Has anyone else heard that impoverished people sometimes result to eating dog food? Is this supposedly because dog food is cheaper than people food? Or is it supposed to be because they are illiterate and think it's people food?

I have a problem with this... because as a poor college student my diet consists of rice and ramen. I can buy a bag of rice, about 25lbs worth for about $8.00. A cup of rice is enough to feed me for a single meal. I'd just guess and say that a cup of rice is about a 1/4 of a pound. That means the bag can last me 100 meals for 8 dollars. That's eight cents per meal plus the cost of Soy Sauce, electricity, water, etc. But we're looking at about, what 30 cents per meal?

Ramen, on sale, is about .10 cents per package, if not cheaper. Two packages is enough for one meal. That's 20 cents per meal, plus a few extra cents for the additional flavoring (which isn't necessary, but I prefer it). Add in the cost of electricity and water to boil it and you probably have less than 40 cents per meal.

On the other hand, a 13oz can of dog food is usually around $1.25, more or less. Even if you only eat half a can per meal, you're still looking at about 63cents per meal, more than the rice or the ramen... and it's dog food. So it doesn't make sense to me why someone would choose dog food over the two other alternatives.

Now, if it's a matter of them not being able to read the can, then why the hell can they not tell from the big picture of a dog on it that it isn't meant for humans? Not to mention that it's in an isle full of pet stuff?

Or is there some other reason that I haven't heard about?

Man can not live on kibble alone.

Dog and cat is a delicacy in some countries. The picture of a dog is possibly attractive marketing for these people. And the other pet stuff? that could simply be put down to them thinking most of it is just really weird western eating utensils.

I've always just assumed these people were idiots who didn't understand the term 'fresh vegetables'. Which are also cheaper than dog food.

(as a side note, we used to feed our dog rice and pasta, because wet dog food is both fatty and expensive)

I think it has to do with nutrition more than anything. I heard this is why the homeless and poor eat beans as well; it has your protein, fiber and carbs, so even though it's about $1.00 it's a good value as far as nutrition and satiety is concerned. I'm assuming the same holds true for dog food, since it needs to fill all their nutrition requirements in a little can.

When I was in college, I tried to live on rice and ramen, but surviving on carbs alone just didn't do it for me.

In Response to jettaboy20 (#18541):

This is what I heard from someone on the inside, i.e., a hobo:

They would occasionally buy a can of Alpo or some other variant, *and* a can of refried beans. They would then remove the label from the Alpo and paste it on the bean can. Passerbys, shocked and saddened by their hunger so desperate they were eating dog food, throw copius amounts of money in their cup.

Profit.

From what I've heard, so long as you're not an idiot or total junkie, you can manage to feed yourself through the kindness of others. It's an especially good idea to park yourself nearby/in front of a restaurant, as people are likely to grab some extra food when inside to help you out.

Another neat tidbit: Col. Sanders, owner of the KFC chain, had a son who died as a homeless bum out in some slums somewhere. Since then, company policy has been that if someone shows up near the restaurants close and says they are hungry, the restaurant workers are to provide them with as much of the food that is left over that the people need. I haven't heard of supporting evidence elsewehere, but I do know that the hobo in question has fed herself in the past because of this.

I suppose there are some people out there who eat dog food because they really need to. But I don't think it's common among most homeless people/hobos. From my experience, their taste in food isn't that much worse than ours. They're much more likely to eat leftovers out of a garbage can first, anyway.

In Response to Deathalicious (#18543):

They're much more likely to eat leftovers out of a garbage can first, anyway.

Doesn't the same go for dogs though too?

Maybe someone should try a taste test of some puppy chow or friskies. Apparently that old woman in the welfare PSA from about 10yrs ago likes the stuff on a cracker, and stuck up cats won't eat it if it's not in crystal; so how bad could it be?

I have a friend who used to work in a vet's office where they regularly got free samples of dog and cat food from the pet food companies trying to sell new brands or flavours. She said that homeless people would show up when the samples were available and leave with a bunch of them. She always claimed that the homeless were taking them for food, but looking back on it I think it just as likely that the homeless were taking them to feed their pet dogs or cats.

Ramen, on sale, is about .10 cents per package, if not cheaper...

  Wow, in Canada I've seen it for less than 10 cents but never for less than a tenth of a cent. That's it, I'm moving.

I guess I was directing it less towards homeless people, and more towards those who are incredibly poor but do have a place to live (usually with running water / electricity).

I know first hand just how much food is thrown away in dumpsters, most of which is perfectly good. When I worked in the produce department of a grocery store, it was common practice for co-workers (the boss and owner even) to walk by my cart of to-be-thrown-out vegetables and fruits and pick through it to find something good. Most of the stuff was perfectly edible, but the point was that customers would shy away from an entire fruit section if it appeared only a few had gone bad, so it was my job to pick through and find things that might turn away customers. I did this on a daily basis, so you can imagine that I found very few things that had gone horribly wrong.

I did, however, also work in a small town which had an insane unemployment rate and a disappointing number of families living close to if not below the poverty line. These were the kind of people I was actually more curious about, because they have enough money to buy food, but it's such a small amount that they have to stretch it as far as possible. I find it hard to believe that they would be stupid enough to think that simply because it's dog food, it must be cheaper, but I've also witnessed as a family came up short at the register and had to make a decision between baby formula and beer. Guess which one they returned.

