rant · moment 18 of 20
The Rice, Ragu, and American Cheese Survival Meal
from #299 - Family Recipe | The Tim Dillon Show · #299
10 min
Tim details a budget recipe of white rice, Ragu tomato sauce, and American cheese as a way to feed a family for a week during inflation, calculating exact costs with Ben and defending it against accusations that it's like dog food.
- Tim showcases a 50-pound bag of rice for $30 as the foundation of a week-long family meal.
- Ragu tomato sauce in an 8.5-pound jar costs $11.39, adding to the rice as a second ingredient.
- Tim's aunt actually made this rice, sauce, and cheese dish for her children, and he's serious about recommending it.
- American cheese block at $16 for two pounds completes the three-ingredient meal under $60 total.
- The cooking method: boil rice, mix in ragu tomato sauce with vegetables, melt American cheese through it, and feed the family.
- When pushback comes that it sounds like dog food, Tim insists people need to live and defends the meal's legitimacy.
- The total cost breaks down to $11.47 per person per day to feed an entire family for the week.
- Tim applies the same rice, sauce, and cheese formula to school lunches, packed in Tupperware for kids to bring to school.
- Tim clarifies the dish has a real history: his aunt made it, and one of her children who ate it became a successful mover.
- Tim defends instant mashed potatoes, frozen chicken, and processed foods as legitimate American staples with no shame attached.