SPAM, No Longer A Poor Man's Meat
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (99664)
United States
October 13, 2023 6:49pm CST
Being a frugal guy and with inflation tugging at the purse strings, one always looks for cheaper alternatives to add to the dinner table. So, of course, why not consider an old favorite that sort of got its start as a cheap way to feed the family in the early days of its history, it's contribution to early war efforts notwithstanding due to its easily being stored and transported to hungry troops.
Enter SPAM. You'd think it would serve up as a great option to still get some nourishment (if SPAM provides any), or at least fill an empty stomach on a budget.
But the truth is, it falls short. It's not cheap at all. In fact, it's more expensive than most other things you might bring to the table. In fact, a can of SPAM these days will run you about $4 a can or more. And that's for a 12 ounce can.
So, that puts SPAM right around $5.33 per pound. Even if you choose a generic or other brand like Armour Treet or Clover Valley, those will run you about $2.50 or more per 12 ounce can, or $3.33 per pound.
By comparison, using mostly Walmart prices here, a pound of 73/27 ground beef will run you about $2.97 per pound. A pound of pork steaks is $1.98. A pound of bone in chicken thighs is $2.29 per pound (I actually pay $1.79 at Ruler Foods). Even a whole chicken will only run you about $1.19 per pound.
Granted, SPAM is barely edible anyway. But, if you are on a budget, it seems like SPAM is no longer for the budget conscious or frugal cook. It is nowhere near budget friendly.
So, how did it come to be that SPAM is no longer a poor man's meat?
15 people like this
16 responses
@porwest (99664)
• United States
14 Oct 23
@Kandae11 You talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken? Yeah. That's true. They are not cheap. And of course there's Buffalo Wild Wings that made an entire business out of it. All About Wings is another one. Wing Stop is yet another. Hooter's fills its bottom line with wings. So does Zaxby's. Even big names like Chili's, Applebees, TGI Friday's, Dave & Buster's, Dominos, and Pizza Hut all have wings on their menu and they are big sellers.
Wings are BIG MONEY these days, hands down. And before all of this, wings were just an easy way to save money and get something no one else wanted.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (124222)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Oct 23
@porwest Not only are wings super popular (and also getting expensive), but they are small as hell nowadays. I remember back before wings became a big thing that if you ordered some buffalo wings at a bar or restaurant, they would be huge! Not anymore. It's like you get one little bite off of the bone now, they're so small.
3 people like this
@RasmaSandra (84719)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14 Oct 23
I used to enjoy SPAM and now that I saw the Amazon sells two packages for around $5, the next gift card I get I will pick up some, I like it fried by slices, diced in potato salad or egg salad its not too bad,
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (43498)
• United States
14 Oct 23
We like Spam once in a while, but you're right, it's gotten way too expensive.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (43498)
• United States
14 Oct 23
@porwest It's likely very unhealthy, but we might eat one sandwich, then it's too expensive to get just two sandwiches out of it.
2 people like this
@porwest (99664)
• United States
15 Oct 23
@1creekgirl Personally I'd prefer bologna or a hot dog.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (124222)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Oct 23
I used to love eating spam sandwiches as a kid. It's been quite a long time since I've eaten spam, I didn't realize it has gotten so expensive.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (124222)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Oct 23
@porwest I love braunschweiger! Maybe I’m weird!!!
We didn’t eat a lot of spam in our household unless we were on hunting/camping trips. Then, spam would be an essential on those trips.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99664)
• United States
15 Oct 23
Even as a kid we never had SPAM in the house. It just wasn't our thing I guess. If it were cheap I'd probably give it a go. But it's not so I will just leave it on the shelf. My wife says she doesn't like it. But she eats Braunschweiger, so she has no room to talk.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99664)
• United States
16 Oct 23
@moffittjc A lot of people do. I personally can't stand the stuff. Or SPAM. lol
1 person likes this
@much2say (57521)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Oct 23
Maybe back in the day it was manufactured to get rid of whatever pork leftover there was at the factory . . . so it was cheap. But now that there's an actual demand for it, the prices have gone up.
Cheap or not, it's just way too salty - can't eat too much of that stuff - too gross to eat it regularly. I only get it to make Korean kim chee fried rice (its almost necessary to use SPAM with it) - so it's not something I buy all the time.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (94533)
• Arvada, Colorado
14 Oct 23
Yes I noticed that as sometimes I want to buy it instead of ham..its very expensive now.
I wonder why too why Spam is now only for the wealthy.
Is it wiping out the poor..genocide maybe?
1 person likes this
@porwest (99664)
• United States
15 Oct 23
lol. I don't know. But it certainly isn't the cheap can of crap meat it once was. Now it's just an expensive can of crap meat. The business of SPAM, though, is absolutely fascinating. Now owned by Hormel, they makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year on the stuff. It's an amazing business and one hell of a marketing job.
The entire "luncheon meat" business is a billion dollar business. Go figure.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99664)
• United States
14 Oct 23
That is, of course, part of it. Still, it used to be much cheaper, and they still made a hefty profit, and it was never considered a "premium" product that would ever command more than a regular piece of unprocessed meat.
I do think many people THINK it's cheap, which is why sales seem to be going up for them during this inflationary period. But a lot of people don't pay much attention to actual unit cost.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (188130)
• United States
14 Oct 23
You're right about SPAM being expensive; but we still like it. It comes in so many different types too. There's nothing like some fried SPAM with pancakes or a fried SPAM sandwich. Ahhhh. I feel the need to go to Hawaii. Have a great weekend.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (188130)
• United States
15 Oct 23
@porwest Yup. Have your SPAM and shave ice and you're all set.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99664)
• United States
16 Oct 23
@LindaOHio It seems so un-Hawaiian to me, but there you go. lol
1 person likes this
@freelancermariagrace (28884)
• Philippines
14 Oct 23
The cost of SPAM is quite expensive here so I don't buy it often.
1 person likes this
@porwest (99664)
• United States
14 Oct 23
To me it is expensive here too. But I did find it interesting that, as I was doing some research on it, that it is very popular in the Philippines. It's also apparently become quite popular in Hawaii as well having been incorporated into many Hawaiian recipes and dishes.
2 people like this
@freelancermariagrace (28884)
• Philippines
15 Oct 23
@porwest Yes, it really is popular here in the Philippines. My mom usually gets the less salt variant.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (43639)
•
15 Oct 23
@porwest
I had a neighbor who was native Hawaiian. She loved Spam and used it to make everything she could think of. I have never really cared for it, it seems gristly somehow, and I honestly think it doesn't taste very good, either.
I did read that many 'prepper' people stock up on Spam. I keep a few canned meats, but they are tuna, salmon, clams...we do like tuna, both fresh or canned. I enjoy salmon. Clams, I use for my clam chowder--it's pricey to get fresh clams in the Midwest, and canned are fine for soup. But someone else can have my share of the Spam.
@zainkhan121 (859)
• Pakistan
14 Oct 23
SPAM's history as a budget-friendly option has certainly evolved, and its price today may not align with its humble beginnings. Your cost comparisons really put things into perspective. It's not just about the cost; taste and value matter too. It seems like SPAM may no longer be the go-to choice for budget-conscious or frugal cooks, especially when there are more affordable and, arguably, more palatable options available. Food trends and economic shifts can certainly change the landscape of what we consider economical. Thanks for sharing this insightful analysis!
