A poor man's snack box

winterybella

winterybella

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Go to a local food chain and call for a snack box and you'll get 2 pieces of chicken, some fries and a biscuit. Where I live I remember a time when a tin of sardines was referred to as a 'poor man's snack box'. It was and maybe to some extent, still is considered a food for the poor or those on a tight budget. What's the equivalent of a poor man's snack box in your country?
 
classic33 said:
Spam at one time, sliced and placed between two slices of bread.
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Maybe spam as well in my country. I am not a fan so I don't buy it. Then there was can mackerel and red herring. The interesting thing I found over the years is that even though some foods were considered a food for the less fortunate, the wealthy almost always had these foods as well.
 
winterybella said:
Maybe spam as well in my country. I am not a fan so I don't buy it. Then there was can mackerel and red herring. The interesting thing I found over the years is that even though some foods were considered a food for the less fortunate, the wealthy almost always had these foods as well.
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How thin did you slice the spam though?
Sea fish was easy enough get hold off, but not as cheap. Pilchards being a common one used in a sanndwich.
 
I'm not sure it counts as "the poor mans snack box" but Raman Noodles immediately comes to mind when I think of what poor people are eating for lunch. I know there are some really great recipes for dressing them up as there are for spam and sardines but they do have a stigma to them. A snack box that winterybella describes with fried chicken, fries and a biscuit is out of reach for most poor people here. Fast food chicken prices in PA are out of control. Supply and demand problem in this northern state. Only one fast food chicken place in the whole town.... I miss living down south. Chicken and barbeque on every corner.
 
CherylTorrie, ramen would definitely qualify. One guy told me some time back that things were so bad with him financially that all he ate was ramen for weeks. Yet like you said there are some fanciful things people do with it and use it because it's a quick meal to prepare. It's a stigma like you said that's attached to certain foods.
Classic, I don't think I have ever eaten spam but the equivalent for me would be what we call luncheon meat and when I eat it I do slice it very, very thin to get it to stretch more. I have four dogs.
 
I remember back in the day lobster was considered a poor man's meal. My father was a fisherman back when I was young. We had a large family and we ate lots of fish and lobsters. We use to have lobster sandwiches for our school lunch and I can remember be envious of the kids who were lucky enough to have peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Now lobster is so expensive that I rarely buy it.
 
Ramen noodles, canned tuna fish, peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches, and chicken legs come to mind as poor man's food around here. Spam used to be on the list, but like the others said, you really do not see it around anymore. River Trout and Perch are also poor man's food because you just have to go down to the river to catch those.
 
Bologna sandwiches are usually pretty cheap along with peanut butter and jelly. Ramen noodles are a cheap meal and you can had small pieces of dices meat and leftover vegies to it for a lunch or dinner. Hot dogs are cheap too and can be cut up and added to fried potatoes for a cheap meal. We can get hot dogs and bologna here for under $1. Tuna salad sandwiches can also be a cheap meal. I am on a small, limited income and am always looking for inexpensive meals. I even boil chicken and use the broth with just noodles in it for a meal and use the meat from the chicken for chicken salad, in casseroles, ect. But that does tend to be more expensive, however; it can be stretched for a number of meals.
 
winterybella said:
CherylTorrie, ramen would definitely qualify. One guy told me some time back that things were so bad with him financially that all he ate was ramen for weeks. Yet like you said there are some fanciful things people do with it and use it because it's a quick meal to prepare. It's a stigma like you said that's attached to certain foods.
Classic, I don't think I have ever eaten spam but the equivalent for me would be what we call luncheon meat and when I eat it I do slice it very, very thin to get it to stretch more. I have four dogs.
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You have never had Spam!!
As for stretching luncheon meat, is it that rubbery?
 
classic33 said:
How thin did you slice the spam though?
Sea fish was easy enough get hold off, but not as cheap. Pilchards being a common one used in a sanndwich.
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Never had spam. It's been around but never even tasted it. It must be the name.
 
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