You're assuming that 'food' is a single fungible commodity. Spending twice as much on food doesn't mean buying twice as much food, it could also mean buying better quality food and going to higher quality restaurants. I could easily both double and triple my current food spending without eating more or wasting food.
Re:Why Don't People Manage Debt Better?
by squeaky-clean on Friday February 19, 2016 @04:57PM
(#11136947)
But taste/enjoyment isn't the only purpose of food. You're doubling enjoyment, but not doubling the utility.
If I gave you the choice of only eating $1 of Cup-Noodles every day for 30 days ($30 total), or one single $300 meal at a high class restaurant, and nothing for 29 days, which is the smarter choice?
What if you asked them to buy half as much food? Would their default mode be less than twice as good as starving?
In America, it is actually surprisingly difficult to buy 'half as much food' at many places. Most mid-scale (Approx 10-30 USD/plate) restaurants attempt to convince you the service is worth the price by giving you far too much food (and also not paying their employees enough either; hence tips, which BTW I'd be inclined to stop paying in 'living minimum wage' cities (15+/hr)).
Note that this assumes that you are already able to spend an optimal amount on food.