“Ben Schumin wishes that grocery shopping involved just buying a fifty-pound bag of single people chow.”
November 9, 2009, 7:17 PM
The above was a Facebook status that I posted on Sunday, and it really got a lot of attention, with seven “likes” and a lot of comment, including comments from some of my married friends that a fifty-pound bag of single people chow would be a good idea.
See, I have to go grocery shopping tonight, and let’s admit it – grocery shopping is a pain. First I have to drive to the store. Then I have to kind of wander the aisles and pick out all the grub I’m planning to get. Then I have to pay for it. Then I have to load it up in the car and drive back home. Then I have to schlep it all up the stairs. Then I have to put it away.
That’s why I started fantasizing a little. After all, I’m single, and I live alone. And grocery shopping is a bother. Life would be so much simpler if I could just go to Shoppers, haul a fifty-pound bag of single people chow into the cart, pay for that, and be set for a month. And I figure it should cost around $45 for the name brand, and $30 for the generic. Still, I could be in and out of Shoppers in less than fifteen minutes. Just go right to the single aisle, and I’m all set.
What surprised me most, however, was one comment, which indicated that Costco actually sells a product that consists of 275 servings of various types of vegetarian food. Take a look:
Photo: Costco
I know, how appetizing. Food in a bucket. But it’s got a decent selection, as it features at least 25 servings each of potato soup, corn chowder, cacciatore, western stew, country noodle soup, rice lentil soup, whey milk, blueberry pancakes, and barley vegetable soup. And it’s designed to have a twenty-year shelf life without needing to be refrigerated.
So just for fun, I did the math. 275 servings, assuming one serving equals one meal, and three meals a day, comes to 91 days, plus breakfast and lunch on day 92. And breaking down the $89.99 price tag on this bucket-o-food, it comes to $0.32 per serving. Sounds like a deal to me.
Of course, while the idea is fun to fantasize about, only having to spend $90 for a three month food supply, I don’t think it’s a particularly good idea in practice. I’m guessing it’s not exactly gourmet cuisine, and it probably would seriously get old after a while. In other words, there’s probably a very good reason that they call this an emergency food supply.
Still, it’s an amusing thought. Single people chow…
Web site: RecessionistaDC: Tip Number Forty, Freezer Burn
Song: "Paper Planes" by MIA
Quote: And thank you to all who commented on my Facebook status. I'm glad everyone got a kick out of the idea.
Categories: Food and drink