Nearly complete nutrition, $3.69 per day

[Flying Squirrel]

Last edited Wed Apr 10, 2013, 04:36 PM - Edit history (2)

My second try at a nutritionally balanced trail mix - the first one was higher in vitamins/minerals, but was not very tasty and the fiber/carb balance wasn't very good either.

I purchased the ingredients at WinCo in the bulk foods section - total price works out to $3.19 per day if you eat a full bag over the course of a day. Theoretically you could live on this mix alone, which provides 2,361 calories a day, plus water plus a multivitamin containing enough calcium. Multivitamin prices vary wildly but I came up with an average of $0.50 per day, for a grand total of $3.69/day.

Of course, not too many people would want to subsist on trail mix alone. My main idea here is to (a) have a nutritionally balanced trail mix that tastes good, doesn't cost too much and is not too high in sugar or sodium; (b) use for possible weight loss or maintenance, substituting trail mix throughout the day for snacks or an occasional meal; and (c) low cost survival food supply that could hold someone over for 3-6 months in case of catastrophic events.

Without further ado, here it is:



*** Correction: Divide into EIGHT (8) bags, 18.25 oz each. *** I'll change the pic when I get a chance.

[intheflow]

1. So, I suck at math and need a clarification:

Do you eat 1/4 cup three times a day to subsist on this, or are you allotting yourself 1/4 cup a day when the superstorm hits or the zombies attack?

Also, how many servings are there per bag?

I think it sounds yummy and I'm going to try it. Just asking the above questions out of curiosity.

[Flying Squirrel]

3. Well...

I just used 1/4 cup serving size since that's standard in trail mixes. However, if you were to try and subsist on it, I would recommend a 3/4 cup serving, six times a day which would use up an entire 18 oz bag in one day. 17-18 servings per bag at the 1/4 cup serving size.

[BainsBane]

2. That's very little protein

You would need to add some protein powder.

[Flying Squirrel]

5. Actually

The standard serving size is quite small. If you were to be subsisting on this mix alone, you'd triple that to a 3/4 cup serving, six times a day which would use up an entire 18 oz bag in one day. That would give you 55 g of protein in a day - recommended daily amount is 35-45 g so in fact it's a high protein diet.

[BainsBane]

8. But are the right amino acids balanced?

To make it complete protein?

I was looking at 3 gm per serving, which doesn't look high.

[Flying Squirrel]

10. The serving size is artificially low

Because I used the standard serving size for trail mix. In reality I usually eat 3 times that much at a time. I don't know about the amino acids, maybe I'll see if I can find that info somewhere.

[HiPointDem]

6. 55 g. of protein isn't 'very little'. it's approximately the requirement for someone weighing about

150 lbs.

[HiPointDem]

4. if you include a multivitamin there are lots of combinations you could theoretically live on.

[Flying Squirrel]

9. Very true...

However, it's best to get most of your vitamins and minerals from real food - also, this particular combination requires no preparation, can be easily taken on the go, stores for a long time, and is nicely balanced with carbs, sugar, and though high in fat is not particularly high in saturated fat. Has a lot of fiber to fill you up. And it is extremely economical - not as cheap as, say, eating nothing but peanut butter and jelly on wheat bread, but that would get old much quicker (and your bread would get moldy) plus it probably wouldn't keep your energy up as well, more highs and lows.

[HiPointDem]

12. yes, but you're actually getting 100% from the MV. the trail mix is kind of incidental.

it's nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate.

[Flying Squirrel]

17. See link below

Just the first one I came across, but illustrates the problem

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09338.html

Myth: People can eat whatever they want as long as they take vitamin and mineral supplements.

Fact: Supplements supply some vitamins and minerals, but they do not provide all of the components of food necessary for good health. We need 42 nutrients each day. Supplements supply only a fraction of these and are not a quick fix for poor food choices. Additionally, fruits and vegetables have additional nutrients that are beneficial for health known as phytochemicals. While some phytochemicals may individually be found in supplement form, a single serving of fruits or vegetables can provide a much higher number of these nutrients in an all natural form.

