back to article Obsolescence of food is complete: Soylent now comes in bottles

Soylent, the startup dedicated to conquering the universally hated ritual of eating food, now offers a version of its protein-rich nutrient gloop in ready-to-drink bottles. Previous versions of Soylent arrived as powders that you mix with water. That takes time, much like it does to sear a cut of filet mignon lightly on both …

  1. Monkey Bob
    Unhappy

    Dammit

    Hungry now...

    1. Giles C Silver badge

      Re: Dammit

      Agreed, but only for the non soylent food mentioned in the article.

      1. Anonymous Custard

        Re: Dammit

        Indeed, from crispy bacon onward...!

        <homer>Mmmm, bacon...</homer>

  2. chivo243 Silver badge
    Headmaster

    Transporting water?

    I thought part of this great idea was that it was powdered, and the transportation cost would be kept down?

    1. PleebSmash
      Happy

      Re: Transporting water?

      This is for that tier of people who are too scared or can't be arsed to add powder to water, but still want all of what Soylent offers.

      1. Martin Budden Silver badge

        Re: Transporting water?

        It could also be useful for people who live in areas where clean drinking water is hard to come by. For example, the good citizens of Mumbai could drink Soylent 2.0 instead of going to all the bother of preparing exquisitely spiced dishes such as baida roti, butter chicken with naan, or gujarati thaalis.

    2. Thorne

      Re: Transporting water?

      "I thought part of this great idea was that it was powdered, and the transportation cost would be kept down?"

      It was but clearly people too lazy to cook are also too lazy to add water.......

      1. JDX Gold badge

        Re: Transporting water?

        I struggle to believe you're really that stupid not to see that this has uses. Clearly you've never seen ready-to-drink milkshakes on sale, only the kind you mix your own milk with powder. Or pre-made sandwiches, only shops selling bread and ham separately.

        If you want lunch at work or while travelling, faffing about mixing things together IS clearly a faff and if the point of this product is convenience, then more convenience is clearly better.

    3. Fink-Nottle
      Coat

      Re: Transporting water?

      > I thought part of this great idea was that it was powdered, and the transportation cost would be kept down?

      So ... Soylent isn't green.

    4. Elfo74
      Coffee/keyboard

      Re: Transporting water?

      They can now make a pipeline...

      ...just imagine: soylent-on-tap!

  3. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

    Space-war astronaut fodder.....

    ...on EARRRRTTTHHHH!

  4. asdf
    Joke

    can't resist

    Well I guess another box can be checked for things that will happen as we turn into The Matrix.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sad, sad fucks

    The only hope is that with the expected enormous demand they end up making the stuff in one of those Chinese factories that doesn't make baby milk powder any more. That'd take care of both the idiots who buy it and those behind this abomination, assuming the Chinese got the firing squad back in again for the Soylent team.

    1. Tomato42
      Meh

      Re: Sad, sad fucks

      dude, chill out

      they are not selling Zyklon B...

      1. itzman
        Trollface

        Re: Sad, sad fucks

        they are not selling Zyklon B...

        ...yet...

    2. Thorne

      Re: Sad, sad fucks

      The more idiots that live on this stuff, the more bacon for everyone else.....

  6. Rusty 1
    Stop

    "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

    That sounds like it is the very essence of the problem, and the thing that should be addressed. Surely once the masses have some streaky or a bit of back turning up at their door in time for breakfast, the world cannot help but be a better place.

    A little more effort into growing bacon and distributing it would probably even right Greece's ailing economy.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

      What irretrievably ails Greece's economy is actually pork. Lots of it.

      1. Thorne

        Re: "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

        And if you smoked said pork the problems would be solved......

        1. itzman
          Trollface

          Re: "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

          And if you smoked said pork the problems would be solved......

          ...until they showed it gave you lung cancer.

          1. Neil Barnes Silver badge

            Re: "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

            Bacon-flavoured soylent is already available in Norway... http://bgo.mve.no/media/catalog/product/cache/7/small_image/258x245/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/t/stabburet_grov.jpg

    2. Martin Summers Silver badge

      Re: "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

      They could make bacon flavour Soylent? Might give it a punt then.

      1. Lord Raa

        Re: "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

        I think I remember there being some kind of algae based bacon-flavoured thing announced recently.

