You can't truly live on a single meal long-term without deficiencies, but a nutrient-dense meal like a large bowl of lentils/beans with spinach, sweet potatoes, and a source of healthy fats (avocado/oil), plus some fish or chicken comes closest, providing carbs, protein, vitamins, and minerals; however, relying on one food causes fatigue and nutritional gaps, so variety is key, but these components are vital.
The Contenders: Single Foods for Survival
There is not one food that would provide all essential nutrients. In addition, most people would suffer fatigue from eating a single food after a couple weeks.
What Food Can You Survive on Alone?
Eating one meal a day can increase your blood pressure and cholesterol. This occurred in a group of healthy adults who switched to one meal a day to participate in a study. If you already have concerns in either area, eating just once a day might not be safe. Eating one meal late can cause your blood sugar to spike.
Compared with participants eating three meals per day, the multivariable-adjusted risk for participants eating one meal per day were 30% higher for all-cause mortality, and 83% higher for CVD mortality.
Very little, it turns out. There are about 9 food calories in a gram of fat, so in theory you could gain one pound of fat (454 g) by eating some 4,000 calories more than you burn. The actual number may be closer to 3,500, so if you eat 500 extra calories per day for a week, you might gain a pound of fat.
The 2-2-2 food rule is a simple guideline for leftover safety: get cooked food into the fridge within 2 hours, eat it within 2 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months to prevent bacteria growth, keeping it out of the temperature "danger zone" (40-140°F or 5-60°C).
Cheap Survival Food - The 3-Month List
Understanding the 3-3-3 Rule
Specifically, the rule suggests: Three balanced meals per day. Three hours between each meal. Three hours of movement per week.
If you were to choose just two foods to survive on for the longer term, whole eggs and sweet potatoes are a better combination. Together, they provide a more complete balance of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals, though long-term survival would still require more diversity for optimal health.
Include a selection of the following foods in your short-term Disaster Supplies Kit:
The musician said he was inspired by Bruce Springsteen to stop eating entirely after 4 p.m. Chris Martin has cut back from three square meals a day to one at the advice of The Boss.
The single most nutritionally complete meal would be a balanced combination of foods including fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, healthy sources of proteins, and liquid plant oils, as emphasized by the American Heart Association in 2023 1.
Each week, you'll buy five different vegetables, five fruits, four grains, three proteins, two dairy items, two spreads or condiments, and one fun treat. Different foods offer a variety of vitamins and minerals, so eating a wide range helps you get the nutrients you need.
A peanut butter and jelly sandwich (PB&J) adds about 33 minutes to your healthy lifespan per serving, according to a University of Michigan study that measured life expectancy impacts of over 5,850 foods using the Health Nutritional Index (HNI). This sandwich tops the list for adding time, with nuts and seeds also being highly beneficial (around 25 mins) and processed items like hot dogs subtracting time.
To live off $50 a week for food, focus on meal planning, buying staples like rice, beans, oats, and eggs, stretching meat with lentils/veggies, utilizing frozen/seasonal produce, and minimizing waste by creatively using leftovers, which requires disciplined shopping with a strict list and comparing prices.
Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer). Cold perishable food, such as chicken salad or a platter of deli meats, should be kept at 40° F or below.
The 18:6, 20:4, and one-meal-a-day (OMAD) protocols are types of time-restricted eating where you abstain from eating for 18 to 23 hours, and then eat freely for the rest of the day. They can be combined with a caloric deficit for weight loss, but don't have to be.
A single cheat day won't ruin your weight loss results, but multiple uncontrolled cheat days can have an impact. Don't see them as a chance to lose all self-control and binge eat. These actions can lead to serious food guilt and weight loss setbacks. It is important to do them in moderation.
Weighing weekly helps you manage your weight
A systematic review of 12 studies found participants who weighed themselves weekly or daily over several months lost 1–3 BMI (body mass index) units more and regained less weight than participants who didn't weight themselves frequently.
A small study on 15 healthy young males eating 6,000 calories for one day revealed a total weight gain of 1.87 pounds. This calorie level is extremely difficult to do regularly. Remember, some of this weight gain would be water weight and some undigested food.