Soylent Green is...dinner?

[TwiceOver]

Before the drop the same thing was $70 by subscription and $85 for single purchase.

Their blog post just says "$54 per week". Which, is a lot. You can get a lot better meal replacements for far less than $54/wk.

 

[Kaido]

What are some ways to dress it up that y'all have found to be best? I saw the basic suggestions of berries, banana, nut butters, etc.

I've found it hard to mix with some things...personally I think blending it with banana makes it taste disgusting, I'd rather just have it plain. I like a spoonful of sugar TBH...makes it much easier to swallow. Maybe a little vanilla too.

Much work to do... lol

Yeah it's funny once the bug bites you...you start looking into DIY soylent & other neat food hacks like this. Like nutritionists have mentioned, we don't understand phytochemicals & all of the relationships our bodies have with real food, but most of us don't eat real food on a regular basis, we eat corn syrup flavored chemicals, so it can be a big step up nutritionally for a lot of people. I have a friend who does it for 2 out of 3 meals a day, for probably the last year, no negative impact - but he has dropped 10 or 20 pounds & is where he "should" be weight-wise now, so that's a nice perk!

 

[Kaido]

So without reading all the replies in this thread....wtf does soy lent taste like? Soulless nutrition?

Liquid cardboard. Srs.

It's very plain. Not necessarily bad-tasting or bitter, but just imagine chewing on a piece of paper, only in liquid form. I just chug it (unless I add some flavoring to it). If you can chug a whole shake, then it's over in a minute & five minutes later, you're not feeling hungry anymore. Solves the problem! Definitely looking forward to throwing some pre-mixed Soylent 2.0 bottles in my work drawer for when I'm short on breakfast or lunch for the day.

 

[Kaido]

Their blog post just says "$54 per week". Which, is a lot. You can get a lot better meal replacements for far less than $54/wk.

For a one-time order, it says $65 a week (not on subscription). That's $9.30 per day. Or breaking it down per meal, 7 days times 3 meals a day = 21 meals per week, so $64 divided by 21 is $3.05 per meal.

$3.05 per meal for (1) 100% nutrition & (2) no cooking required seems pretty reasonable to me. Are there any other meal replacements that meet that criteria for less than three bucks a meal?

 

[Murloc]

meh if you eliminate food you eliminate a daily pleasurable thing from your life.
It just doesn't seem worth it to me unless you're a slave who has no lunch break.

 

[Kaido]

This week Soylent permanently dropped their powder prices by 23% across the board.

http://blog.soylent.com/post/128059365657/soylent-powder-now-even-more-affordable

That's actually super awesome! For example, if I wanted to do a 1600 calorie cut for the next month, the numbers are great:

* 2000 calories per bag
* 1600 calories a day
* 1600 x 31 days = 49.6k calories required per month
* 49,600 / 2,000 calories per bag = 24.8 bags

Let's price that out:

* Requires ~25 bags a month for 1600 calories a day
* 28 bags (closest selectable size) = $256
* Let's just say $256 / 31 days = $8.26 per day

So about $2.76 per meal...fantastic!

 

[Kaido]

meh if you eliminate food you eliminate a daily pleasurable thing from your life.
It just doesn't seem worth it to me unless you're a slave who has no lunch break.

There are multiple factors involved here. For example, a lot of people I know eat junk for lunch. I just saw a dude come in with a McDonalds value meal. Seems like Soylent would be a more nutritional choice...no preservatives, artificial colors, natural flavors, nothing fried, etc. Or if you don't like to cook, then mixing up a shake is a pretty nice alternative. I definitely like it myself from the nerd POV...food in a powder! More efficiency for more neffing!

But like you said, it does eliminate an enjoyable part of life. On the flip side, my buddy who drinks Soylent for breakfast & lunch every day says that he enjoys dinner a lot more because it's the first real food he gets to eat all day, so that's kind of a nice perk...you get your energy drink during the day, and then your pleasurable meal at night.

 

[Ns1]

It's very plain. Not necessarily bad-tasting or bitter, but just imagine chewing on a piece of paper, only in liquid form. I just chug it (unless I add some flavoring to it). If you can chug a whole shake, then it's over in a minute & five minutes later, you're not feeling hungry anymore. Solves the problem! Definitely looking forward to throwing some pre-mixed Soylent 2.0 bottles in my work drawer for when I'm short on breakfast or lunch for the day.

