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I want to live like Costco people

tastecooking.com

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Re: I want to live like Costco people

#402
Where I live (Puerto Rico) Costco is basically the only decent midrange to upper midrange store. There are a couple higher end butcher shops, but local groceries are "smart and final" or other discount-US grocery equivalent, with prices at mainstream NYC levels, while Costco is basically the same prices as most of the US, and ~70% of the selection of Bay Area Costco. Easy choice (along with Amazon and other online shopping).

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#403
As a European, I think I mostly liked Costco when I visited. But what I'll always remember is that pizza slice you can get when you leave. The amount of fat and especially salt made me feel like I'm about to have a stroke. I can totally understand how some Americans are unhealthy/obese. It was overall a great experience - 10/10 would do again.

I can't imagine you could buy a pie of that shit to take home.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#404
post #383

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Historically speaking is that "enough food to keep someone alive for a year" or "the amount of rice one person eats in a year"?

There's 1655 calories in a pound of uncooked rice, so with 330lbs you are sitting at ~1500 calories a day for a whole year. You wouldn't starve to death, but you'd absolutely want to supplement (both for more calories and probably for vitamins). But also you'd be eating that rice every single day pretty much, how else are you getting through that much rice?

Wouldn't you also need at least a little protein? and some lipids? For example, there is a lot more in Soylent than just rice flour. Oh, are we talking brown rice or white rice? That seems like it might make a huge difference, not only in nutrition, but also pooping.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#405

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Identifying as a rabid consumer is not a requirement of appreciating Costco. The end result of that gimmick is that it feels like they're looking out for their customers and offering them a valuable service as opposed to trying to suck them dry. Buy this blender; don't buy this blender; they don't care, just know that this is probably the one that will best meet your needs, it's the best deal you're going to find on…

It's a gimmick only for those who get sucked into buying things that they don't need. I've been a Costco shopper for decades, and sure have succumbed to some useless stuff, but my Costco list is 90% the same month to month. I get appalled when I see the same items on my list, that are smaller and in a pack of 1 instead of 2-4, for more money at other stores. If electronics were just like food, it would be like seeing…

actually a 2pk for $2200 :P

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#406

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's 1655 calories in a pound of uncooked rice, so with 330lbs you are sitting at ~1500 calories a day for a whole year. You wouldn't starve to death, but you'd absolutely want to supplement (both for more calories and probably for vitamins). But also you'd be eating that rice every single day pretty much, how else are you getting through that much rice?

Wouldn't you also need at least a little protein? and some lipids? For example, there is a lot more in Soylent than just rice flour. Oh, are we talking brown rice or white rice? That seems like it might make a huge difference, not only in nutrition, but also pooping.

Err (150kg)(3500kcal/kg) = (5.25E5 kcal/E_koku)/(365 days) = ~1500 kcal/day. So not great working in the field or fighting for the average guy. But I feel like this is one of those things where the average lord didn't count how many fish you caught or what have you. So I bet if you had miso, fish, and like some vegetables from the outside your house, you would probably survive alright.

EDIT: the actual point is that it's probably not literal. Ease of quantifying and transporting dried rice over long distances without refrigeration probably had a lot of how they ended up with a Koku as useful measurement.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#407
post #383

Feudal Japan had a measurement called the "koku", which is roughly the amount of rice needed to feed a person for a year: about 330 lb. You can now buy 50 lb. of rice at Costco for $30, which is a few hours of work at minimum wage. To me, that is a modern marvel. I don't want people to buy things that they don't need, and I also don't like the crowds, but I can't help but feel grateful for a stocked grocery store tha…

Historically speaking is that "enough food to keep someone alive for a year" or "the amount of rice one person eats in a year"?

I interpret as the latter:

> As a rule of thumb, one koku was considered a sufficient quantity of rice to feed one person for one year.

I assume "sufficient rice" means it needs to be supplemented, and this is supported by the footnote as well:

> Apparently 1.8 koku (1 koku and 8 to) was actually required for nourishment by a man each year, according to the conventional wisdom documented in a "home code" (kakun [ja]) of a certain merchant family in the Edo period.

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#408
post #199

I have a really mixed feeling about Costco. I hate it, I going there, I hate the crowds, the parking, the people, being hawked a credit card, a cell phone, whatever the vendors are selling. It makes me feel like a pig in a slaughterhouse waiting to get out of the store, I feel like it's the platonic form of consumption. We all go to the nice little consumption center like good piggies to get our sustenance and to get…

Is the super-consumption aspect of it really so different than any other big box store?

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#409

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's 1655 calories in a pound of uncooked rice, so with 330lbs you are sitting at ~1500 calories a day for a whole year. You wouldn't starve to death, but you'd absolutely want to supplement (both for more calories and probably for vitamins). But also you'd be eating that rice every single day pretty much, how else are you getting through that much rice?

Wouldn't you also need at least a little protein? and some lipids? For example, there is a lot more in Soylent than just rice flour. Oh, are we talking brown rice or white rice? That seems like it might make a huge difference, not only in nutrition, but also pooping.

weevils

Re: I want to live like Costco people

#410

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Home Depot Coke. $3, and in a plastic bottle. The worst Coke. At least the grocery store sells cups at the register and there's delicious fountain Coke to be had on your way out the door.

What region are you in that grocery stores sell fountain drinks? Never seen this in the NW US.

Washington State has grocery stores that sell fountain drinks. Yoke's:

https://shop.yokesfreshmarkets.com/store/yokes-fresh-market/...

...also WinCo Foods. Or at least the closest one to me does, right next to the in-store pizza counter.

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