Most expensive groceries in the country...

[Punatang]

Obviously, at this point in 2026 for crying out loud, everything should be free. Since the greedy bastards are all still tryin' to keep a Punatic down, we all need to stick together, be united, and get this community creative to come up with empathetic solutions to make the current abysmal situation, many years in the making, work for everyone. To that end I have challenged Perplexity, which was called to my attention by Ms. Ferret, to try to come up with one creation that can stretch that EBT budget into something that might get the job done.

It would be so wonderful if we (the whole Punaweb family) could all collaborate and come up with a $3.00 Meal - Punaweb Cookbook.  We could even sell the cookbook itself for $3.00 - to raise money to print free copies for everyone on EBT or some sliding scale solution like that.  Please feel free to build on this idea - open source style.  

Meanwhile, this is what Perplexity came up with.  It's not perfect.  In fact, it really should include energy costs, etc., but it's a start. Looking forward to seeing your entries for the cookbook.

************************************************************************************************

Create a recepie for a nutrient and calorie dense cake, which can be prepared with ingredients from Walmart in Hilo. This cake must be at least 800 calories per portion and each portion must cost $3.00 or less. It should have as many required vitamins and minerals as possible.


Here is a nutrient‑ and calorie‑dense cake you can make with common items sold at Walmart (including Walmart in Hilo). It is designed so one slice is about 800–900 calories and under about 3.00 USD in ingredient cost per serving, while adding a broad range of vitamins and minerals.

---

High‑Calorie, Nutrient‑Dense Cake (Approx. 8 Servings)
Ingredients
Dry

• 2 cups oat flour (or quick oats finely ground in a blender)
  
• 1 cup whey protein powder, vanilla or chocolate
  
• ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  
• ½ cup white sugar
  
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  

Wet

• 4 large eggs
  
• 1 cup whole milk (or fortified soy milk if preferred)
  
• 1 cup full‑fat Greek yogurt
  
• ½ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Add‑ins (nutrient boosters)

• 1 cup peanut butter (creamy)
  
• ½ cup chia seeds
  
• ½ cup hemp hearts (hemp seeds)
  
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds
  
• ½ cup raisins or chopped dates
  

Optional simple topping (adds calories and minerals)

• ½ cup peanut butter, warmed
  
• ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
  

Most of these ingredients (oats, protein powder, oil, peanut butter, chia, hemp hearts, nuts, raisins, Greek yogurt, whole milk) are typically available at Walmart stores and are commonly used in nutrient‑dense recipes.

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13‑inch baking pan.
   
2. In a large bowl, whisk together oat flour, protein powder, cocoa powder, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
   
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
   
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir just until combined.
   
5. Fold in peanut butter, chia seeds, hemp hearts, nuts, and raisins/dates until evenly distributed. Batter will be thick.
   
6. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
   
7. Bake 28–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
   
8. Cool at least 20–30 minutes. For the optional topping, warm peanut butter and honey together until pourable and drizzle over the cooled cake, then chill briefly to set.
   
9. Cut into 8 equal pieces (2×4 grid). Each piece is one high‑calorie serving.
   

---

Approximate Calories and Cost
Very rough estimate per full batch and per 1/8 slice (values rounded and will vary by brand):

• Oat flour, 2 cups: ~600 kcal
  
• Whey protein, 1 cup: ~480 kcal
  
• Cocoa powder, ½ cup: ~100 kcal
  
• Sugars, 1 cup total: ~770 kcal
  
• Oil, ½ cup: ~960 kcal
  
• Peanut butter, 1 cup: ~1500 kcal
  
• Chia seeds, ½ cup: ~300 kcal
  
• Hemp hearts, ½ cup: ~400 kcal
  
• Nuts, ½ cup: ~400 kcal
  
• Raisins/dates, ½ cup: ~200 kcal
  
• Greek yogurt, 1 cup: ~130 kcal
  
• Whole milk, 1 cup: ~150 kcal
  
• Eggs, 4: ~280 kcal
  

Total: roughly 6,270 kcal for the pan, or about 780–800+ kcal per slice when divided by 8. The optional topping (¾ cup PB + honey) can add ~600–800 kcal to the pan, pushing portions closer to 900 kcal if needed.
Typical Walmart “Great Value” prices for bulk oats, sugar, oil, eggs, peanut butter, and milk are low, and even with the protein powder, seeds, and nuts, spreading the cost over 8 very large slices generally keeps each portion under about 3.00 USD (especially if you choose store brands and the most economical protein powder and nuts).

---

Vitamin and Mineral Coverage
This cake is still a dessert, but it is packed to cover many nutrients per slice:

• Oats: manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, B vitamins, fiber.
  
• Whey protein: high‑quality protein, calcium (if dairy‑based).
  
• Peanut butter and nuts: vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, copper, healthy fats.
  
• Chia and hemp seeds: omega‑3 and omega‑6 fats, fiber, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus.
  
• Whole milk and Greek yogurt: calcium, vitamin D (if fortified), vitamin B12, riboflavin.
  
• Eggs: vitamin B12, choline, selenium, vitamin A.
  
• Raisins/dates: potassium, some iron and B vitamins.
  

For even broader vitamin coverage, you can:

• Use fortified soy milk instead of dairy milk to boost vitamin D and B12.
  
• Add ½ cup pumpkin puree (vitamin A, potassium) by reducing yogurt slightly and adding a couple of extra minutes to baking time if needed.
  

---

Serving Suggestions
To keep each slice ~800–900 calories and nutrient‑dense:

• Eat one slice as a full meal replacement or heavy snack.
  
• Pair with a glass of fortified milk or soy milk to further boost calcium, vitamin D, and B12.
  
• Store slices wrapped in the fridge or freezer; they reheat well in a microwave at low power.