Street people and their eating habits -

[Big Nasty]

Happened to come across a disussion about bums, panhandlers and eating habits:

Cigarettes are their primary source of nourishment, dope and booze naturally comes second to that.

Otherwise, a few specific food items seems to be staples of the panhandler diet:

*Rotisserie chicken
*White bread
*Potato crisps
*Hot dogs
*Red Bull

Any comments?

 

[Chaos Theorist]

 

[mr.moon1488]

Don't forget Mc'coons

 

[Stranger Neighbors]

Don't forget:


Dumpsters

they eat out of dumpsters


Edit: almost forgot

ROADKILL

 

[DietMtnDew]

When I worked in Boston, I got a lot of insight on the vagrant way of life.

New England bums live on
-Newport 100s, or cheyennes/double diamonds depending on their panhandling skillz
-The vodka in the plastic bottles
-The shit that has been under a heat lamp all day at the 7-11 they sit outside of, that was subsequently thrown out
-Slim jims

 

[Heartmoth]

Weed, Mcdonalds, More weed, and pot.

 

[Megaroad]

I think they like to drink powerade since they're nice enough to pay for just that when they're pretending to be an honest shopper that totally didn't just load their backpack up with groceries.

 

[PL 001]

They actually eat? That's funny because anytime I see someone offering them food instead of cash, they start screeching and whining.

Actual homeless people though, not leeches scamming people or kids LARPing as bums for handouts would probably seem to gravitate towards buying cheap canned veggies/potted meat or cheap fast food like McDonald's or Little Ceasar's

 

[Exorbital Columnations]

Rat soup eating ma'fuckers!

 

[ProfDongs]

One time after leaving work with leftover chicken stir fry I made I offered it to some vagrant just to get some excuse about his stomach (I'm very doubtful it was the truth) and how giving him some spare change would be more helpful. Other than just skipping the middle man and giving them drugs/drink directly, giving them any money is the worst thing you can do I think, unless on the extremely rare occasion you actually encounter someone trying to get out from that position.

It seems like Subway, McD, cigarettes, convenience store junk food and whatever street drug is cheapest is the most common in my area.

 

[Big Nasty]

The homeless tend to avoid the regular fast food places such as McDonalds and Burger King unless they can scavenge leftover scraps from tables.

I've heard stories about a crazy asshole of a woman who used to stand outside stores and yell "CHIIICKEEEENNN!!!" until someone got her some.

 

[Slap47]

One time after leaving work with leftover chicken stir fry I made I offered it to some vagrant just to get some excuse about his stomach (I'm very doubtful it was the truth) and how giving him some spare change would be more helpful. Other than just skipping the middle man and giving them drugs/drink directly, giving them any money is the worst thing you can do I think, unless on the extremely rare occasion you actually encounter someone trying to get out from that position.

It seems like Subway, McD, cigarettes, convenience store junk food and whatever street drug is cheapest is the most common in my area.

Most homeless in big wealthy cities are faking it.

 

[Looney Troons]

Most homeless in big wealthy cities are faking it.

Came to mention this. I’ve seen panhandlers walk from their perch and climb into an E-Class Benz strategically parked a few blocks down the road.

 

[Munchma Quchi]

A lot of homeless go to soup kitchens, so you're gonna get a lot of

- one-pot meals like soup, American goulash, chili, curry

- Leftovers donated by catering companies. So, Swedish meatballs and scalloped potatoes. And more American goulash.

- Sandwhiches. Church ladies in particular like to make lots of egg salad sandwiches, and peanut butter jelly sandwhiches. Or sandwhiches with margarine and American cheese.

- Day-old baked goods donated by bakeries. So lots of bread - and things made from bread, like garlic bread and bread pudding. Day old donuts and cinnamon buns.

Some soup kitchens also put out a green salad, fresh fruit, maybe a one-pan dessert like apple crisp or rice pudding.

Source: did lots of volunteer work before

 

[Slap47]

Came to mention this. I’ve seen panhandlers walk from their perch and climb into an E-Class Benz strategically parked a few blocks down the road.

Three good ways to spot actual homeless:

1. They're willing to do some kind of work for the money, like rub disgusting bathwater on your windshield.

2. They're actually crippled or some crazy scabs and shit.... or are actually insane.

3. They aren't trying too hard to look destitute. They actually took a shower because the homeless shelters offer that service. Homeless people that aren't druggies or hopelessly crippled tend to take care of themselves instead of walk around caked in dirt.

 

[UQ 770]

Worth noting that the ones who complain about stomach issues may not be lying. Neglecting your body's need to eat will eventually honeycomb your stomach with ulcers and acid damage, in addition to the fact that things like booze and cigarettes can exacerbate some of that. Plus bear in mind that things like scurvy can set in. I'm surprised some of these people can get food down at all by the end. I don't blame some of them for spending all the money they get on drugs or booze. Abandon all hope ye who enter that lifestyle.

 

[Sīn the Moon Daddy]

Worth noting that the ones who complain about stomach issues may not be lying. Neglecting your body's need to eat will eventually honeycomb your stomach with ulcers and acid damage, in addition to the fact that things like booze and cigarettes can exacerbate some of that. Plus bear in mind that things like scurvy can set in. I'm surprised some of these people can get food down at all by the end. I don't blame some of them for spending all the money they get on drugs or booze. Abandon all hope ye who enter that lifestyle.

Alcoholism makes keeping food down a lot of fun. But we're back at the point of they wouldn't be hooked on booze if they weren't spending money on booze imo

It is possible to detox while you're homeless. It's a lot easier when you actually ask for help, but by the time some people are ready for help they're too far gone to know who to ask.

 

[UQ 770]

Alcoholism makes keeping food down a lot of fun. But we're back at the point of they wouldn't be hooked on booze if they weren't spending money on booze imo

It is possible to detox while you're homeless. It's a lot easier when you actually ask for help, but by the time some people are ready for help they're too far gone to know who to ask.

I agree entirely. I'd love to be one of those people who says "These people need help!" but the truth is that even with the finest care available most of them are still completely fucked even if they manage to kick the habit. I regard their condition more as an object of real-life horror rather than giving them any of my limited sympathy.

Though I'd prefer to see those exhibits in a museum or online rather than having them wander up to me in the streets and ask if I can spare a dollar.

 

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

Why don't the homeless have the ambition to go harvest carrion and kill small animals?

There's so many rabbits, squirrels, and other good meat waiting to be harvested from wooded sections of town.

Likewise, I once saw two dead deer in a row. A homeless man probably wouldn't have the means to preserve any of it, but they could feast for days. While deer may be a rare and precious find, possums and coons are frequent, and if a person were to learn how to hunt with a sling, they could kill groundhogs as well.

The homeless tend to avoid the regular fast food places such as McDonalds and Burger King unless they can scavenge leftover scraps from tables.

I've heard stories about a crazy asshole of a woman who used to stand outside stores and yell "CHIIICKEEEENNN!!!" until someone got her some.

I don't know as he's homeless, but my town has a beggar who'll go to the Wendy's, or Chinese buffet, or other places like that, and try to bum a dollar here and there until he has enough to pay for a meal. Dude can't be doing too bad (and for all I know he may have an income besides panhandling), as he's fat. I've come to enjoy seeing him out and about.