[lp4v4n]

The yearly cost of food for one person without children in the county of Los Angeles(I selected an expensive area on purpose) is showing 4,428 USD. That's about 12 dollars a day. I don't even live in the United States but that value looks pretty low if anything.

[jandrewrogers]

Anecdotally, I can easily eat for $12/day even in Seattle. There are days when I probably spend half of that. We aren't talking beans and rice here, these are diverse satisfying meals. It does require you to cook though.

[lp4v4n]

I don't doubt you can eat three meals with 6 dollars, but it's crazy how solipsistic people are when it comes to food. Not everybody can buy food in bulk and cook at home.

A 10 oz ham sandwich will probably cost you more than 2 dollars even if you buy everything at the supermarket. I don't know why people are so reluctant to admit that 12 dollars a day is not much for groceries.

[prepend]

I can easily cook all my meals for $12/day.

I don’t consider daily or even weekly restaurants part of a necessity for life.

[lp4v4n]

People have commutes and work shifts that don't always allow them to buy food in bulk and cook their own food.

Not everybody is like you.

Restaurants have never been a necessity for life, but I guess that for a lot of people you should be upper class to eat out once a week.

[bumby]

That’s pretty surprising, honestly, because there are other areas considered much lower COL that are within spitting distance of that value.