El Cheapo Cafe: A somewhat odd optimization game

[The_Mad_Linguist]

So, I know that most of us on the boards, myself included, enjoy number crunching.  So I was thinking of creating a slightly different challenge:

Optimizing cheap food.

No, seriously.  The idea is to make an optimal* week-long menu of meals.  There are a few catches:

First:  There are basic requirements for any build you propose.  We will be averaging the entire RDI over the course of the week, so just multiply the reference values by seven and add them up.  5%(?) deviation is acceptable for macronutrients, everything else must be between the RDA and UL values given on the table.  Where are the values for individual foods?  Here.  Or on your food product of choice.
Second: Splatbooks are campaign dependent.  By which I mean you can't say "oh, there's this ridiculously broken Australian ramen which, when combined with my "durian obsession week" promotion gives me free food for five days.  On the other hand, if you do have a place offering "durian obession week", feel free to use it.
Third: No third party splatbooks.  By which I mean vitamin pills or what have you.
Fourth: Each "meal" must be edible.

Now, this is more an elaborate cover for recipe swapping, but since we're all** Starving College Students^TM, I figured this would be more appropriate.  And would prevent people from having to resort to med school tomato soup***.  Plus, if it's a competition, I think it's far more likely for people to have an incentive to actually do it.

The current target is a somewhat unassuming 20 USD for the week.  I'll be posting a build up once I finish it, but I suspect I'll be beaten to it.

*Where here optimal is defined as cheapest
** Well, the majority of us are.  Or at least the plurality of us.
*** Two quarts of boiling water, and the ketchup packets from the cafeteria.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

This post reserved just in case.

[Vynar]

3 $0.89 chicken burritos a day from tacobell. Each time get a free water cup and fill it up with soda if you desire. They are actually not tiny. Then practice getting free food from your friends and weave that in as required.

 

[Vinom]

2 packs of ramen noodles a day, which I've seen on sail for a dime per, running you a 1.40 for a full week, assuming unlimited access to water.

What you need to realize is that those 'daily requirements' are like fluff text, no harm in ignoring 99.9% of them if it suits you.

[veekie]

2 packs of ramen noodles a day, which I've seen on sail for a dime per, running you a 1.40 for a full week, assuming unlimited access to water.

What you need to realize is that those 'daily requirements' are like fluff text, no harm in ignoring 99.9% of them if it suits you.

If you're starving, yes. If just low on cash, some cheap vegetables keep your pipes running at least.

[Vinom]

2 packs of ramen noodles a day, which I've seen on sail for a dime per, running you a 1.40 for a full week, assuming unlimited access to water.

What you need to realize is that those 'daily requirements' are like fluff text, no harm in ignoring 99.9% of them if it suits you.

If you're starving, yes. If just low on cash, some cheap vegetables keep your pipes running at least.

Look, you need to start thinking mind over matter, nutrition is a conspirasy created by 21st century america, like dehydration.

[Generic_PC]

Not really.

Despite probably what, 1% of people in america getting 100% of their daily nutrients... daily, Nutrition just isn't that much of a problem anymore. If you have a serious vitamin/mineral deficiency, you go to a pharmacy and pick up some pills. Its kinda sad.

As an aside, if cash is tight, I've always been fond of becoming an "Economic Vegetarian". It creates a huge amount of money if you cut meat out of your diet for a month. Even 2 or 3 days a week is substantial. Don't even replace it with anything, just have your meals like you usually would. Noodles with beef becomes noodles with brocolli. Steak and a Salad becomes a bigger salad.

I freaking love my carbs though, so if meat is a mainstay of your diet, you might not enjoy it as much as I do.

I'll check out my grocery store sometime, and come back to you on a full week. Don't be suprised if an entire cereal box lasts 1 week. (In my apartment, barring parties or girl/friends, they usually last longer.)

[PhaedrusXY]

Bulk rice, beans, and potatoes are all insanely cheap and nutritious. Add cabbage, which is also cheap and good for you, and you could probably fulfill most of your dietary requirements. Of course, you'll have to learn to cook. Bananas are only 45 cents per pound in the groceries here, also. So there is your dessert.

[wotmaniac]

i just found an INSANE deal at the local "cheap" grocery on chicken, so here it goes:
10 lbs of leg quarters -- $3 (no b.s.; and it's actually edible)
5-lb bag of rice -- $4 (very easily lasts over a week, even at 3+ meals a day)
4 1-lb bags of frozen veggies -- $5 (1 can easily last 2 days)
1-lb box of margarine -- $2 (adds some flavor)
loads and loads of water -- free?

fairly nutritious (if quite boring) all for $14.

[veekie]

Bulk rice, beans, and potatoes are all insanely cheap and nutritious. Add cabbage, which is also cheap and good for you, and you could probably fulfill most of your dietary requirements. Of course, you'll have to learn to cook. Bananas are only 45 cents per pound in the groceries here, also. So there is your dessert.

