Food Rejection

Some time ago I read an article by a physician who made a point that there needs to be enough variety in food, otherwise the body will start to reject it. I'm not sure if I'm making this clear, sure wish I still had the article/ I've been getting more concerned as I see how many people seem to focus on beans and rice. I don't mean to offend, I know money is a big issue.

I've often wondered how the pioneers did it with "just the basics", but they were a hardy people...

Food fatigue is a rather serious issue that doens't get enough coverage, it's the reason why we go down and buy all the stuff we buy to satisfy our palate.

Variety, taste and texture are what you're looking for.  Supplement with canned varieties of whatever you like to eat.  I hit the "dollar store" often to take advantage of food deals I wouldn't normally get, these are treats in my normal diet.

I've eaten a lot of beans, rice and wheat - and it's not recommended as a satisfying diet.  It will keep you alive, but you'll be hungry for variety.

Suggestions: canned tamales, corn beef hash, jerky, chocolate, manwich, burrtoes, tortilla shells (you can do a lot with tortillas) or make your own, canned meats, etc.

This depends a lot on the individual and the circumstances.

For six years, I ate a can of tuna, crackers, and an orange for lunch every weekday.  It simply kept in my desk drawer without requiring refrigeration and I never had to think about lunch, besides restocking every two weeks.  I was a busy professional with other things on my mind.  Never got old, because I wasn't going for something "interesting" to eat, just something to keep me from being hungry until dinnertime.  Admittedly, 5 servings a week isn't the same as breakfast, lunch and dinner (21 servings a week).  It wouldn't surprise me to learn that nature built this into us to encourage us to get a balanced diet.

In a pandemic, we will likely have all too much time on our hands.  Boredom will be a factor.  Food will become a primary focal point for the day, since it will be one of the few "normal" rituals we will be able to continue.  If the food is bad or repeated ad nauseum, it will have a decided effect on morale.

Femvet -

I gotta add, beans and rice are cheap and keep well, so they make an ideal staple to have on hand.  You can buy a 3-4 month supply of food in a heartbeat, not break the bank, and if the pandemic hits tomorrow - well, you may get bored but you won't starve.  A 3-4 month supply of these staples should probably be at the top of everyone's shopping list, who is just beginning to prep.

But you have a good point - it can't end there.  Buying canned and dry goods of the type you normally eat should gradually supplment and eventually supplant the bean & rice supply.  Once you have a 3-4 month supply of regular goods, you can consider your bean & rice supply your "last resort" food or your charity donation food.