How Much Food / Nutrition Affordability with Prepared Food has changed even from 2009 through 2025

Part of the biggest ability to manipulate the public has always been on the basis of their lack of understanding the real "numbers" behind what it costs to prepare food, electricity, fuel and even clean costs involved, which largely do not get calculated into the mix of what it really costs even on a per-person basis to feed not only yourself, but a large family, but to also ensure that the family members are receiving proper and adequate nutrition in each meal, and not "cutting corners".

America, as a culture, is a lot about constantly "cutting corners', even if it means going vegan, or eating food that even dogs will not touch.

At the same time, however, it's interesting to note how gullible and naive Americans are about everything related to food, even in the cases of where "eating out" is a major phenomenon.

What I can tell you with how much things have even changed in just a little over 15 years is as follows.

In 2009, it would only have costed you about $7.50 to have a Full Meal with ample nutrition and Macro-nutrient profile.

I have not only experimented but also looked around both in terms of pricing for how much it costs for buying and preparing your own food versus eating out in America in these "post-COVID" times, and I have come to a total realization of everything.

Even irrespective of the amount of Calories in the food, or how much Meat it contains, how healthy it is (or not) or how it's prepared, you generally CANNOT live with sufficient Nutrition any longer for less than $15.00 per meal at the absolute minimum, and $20-$25.00 per meal if you expect Full Quality and Nutrition, which are equal to the levels of how things were in 2009.

I have spent a lot of efforts, even experimentation on this, and ordering out of all kinds of various cuisine in comparison to the lowest base level meal which would basically mean a 1 Pound Ribeye Steak, let's say.

In the times we live in, you cannot get a Premium Quality Ribeye steak at a Market for less than $25.00. Maybe $19.99lb Minimum, but everything under this level is of sufficiently lower quality.

Even in 2019 and before, the same quality steaks you pay $25.00 per pound in today's times, were available on average for $8.00 and even less per pound, sometimes even as low as $5.99 per pound during a sale.

It should be generally reconciled with, that sufficient nutrition profile means consuming approximately 1LB of meat per meal, but no less than 0.5LB per meal, which is even too conservative of a number on a general basis, since 3/4 or 1LB is far more ideal, even if you combine it with sides.

I used to also frequent an Italian Eatery on a weekly basis as a "go-to" establishment back in 2009 and for a few years after, and the Lunch Specials they had costly only $7.50 plus tax.

The meal would include not only the Entree, but Bread, Butter, Garlic with oil and Side Salad.

If you ordered a chicken dinner, let's say, the pasta would come on the side and you would even get 3 full chicken breasts.

Many times, whatever Lunch entree you chose, you would often be full for the whole day, and if you still had dinner, you would maybe just want to only have something light or a small snack.

In addition to this, let's think about all the former "Buffets" that used to exist.

COVID was actually used as a cover excuse to eliminate most Buffets, but I can tell you that even in 2009, we had an abundance of Buffet Services offered by many restaurants which were usually no more than $15.00 at the highest level, but even $6.99 on average, as "All-you-can-eat" Buffet.

These Buffets served as a great option to have or experience Multiple food and to ensure that you would leave full, say even on a lunch break from work.

Largely, the only types of Buffets that are typically left these days are often run by Asians or exist in the Casinos. And they are a lot more expensive, typically $20.00 per person, and even upward of $60.00 per person depending on the type of food being sold.

But the most fascinating thing about the times we truly live in, is that regardless of the establishment, whether restaurant or take-out, regardless of the poundage of food, or the cuisine offerings, whether a Pizza Place or a Chinese Take-out place, the "system" has everything so narrowed down to a Science and with the Cost Factor, that nearly every place actually "evens out" to be roughly around the same price to have any sort of expected meal, even if you cook from home.

You need to ignore the people who talk about how they can get away with eating a lot cheaper by buying at sup-bar establishments, because the nutrition profile is simply "not there", granted the only way you can technically cheat the $15.00 minimum rule per meal, is if you are willing to live off of Chicken Drumsticks, Butter and Rice. But how often can you really do that?

I spent a lot of time as I said experimenting with variations of dishes and ratios, in even what is available for purchase to cook yourself versus take-out, and the thing is you basically breal-even regardless.

Cooking at home or assuming to get the sufficient nutrition profile as you would versus Eating out, is pretty much on Equal footing in these times.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar, or simply does not know how to do the math and also keep quality factors completely in mind.

So you can eat enough to be fed at $15.00 per meal ($12.50 if you are really pushing it but going sub-par) or you need to go up to $25.00 per meal to have something that is absolutely sufficient at this time, in America, to live.

Everything else is truly cutting corners, without exception, such as making "Meatballs" with breadcrumbs and other fillers.

The places which used to offer these "Great" buffets, are either no longer in business, or no longer offer their buffets.

And if they do offer the same "meals" they offered during their buffets, the prices are astronimal.

The same Chicken Piccata meal I could have for $7.50 in 2009, today costs about $29.00 or so at the equivalent eatery. Hardly worth bothering with.

With the exception of "Sale Prices", I have tried NUMEROUS steaks from so many different suppliers, especially since "COVID" Era, and the average going price for a Ribeye Steak is $15.00, but even these are sup-bar quality steaks.

The minimum you can expect to pay for a quality Ribeye Steak is $20.00, and even more so at $25.00

Even a Whole Foods "Ribeye Steak" which is averagely priced around $22.99 or so per pound, still comes out as a 4 Star quality steak even at that price point.

In addition to the "Ribeye" being the Holy Grail of all cuts of Beef, not just for flavor and texture, the nutrition profile is also on that level too. It is the most nutritious cut of muscle meet, and the only other cuts worthy of closer levels of Nutrition profiles would be the Eye Round, Sirloin Cuts, and the NY Strips.

I hope this may put some realistic approaches for thoughts on "food expenses" these days, as people seem to largely not be able to understand what it actually does cost to cook food versus anything you buy as take-out, and while these figures largely suit 1 or 2 persons, only a larger family who makes something in bulk would maybe be able to offset these expenses further.

But there are problems there too!

In most cases, when a large family prepares a meal for the whole family, it is usually done so on the basis of creating leftover foods for the week.

The unfortunate thing, is that reheating leftover food comes with a lot of health consequences, especially after a day or two, and nothing to do with any "bacterial issues".

Most Carbohydrate and Starch-based foods also have a negative effect on blood sugar / metabolism, along with the fact that the Meat and other foods will become further denatured and experience vitamin / nutritional loss.

What all of this tells me in hindsight, is that those who control the food industry and are in charge of overall nutrition and health, know EXACTLY how to manage Market Pricing on all levels for all food types, since they have absolutely established a True Market Price for what is the difference between actually living and eating healthy, versus living on a starvation or poverty level / peasant diet.

In 2009 times, that $6.99 minimum to have a full meal could have maybe been stretched down to $3.50 per meal, but that's not the case any longer, unless you're eating Chicken Drumsticks for every dinner.

Americans would love to argue against this and how they can feed themselves and their children for $1-$2 per meal, by feeding them Mac & Cheese or Ramen Noodles, which is basically child abuse.

Any family who insists they can feed each family member for under $12.50 per meal, check the size of their waistlines and overall health, and that will tell you all you need to know when they utter such statements.