Well, I mulled over it for a minute or 2 and decided that any soylent I purchased would just expire on my shelves.

Man this $1.99 slice of costco pizza sure is fucking delicious.

 

[Z15CAM]

FOOD INC:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMVdrEo5130

Monsanto !!!!!!!!!

 

[Kaido]

Well, I mulled over it for a minute or 2 and decided that any soylent I purchased would just expire on my shelves.

You can order single packs off eBay. People buy big boxes & scalp 'em that way, but then it's not such a big investment for you to try. The bags are sealed so at least you know it's okay to use.

 

[Ruptga]

But like you said, it does eliminate an enjoyable part of life. On the flip side, my buddy who drinks Soylent for breakfast & lunch every day says that he enjoys dinner a lot more because it's the first real food he gets to eat all day, so that's kind of a nice perk...you get your energy drink during the day, and then your pleasurable meal at night.

I've been eating it basically every day for ~3 months and my experience is the same. I'm not on a diet, I don't have to eat just soylent, and when I have something I do like I appreciate it more. I also appreciate it more when idgaf and I just need to eat something, because I don't like to cook and it's much faster and easier than cooking in my small shared kitchen.

 

[Kaido]

I've been eating it basically every day for ~3 months and my experience is the same. I'm not on a diet, I don't have to eat just soylent, and when I have something I do like I appreciate it more. I also appreciate it more when idgaf and I just need to eat something, because I don't like to cook and it's much faster and easier than cooking in my small shared kitchen.

Yeah...and that's where I think the 2.0 formula will fit in. Right now I just throw it in the blender & them dump it into shaker bottles for the day, but with pre-mixed throw-away bottles, that to me is worth the extra dollar or so per serving because when you get to that point where you don't care and just need something, it'll be there for you. Adult formula FTW :biggrin:

 

[BlitzPuppet]

Don't like beer? lol


Find some good beer, mate. You don't need to pound it.

But yes, if you're speaking of the American macrobrew light beers, pound it like them.

"good beer" is subjective, I hate hops so I'm more of a hefeweizen fan...but I still don't care too much for beer.

I'm curious to try this stuff but doubt I ever will.

 

[destrekor]

Their blog post just says "$54 per week". Which, is a lot. You can get a lot better meal replacements for far less than $54/wk.

Point me in that direction, good sir. I haven't heard of anything remotely wholesome for that much. You'd get stuff full of simple sugars as the carb of choice and bulking agent, bad fat choices, etc.

Understand that this price is fulfilling a 2000 calorie a day sustenance plan, for an entire week (that's the goal of said price, at least). So you get 21 solid meals for $54 (or even more meals if you don't do 733cal meals - the package has directions for 500cal meals, thus the 7 bag option is described as having 28 meals).

If there is something better, I'll be on it stat. I've scoured for both cheaper and better, or at least equally priced and better, but nothing so readily available. To make something yourself, I'm convinced you can get cheaper and way more wholesome, but you take on all the work (which is not trivial if you want to do it right).

Liquid cardboard. Srs.

It's very plain. Not necessarily bad-tasting or bitter, but just imagine chewing on a piece of paper, only in liquid form. I just chug it (unless I add some flavoring to it). If you can chug a whole shake, then it's over in a minute & five minutes later, you're not feeling hungry anymore. Solves the problem! Definitely looking forward to throwing some pre-mixed Soylent 2.0 bottles in my work drawer for when I'm short on breakfast or lunch for the day.

I've... actually grown to appreciate the flavor, oddly enough. My brain must have done something wonderful... it has linked a reward signal to the flavor signal. It feels happy getting the soylent mix, so it makes me feel good and think of it as fulfilling and good.

Because I do. I like it. Not to replace food all the time sort of way, because I like food. Good food. mmmmm

But I'm beginning to take to it as my daily breakfast and lunch during the week. I'm not a slave to work, in that I still sit around and nef while/after drinking instead of continuing to plod away at the des;, but the way I see it, I just get the food out of the way, I save money by not going somewhere, I don't waste my gas or lunch time, and I don't have to worry about buying items and preparing a lunch. I will on occasion, surely, especially any good leftovers.

