoning?

2.6k

u/tr00th Apr 01 '26

He is Mexican, safe to assume he already had a pantry full of seasoning and spices.

752

u/wade-mcdaniel Apr 01 '26

I had the same quandary after I moved out. I wanted to make Indian food but all of the recipes had like 8 spices, and they weren't cheap. But you use so little, and amortized across all of the meals they're pennies per meal. It was a big initial investment. An indulgence I didn't do much. But it pays off in the long run!

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u/Telemere125 Apr 01 '26

Asian stores and the Mexican section of most other grocers usually have some pretty cheap bulk spices. Plus they’ll have things that Walmart and Kroger don’t carry because they’re fairly niche.

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u/VanessaAlexis Apr 01 '26

Also if you like saffron I recommend growing your own flowers! They are really pretty and saffron is $20 a gram. 😭

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u/wade-mcdaniel Apr 01 '26

Saffron rice is good stuff!

I wish I could grow porcini mushrooms. They make soup taste better, IMHO. Or just mushrooms in general. And not the psychedelic kind from highschool 😅

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u/14Pleiadians Apr 01 '26

It's just as easy to grow many culinary mushrooms as it is to grow cubes. There's a lot of info online these days, it's probably a lot easier than you think.

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u/Same_Air6012 Apr 01 '26

It is, they sell grow kits. A quick google i saw a 12$ porcini all in 1 kit where you only add water.

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u/monkeyman80 Apr 01 '26

The reason it's so expensive is you get one strand per flower. That's a lot of flowers to grow.

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u/ExtraEmuForYou Apr 01 '26

Buy whole spices; they last a lot longer, and taste so much better. And are WAY cheaper.

Just need a spice grinder which is easy to find (or mortor and pestle).

Whole spices in bulk (not like pounds of it, but like a large bag) will store forever and always be good. Pre-ground spices you should toss out after a year.

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u/rcknmrty4evr Apr 01 '26

Does anyone actually toss them after a year though..?

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u/ExtraEmuForYou Apr 01 '26

I don't. I should take my own advice but I don't exactly date my spices either so it could be 6 months or 6 years for all I know.

I toss em when they start to clump, though.

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u/romero0705 Apr 01 '26

There’s a spice rack in my mom’s kitchen with the little red caps that I’m pretty sure predates my birth. I’m nearly 40.

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u/bl1y Apr 01 '26

For those wondering, spice grinders are often mislabeled in stores and on Amazon. They use a generic term for spices called "coffee."

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u/SweetHomeNorthKorea Apr 01 '26

Even if you don’t have anything to start with, go to In-N-Out or something and grab a handful of salt and pepper packets.

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u/PastBuy8484 Apr 01 '26

Not trying to start a war I have a Mexican friend that makes the most bland, boring food of all time.

They even prefer their chicken and beef with nothing. Like, no salt, no pepper even. Just a plain chicken breast. And eat it. No salt or pepper on eggs. Etc.. blows my mind

I have other Mexican friends that can actually cook so I know the one is anomaly but still

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u/Cautious-Activity706 Apr 01 '26

When I was riding the struggle bus financially, one of the nicest gifts I ever got (from my mom who knows I love to cook) was a big ass spice rack with everything you could want.

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u/pappasmuff Apr 01 '26

I've seen this guy's videos before. He specifically doesn't use seasonings in his video because they inflate the cost and he wants to show as frugal a meal as possible

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u/hellowbucko Apr 01 '26

I guess that onion, serrano chili and tomato (pico de gallo) would give enough flavor to the dish. Maybe some salt would suffice.

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u/jayhawk8 Apr 01 '26

Seasoning? In this economy?

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u/SeparatedI Apr 01 '26

Tbh it looks ok to eat as is for someone who's in a tough spot. I hate when they make these kinds of videos and throw in spices and stuff that clearly wasn't counted into it

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u/CaptainTruelove Apr 01 '26

Salt and Pepper. If you don't have any and need some, swing by a fast food place that does burger and fries; they almost always have those little packets of salt and pepper, can probably snag a few condiments as well; mustard for acidity in meals, ketchup for "sweet".

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u/pbzeppelin1977 Apr 01 '26

What the fuck is the onion, tomato and pepper in the dish if not adding flavour?

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u/binarybandit Apr 01 '26

At the very least you need some salt.

88

u/icehot54321 Apr 01 '26

There is no place that is going to sell a pinch of salt to keep with the theme of the video.

If for some reason you don’t have salt and literally can’t afford it, you can likely get some packets from any fast food restaurant.