Most of it is really just, peel, clean and chop everything to bits, put everything in pot, boil until edible.

[PhaedrusXY]

10 lbs of leg quarters -- $3 (no b.s.; and it's actually edible)

Wow. That IS insane.

[Brullig]

My typical shopping usually involves the following (prices are conservative, and these things can often be found for cheaper)

Carbs/Starches
Wheat Bread (1 loaf)   $1.50
Spaghetti (1 lb)            $1.00
Elbow Macaroni (1 lb)  $1.00
Rice (1 lb)                    $1.50
Beans (1 lb, black or pinto, dry) $1.50
Total for this section: $6.50

Proteins
Ground beef (1 lb 85% lean) $3.00
Tuna (3 cans, in water) $2.00
Large Eggs (1 dozen)  $1.50
Tofu (1 lb)                     $1.00
Total for this section: $7.50

Fruit/Vegetables
Onions (6 medium)     $2.00
Corn (1 lb, frozen)       $1.00
Green Beans (1 lb, frozen) $1.00
Peas (1lb, frozen)        $1.00
Bananas (2 lbs, fresh) $1.00
Total for this section:  $6.00

Grand total: $20.00

There's $20.00 worth of groceries. You should be able to feed yourself very heartily for close to two weeks (or more) on this. Each pound of pasta is good for 3-4 hearty meals, as is the rice and beans. A pound of beef is 4 generous servings. I tend to eat the eggs 2 at a time. The tofu should be at least 4-5 servings as well. Meals are usually composed of 1 item from each category, although occasionally more can be combined (such as rice and beans together; beans can be considered a protein too).

I supplement all of these with generous use of herbs, spices, and sauces. The herbs and spices are 1-shot investments that last for quite some time depending on rate of use; we're usually talking in the duration of months here. This includes things like salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano, and basil. Sauces can disappear more quickly, but I almost always have some type of hot sauce around (Sriracha, wing sauce, or Valentino are my favorites). Also consider garlic, salad dressings (for more than just salads, but be careful of non-light versions; they can be loaded with fats).

The obvious deficiency in this list is dairy products. It's really not that big of a deal as you can get all the proteins found in dairy products from assorted other things such as eggs, meat, and beans. The calcium loss is more worrisome. Sometimes milk can be found cheaply ($1-150 a gallon) but lately the price has been rising in my area (to closer to $3.00+/gallon).

Even though it's specifically "against the rules" you posted, on a low-budget diet it can be extremely beneficial to take a multivitamin supplement even if not taken every day. A month or two supply only costs a few dollars, and can help prevent major deficiencies that you may otherwise overlook. Not getting enough of certain types of vitamins and minerals can lead to lower energy levels/fatigue, which means it's harder to stay up all night gaming

[veekie]

Looking at that, damn, I'm hungry now.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Moving into my own place in two weeks, this could not come at a better time! Keep it coming!

[Generic_PC]

I totally forgot about this until recently. However, that Economic vegetarian thing? I've been doing it recently. Some of you might call me insane.

I've recently developed a craving for warm things, being as its getting colder here. Thus, some cheap-eating thoughts:

Make it yourself: For what you get in a can, it's easier to just grab carrots, corn, beans, whatever, and throw it into your own soup. Noodle soups, especially, are extremely easy to make. Recently, I've found that Chicken or Beef Stock (the OXO stuff. It comes in huge containers and doesn't seem to run out), along with vinegar, a bunch of noodles and some vegetables, if you make enough, can easily last 6 meals. For me, I guess I should clarify. I'm a skinny rake of a person, and I never have eaten much.

Avoid stuff like butter and snack foods. to butter, I rarely use it, and its a penny saved, yes? Especially avoid margarine, as that is... interesting stuff. If I was better versed (i.e. not 30 level biology classes) on it, I might go into more detail and actually explain what it is, but when it was first put on shelves, it had to be dyed pink, and currently, it is still dyed yellow. Suffice to say I feel strongly about it. Snack foods are nonessential as well, so I'd drop those as well. Do you really need oreos?

Has anyone tried eating 5 or so smaller snacks during the day, and dropping the large meals altogether? It would be interesting to see how it affects things.

Avoid having more than 1 large meal a day. I usually have a single fruit for breakfast, and maybe a small salad for lunch. Dinner I try to cook well, and I look forward to it most days. I'll try switching this around, but I don't know how well it'll work, especially since time to cook is tight at lunch and breakfast is always so sweet.

I've found that milk is the best, as dairy products go. I try to avoid pop (and Alchohol) accept on 'occasions', and usually, I'll have a jug of milk and orange juice in the fridge, but thats about it.

Lastly, for all you people who keep assuming water is free, it does cost money for taps and such to actually work, you understand. Just thought I'd throw that out there.