# Is there a common food that could serve as Bachelor Chow? Or would be close? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 24, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350 "2019-12-24T16:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/81 "2019-12-30T19:24:42Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Forget economics and ideologies. National military systems are necessarily state-run. Which military provides the tastiest and most nutritious packaged rations? Such would probably qualify as “bachelor food”. For awhile, anyway. The French MREs are pretty renowned for that. Americans also trade for the canadian versions. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/82 "2019-12-30T21:52:30Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No fiber. > > I suggest those food bars, like Kind or larabar or Clif. Many contain fiber. Get a box or mixed flavors from a brand that gives decent fiber. Take a vitamin once in a while, you will need C and D likely. > > I find Clif bars the tastiest. ymmv. > > Another choice is drinking V8 and eating beef jerky. My father had various intestinal problems, and after each surgery he had to subsist on a zero fiber diet for several weeks. I can assure you that the diet didn’t kill him, although he found it incredibly dull. Yes, you -can- run into problems if you don’t consume enough fiber, but most people muddle along okay that way. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/83 "2019-12-31T00:05:09Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > My father had various intestinal problems, and after each surgery he had to subsist on a zero fiber diet for several weeks. I can assure you that the diet didn’t kill him, although he found it incredibly dull. Yes, you -can- run into problems if you don’t consume enough fiber, but most people muddle along okay that way. Yes, if you have issues, like with constant diarrhea , your **MD** may put you on a no or low fiber diet. \*Under medical supervision. \* ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/84 "2020-01-05T16:05:01Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > Restaurants and supermarkets a full of foods that are good for you. Exactly. If you access to a stove things like rice, beans, potatoes or pasta can form the backbone of an infinite variety of healthy meals and are almost free for a modern consumer, even one on welfare. It’s not simple, you’ll have to learn to cook, and it can take upwards of 20 minutes to prepare, but just don’t tell me the financially disadvantaged are forced to eat Big Macs with a large Coke. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/85 "2020-01-06T01:34:20Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > It’s not simple, you’ll have to learn to cook, and it can take upwards of 20 minutes to prepare, but just don’t tell me the financially disadvantaged are forced to eat Big Macs with a large Coke. The OP asked, _“Is there a commonly available food stuff - something you could buy at a grocery store, and not have to combine two or more things (except water, if applicable) that would serve as Bachelor Chow?”_ Preparation is beyond the skill-set requested. Some folks can burn water while trying to boil it. (Hi, Dad!) Microwaveable single-serving packets from Hormel and Tasty Bites seem to meet the criteria. If nutrition is optional, try frozen burritos, found near beer at the market. ---
**Author:** ![mjmlabs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mjmlabs/32/69_2.png) [@mjmlabs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmlabs)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/86 "2020-01-06T11:25:30Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Exactly. If you access to a stove things like rice, beans, potatoes or pasta can form the backbone of an infinite variety of healthy meals and are almost free for a modern consumer, even one on welfare. > > It’s not simple, you’ll have to learn to cook, and it can take upwards of 20 minutes to prepare, but just don’t tell me the financially disadvantaged are forced to eat Big Macs with a large Coke. … Spoken like someone with access to a grocery store, and probably a car. When all that’s within 30 minutes’ travel is dollar stores, corner bodegas and fast food, it requires additional resources (be they time, money, and/or hassle) to avoid eating crap. Google “food desert” for more info. Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/87 "2020-01-07T18:13:38Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Anyone know what the stuff actually tastes like? C’mon, someone here must have volunteered in a zoo or something at one point and snuck a bite. I’ve tried a few different kinds of commercial primate food. The “leafeater” chow was very bland and fibrous, kind of like oversized All Bran. Another variety, which I think was marketed toward New World monkeys, was kind of oily and smelled (but didn’t taste) of oranges. Food-adjacent, but not actual food. The monkeys mostly thought so too, much preferring the fruit/veg/meat/bugs/etc. