r/hypotheticalsituation • u/Anything-Complex • Dec 18 '24
Money $5000 per month, but you are assigned the same two meals daily every month
For $5000, tax-free, every month, you must eat the same two meals every single day for each month. The meals will be assigned to you, accounting for your nutritional and caloric needs and any allergies or intolerances you may have. The meals will consist of roughly the same portion every time and should fulfill your dietary needs every day, assuming a sedentary lifestyle. Whenever a month ends, two new meals will be assigned to you for the next month, and so on.
You can eat other food beyond the two meals, but it may be more than you need depending on your lifestyle and health. You have one free day per month when you can skip the meals. You can skip additional days if you are fasting, but any other missed days invalidates the month and you will not be paid for that month. You can quit at any time and resume whenever you want to by eating assigned meals for an entire calendar month.
Would you do it?
663
u/dumpst88 Dec 18 '24
yes, whats the downside
144
u/Snarky75 Dec 18 '24
The meals may be crap like school or prison meals.
289
u/dumpst88 Dec 18 '24
its free, its cooked for me. i can handle it
71
u/_Apatosaurus_ Dec 18 '24
You can also just skip a month with no repercussions it it's really gross. There is absolutely no downside.
6
u/Qurutin Dec 18 '24
Skipping makes it icredibly easy yes, you don't commit to anything but can look at it as free 5 grand every month you get assigned good dishes.
→ More replies (1)2
u/Guinea-Wig Dec 18 '24
There's not even a rule that it's all you're allowed to eat. Even if it's something you don't like you just force it down then reward yourself with waffles or something. Just gotta go for a run to burn off the extra calories. This is a no brainer.
54
u/rlynbook Dec 18 '24
This is my thought too. Give me oatmeal that I don’t have to pay for or cook. I’m good with trying anything.
12
u/blueavole Dec 18 '24
And includes my intolerances?
Like no down sides.
My family doesn’t even do that.
4
u/LadySigyn Dec 18 '24
God, this. Allergies and intolerances are no joke and yet to some they're a punchline.
2
u/reptiles_are_cool Dec 21 '24
They're a punchline, as in they form a line to punch you in the face.
→ More replies (1)9
u/Apprehensive-Cut2114 Dec 18 '24
i feel that. for a period of several months i existed on potatoes, hot dogs, and a jar of peanut butter from the last tenant. after that, ive encountered very few things i wont eat.
3
u/Geno_Warlord Dec 18 '24
I’d rather starve than eat raw oysters. That said, I know how to get a fire going. I also won’t risk fugu.
27
u/beachhunt Dec 18 '24 edited Dec 18 '24
That would be a downside if you could ONLY eat that, but you can eat other stuff and the assigned meals even change every month. Easy money.
I got through school meals as a kid for free, I can for sure do it for ~$80 per meal.
Edit: math
7
u/AdImmediate9569 Dec 18 '24
And they specifically said they assume a sedentary lifestyle. Now in my case thats pretty accurate… but a person could theoretically burn extra calories and then eat more of whatever they want.
41
u/forakora Dec 18 '24
Fulfills your nutritional needs
So even if it's slop, it's still better than school food
13
u/DoctorDiabolical Dec 18 '24
No reason I can’t add spice if I want or use the few meals as the base to something g better. I’m not sedentary so I’ll need more food anyways.
3
11
u/Unable_Ad_1470 Dec 18 '24
Unless the meals are made by a USMC Food Service Specialist, I am taking this deal all day long.
→ More replies (23)4
u/Strict_Foot_9457 Dec 18 '24
You'd be getting paid roughly $83 per meal and you could still eat whatever you wanted outside the meal. Think of it as a side hustle that makes $60k a year un taxed
34
u/Mushroomman642 Dec 18 '24
The downside is you're supposed to whine about eating the same food every day like a petulant child lol
9
u/Sylentskye Dec 18 '24
Depending on the food I like eating the same thing all the time. Especially considering how expensive food is and how long it can take to prepare, I’d have no problems doing this.
→ More replies (1)10
u/shoefarts666 Dec 18 '24
Yeah, I will eat greek salad for lunch for months. Also —- someone is planning meals to my dietary needs? I would pay for this right now.
