Author Topic: How much would you pay for convenience food?  (Read 4412 times)

Asdfg

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 35
How much would you pay for convenience food?
« on: October 28, 2015, 07:05:41 AM »
Ok, so I work for a company that produces all kinds of convenience foods / ready meals. I can see what kind of stuff they put in them and how they are manufactured... and I prefer to buy ingredients and cook myself. My problem is that I can buy second class products where the product itself is perfect but usually the packaging is faulty (such a missing label, wrinkled package etc.). And the price is really low, like, almost free. For example a 1 lbs pizza costs me 4 cents (sold in boxes of 10 which costs 40 cents), or filet mignon for about $1/lbs.

What would you do in this position? Eat cheap or cook yourself? So far I have been combining both worlds. So basically I've been buying steaks from my company and veggies from the grocery store and skipping the pizzas etc.

MayDay

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4952
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2015, 07:08:02 AM »
I would probably do the same as what you are doing.  I would keep a few frozen pizzas and what not for treats or emergencies (forgot to thaw, busy day, etc).  I am also not above using that kind of food for parties when I know 90% of the guests eat processed food all the time, or taking them as potluck contributions. 

UnleashHell

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8861
  • Age: 56
  • Location: Florida
  • Chapter IV - A New ... er.. something
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2015, 07:42:08 AM »
we always have pizza int he freezer. very handy fall back in case we are too tired to prepare a full meal and still want to avoid going out.

dcheesi

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1309
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2015, 08:32:51 AM »
Your combination approach seems reasonable. Another approach might be to eat the packaged meals for one meal a day, and stick to fresh cooking for the other meal(s). Either way, you are ensuring that you get the benefits of fresh food and limiting the amount of preservatives, etc., in your diet, while still getting some benefit from your 'perk'.

Cornbread OMalley

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2332
  • Location: Kansas
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2015, 06:02:42 PM »
I try to stick with eating real food meaning the item being consumed hasn't been altered drastically beyond its natural state i.e. a baked potato, a hardboiled egg, fresh veggies, grilled fish or chicken breast, etc...

Goldielocks

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7062
  • Location: BC
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2015, 06:08:39 PM »
Well, watching out for sodium and too many exotic additives, I would buy the cheap food. Eat half portions with salad and fruit, mix it up. But you know? Baked potatoes are pretty cheap too. .

I also worked for food companies, so I understand.   What is nice is swapping a salami or pizza with a friend for their home made casserole or other dish.

nanu

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 345
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Cambridge, MA
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2015, 06:12:23 PM »
What is nice is swapping a salami or pizza with a friend for their home made casserole or other dish.
This seems like a good idea. I'm sure you have friends that would be happy to get highly discounted pizzas (and would pay you back in beer, homemade food, or a small comission).

okits

  • CMTO 2023 Attendees
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *
  • Posts: 13000
  • Location: Canada
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2015, 06:32:38 PM »
Just how bad is the quality of the ingredients, the additives, or the processing?  If it's shockingly bad I wouldn't eat it even if it was free.  If sorta not great maybe 2x a week.  You are not saving money if consumption of this causes health problems down the line.

Asdfg

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 35
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2015, 02:15:03 AM »
What is nice is swapping a salami or pizza with a friend for their home made casserole or other dish.
This seems like a good idea. I'm sure you have friends that would be happy to get highly discounted pizzas (and would pay you back in beer, homemade food, or a small comission).

It's a funny thing actually. I sent an email to four of my friends saying that I could supply them really cheap food. But they all replied basically saying "I don't eat that junk". When I talked to each of them separately in person, 3/4 said they could take some food anyway... So people would eat it but they don't want their friends to know about it.

I don't feel comfortable to actually sell the food because the commission would be really low and people don't really use cash anymore so it's a bit of a hassle. But I have done some little trading with the food, like giving it to a neighbor who would in return pick up our kids from the daycare etc.

Just how bad is the quality of the ingredients, the additives, or the processing?  If it's shockingly bad I wouldn't eat it even if it was free.  If sorta not great maybe 2x a week.  You are not saving money if consumption of this causes health problems down the line.

I'm not really a food expert, but for example the sausages (40% meat) are just plain awful. But yeah, I don't like the taste of many of our products that much, so I've mainly been using the cheap steaks since they are not processed that much.

Glad to see I'm on the same page with more experienced mustachians :)

2Cent

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 744
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2015, 04:28:01 AM »
I think your trading with the neighbor is really clever. Trading food for favors can be a win-win situation. Especially if you have some young people around. They love this type of food and would definitely help you with things for free pizza. You could say, I will supply your student party with X pizza's if you guys help me clean out the garage or something.

nanu

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 345
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Cambridge, MA
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2015, 04:34:31 AM »
I don't feel comfortable to actually sell the food because the commission would be really low and people don't really use cash anymore so it's a bit of a hassle.
I agree, cash is plain inconvenient. Personally when I need to pay people back or they need to pay me back we use an app such as Google Wallet or Venmo (there are other solutions of course), which are completely free and make for an easy way to transfer small (or large) amounts of money between friends without using cash.

Daisy

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2263
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2015, 12:42:01 PM »
I wouldn't eat it even if they paid me to eat it if I thought it was junk and would mess up my health. I already went through a health issue that was partly resolved by eating a cleaner diet. I may spend more on good food, but my medical costs went way down. And most importantly, I got healthier.

I've heard some food banks don't take fresh food for one reason or another. Can you use the money you have allotted for charity and buy some of this cheap food and give to food banks?

Asdfg

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 35
Re: How much would you pay for convenience food?
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2015, 01:23:29 PM »
I've heard some food banks don't take fresh food for one reason or another. Can you use the money you have allotted for charity and buy some of this cheap food and give to food banks?

I'm not sure if we have the concept of food bank over here, as the social security is quite comprehensive (and taxes really high...). And we also have a little bit different approach towards charity, as in, people don't really designate/budget money towards charity.

I think your trading with the neighbor is really clever. Trading food for favors can be a win-win situation. Especially if you have some young people around. They love this type of food and would definitely help you with things for free pizza. You could say, I will supply your student party with X pizza's if you guys help me clean out the garage or something.

This is a pretty good idea! We live in the countryside so not very many (young) people around here, but I get the idea and see if I can expand on it.