Stouffers Spaghetti & Meatballs:

1. Cut film to vent

2. cook 6 1/2 mins on high

3. Let stand 1 min

A frozen pot pie is 10.5 min.

I don't know any frozen dinners for 3 min.

Pot pie microwave time 4-5 minutes: https://airfry.guide/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Banquet-Chic...

As to let sit time, if you can instantly pop a potato or other food into your mouth after it comes out of the microwave you haven’t cooked it.

Marie Calenders are 10.5 min.

Nope: https://contenthandler-raleys.fieldera.com/prod/392493/1/0/0...

P.S. Hamburger is even cheaper

You didn't specify frozen - I'm looking at a meal taken out of the fridge, which still has a shelf time of ~a week. You're not comparing to a frozen steak either, which will also need an extended cooking time.

If you're concerned about cooking time then don't buy frozen, or let them defrost, and they take less time to cook. Since you're comparing to preparing a whole piece of steak and a potato, that shouldn't be too hard to do.

Also, your example is $3.34 [0] i.e. less than your $5 steak and 50 cent potato.

0: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stouffer-s-Spaghetti-with-Meatbal...

This is possibly the craziest goddamn conversation I've ever seen on HN. Michalena's swedish meatballs are like $1.50 for 350 calories[0].

It's been a while since college, but I would guess they are delicious when compared to Walter's shoe-leather brand steak. Mac-n-cheese of various offbrands also cheap, and potato flakes ridiculously cheap.

Marie Callender and Stouffer's are not cheap, they are convenient.

Steak takes me like 45 minutes, gotta season, let it sit. On stovetop need a cast-iron skillet, 5 minutes to heat it, etc.

Also cooking time doesn't really matter a lot, I'd use a toaster oven because the meatballs tasted better, and would be studying or whatever waiting for the timer.

0: https://www.instacart.com/store/products/42133-michelina-s-s...

A pound of fresh ground pork is ~$1.25 and it's 1100 calories.

Throw in all the other stuff to make the swedish meatballs and you are coming out way ahead.

The "poor tax" in processed food is that they are paying double to triple the underlying food cost to have someone else make the food for them.

I'm confident that if you meal prepped Swedish meatballs, you would be able to make something 10x healthier for 1/3 the cost. Even at a "rock bottom" $1.50 per meatball package.

My grocery store and Walmart are both charging ~4$/lb, where exactly are you getting 1.25$ ground pork?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Smithfield-All-Natural-Fresh-Grou...