My aunt said rice and beans got her through nursing school, but my $1.10 per meal math is not matching hers

Stella Perry · 2026-09-25T16:35:04.935701+00:00

Tbh I got into an argument with my aunt Deb at a family thing in Modesto last weekend. She swore she fed herself on rice and beans for like 8 cents a serving back in the 80s, and said I was doing it wrong when I said my pot comes out to about $1.10 per meal after onions, spices, and a can of tomatoes. Her side is that you buy the 20 lb bag of rice, dried beans, and never touch the canned stuff, which does drop it under 50 cents if you skip extras. My side is that plain rice and beans three nights a week gets old by week two and then I order a $14 pizza, which blows the whole thing up. She also counted her time as free, and soaking beans overnight plus an hour of simmering is not free to me. So who is actually right here, is the trick just batch cooking 6 servings at once, or am I really overspending on stuff that does not matter?

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My aunt said rice and beans got her through nursing school, but my $1.10 per meal math is not matching hers | Budget Friendly Meals - Thought Shares