I’m probably going to sound like a space alien, but enough beans to feed a grown man costs two dollars a day. The beans are nutritious and relatively palatable. When I’m left to my own devices, I eat mostly beans. Because I’m rich, I buy the canned ones so that I don’t need to cook.
In all seriousness, it’s not just the money. It’s also the time. Having a varied, healthful diet requires time, effort, skill, and education. If it’s not our own, we’ll end up paying someone else for it in one way or another. Many people are working multiple jobs to get by and don’t have the luxury of spending hours shopping, cooking, and cleaning every day. You might point out that if they worked less, they could afford the time to buy cheaper food. Unfortunately, that won’t make most of their other goods and services any less expensive. The Federal Poverty Limit is based on just covering rent. Minimum wage in most states at full time will put a person a little bit over that. With the utilities, transportation, and healthcare required to maintain a job, there may be very little left over for food.
I’m probably going to sound like a space alien, but enough beans to feed a grown man costs two dollars a day. The beans are nutritious and relatively palatable. When I’m left to my own devices, I eat mostly beans. Because I’m rich, I buy the canned ones so that I don’t need to cook.
Yeah! Let them eat beans!
In all seriousness, it’s not just the money. It’s also the time. Having a varied, healthful diet requires time, effort, skill, and education. If it’s not our own, we’ll end up paying someone else for it in one way or another. Many people are working multiple jobs to get by and don’t have the luxury of spending hours shopping, cooking, and cleaning every day. You might point out that if they worked less, they could afford the time to buy cheaper food. Unfortunately, that won’t make most of their other goods and services any less expensive. The Federal Poverty Limit is based on just covering rent. Minimum wage in most states at full time will put a person a little bit over that. With the utilities, transportation, and healthcare required to maintain a job, there may be very little left over for food.
This sounds depressing as hell, good work.