# Preferring the cheap, gross version of a food to the good, expensive version **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 3, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819 "2009-04-03T06:34:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/101 "2009-04-08T00:53:59Z")
Long car trips have their own rules for me. When it comes to sandwich cravings, you can keep your specialty deli shops and your Boar’s Head meats and even your Quiznos and Subways. What I must have is the prison-food quality gas station Ham and Cheese sandwich, with two slices of nuclear-resistant pencil-thin ham-like product, one slice of “you don’t really think it’s cheese, do you?®”, a pathetic wilted single lettuce leaf and a dollop of mustard on worse-than-Wonder bread. Eaten before I’m even back in the car. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/102 "2009-04-08T02:33:29Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > This is absolutely a must at Thanksgiving. Not the stuff with the whole cranberry in it either, just plain gelitanized cranberry sauce in the shape of the can for slicing. I’m happy to experiment with peoples homemade sauce, just make sure you also have the canned stuff. I love this stuff. It’s also awesome on sandwiches after holidays, I know everyone I know who’s tried it with ham or turkey has been happy. As a vegetarian, I go for cranberry sauce and cream cheese on rye. Mmm. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/103 "2009-04-08T04:15:33Z")
> [@Roland\_Orzabal](#): > > My advice to you: familiarize yourself with the wonders of Everclear. One shot and you’re done for the night, or two if you want to get _really_ wild, and all for the price of a bottle of midrange vodka. Doesn’t taste any worse than anything else, although it _will_ let you know if you bit your tongue recently. Absolutely! I keep hearing about the virtues of expensive vodka or running the cheap shit through a Brita, but if you want the real thing, dilute the REAL thing (at 190 proof and between the alcohol and the last bits of water that are too expensive to drive off, there’s no room left for impurities. Or screw the dilution and just be careful about the portion control. Which is critical, because this shit’s TOO smooth. Trust me. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/104 "2009-04-08T05:46:04Z")
Ahh… I think I should have seen our ultimate breakup coming when my ex, who was eating his first Ben and Jerry’s Sundae, turned to me and said: “Ben and Jerry’s could learn a lot from McDonald’s about how to make an ice cream sundae…” ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/105 "2009-04-08T06:42:21Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > I like macaroni and cheese made the right way, but sometimes I’d rather have the stuff that comes out of a box that you can get for less than $1 when it’s on sale. And I usually don’t add milk because because it dilutes the bright orange color and gritty texture of the “cheese”. Ever try Kraft Box Macaroni and Cheese soup? Follow the directions as given but add a whole stick of butter and extra skim milk to make a soupy deliciously rich and loose Mac and Cheese that you slurp up with a spoon. You might add an extra half pack of the day-glo orange, milk solids, powder to double up on the cheesieness. Somehow, I always had extra packets of Kraft Powder? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/106 "2009-04-08T13:24:17Z")
I do not mind Hamburger Helper. sorry ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/107 "2009-04-08T14:58:11Z")
Usually cheap Mexican food is as good as the expensive stuff…its sorta like Indian food-I would NEVER order a shrimp or lobster curry-the delicate flavor is overwhelmed by the spices-stick to the vegetarian curries-they taste just as good and cost less. When going Mexican, I stick to cheese and beans-unless the place uses real shredded beef (machaca). Otherwise, you can be sure they are using real cheap beef -with lots of gristle and fat thrown in. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/108 "2009-04-08T15:25:25Z")
> [@Arglefraster](#): > > Slim Jims \> real beef jerky Agreed. I will drench even the finest steak in A-1 Sauce. _Mea culpa._ Miracle Whip is better than any mayonnaise I’ve ever had. Store-bought ginger snaps are better than any homemade variety I’ve ever had EXCEPT for my wife’s. ---
**Author:** ![Stillwell\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@Stillwell\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stillwell_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819/109 "2009-04-08T23:02:26Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > And on the rare occaisions when I put sugar in my coffee I want Brown sugar. Oh my, I am so trying this in the morning 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-the-cheap-gross-version-of-a-food-to-the-good-expensive-version/491819.md?page=5)