I guess I was just curious if there was an actual reason why someone would make an intelligent decision to eat dog food... the nutrition thing is a good thought, and I'm probably dying on the inside from eating only rice and ramen... but I don't eat meat, fish, or many vegetables so I'm restricted to mainly carbs and the occaisional dairy addition. So even if dog food was cheaper, and socially acceptable, I wouldn't eat it. Beans are good, but more expensive, so I reserve them for special occaisions.

(Oh, and incase anyone is wondering why I have to eat this way yet I can afford an internet connection... well, I can't, my neighbor is letting me us his wireless router. Once that goes down, I'm SOL.)

In Response to Phobos (#18557):

but I don't eat meat, fish, or many vegetables so I'm restricted to mainly carbs and the occaisional dairy addition

I would suggest a multivitamin.

And a credit card.

Or maybe a college loan.

Ramen

I've heard that ramen has absolutely no nutritional value-- and that if you eat nothing but ramen for a month or two, you can come down with scurvy. Is this true? Even possible?

In Response to deerboy (#18560):

Never liked multivitamins... they smell funny =/ But I guess they couldn't hurt.

Have a credit card, and student loans. I don't know what the hell I would do if I didn't. Not be going to school for one thing. It doesn't help that the university milks everything from you, or that they delay your student loan disbursement until half-way through the damn term with endless excuses (and excuses never paid rent). Funny, they assume my parental contribution is $12,000 per year out of their own pockets, in addition to the $15,000 loan they have to take out. I think my parental contribution outside of the loan they took out to pay tuition has been about $500 this year, and that includes my birthday presents. Anyway, I feel like I'm just whining now so I'm going to stop.

In Response to daubergoat (#18563):

If you get no vitamin C and you are either a primate or a guinea pig you'll get scurvy.

This is why you ought to drink Vodka with orange juice at least once a week.. certainly more than once every 5 months [virginia.edu]

In Response to tor (#18570):

What cruel bastard would feed Ramen to a guinea pig?

It's not a significant source of vitamin C, but the box of Harry Potter jelly beans my sister left me at my apartment does have some.

When I first looked at the box, I thought to myself "Oh, how cute. And it's even created by Jelly Belly, I'm a big fan of the buttered popcorn so these must be good! Wow, they even have a flavor list on the back, they look almost identical to regular Jelly Belly's, I bet they just renamed them." Imagine my suprise when I popped the first one in my mouth, then checked the back to see what wonderful flavor I had just experienced. Oh look, vomit [mugglenet.com]. And it even tastes like vomit too! A vague mixture of pizza and possibly tacos with a slightly bitter and sour after taste. What other amazing flavors have they included? Soap, Sardine, Black Pepper, oh my!

In Response to Phobos (#18578):

Other fun flavours: Diesel, Lamb, Menthol, Paint, Rotten Egg, and Toe Nails.

Jelly Belly, you are an abomination to nature.

In Response to Phobos (#18579):

Tsk tsk. Don't blame Jelly Belly, blame Bertie Botts. They are, after all, Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans.

And I am a geek.

In Response to daubergoat (#18576):

What cruel bastard would feed Ramen to a guinea pig?

Tor.

I mean, DUH.

In Response to Phobos (#18579):

Also, I've been told, Ear Wax. Which can't possible taste as foul as the real thing.

Please don't ask me how I know.

In Response to Deathalicious (#18595):

Please don't ask me how I know.

It's ok. Every boy has a summer of '79.

In Response to evilaltor (#18597):

Every boy has a summer of '79.

Except for those youngins of y'all that were born in the 80's or (don't tell me!) the 90's.

They, I think, can only use the summer of '78 - due to licensing restrictions and the ongoing lawsuit.

In Response to evilaltor (#18597):

I'd rather prefer not to think about where I was that particular summer.

In Response to Phobos (#18564):

I know things suck. I'm just saying that at apparently $27,000 / year, your investment is worth going a little more into the hock to keep yourself adequitely nourished. You are investing in yourself, so don't go 1/2 way. You're going to work like a stiff for the rest of your life (because of the loans you have already taken), let your future employer pay for a poorly nourished employee, right now you're working for yourself. If you just wanted to get a sheepskin, you could've gone to a state school. (not that there is anythign wrong with that)

In Response to deerboy (#18607):

You're being awfully nice.

Stop it.

In Response to deerboy (#18607):

Um... I do go to a state school =/ The $12,000 yearly expected contribution is grossly inflated. That's just what the school thinks my parents are going to give me, there's no way in hell that would ever happen. Supposedly it should only cost about $15,000 per year to attend school here, but since I'm attending Summer courses, tack on another 3g's to it plus living costs. That $12,000 expected contribution plus the $15,000 parent loan is supposed to be more than enough to live a lavish lifestyle. And it would, if I weren't $11,500 short there.

Anyway, I'll survive, and hell, if I lose a tooth to scurvy, I need the space with these wisdom teeth bothering me as it is.

In Response to Phobos (#18633):

Funny, they assume my parental contribution is $12,000 per year out of their own pockets, in addition to the $15,000 loan they have to take out.

Let me see. $12,000 + $15,000 = $27,000? (or is that =/? What the fuck is that? Equal to or divided by?)

Either you communication or math skilz (or both) need some work. Whatever you are paying on an education, anybody but John Locke would consider wasted.

Whatever the problem, I still insist that money and decision management does not seem to run strong in your family. I hereby revoke your right to complain.

(Is that better, Zippy?)