The Poverty Kitchen

A recent social media post celebrating the election of Zohran Mamdani was commented on by a young woman exclaiming: “Socialism is no longer optional.
Mamdani’s slogan of Afford to Live & Afford to Dream must expand nationwide”.
Her 40 hour/week employment is insufficient for her obligations and needs.
“Basic food costs me $35 per day!”

So I asked, what are you calling “the basics”?
She replied:
Starbucks^® breakfast $11 for food and beverage.
Panera^® You Pick Two^™ lunch $15 with tax.
Dinner, “Take-out that I can eat over two days, $16 to $20”.

Okay, I’m not seeing DoorDash, or other upcharged conveniences, nor tips.

I think you can do better without an excess of kitchen tools, skills or time:
3 or 4 quart stainless steel pot. Restaurant quality, $40 .
10 inch stainless steel skillet with lid. Restaurant quality, $40.
5-8 inch kitchen knife. Restaurant quality, as low as $20.
A peeler. $5 each.
A cutting board. $10 to $20 made from bamboo.
Butter or the cooking oil of your choice.
Wooden, stainless, or silicone kitchen implements. $10 to $20 for a set.
An immersion blender, $30 for Amazon’s own, to $50 for a Braun or Cuisinart.
$200 at the most, for lifetime quality items.
One week of her current spending, pays for the equipment.
Next week, it’s the cost of ingredients only.

A Sample Menu as an alternative:

Breakfast: Sandwich of egg and cheese on an English Muffin.
250 calories, 14 g Protein, 26 g Carbs, 11 g Fat, 300 mg Sodium, 3 g Fiber.
Cost: $0.85 calculated with eggs @ $5/dozen
Time required: < 5 minutes.

Lunch: Potato Leek Soup.
310 calories, 9 g Protein, 34 g Carbs, 15 g Fat, 600*mg Sodium, 4 g Fiber.
* using a low-sodium chicken/vegetable broth would make a difference.
Cost: $8.70/batch – 6 servings.
$1.45/serving calculated with commercial chicken broth.
Add a slice of whole wheat bread
100 calories, 4 g Protein, 21 g Carbs, 1 g Fat, 100 mg Sodium, 3 g Fiber.
Cost: $0.30
Time required per batch: 45 minutes.
Reheat: 3 minutes

Dinner: Rigatoni, with Italian Sausage, White Beans, and Kale.
280 calories, 20 g Protein, 22 g Carbs, 20 g Fat, 400 mg Sodium, 4 g Fiber.
Cost: $8.00/batch – 4 servings.
$2.00/serving
Add a slice of whole wheat bread
100 calories, 4 g Protein, 21 g Carbs, 1 g Fat, 100 mg Sodium, 3 g Fiber.
Cost: $0.30
Time required per batch: 30 minutes
Reheat: 3 minutes.

Total cost, without beverages: $4.90 per day.
1040 Calories
51 g Protein
124 g Carbs
48 g Fat
1600 mg Sodium
17 g Fiber