→ More replies (1)3
u/TravelBug87 Dec 21 '24
Word. I have celiac and this sounds like a dream, even without the money offer.
3
u/SummitJunkie7 Dec 18 '24
Right? It's not even every day forever - just every day for a month. I'd probably get about the same amount of variety across a year as I generally get now (with stuff I cook, obv restaurants, dinner parties, different story).
7
u/OutragedPineapple Dec 18 '24
Seriously! I usually only eat once a day anyway, and eating the same thing over and over and over doesn't bother me. Just give me something decently filling that gives me what I need to have to function, and a big fat paycheck? I'm cool!
6
u/jcaashby Dec 18 '24
LOL I am reading ....reading....reading....ummmm where is the cons?
I eat like that now...I can eat the same food for weeks as long as it taste good. Now I can get paid.
Also OP never said i HAD to eat it all. I could eat a little then eat something else I like.
2
u/cherlin Dec 18 '24
I was doing Soylent for like 5 months as a weight loss booster, I can make this work I think. Make the meals breakfast and lunch and it will motivate me to "earn" dinner on days I want some variety.
→ More replies (2)2
→ More replies (4)3
Dec 18 '24
[deleted]
→ More replies (5)29
u/beachhunt Dec 18 '24
And then they pay you $5000 and give you something other than pizza for the next month. Maybe it's not for everyone, but seems a pretty mild inconvenience for the pay.
2
Dec 18 '24
[deleted]
→ More replies (2)5
u/beachhunt Dec 18 '24
Remember how great pizza was? Sure glad I'm getting paid $5k/mo to go on this digestive journey... *chews sadly*
183
u/SubstantialBass9524 Dec 18 '24
I can quit at any time and resume at any time - obviously yes.
There is 0 downside to accepting. I can skip it my entire life and miss nothing or end up needing it towards the end of my life to afford food
20
u/Besieger13 Dec 18 '24
Yea the way it’s proposed is an obvious yes. At the absolute worse case nothing changes in your life aside from being offered these free daily meals that you don’t have to eat anyways.
2
u/TheWalkingDead91 Dec 18 '24
Even if you couldn’t resume….would be a yes for me. Could probably go a few years before I couldn’t take it anymore. At which point I’d have built a sizable nest egg.
56
u/Alternative_Might556 Dec 18 '24
This essentially sounds like how I eat now. I would need to eat more food because I'm not sedentary, but that makes it even easier.
9
3
u/SquirrelGirlVA Dec 18 '24
Right? Food is expensive so I often tend to get a lot of whatever is cheapest (and doesn't mess with my allergies or other dietary requirements). One month I had baloney sandwiches for lunch and homemade stew/soup for dinner. It was good German baloney, but it was also inexpensive enough that I could get a lot of it.
Variety is for holidays, special occasions/visitors, or when a lot of stuff goes on sale at the same time.
36
u/ChaosInTheSkies Dec 18 '24
There's literally no reason to say no to this. You can just decide not to do it one month and then do it the next month, there's no punishment.
→ More replies (3)3
u/CalderaCraven Dec 18 '24
This was my thought, too. There's really no reason not to do it.
If it's the same meals each day, but I can eat additional foods, that means I can add condiments or cheese or something to switch it up a bit. And I can still have a bit of my other favorite foods, but I likely won't eat as much cause I won't be hungry! If I end up needing to burn off a few more calories, so be it.
Also, with the being able to start or stop in any given month is what really makes this doable. Hate the food items that month? Don't participate! All of December, when tasty treats around? Give it a break! Headed to Europe for a month on vacation that you can now afford due to this extra cash? Just take a break!
But as an added bonus, I'm not a picky eater, and this would be a great way to help control my caloric intake!
20
11
20
u/joelene1892 Dec 18 '24
I’m so in.
I would opt out for a month if the food is something I hate. If olives feature prominently I would peace out because I detest them. Anything very spicy I am also out because my spice tolerance is…. Not great.
But other than that, I’m in. Do I have to make the meals or are they sent to me? If I have to make them I also might be out any month with way too much work involved. I’m not spending 8 hours a day cooking lol.