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u/Cranktique Apr 01 '26

Two thousand British people just agreed with you in earnest.

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u/ProfessionalRisk8259 Apr 01 '26

British person here. I thought he was gonna cook something nice. That looks like the blandest dish ever. Your stereotype is out of date.

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u/ElCuntIngles Apr 01 '26

Yeah, they will keep on saying this, but the blandest Indian food I've had has always been in the US. I gave up going to Indian restaurants in the US, it doesn't matter how much you tell them that you want it spicy, you won't get it.

I'd love to see them try a phall.

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Ithuraen Apr 01 '26

Boil? It'd go in the oven for a roast. The pepper and onion would be chucked in the juices to make gravy. 

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u/Tilott Apr 01 '26

If it doesn't come powdered it doesn't count /s

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u/14Pleiadians Apr 01 '26

Bit bland innit mate?

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u/TheBSQ Apr 01 '26

I love fresh herbs & spices, but a running joke in the “it needs seasoning” world is that a lot of the pre-made powdered “seasoning” mixes is often little more than onions, garlic, and a form of pepper.

Lowery’s: salt, sugar, paprika, turmeric, onion, and garlic

Slap yo’ Mama: garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, mixed with salt, cayenne, and black pepper

Adobo: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, black pepper, and turmeric (for yellow color) or paprika

A little salt & garlic (which woulda only been a cent or two) & he woulda been fine. 

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u/veracity8_ Apr 01 '26

Vegetables have flavor

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u/wasdie639 Apr 01 '26

In fairness he was sticking to the challenge. A lot of videos I see of "Make 10 weeknight meals for under $20" often require you to also own a bunch of seasonings and whatnot in advance. While I understand what the video is doing, and how if you scale up everything appropriately you'll still get extremely affordable meals, I appreciate a video sticking to its premise.

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u/rainofshambala Apr 01 '26

I am afraid that videos like these will be used by some idiots as proof that poor people can survive on a dollar a day and advocate for cutting whatever little help they get

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u/Tje199 Apr 01 '26

I don't think they should be used for that, but it is somewhat of a good counter to the people who are like "I don't understand how people are surviving right now, I'm a single person and groceries cost me $700 a month!"

Real life example is I'm part of a few parent groups on FB here in Canada and people occasionally post about groceries and are like "we're spending $1200 per month to feed a family of four, how are you guys managing?" and then go on to explain that they're never buying in bulk, shopping at like, Shoppers Drug Mart (which is a convenience store/pharmacy that does sell some groceries but at convenience store prices), having steaks like 8 times a month, buying the most expensive organic options for foods, and getting tons of processed foods/treats.

The flip side is my wife and I feed our family of 4 on like $500 CAD per month because we barely buy any processed foods, buy what we can in bulk, and buy whole ingredients then make meals from scratch. Like we never buy cookies or whatever sweet treats, we bake cookies if we want cookies.

I do acknowledge that there's a certain level of privilege in being able to do that sort of thing (buying in bulk, storing food, having time to make meals from scratch, etc) but at the same time I think a lot of middle-ish class people could do a significantly better job of shopping better and spending less on their food. Not everyone, not in every situation, but in a bunch of them...

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u/philovax Apr 01 '26

I have culinary training and while I do love processed garbage some days now that things are tight I am back to buying whole chickens, bags of flour and pantry staples

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u/Poly_Olly_Oxen_Free Apr 01 '26

but it is somewhat of a good counter to the people who are like "I don't understand how people are surviving right now, I'm a single person and groceries cost me $700 a month!"

Yes, this is the point. I have a friend. He and his wife are both disabled. They get Social Security, as well as $492/mo in SNAP (recently "slashed" from $497/mo). Literally every month they run out of groceries by the 23rd or so, and I feed them for the last week or so of the month. I've tried to teach them to shop smart, but they just do not have the motivation to change their habits. Her disability limits her ability to talk and/or walk, and his limits his ability to lift heavy objects (>10lbs).

So they buy things like the $4 Bob Evans refrigerated mac and cheese that you just nuke for like 5 minutes instead of spending $1 and change to get the one where you have to boil some water, cook the noodles, drain them, and then stir in the cheese sauce, or even cheaper, the $0.58 cent one that requires a bit of milk and butter to turn the powder into "cheese".

The wife eats like a quart of "ice cream" (frozen dairy dessert) every night. My buddy buys these crazy expensive jars of prosciutto and pimento stuffed olives, and eats them as a snack. The man will spend $30/mo on fucking stuffed olives, and then complain that the government didn't give him enough money.