Plus for daily breakfast, all I was doing was eating cereal and milk. And now that I've committed to waking up to workout during the workweek, it is a big boon to just have something so quick and effortless. And because I hate morning and dislike falling asleep "early", I plan just enough time so that I am nearly rushing after my workout to clean up and get ready for work.

I'll keep the stuff dedicated to breakfast and lunch M-F, but dinners and all meals on weekends = food, tasty tasty food. That's when I'll really enjoy my time and meals (or constant grazing on the weekends, as is my norm).

I am glad it has dropped in price - at first I found it questionable to pay that much as really just wanted to get into the habit first, then work out how to make my own soylent alternative that is cheaper and more nutritionally whole. I still have that plan but now I don't feel as guilty not getting that done just yet.

$2/less a day is a nice slide down in the price, down to $8/day versus $10.

To compare, I just got a footlong from Subway, because. That was $5.50. Now add in time and gas and, oh yeah, sustenance for the rest of the day... gasp, it definitely has to go over $8.

That's actually super awesome! For example, if I wanted to do a 1600 calorie cut for the next month, the numbers are great:

* 2000 calories per bag
* 1600 calories a day
* 1600 x 31 days = 49.6k calories required per month
* 49,600 / 2,000 calories per bag = 24.8 bags

Let's price that out:

* Requires ~25 bags a month for 1600 calories a day
* 28 bags (closest selectable size) = $256
* Let's just say $256 / 31 days = $8.26 per day

So about $2.76 per meal...fantastic!

You forgot your price deduction! 28 bags is now $216.
edit: nvm. You just didn't factor in a subscription.

I was trying to recall the original sub price for 28 meals - I think it was $280, right? $70/week?

 

[Kaido]

You forgot your price deduction! 28 bags is now $216.
edit: nvm. You just didn't factor in a subscription.

I was trying to recall the original sub price for 28 meals - I think it was $280, right? $70/week?

Yeah, I just set it for the non-subscription price ($256 one-time order, $216 subscription). I'd like to try it for a full month, for all meals, at some point...but maybe when the liquid kind comes out :biggrin:

 

[TwiceOver]

Point me in that direction, good sir. I haven't heard of anything remotely wholesome for that much. You'd get stuff full of simple sugars as the carb of choice and bulking agent, bad fat choices, etc.

Understand that this price is fulfilling a 2000 calorie a day sustenance plan, for an entire week (that's the goal of said price, at least). So you get 21 solid meals for $54 (or even more meals if you don't do 733cal meals - the package has directions for 500cal meals, thus the 7 bag option is described as having 28 meals).

Ahh, I see now. My math was getting confused with their marketing.

I don't think I could do liquid meals 3x daily. It'd be tough. I think a guy over at The Verge did the Soylent for a month challenge. I can sometimes replace 2x daily meals with a replacement but even that is maybe 2 days in row before I can't.

I'd like to give them a try but on my current cut one serving is basically all of my carbs for the day.

 

[Jeff7]

meh if you eliminate food you eliminate a daily pleasurable thinginconvenience from your life.
It just doesn't seem worth it to me unless you're a slave who has no lunch break.

It's still not the ideal solution though:
- Internal fusion generator, fueled for life.
- Ability to quickly charge from an electrical outlet.

(I don't like being confined to a primitive primate body with no ability to eliminate its numerous primitive systemic problems. Oh well.)



I've also got the distinct impression that different people's experience with food varies greatly. I don't think I've ever had an "Oh my god this is soooo good!" reaction to any food. (Though my reactions to a lot of things tend to be on the less-enthusiastic end of the spectrum.) There are good foods, yes. But some people react to some foods like they've abruptly moistened their pants at the same time.

I don't cook much anymore because I find it to be a very dull and time-consuming process that yields little reward versus the time and effort it took. When I cooked more in college to save money, it'd be something like spaghetti, and I'd make enough for a week so I wouldn't have to blow away more time in the kitchen. Economies of scale.

 

[destrekor]

Ahh, I see now. My math was getting confused with their marketing.

I don't think I could do liquid meals 3x daily. It'd be tough. I think a guy over at The Verge did the Soylent for a month challenge. I can sometimes replace 2x daily meals with a replacement but even that is maybe 2 days in row before I can't.