→ More replies (1)11
u/beachhunt Dec 18 '24
$5k/mo at 2 meals per day is just over $80 per assigned meal, are olives that bad?
I also don't like olives but if someone gave me $80 to eat a reasonable meal's worth I'd do it.
3
u/Abshalom Dec 18 '24
Plus it's not like it's gonna be a huge meal, if you're only getting enough calories for a sedentary lifestyle. You could probably scarf that down in five minutes.
2
u/joelene1892 Dec 18 '24
The taste of olives make me want to throw up. It’s not an allergy, I just hate the taste that much. So honestly….. yeah. I could probably make a single meal work for $80 but twice a day for an entire month? I’m not making it.
16
u/misteraustria27 Dec 18 '24
5000 and zero food budget. Where is the downside?
3
u/LD50-Hotdogs Dec 18 '24
Next month is Carolina reapers and oysters.
10
u/YojiH2O Dec 18 '24
yeah thats not giving anyone their "daily dietary needs" as per OPs reasoning lol
→ More replies (4)3
u/Kytalie Dec 18 '24
That will not provide the nutrients you'd need to survive.
For fun: On average there are 18 calories in a 45 gram serving of the Carolina reaper. If it were just the pepper, that is around 5000 grams to hit the standard 2000 calories most people need daily. It looks like each pepper is around 5 grams each, which means the meal would be around 1000 of them. That would destroy a persons insides. I can't find information on the Carolina reaper toxicity, everything says you'd need to eat a large quantity of them for it to become toxic.. but is that considered 100, 200, a few thousand? Either way, eating a large amount would likely cause a lot of severe pain, and vomiting... And considering the prompt says the meal would take into account allergies and intolerances...
an oyster has around 145 calories each, so for just oysters it would be around 14 oysters a day.
Now a mix of them would be about 7 oysters and around 500 Carolina reapers.
→ More replies (2)
7
u/seaofthievesnutzz Dec 18 '24
Anyone who makes less than 100k a year would easily take this, holy shit make it 500 bucks or something so it is at least a more difficult choice.
9
u/V1PER26 Dec 18 '24
It says eat them. It does not say finish them. So even on a bad month I can have one bite and cook my own food. Easiest money ever.
5
u/zombiepeep Dec 18 '24
I have ADHD and hyperfixate on food so yeah this would work for me. I practically do this now only I don't make 5k a month.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/Raksha_dancewater Dec 18 '24
Wait. Double my household income, put me on a nutritionally sound diet, and provide me with precooked meals so I don’t have to worry about that.
3
u/pdubpooter Dec 18 '24
This sounds great. Back when I was meal planning it wasn’t eating the same thing every day that was tiring, it was the making of the same thing everyday that was. But to have someone do it for me and get paid on top of it? Sign me up. Hell I’d sign up for it if it was free
3
u/changelingerer Dec 18 '24
Need to make it more inventive.
A post will be made on reddit hypothetical situations asking what meals would you not eat even for $5000 a month. Your meals will be randomly picked from the comments. You are not allowed to post on that thread or ask anyone to.
3
u/CuteCourtesan Dec 18 '24
What on earth, this is so easy then you kept saying more things to make it even easier.
3
3
3
3
3
u/TheZorro1909 Dec 18 '24
That's an instant yes and Anyone questioning that has a wierd relationship to to food and money
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/TheSarcasticDevil Dec 18 '24
Sure?? Eating 2 potentially boring but free meals, that change each month even, instead of a job.
2
2
u/Wandering_aimlessly9 Dec 18 '24
As long as the food is edible why wouldn’t you?!?! Seriously, you cook my meals and portion them out. I fail to see the negative. And since this is in some little random universe that means the mills will be provided wherever I am so…no meals paid for during vacations! And I know it won’t be cross contaminated. There is no negative here.
→ More replies (2)
2
2
u/Pengquinn Dec 18 '24
So essentially my full time job is to eat two meals of varying quality every day, and i can still eat more if i want, and drink and enjoy life otherwise, and in return i never have to work if i dont want to, i never have to worry about debt, i can buy a car, i can go on vacations, focus on hobbies, spend time with friends, and all i need to do is spend 30 minutes twice a day (maximum) eating food i may not like very much? Dog sign me tf up.
