People Speak About Their Favorite "Poverty Meals" That They Enjoy Regardless Of Their Financial Status

We all have our favorite cheap food.

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• February 5, 2021

We all have our favorite “poverty meal” that has stuck with us through the years, no matter how much money we have. These cheap and straightforward dishes are mostly tasty, but that’s not the main reason we love them so much.

It’s because we associate them with a different time in our lives. You can say It’s nostalgia, childhood memories… These dishes were mostly consumed in some hard times.

But think about this -if you have fond memories of some period in your life, and they made you fall in love with some dish, then how can you say it was a difficult period?

People on AskReddit shared their favorite poverty meals. And, yes, the main ingredients are memories.

1. That’s a good list.

“Lentil stew

Boiled potatoes with salt and a couple of slices of herring

Cabbage soup and crackers

Tea and toast

Steamed rice with furikake.”

2. The origins of pizza

“Pizza in Italy was originally only eaten by poor people who couldn’t afford proper meals, and so they used the basics of flour, tomatoes and other cheap items to come up with pizza.

However, instead of the meat and other things on modern pizza, the basic vegetables make the pizza just as tasty and I always enjoy eating it.”

3. Rice stew.

“There’s a south indian dish called Kanji, which is pretty much just rice put in water and cooked for a really long time.

Sort of like rice porridge.Then you put different food items and curries inside for flavor.

I still make it all the time, especially when I’m sick.”

4. Lentils are great food, full of nutrients.

“Lentils! Great cheap protein and can be used so many ways. Lentils with curry and whatever cheap veg is around, usually spinach or cauliflower.

Also a baked plantain for a super cheap and filling snack.”

5. Nothing to apologize about.

“Fried egg with rice and beans.

I was a missionary in Brazil for a few years and when I would eat at peoples homes they would apologize for that being the only thing they could afford.

I could not convince them that it was one of my favorite meals.”

6. Really cheap and really tasty.

“Yellow pea soup.

500g yellow peas. Soak over night

1 onion. Halve.

Boil together until peas start to fall apart.

Add salt, thyme and marjoram.

Enjoy with mustard.

About 1 buck will give you ten servings. And gas.

But it’s one of my all-time favorite meals.”

7. Great combination.

“English muffin pizza.

A jar of pasta sauce, English muffins, mozzarella and toppings of your choice. Fresh produce is dirt cheap.

The pasta sauce is the most expensive part, and if you make it, and the English muffins at home, each mini pizza is like 30 cents.”

8. Times are tough

“Velveeta.

Made a huge comeback in my house at the beginning of pandemic when we were scared, unemployed, and feeling sorry for ourselves.”

9. Mac and cheese with hot dogs.

“I’m a chef. I own a restaurant.

I’ve eaten some of the finest foods on this planet.

Very few things taste better than box Mac and cheese with cut up hot dogs.”

10. This one is a classic.

“Cuban style rice and black beans.

Sure, I’ll toss in some avocado now I can afford to, but the base dish stays the same.”

11. Timeless.

“Peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Containers of both last forever.

Last year, we lost power for 13 days in the rural area I was living in and lost all food. I lived off those sandwiches on rye bread for those two weeks and bottled water. Never got sick of them at all lol.

I lost 12 pounds.”

12. Mixes from leftovers are often the yummiest.

“In Ireland (specifically Dublin) we have a dish called coddle. It’s a salty white stew from the days of the poor tenements.

It’s made with leftover sausages, bacon, potatoes and variable other veggies and grain such as barley.

It is an ugly dish to look at but it is so tasty, wholesome and filling.”

13. Butter is the key.

“Buttered Noodles!

Any pasta, a scoop of butter, and a dash of salt.”

14. Interesting…

“A gas station slushie mixed with gas station wine.

Poor man’s daiquiri.”

Damjan