I'd like to give them a try but on my current cut one serving is basically all of my carbs for the day.

I was and sort of am still anti-carb, but I am pro smart-carb.

The average American can get over 300g of carbs/day, easily. Their formulation as of 1.5 (ignoring the pre-mixed liquid versions... that's convenient, sure, but producing a heck of a lot of extra bulk and waste) has a tad over 200g carbs per day. That's 45% which isn't terrible, but I would like to see them get that down to 35%.

A lot of good guidelines (not FDA ) suggest a daily intake goal of 40/30/30(% of calories)... I think that's carb/fat/protein, though it may be fat/carb/protein. Split that, 35/35/30 (carb/fat/protein) and I call that perfect, though 40/30/30 might indeed be better, as you may want to keep fats down if you are still consuming a healthy amount of carbs, but if you ensure all caloric consumption (to include alcohol and anything else) is below your daily budget, I don't think fat would be stored regardless.

If you are on a keto-cut, you probably shouldn't take up Soylent for any meals at this time. Once you are where you want to be, then you can bring your carb load back up so long as everything else is in balance and you don't consume more than you need.

There is a packaged version of a keto soylent blend, I've looked at that but wasn't happy with the overall nutrient content (not that Soylent is truly any better).

I'll have to see if I can seriously put together something on a marketable scale, I'd be curious if it could be achievable, competitive, and affordable.

There are some high-end products out there in the same category as Soylent, but way overpriced. Like $10/meal type, but they aren't aimed anywhere at the replace multiple meals type, more like the replace a lunch or take-out dinner for the high-ambition worker types, full of truly hearty ingredients. Very good for you, but ridiculously priced.

 

[n7]

After talking to a friend over the weekend who's been doing Soylent for a while now i decided to order some bottles.

I don't eat the best usually, since i hate spending time making food (just for myself). And often need something quick between work and hockey or other things, so hoping this works out.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I have trouble with the idea of a drink that replaces food, but at same time kind of like the idea as I feel that eating has become more of a chore than anything, it is very time consuming to make home made meals, and fast food or frozen/canned food is not really healthy. I may have to try this. At least instead of getting fast food, I can take this. Fast food is delicious though. Better than anything I can make.

Though it would be nice if they made something like this, but as a solid. I think it would be more palatable. Make it like a cake or something.

 

[destrekor]

I have trouble with the idea of a drink that replaces food, but at same time kind of like the idea as I feel that eating has become more of a chore than anything, it is very time consuming to make home made meals, and fast food or frozen/canned food is not really healthy. I may have to try this. At least instead of getting fast food, I can take this. Fast food is delicious though. Better than anything I can make.

Though it would be nice if they made something like this, but as a solid. I think it would be more palatable. Make it like a cake or something.

There's a company out there making an all-natural food bar of sorts, sort of like a brownie that's not really a brownie. A little pricey, IIRC, but all the better for you alternatives to Soylent are just that, more expensive.

Also, if you get the powder mixes of Soylent or any of the powder alternatives, all you have to do is not make it with as much liquid as directed.
And in general, think of it as a food that is just so happened to be mixed with the water your drinking before it hits your gut.

 

[Maximilian]

Sounds like a cool idea.

 

[Eli]

I need to try this.

 

[Kaido]

After talking to a friend over the weekend who's been doing Soylent for a while now i decided to order some bottles.

I don't eat the best usually, since i hate spending time making food (just for myself). And often need something quick between work and hockey or other things, so hoping this works out.

The price is surprisingly good too...$2.83 for a 1-year shelf-stable pre-mixed 400-calorie 100% nutrition drink that you don't have to put in the fridge is pretty nice. If you were to live on it, say 2,000 calories a day (5 bottles @ 400 cal/ea), 31 days would cost $438.65 without a subscription, which is pretty reasonable for getting full nutrition with zero prep work required. On subscription, it's $2.42 per 400 cals, so a year's worth of soylent juice would cost $4,416.50. That's not too bad for what would probably be enhanced nutrition for a lot of people. I don't think I'd eat it for every meal, but for breakfast & lunch on working days, for sure.

 

[Drako]

Though it would be nice if they made something like this, but as a solid. I think it would be more palatable. Make it like a cake or something.

Something like this perhaps?