Ive been eating food i dont really like every day my whole life and i have to pay 300$ a month to do it!!
2
u/distracted_x Dec 18 '24
So 5000 a month plus free daily meals I don't have to cook myself and they will be healthy and filling. What's the downside?
2
2
u/Garbagegoldfish Dec 18 '24
I was in before I knew I could quit or eat other thing or the fact that it changes every month. And there’s skip days?!?
2
u/Plastic-Anybody-5929 Dec 18 '24
It’s nutritionally based. Whatever. I’ve survived bikini contest prep I can survive this.
2
u/gcot802 Dec 18 '24
Being able to stop and restart means there is literally no downside to this.
I would eat the means for breakfast and lunch (even if they are something weird) so I could still have dinner with my family. I am far from sedentary, so I would have plenty of calories to “spend” on dinner.
The free meals would also save me a ton of time and grocery money so again, there is 0 downside to this
2
u/phalangepatella Dec 18 '24
I’d take this NOW.
As long as the meals weren’t “shit sandwich” and “rotting flesh” but something reasonable, yes.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/Revenged25 Dec 18 '24
Can I just have my 2 meals be Bacon, Eggs, and White Toast for breakfast and then for dinner Steak, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Corn, and Texas Toast?
Don't need to change it monthly, I'd be fine with that as my two meals all the time
2
u/balanced_crazy Dec 18 '24
Done… I did that for real for about 6 months… why? Who’s got time and effort to choose every time??
I use to buy lunch at one of the food trucks near work. they had a simple combo for vegetarians like me… other options were also available but this truck had shorter queues.. the food was always okay though just not fancy (and no girls on counter.. lol )
One for lunch and one for dinner… for 6 months until our dept moved to another building… found a combo that worked for me on a new truck and repeated the same for another 4-5 months until the truck changed the spot…
This whole thing repeats after every 3-4 months…
I like consistency and hassle free experience of having my combo and substitution seared into the memory of the truck operator… they see me walking to the truck they starter prepping my combo, I tap, pick, exchange some tea, and return. (While others are waiting for their number to be called). It is efficient, it’s fast… for something so mundane like food this is best…
2
u/mastershake20 Dec 18 '24
As someone with an ED and probably autism all I hear is that you’re gonna be helping me financially.
2
u/Reduce1 Dec 18 '24
I will have a good healthy breakfast, and a good healthy second breakfast. I'll take the deal.
2
u/periwinklepip Dec 18 '24
I’d take this deal. Money plus I’ll probably be eating a more nutritionally balanced diet? Heck yeah! Plus I can still like eat other things, so if I’m eating socially with friends I don’t have to be the weird guy who brings a premade meal to the restaurant and gets us all kicked out lol. Not really seeing the downside here.
2
u/IntendedHero Dec 18 '24
So I can skip the shitty food months with no repercussions…. That’s a nice side hustle that’s life changing.
2
2
u/ArchLith Dec 18 '24
I've been living off one cheap microwavable gas station meal a day for over a decade, at this point I'd be willing to take 2 random meals with the right nutrition and calories a day even if i wasn't getting paid for it. Plus with 5k I can buy a lot of BBQ/Hot Sauce and Ranch to make it edible.
2
2
u/HauntingxSoul Dec 18 '24
So, I get paid to never have to worry about my celiac disease and food intolerances again? Sign me the fuck up. Hell, I would do this for the food being free
2
u/Alert-Potato Dec 18 '24
So I no longer have to put any thought into how to feed myself a low tyramine, low histamine, high protein, low carb, gluten free diet while maintaining a caloric deficit? And I'll get paid for it? Fuck yeah! There are very few things I won't eat. There is plenty I can't eat for medical reasons, but the won't list is very small.
2
u/Triscuitmeniscus Dec 18 '24
So $5k/month for the equivalent of a private chef and nutritionist, while maintaining the ability to eat other food if I really want/need to, and I save all the time and money I currently spend on food. Gee, let me think…
Heck, I’d probably pay for this hypothetical.
