Rant: my coworker said rice and beans is "poor people food" and I can't let it go

Cora Roberts · 2026-10-19T12:15:05.309443+00:00

I was heating up my lunch in the break room in Dayton last Tuesday, just a big container of black beans and rice I made Sunday for about $4 for the whole pot, and this guy from accounting looks at it and goes "that's poor people food, no offense." I just stood there for a second because I wasn't even mad about the insult, I was annoyed at how much that mindset costs people. Like dude, I feed myself lunch all five days for under a buck a serving and it's filling and I actually like it. He spends $11 a day on takeout and then complains he's broke by the 20th. I didn't say any of that, I just shrugged, but it's been bugging me for a week now. The thing is, beans and rice got me through my first year after college when rent ate my whole check, and I never saw it as a sad meal, just a cheap one that works. Maybe I'm overthinking it but the way people talk about cheap food says a lot. Has anyone else had someone make a comment like that about what you bring for lunch?

💡Thought Shares

Loading…

Rant: my coworker said rice and beans is "poor people food" and I can't let it go | Budget Friendly Meals - Thought Shares