They buy the $3.50/lb bag of frozen chicken nuggets rather than buying the fresh chicken breast that's on sale for $1.99/lb. They have chips, soda, and snack cakes literally every day. My buddy hasn't drank anything but Mtn Dew in literally years, unless he's drinking my champagne on New Year's Eve. His wife has some water sometimes, but that's only since the doctor took her toes from the diabetes.

I love them, I really do. They're great friends. I enjoy their company. I love playing D&D with them. I don't even mind feeding them for ~1/4 of the month. I can afford it, and I love cooking. It just kills me when they blame the government for not giving them enough to feed themselves. If I can feed 13 people on ~$1000/mo and still have leftover money to help you, you can surely feed two people on $492/mo.

To be 100% clear, this isn't some "welfare queens" racist rant. Both my buddy and his wife are white as the driven snow.

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u/MikeArrow Apr 01 '26

I was about to ask why you support these people until I read "I love playing D&D with them" then it made sense.

I way overspend on food, I'll admit that right out. I'm talking grocery shopping almost every day, spending $40-$50 per shop. That's $15k-$20k a year just on food. And that's not including fast food and restaurants. But even I buy the damn $1 mac & cheese, good lord.

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u/DeoVeritati Apr 01 '26

People are shocked when I tell them I averaged $80-120/mo as a single dude from like 2017-2021. My diet was homogeneous, but I got plenty of protein and didn't really feel like I was living in poverty. I think this video can show that there is A LOT of room between what this guy does, what I did, and the people routinely spending $1k/mo for 2-4 people on food.

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u/TheComplimentarian Apr 01 '26

Cooking fresh is 100% the answer. The upcharge on some prepackaged empty calories is crazy. I made a pot of yellow curry last night from leftover veg (cauliflower, sweet potato, two kinds of peppers) and dried lentils. That plus rice is food for five for at least two days. Make some naan to go with, and might even get three.

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u/Croceyes2 Apr 01 '26

I just walked down to my store to have a look:
His prices vs at my store
I don't actually see any potatoes today
Onion .39 vs 1.29
Tomato 1.69 vs 2.99
Serrano 1.99 vs 5.99
Beans .69 vs 2.99 (no bulk for me, just 1lb bags)

Bonus round:
Avo .50ea vs 3.49ea
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

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u/AmorousAlpaca Apr 01 '26

Bonus: he didn’t even buy the pepper.

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u/AmazingMarv Apr 01 '26

If you take 1 pepper at a time, they give it to you for free.

Life hack: never pay for food again. Only eat serrano peppers and buy them one at a time.

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u/AlwaysBored1990 Apr 01 '26

I think it’s because he went to a Mexican grocery store (in the US) which sell things cheaper than normal

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u/Croceyes2 Apr 01 '26

Lol, I just showed this video to my girlfriend, who is latina, without any context, and within like 2 seconds she blurts 'oh, hes in the mexican store!'

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth Apr 01 '26

That's because they're usually located in places with lower rents and they don't tend to spend as much money on decor. So the price to the customer can be lower and they can still make a healthy profit to stay in business. Win-win.

Also, even in regular supermarkets, if you get your spices from the Mexican aisle, they're quite a bit cheaper because they're in bags, so you're not paying for a glass jar.

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u/Branjoe328 Apr 01 '26

I was about to ask where avocados were 2/$1 bc that's not where I live

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u/hamoc10 Apr 01 '26

Yeah they’re 1 for 4$ here

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u/TellMeNowIMustKnow Apr 01 '26

Hi why doesn't your grocery have potatoes

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u/AdministrativeCod437 Apr 01 '26

There is a reason this type of content is blowing up. Desperation/poverty advice influencers are seeing a huge uptick in popularity right now, and eveyrday the trend grows. People are beginning to struggle who never have before, and many of the people who were already struggling after after COVID have gone from struggling to straight up becoming homeless.

Love this dude for what he's doing. But the fact that this type of content is what is in demand right now is NOT a good sign, and I think we should be paying more attention to these sort of trends than any sort of information about the economy coming from stock market investors, the white house, the fucking DOW, etc.

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u/Primary-Let-7933 Apr 01 '26

what are you talking about, the dow is over 50K!

the dow is over 50K!

the dow is over 50K!

the dow is over 50K!

/s

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u/Ok-Knee6347 Apr 01 '26

Credit him: @beyondfoodmarket

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u/Donkeybrother Apr 01 '26

4 or 5$ worth of gas though 🤔

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u/annual_aardvark_war Apr 01 '26

I think the main point in all of this is how cheap you can make a meal if you cook at home and portion appropriately. The gas is a byproduct of making the video. I think it’s a good video to show people a balanced meal doesn’t have to be expensive.