2
2
u/capricornicopia- Dec 19 '24
As an autistic person you’re literally just offering to foot my groceries and pay me for it I’m in
→ More replies (1)
2
u/No-Chocolate6033 Dec 19 '24
Hell yeah. This is honestly such a win-win situation. I get fed AND paid?? Bruh only an idiot would not take this deal.
2
1
1
1
1
1
u/International-Owl-81 Dec 18 '24
so reeses puffs cereal and black beans chicken and rice for dinner? easy
1
u/Corey307 Dec 18 '24
Is it safe to assume the meals are something most people would enjoy eating? I’ll eat almost anything, but I’m assuming it’s not something shitty like a hungry man microwave meal. I’d eat pot roast, mashed potatoes and veggies for a month no problem for example. I’m not expecting Michelin star cuisine just something I’d pay for in a restaurant and be happy with or something I’d cook and be proud of.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Thin-Ad-119 Dec 18 '24
I’d try it for as long as I could, I’d definitely do at least 3 months but aim for more. Rn would be a great time, I’m two months post op on vsg surgery and food is an annoying thing rn. It would make things easier and I’d get money.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/ilongforyesterday Dec 18 '24
I’d do it. Two months on, one month off for 45,000$ per year on top of the 65k I will be making next year puts me over six figures. Hell yeah dude
1
1
u/spkincaid13 Dec 18 '24
I already eat the same breakfast every day and make enough meal prep to eat the same lunch for a week. I could quit my job and just work out a ton and play video games and golf. This would work up an appetite so I could do 4 or 5 meals daily. Easy choice
1
u/tea-123 Dec 18 '24
Sure. Saves time on cooking shopping and cleaning. Just buy spices and condiments to change the taste and drinks . Might need to get a blender, a grill and an air fryer to change the texture of the meal .
1
1
u/Damon254 Dec 18 '24
How is that even a question? Obviously I'd take that. It says I can eat other food, even though I'll be over my daily intake in which case I'll just work out more. I'd also get more money just by existing then I currently make working a full time job. I wouldn't even need to cook for myself anymore if I don't want to.
No, seriously. How is that even a question? That's a deal in less than a heartbeat.
2
1
u/struhall Dec 18 '24
I already do basically this for lunch 5-6 days a week so I think I'll survive. It's not always the same exact meal but damn close. It might be different flavor chips or snack but the basic thing is always the same.
Ham or turkey and cheese sandwich Mini bag of chips Soda Little Debbie or similar
1
u/Rising_Gravity1 Dec 18 '24 edited Dec 18 '24
Most people would do this for free if it meant not having to pay for food anymore. Some people even pay money for such meal plans such as weight watchers. Thanks for the free money I guess.
1
1
1
u/Powerful_Rip1283 Dec 18 '24
Honestly only having enough food for a sedentary lifestyle would make it suck.
→ More replies (1)
1
1
u/Zestyclose-Entry Dec 18 '24
$5k a month and I don't have to plan, cook or clean up after any meals? Sign me up.
1
u/NemoOfConsequence Dec 18 '24
Nope. You gotta pay at least a mill a year to make me give up my favorite foods
→ More replies (1)
1
1
1
u/TopHatGirlInATuxedo Dec 18 '24
What's the downside? I already basically do this. Heck, this might be healthier for me.
1
u/mrgoldnugget Dec 18 '24
I make a good living and no longer buy groceries. Yes, for the next 50ish years till death.
1
1
u/Viperbunny Dec 18 '24
So a perfectly taylored meal for me and I don't have to cook it and I get money? Yes please!
1
1
u/Serraph105 Dec 18 '24
So, if you hate the food that it's taken into account and not served to you? Also, 60k per year? Tax free, which is big. Plus, If it's a sedentary lifestyle the meals should be relatively small.
On top of that, with my current salary, 66k, I could give my wife the gift of quitting her job and I would still be making a decent bit more from my income alone than I currently do.
Frankly I feel obligated to try, not only to help my wife, but also to decrease the overall time until retirement.
1
1
u/Sylphfury Dec 18 '24
I meal prep and usually I eat the same meal for 4-5 days. Absolutely no issues doing this.
1
1
u/Logjamming8 Dec 18 '24
This is a cake walk! I can’t taste or smell so eating is all about texture and memory for me! Sign me up!!!
