# Can man live by anything alone?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-man-live-by-anything-alone/577252
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [April 5, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-man-live-by-anything-alone/577252 "2011-04-05T11:04:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@doodinthemood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doodinthemood)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-man-live-by-anything-alone/577252/1 "2011-04-05T11:04:23Z")
Following on from Cecil’s answer to “can man live by bread alone” (see [here](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/191/can-man-live-by-bread-alone). Basically, no, and it would be a horrible, painful demise.)
I wonder, is there any one simple thing that man can live on alone? And if not, what would be the simplest healthy diet (only 2 or 3 things?)
Looking around I’ve found a few suggestions that pop up again and again: oatmeal, potatoes, bread, bananas, apricots, peanut butter, cereal, milk…
But there doesn’t seem to be a conclusive answer anywhere. I’m sure there’s some way you could cheat nature by wolfing two foods and a multivitamin, but would anyone out there be able to clarify?
Thanks 🙂
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2011, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-man-live-by-anything-alone/577252/2 "2011-04-05T11:13:53Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=600970&highlight=bachelor+chow](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=600970&highlight=bachelor+chow)
There’s an older thread about “bachelor chow” that goes into much more depth.
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### Author:  [@doodinthemood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doodinthemood)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-man-live-by-anything-alone/577252/3 "2011-04-05T11:25:37Z")
Thanks man. Searched around and couldn’t find anything. Didn’t realise it was called “bachelor chow”. Feel a bit silly now, but thanks for the quick reply 😃
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### Author:  [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-man-live-by-anything-alone/577252/4 "2011-04-12T00:44:07Z")
An even better plan [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=255561)–see post# 20 for details (which are taken from the article linked in post #9, which is sadly no longer available).
(You might die, but it beats the living hell out of monkey chow.)