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/88 "2020-01-07T19:23:27Z")
> [@mjmlabs](#): > > … Spoken like someone with access to a grocery store, and probably a car. When all that’s within 30 minutes’ travel is dollar stores, corner bodegas and fast food, it requires additional resources (be they time, money, and/or hassle) to avoid eating crap. Google “food desert” for more info. Few people actually live in food deserts. > **[The Root: The Myth of the Food Desert](https://www.npr.org/2010/12/15/132076786/the-root-the-myth-of-the-food-desert)** > > This week President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, a $4.5 billion measure that increases the funding for school lunches and after school meals and will make the food served in schools more nutritious. John McWhorter of The Root... > **[City Observatory - More doubt cast on food deserts](https://cityobservatory.org/more-doubt-cast-on-food-deserts/)** > > The City Observatory is a study of modern-day cities and urban development practices. > **[Food Deserts May Be a Myth](https://www.thedailymeal.com/food-deserts-may-be-myth/)** > > New research found that impoverished neighborhoods actually have more access to grocery stores than other neighborhoods ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/89 "2020-01-08T08:18:23Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Few people actually live in food deserts. Well obviously. That’s what desert means. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/90 "2020-01-08T09:12:29Z")
Wish I’d known about monkey chow sooner. The Soylent stuff is hard to keep down. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/91 "2020-01-08T21:13:36Z")
There is a reason beer is called liquid bread. AND it is conveniently near the frozen burritos. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/92 "2020-01-08T22:12:42Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > There is a reason beer is called liquid bread. AND it is conveniently near the frozen burritos. Some have said that Guiness with a glass of OJ and a glass of milk a day would be sufficient. You’d be happy anyway. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/93 "2020-01-08T22:30:44Z")
You could almost get there with Total whole-grain cereal, if you were allowed to eat it with Fairlife milk for the protein. But alas, even with the combination you are completely lacking in vitamin k, so would eventually bleed to death. :shakes head sadly: ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/94 "2020-01-09T00:34:10Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > You could almost get there with Total whole-grain cereal, if you were allowed to eat it with Fairlife milk for the protein. But alas, even with the combination you are completely lacking in vitamin k, so would eventually bleed to death. :shakes head sadly: No one is saying he cant pop a vitamin pill once a day. But it has to be cheap, easy to prepare, and common. So thus it has to have protein and fiber, and likely carbs will take care of themselves. Which is why I said bean & cheese burritos- Taco Bell, frozen or just buy some refried beans, tortillas and shred cheese. Nuke the beans in the tortilla, sprinkle cheese and eat. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/95 "2020-01-09T00:34:11Z")
Early bachelor food: trap squirrel, bite off head, rip out guts, devour. Later bachelor food: open can, spoon out gloppy contents, devour. Contemporary bachelor food: open plastic pack, microwave, devour. [Future](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FgSmdfRUus) bachelor food: “Everything… is in the pill you took today.” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/96 "2020-01-09T00:41:35Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Exactly. If you access to a stove things like rice, beans, potatoes or pasta can form the backbone of an infinite variety of healthy meals and are almost free for a modern consumer, even one on welfare. > > It’s not simple, you’ll have to learn to cook, and it can take upwards of 20 minutes to prepare, but just don’t tell me the financially disadvantaged are forced to eat Big Macs with a large Coke. **Moderator Note** This is not factually responsive to the question in the OP, which requests items that don’t need to be combined. Let’s drop the hijack about the food options of the financially disadvantaged. This goes for everyone. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/97 "2020-01-09T19:06:29Z")
What about a can of Ensure or one of those similar meal-replacement shakes? Is that close enough? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350/98 "2020-01-09T19:16:04Z")
I can’t think of any one food item that has vitamins A,B,C,D,E; calcium, essential minerals and protein in sufficient quantities to satisfy MY definition of “healthy”. [\*\* Potatoes are close, but not close enough. \*\*](https://www.popsci.com/nutrition-single-food-survival/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-common-food-that-could-serve-as-bachelor-chow-or-would-be-close/845350.md?page=4)