Fruitarians don't eat vegetables, meat, grain, or dairy - I'm not a fruitarian and don't plan to become one, but it works for some. However, it can lead to health problems over time.

[HiPointDem]

18. i didn't say people could eat anything they liked and just take an mv. i said because of the mv,

you could make the claim that many such 'cheap' food approaches were 'complete'.

the trail mix is nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate. i'm not really sure why eating that on a daily basis is better than eating other cheap meals.

and i don't believe that it's really a cheap meal. my shopping experience tells me that nuts and dried fruits are expensive and getting full on them over a day would cost you more than three dollars. 6 oz of food/meal? have you tested this by eating those portions yourself for a day?

[Flying Squirrel]

19. Yep

Works pretty well, but 3 oz at a time not 6. Every 3 hours. I understand your point - my point was to try and create a combination that provided the most possible nutrients from trail mix. I really didn't consider other foods because I wanted something simple, portable, storable, as natural as possible, and something that I personally liked and would eat, and I knew trail mix fit the bill. I wanted to get most of the vitamins and minerals from actual food. I could probably remove the multivitamin, reduce the amount of trail mix and find a couple foods high in B12, C, D, and Calcium etc. and still come in under $4 but that was not my mission.

[Poll_Blind]

7. Awesome! nt

Thank you for the recipe!

PB

[AllyCat]

11. So as long as they don't have chewing or swallowing problems

they'll be golden under Obama's proposal to cut their benefits. See? Problem solved

[Flying Squirrel]

16. Well, better stick to cat food in that case. Although cat food is gettin' kind of expensive

these days......

[Zoeisright]

13. What if you're allergic to nuts?

Or sesame seeds? Or chocolate?

[Flying Squirrel]

15. Then this won't work for you.. not meant to be one size fits all diet. n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

14. I put this recipe in my i-phone

and will use it as a reference the next time I go to Winco (my favorite grocery store, btw).

Thanks!

[The Straight Story]

20. Good to know if there is ever a zombie apocalypse, or they cut social security (nt)

[Katashi_itto]

28. You won't starve...yesash...you will have lots of fellow seniors you can hunt. Modifiy a scooter

and you can carry your kills on them. I understand long pig can be quite tasty. Who needs a zombie appocloypse. We have Chained CPI.

[panader0]

21. I like trail mix (on the trail)

but I'll bet you I can put together a whole days diet that tastes much better for less.

[cali]

22. Much tastier than MFK Fisher's subsistence recipe from "How to Cook a Wolf"

she called it "sludge".

I've been making for my dog for years.

[hobbit709]

23. Not even counting the vitamins, prices here say closer to $6

[dembotoz]

24. interesting might have to give it a try

[gateley]

26. THanks!

[Bay Boy]

27. The cashews...

..was the choice of cashews over peanuts a personal preference choice or a nutrition choice?
I'm sure peanuts would be much less expensive.

[Flying Squirrel]

30. A little of both, really...

The peanuts were higher in protein, fiber, pantothenic acid, potassium, folate, niacin and vitamin E. Cashews were higher in thiamin, selenium, iron and vitamin K. In the end I chose the cashews partially for flavor and partially for the vitamin K, which a lot of multivitamins leave out, plus I already had plenty of vitamin E, potassium, protein, and especially fiber (too much of it can lead to more trips to the bathroom). Plus a lot more people are allergic to peanuts than cashews, I think.

[datasuspect]

29. beats the hell out of catfood!

diminshed expectations! hells yeah!!!!

[Flying Squirrel]

31. lol the irony of posting this during the SS brouhaha

Seriously though, I'm with ya on that.

[cbdo2007]

32. What about people who don't have hands and can't get this to their mouths?

Won't help them.

Nice try though.

[Flying Squirrel]

33. Well, they should do flexibility exercises

so they can use their feet. lol and if they don't have feet either, God must not want them to live.