        Maybe they could combine the two?

    3. Ralph B
      Mushroom

      Re: "Unlike crispy bacon, Soylent 2.0 is available on a subscription basis"

      Of course there are already bacon subscription services. Try this one or google others.

      Sometimes I wonder if The Reg are losing it.

    4. Ken 16 Silver badge
      Mushroom

      This is a Pot Noodle competitor isn't it?

      People eating this would be having a protein shake or a pot noodle anyway, not a sit down meal.

      1. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

        Re: This is a Pot Noodle competitor isn't it?

        People eating this would be having a protein shake or a pot noodle anyway, not a sit down meal.

        I'd rather get most of my calories1 from pot noodle for a month than make do with Soylent for a day. At least instant ramen has some heat, a little texture, and something vaguely approximating flavor.

        1I was going to write "live on", but on reflection that idea is absurd. Obviously I'd need some source of actual nutrition.

  7. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    "soy protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrient-rich ingredients"

    Nutrient-rich ingredients my ass. That slop doesn't fill a working man's stomach.

    Give me a steak with potatoes any day. And if you don't know how to cook that, you deserve all the slop you get.

    Cooking. It's what elevated us from the caveman. Let's not forget that important point of evolution, shall we ?

    1. Martin Budden Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: "soy protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrient-rich ingredients"

      It was something even more important than cooking which elevated us from the caveman. See icon.

    2. dan1980

      Re: "soy protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrient-rich ingredients"

      @Pascal

      It's unclear whether you are talking about biological evolution or social evolution.

      In terms of biology, humans have been 'humans' for at least tens of thousands of years and very probably around 200,000 years. It is thought that control of fire was achieved prior to this evolutionary milestone and there is indeed a theory that cooking food resulted in better nutrition which in turn assisted in brain development.

      But, biologically, the fact that it was COOKED is not really relevant - simply that better nutrition was available. In that sense, it matters not one whit whether you have consumed that nutrition after lovingly preparing a sumptuous meal or after chugging a bottle of goop; if the nutrition is there then your body doesn't care how it came about.

      Fire and cooking was also important socially, however and contributed to that side of our evolution. Specifically, it allowed more time for other pursuits as night was no longer a barrier.

      On that measure, however, the far greater development was agriculture, which finally allowed humans to manage their food sources better and to produce surpluses. This in turn allowed people to specialise and enabled trade and so on.

      So, when it comes to social evolution, allowing people to satisfy their nutritional needs without having to spend time gathering and producing and preparing it is what is important - you are freeing people from that burden so they can spend their time on other pursuits.

      Of course, for many people that just means more time to watch TV or people working themselves to the bone, skipping lunch breaks, and so on but the point is that from an evolutionary standpoint, the important developments are available nutrition and available time, both of which this product satisfies.

      But anyway, it's not necessarily logical to say that something that prompted or produced an evolutionary change towards modern humans in the past is necessarily going to be a good thing now or in the future.

      Take the climate change that resulted in deforestation and pressed our ape-like ancestors 'come down from the trees' and to slowly adapt to a lifestyle on the plains, including developing a more upright posture, which freed their hands and so allowed for the development of tools.

      Does that mean that deforestation is a good thing now?

  8. Mark 85

    I thought the reason we evolved..

    ...was to cook.. bbq... make things tasty and crispy. This stuff sounds like an abomination but I'm sure that as soon as someone like Oprah or Dr. Of-The-Month shows up in the media recommending it that it will take off.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I thought the reason we evolved..

      ...was to cook.. bbq... make things tasty and crispy.

      That's correct. The magical confluence of men, beer, fire, meat, bread, and sunshine. Unfortunately the ladies don't seem to understand the simplicity of the idea, and I'd just like to make a public appeal to women of planet earth:

      A barbecue does not involve salad. Ever. Or coleslaw. Or cous cous. Or vegetables. Or fancy gastro-pub style ten deck gourmet burgers. Or any meat products purchased from a supermarket (with possibly a solitary exception for home made burgers from supermarket bought mince).

      And for the gents, a polite reminder: No Budweiser or similar camp drinks.

      1. Pirate Dave Silver badge
        Pirate

        Re: I thought the reason we evolved..