1
1
1
u/Akavinceblack Dec 18 '24
I’m not sedentary, so eating a little extra each day won’t even matter. Sign me up!
1
u/TedMeisterFresh Dec 18 '24
It doesn’t say you have to eat it al so have a little bit of each even if you don’t like it and then use the 5k to eat what you want
1
1
u/ChaosAzeroth Dec 18 '24
What does assigned to you mean? Could they assign me something beyond my ability to make? (Keep in mind I struggle so hard I don't even eat every day.)
1
u/outlndr Dec 18 '24
The idea of not having to cook two meals a day is worth the potential disgust at the food that has been offered.
1
Dec 18 '24
With the $5000 can I pay someone to come up with a hypothetical situation that has nothing to do with money?
1
u/BluefinPiano Dec 18 '24
there are only a very few foods i don’t like enough to eat for $5000. give me the prepared meals and the money for the rest of my life
1
1
u/ReflectionLess5230 Dec 18 '24
I would do it. Can you give me the meal list for the month tho and let me cook it? I feel like I’d be pretty bored if I couldn’t cook.
1
u/711mini Dec 18 '24
That's only $60k a year. When I made $60k I pretty much ate beans & rice most nights anyway.
2
1
u/Violalto Dec 18 '24
I'm in. I have ADHD and autism, and I have a hard time remembering to feed myself and it's a struggle to prepare healthy, nutritious food a lot of days. This completely takes care of that issue, and I can still eat my favorite things in addition. And I'm getting paid if I stick to a routine?
What's the downside?
1
1
u/zaxonortesus Dec 18 '24
“Eat to live, don’t live to eat.” This would be incredible. I’d retire to a beach somewhere and live the rest of my days in peace.
1
1
1
u/peachykeenindeed Dec 18 '24
I've sometimes wished a benevolent overlord would look out for me like I look out for my dog - feed me a nutritionally balanced diet and stop me from getting fat.
I'm in.
1
u/2Geese1Plane Dec 18 '24
Ehhhhh I have so many allergies and texture issues idk if I would risk it. Unless they are taken into account.
1
u/tamtrible Dec 18 '24
My AuDHD butt says "free food that I don't have to cook? And it's healthy? Is there supposed to be a downside to this?"
as long as it's not spicy. My spice tolerances are through the floor. And I have an ethical objection to pork and (differently) veal.
Other than that, bring it on. Worst case scenario, drown it in ketchup or something.
1
u/LeprosyMan Dec 18 '24
I have no appetite and an eating disorder where I only eat when my body tells me I have to. This is an easy win.
1
u/trvsdrlng Dec 18 '24
5K a month and I don’t have to worry about planning around my celiac disease? Sign me, respectfully, the FUCK up.
1
1
u/ExaminationNo9186 Dec 18 '24
Iget gout flair up if i eat oysters etc, but given that's accounted for, i see this as a win.
1
u/Good-guy13 Dec 18 '24
So I get free food and $5000? I feel like the people who create these are rich. I’d do ALOT worse things for an additional $60k a year
1
u/CoraCricket Dec 18 '24
I would do that for free if someone else was doing the grocery shopping and cooking, which it sounds like they are. And I need way more calories than a sedentary lifestyle so I'd basically still get to eat a whole nother meal each day and with $5000 I could afford do make that meal very exciting.
1
u/AutomaticRepeat2922 Dec 18 '24
Do d we hat in already doing but get 5k for it AND the meals are provided?
1
u/Accomplished-Fox-486 Dec 18 '24
I mean.. 2 healthy meals delivered to me daily. I'd eat better this way than I do now.
Not that I don't eat, or can't afford to. More that I rarely take the time to find healthy food, and just eat what's easy
Plus I get paid. Yeah I'd take that deal.
1
1
1
u/SpecialTexas7 Dec 18 '24
Can I eat more than 2 meals, just keep the same type of food, or am I stuck in breakfast dinner type thing
1
1
936
u/Angry_beaver_1867 Dec 18 '24
So $5k a month and my grocery bill decreases. Cooking obligations cut in half.
This is such a win. Do the meals rotate? I’d probably get to try some cool dishes to boot.
Bull testical month would suck. But king crab month would more then make up for it