Giusi > wrote:
>While you will probably get bored from eating leftovers, beans and rice
>in their myriad combinations are going to be your cheapest good protein.

Here's the thing about beans:

While they have 20-30% protein by weight when dry, nobody
eats dried beans. When cooked, they weigh twice as much.
Which means they are now 10-15% protein. Lean beef and
chicken come in at 30% or more.

On the other hand, beans cost about 30-80 cents a pound
in quantity:

http://www.usaemergencysupply.com/fo...&mincategory=3

Chicken, after you bone it, is about $1.50/lb, so beans
need to cost 75 cents/lb or less to be cost-efficient
for protein if they're high-protein beans, and 50 cents
or less if they're low-protein beans.

I'd say they pretty much trade off, on average.

Beans also bring their own carbohydrates. Twice as much
as the protein. Which means that dietarily you don't need
(or want) the rice.

I think I'd have an easier time eating chicken and rice
every day than beans alone.

> When cooked in their multi-ethnic splendor with added vegetables,
>onions, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, they're good food. Served with
>cornbread, darn, I'd come over to eat. Can't think of anything to use
>fish sauce with!

Fish-sauce beans-a-roonie!

> Portion control will play a part, too. I salute your effort, really.
> More people should get acquainted with how hard life is for a lot of
>people.

Eating the proper amount will save a lot of money.

Most people eat 100% more than they should.

--Blair