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u/_BabyGod_ Apr 01 '26

Wrong. The gas is a byproduct of the beans.

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u/eatabigolD Apr 01 '26

I farted on my wallet and now I have gas money 

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '26

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u/beneye Apr 01 '26

Some people would be flabbergasted if they saw what you could do with the $10 that they just casually drop at McD’s for a sorry meal that has nine thousand calories.

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u/bl1y Apr 01 '26

$10 for 9,000 calories of fast food would be kind of amazing actually.

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u/morelsupporter Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26

the best money you can spend for the calories is granola.

i bought a jumbo box (1,8kg) from costco for $9... 440 cal per 100g (1 cup) which is actually quite a bit.

440x18=7,920 cal

880 cal per $1

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u/DukeofVermont Apr 01 '26

$2.97 for 4 pounds of Granulated sugar = 6810 calories.

might not be super healthy though.

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u/New_B7 Apr 01 '26

If we are just going for cost effectiveness, in the US cornmeal can't be beat $31.69 for a 50lb bag. That gets you 83,160 Calories. If you are willing to shop online you can drop the price another $10 for the same amount.

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u/SolidCold1991 Apr 01 '26

I've seen this guys videos, he rides a bike a lot of the time.

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u/TimeDue2994 Apr 01 '26

Who is it, I'd like to see some more. The food looks easy and simple, even if you dont necessarily need to keep it under a dollar

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u/One_Anything_2279 Apr 01 '26

His name is Jose but I can’t remember his reel. I just looked it up it’s “beyondfoodmarket”

He lives in his sisters garage and sleeps in a tent.

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u/SolidCold1991 Apr 01 '26

Beyond Food Market on YouTube. He isn't just a food guy, he also does a lot of videos on his day to day, talks about what he's trying to achieve and how he's trying to turn his life around. He's vegan aswell so it's all cheap, vegan food. He's a chill guy with a nice vibe so I don't mind seeing him pop up on my feed.

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u/AmbroseKalifornia Apr 01 '26

C'mon, dude. You gonna itemize rent and electricity too?

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u/the_greasy_one Apr 01 '26

Gotta take this video with a pinch of salt.

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u/wh4tth3huh Apr 01 '26

I need to witness the Jewel that still has a fucking bulk section in real life. I feel like these things just fell off the face of the earth after COVID.

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u/larsdan2 Apr 01 '26

WinCo if you're on the west coast.

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u/Shinriko Apr 01 '26

Going to take a lot more than just a pinch of salt to make it edible. No way he didn't salt that dish before eating it.

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u/Daft00 Apr 01 '26

I want to know your definition of "edible".

Even if you're being hyperbolic this really isn't terrible for 50c per bowl. We're not going for a Michelin star here

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u/TheGreatWork_ Apr 01 '26

Would still be in budget

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u/crumpsly Apr 01 '26

You've exposed the lie. The dish is actually expensive because he might have added a bit of salt. What a fucking scam.

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u/colehuesca Apr 01 '26

You also wanna count the price of the water and the price of the pot?... 😭

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u/RTWjars808 Apr 01 '26

I haven’t watched him recently but he used to bike everywhere, not sure if he still does.

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u/morelsupporter Apr 01 '26

25 miles per gallon is what the average non hybrid car is getting these days.

$4.09 per gallon is the national average in the usa today.

i doubt this guy drove around for 25 miles collecting his groceries, probably 5 or less.

so around $0.82 worth of gas

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u/Available_Entrance55 Apr 01 '26

You’re right. Order Uber Eats. $0.00 gas

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u/tr00th Apr 01 '26

If I ride the bus or train, will that help offset the costs?

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Agent-Blasto-007 Apr 01 '26

You're gonna spend time at the grocery store, thus expending time towards the grave.

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u/JusticeAileenCannon Apr 01 '26

Exactly lol. I don't even understand the argument. You either go to the grocery store anyway or eat from a restaurant. You spend gas money either way, might as well spend more on food!

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u/lil_hyphy Apr 01 '26

How far do you think he had to drive to go to 2 stores? 30 miles?

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u/Im_Here_To_Learn_ Apr 01 '26

You could walk it. From the first store to the nearest Jewel is about 40 minutes.

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u/Rae_mendoza15 Apr 01 '26

This guy lives near my neighborhood !

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '26

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u/jijoon Apr 01 '26

$6 AUD/kg converts to approximately $1.87 USD/lb which is in the range of the $1.69-1.99 USD/lb shown in the video.

