What's the cheapest - but most nutritious - food for a homeless person to buy?

Rice? It is the staple food of the majority of people on earth. You get protien, carbs and fibre all in one easy to digest package.

Probably canned vegetables and other goods. There are also stores that sell scratch and dent/irregular groceries which are discounted but just as good as the others…

What ever is in the dumpster.

It depends on whether you expect to be able to have a simple sort of cooking facility. Rice will “cook” if left immersed in water for a day or so, but other simple nutritious things might need cooking. Eggs for instance. When I have been backpacking I have used rice with dried milk powder and whatever flavouring/seasoning I could add. Beef jerky is good if sliced and allowed to soak with rice – but it is not cheap.

Rice and beans.

If you reflect back to story lore of the old west and the great depression, canned beans are ubiquitous and still a good choice.

I’d also go for a plastic jar of peanut butter or a bag of peanuts, maybe a small chunk of cheese, raisins… Nutrient dense and not needing refrigeration or long coking seems the way to go.

I would also research which plants out of the ones that grow naturally in the area are edible. This is a free resource and will contain vitamins.

Is this question and the rest of your homeless questions for some sort of research?

@SpatzieLover I was wondering the same thing!

@scamp Look,
@starbux hasn’t answered a single one of us on any of his questions yet.

Rice is a cooked carbohydrate in the same group as pasta bread and potatoes, although probably the best option in this group. I would have to say Kale, Lettuce, Turnip greens, and lots of fruits or vegetables. All of which most of us could use more of. Since all of these provide real nutrients it will subdue the hunger for longer periods and provide real nutrition. The other key element is quality water, next time you are shopping buy some extra bottled water to give with the food. Look for water labeled purified water; also look for the three most basic and affective forms of purification which are: Reverse osmosis, carbon, and ozonation or Ultra Violet treatment. The reason water is so important is: Water regulates the body temperature, this will ensure while in the elements no more energy than is necessary is used for heating and cooling of the body. Helps convert food into energy, this is vitally important to understand because it is the transportation for any of the nutrients in any food to enter your body. Let’s say a person wants to lose weight and changes their diet to incorporate more raw healthy organic foods but is in a state of dehydration, even though the food has more potential nutrients and energy we cannot make use of the energy potential without water as the transport vehicle. Think about it what is the first thing done to a patient how is admitted to the hospital: they are given an I.V. and what is contained in that I.V. a saline solution; water and salt. Salt (mineral rich sea salt not iodized salt) helps to structure the water and hence helps your body retain the water better. Water also carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells and waste to elimination systems. So in conclusion both food and water are just as vitally important for anyone, and especially important to a homeless person who is subjected to harsh environments. Milan Bender

Banana and cup of yogurt for the mornings
Bean and cheese burrito for $1.00 if it can be found
microwaved scrambled eggs or boiled eggs

@SpatzieLover I wonder if someone is trying to get us to do their homework for them??

@scamp That’s my thought exactly. The only other thing I can think of is an intern told to do some research for a charitable organization

rice and beans

Dates, Hazelnuts(best from a tree), Peanut-Butter(ingredients:peanuts), no sugar or artificial sweeteners, fat-filled yoghurt, cheeses, eggs, goat milk/cream (unpasteurized is best), brassica greens(better picked fresh), avocado, quinoa, rose-hip leather(better homeless-made), pure maple syrup, bacon if there is a stove.
The effect of canned goods is usually not good, and they are often all that is offered at food banks/soup kitchens, but beans sure, and sardines hell yeah!
Some people eat what keeps them healthy, no matter where they sleep or what they own.
Storage and ease of transport are often important considerations when there is a long hike to the rest/sleep spot or long intervals between food collection times.
Unlocked dumpsters, wild edibles and veggie-garden space with a water source are fantastic. If you have a piece of land where someone could put a tent/tarp; brambles one could remove to make growing space; a sheltered garage; a porch; a spot behind your garbage cans or under the stairs at the side of the house where someone could leave a waterproof bag with food and a blanket during the day…get to know your local homeless because many are really good, trustworthy people and you might be able to help enormously in a way you wouldn’t normally think of.
And please be careful with assumptions and unneccessary connotations in your communications, as they are cumulative and quite confusing in the long run.
Not to say this happened here, but as insignificant as it appears, adding ‘has-minimal-resources’ onto the already ambiguous and negatively loaded word ‘homeless’ is harmful.