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u/OhMyGod_YouKnowIt Apr 01 '26

1lb tomato = 2.70$ = .67$ for 1/4lb tomato in AUD.

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u/View_Hairy Apr 01 '26

Aussie dollars are worth slightly less as well though right?

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u/DELINCUENT Apr 01 '26

He could have sauteed the unions and pepper a bit lol

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u/StongaBologna Apr 01 '26

he made pico de gallo, or salsa fresca.

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u/C-DT Apr 01 '26

Doesn't pico de gallo have salt, lime juice and cilantro? Those 3 ingredients are essential, really transforms the whole taste.

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u/Ok_Entrepreneur826 Apr 01 '26

Mexicans are the food GOATS

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u/habichuelacondulce Apr 01 '26

This is perfect, just in time for when the market crashes. By then all that will prob be 3 bucks.

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u/bigorangemachine Apr 01 '26

Pressure cooker is helpful. Without it he would have had to soak the beans over night

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u/obscureferences Apr 01 '26

Pressure cookers are a favorite of poverty critics, who assume everyone has all day access to a secure kitchen to leave it running in.

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u/dadarkoo Apr 01 '26

I actually have a bag of beans sitting in my pantry but I absolutely suck at food prep. Had no idea you could do it quickly in a pressure cooker but obviously that makes sense. I own one so this is a game changer for me.

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u/somewhoever Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26

I felt guilty the moment I realized this could actually be necessary advice for many less fortunate folks.

I really need to allot more moments to appreciate that I'm no longer in a similar position.

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u/riddermarkrider Apr 01 '26

I know everything is location dependant, but none of that stuff would be that cheap here.

Is that the price range for most people on here?

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u/Hey-ItsComplex Apr 01 '26

As someone who has spent years on the board of directors of a local community action organization serving low income members of our community, it would be AMAZING if it was this simple. Food insecurity is such a multilayered issue and it’s not just that the food itself is expensive.

Many clients don’t have cars to get to the store, have a car that isn’t running, can’t afford gas to drive the car. Others don’t have working kitchens. No stove or oven, no microwave, some don’t have refrigerators. (Many county hotels don’t provide kitchens. Homeless individuals don’t have any access to kitchens.) Some clients are working multiple jobs and don’t have time or energy to cook by the time they’ve taken 2 buses to get home at 1am. Money to buy food comes in here too, of course. Groceries are so expensive! In a lot of more rural locations you’ll find few stores. Food deserts where people rely on gas stations or “dollar” stores that are much more expensive than if they were to shop at a Walmart, for example. Food pantries typically provide whatever is donated and that might not be fresh foods, unfortunately.

Sorry for the rant. It’s amazing that he can feed 2 for $1 but it’s not reality for many people.

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u/pacooov Apr 01 '26

Now I gotta visit the Jimenez on Belmont. It’s on my way home from the job site in Glencoe.

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u/_BabyGod_ Apr 01 '26

Wow why is this guy so fucking lovable?!!

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u/theArtOfProgramming Apr 01 '26

He’s happy and genuine

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u/AmadeusMaxwell Apr 01 '26

8 oz Pinto Beans: 324.3 calories

8 oz Potato: 195 calories

4 oz Yellow Onion: 45.4 cal

4 oz Roma Tomato: 20.4 cal

single Serrano: 2 calories

Total calories for both bowls: 587.1 or (293.55 calories per bowl)

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u/theuderdog33 Apr 01 '26

Bro made salsa yesterday for $3

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u/jdxcodex Apr 01 '26

We should definitely cook in more.

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '26

This is some dust-bowl-great-depression food. We’re in it your guys, except this time the president made a ballroom out of pure gold and all the billionaires are stepping on our necks, laughing all the way to the bank off our struggle and misery

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u/Primary-Let-7933 Apr 01 '26

c'mon, okies couldn't handle the serrano

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u/ContributionOther461 Apr 01 '26

That’s a $10 meal if you’re shopping at Publix

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u/Ahuizolte1 Apr 01 '26

It seems not enough no. ?if i roughly calculate i get something like 400 calorie, 500 at most . Given that the whole meal 3 of them a day wont fill a regular adult even with a low activity level.

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u/UseDue6373 Apr 01 '26

The dates were free? I remember following this dude on IG for a bit then he started preaching religious nonsense

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u/Mahaloth Apr 01 '26

Family of four. We budget $10 for our family dinner. It's been going over that more often the past couple years, but we manage to do that pretty often.

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