        No coleslaw at a barbecue? but it's good on barbecue...

  9. Graham Marsden
    Boffin

    Sneer at this if you want...

    ... but how many geeks on here would find it even more convenient if they could simply plug in a power cord and recharge, rather than have to waste valuable computer time cooking and eating food?

    1. Thorne
      Joke

      Re: Sneer at this if you want...

      Sorry but I have no desire to insert a powercord there......

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Meh

      Re: Sneer at this if you want...

      The Geeks may want it, the rest of us in the human race, do not.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Sneer at this if you want...

        The Geeks may want it, the rest of us in the human race, do not.

        It's not mandatory. Nobody's forcing you. If you're not interested, just pass on by.

        There's really no reason for so many people to be so hostile to the idea that other people may have different priorities.

        1. Neil Barnes Silver badge
          Holmes

          Re: Sneer at this if you want...

          I think there's a difference between being hostile to an idea and considering the idea utterly laughable.

        2. Naughtyhorse

          Re: Sneer at this if you want...

          To be fair it's a pretty dumb idea, and it would not come as much of a shock that, after some time in the wild there were some significant health comebacks.

          plus no one mentioned the colossal and exquisitely revolting farts that accompany the fad.

          still cooler than a smartwatch tho

        3. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

          Re: Sneer at this if you want...

          There's really no reason for so many people to be so hostile to the idea that other people may have different priorities.

          Clearly you're new to the Internet. And quite possibly to humanity. Welcome to Earth! Try to avoid Philadelphia if your head is easily removable.

    3. BlartVersenwaldIII

      Re: Sneer at this if you want...

      I'm not sneering but... perhaps I'm unusual but I consider myself a geek and have never, ever been afraid to take breaks from being sat in front of a computer when it's time to prepare something delicious. Christmas dinner for example - that takes at least a couple of days to prepare for (not counting the weeks beforehand feeding the pudding that you cooked in november and were soaking the fruit for since june) but it's totally worth it.

      Food for me isn't just a source of nutrition, it's also pleasure. So much so that I don't think I can fully comprehend people who eat without pleasure...

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Sneer at this if you want...

      "but how many geeks on here would find it even more convenient if they could simply plug in a power cord and recharge,"

      I tried that once as a child. It really doesn't work.

  10. Zarno
    WTF?

    I thought hospitals already had this...

    Isn't this the same as the stuff used for nasogastric feeding?

    I think I'd rather have some grilled swordfish with grilled zucchini and squash, a pasta salad, and wash it down with a semi sweet white wine.

    1. dan1980

      Re: I thought hospitals already had this...

      Most people would but then most people would also prefer to have a leisurely breakfast and long shower in the morning before taking a nice stroll over to work. Unfortunately, the reality for most people is that they have a quick bite, a quick shower and then squeeze into a train/bus or fight the traffic.

      I'd like to have the time to cover my face in a warm, damp towel, while my brush softens and my purified rainwater heats up, then work up a nice lather of Mitchell's, get out the Merkur and enjoy a nice, close shave.

      But, of course, on a Monday morning I instead rev up the electric and take a few passes to make me respectable - sometimes while simultaneously getting though my toast.

      Also, anyone who has had to subsist for any length of time on current meal substitutes, as provided by hospitals, will attest to their unsuitability.

      1. Roq D. Kasba

        Re: I thought hospitals already had this...

        @dan, May I recommend optimising your morning routine hence - hop in shower with your toothbrush, brush teeth. Next shower gel/shampoo to clean the unclean bits, then finally, whilst hair is rinsing better, a wet shave. The time in the shower softens the bristle whilst you engage in other grooming, and doing all activities in the shower increases your effective shower time.

        Engineers - can't resist optimising things...

        1. Lord Raa

          Re: I thought hospitals already had this...(@Roq D. Kasba)

          "Get excited and make things better" - Engineers

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I thought hospitals already had this...

          You forgot to take a piss in the shower....and yes there was campaign to do this a several months back.

          http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-29552557

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: I thought hospitals already had this...

            "You forgot to take a piss in the shower."

            That'll make the shower trap smell fragrant, particularly since true tree huggers will be taking short, tepid showers under a flow restricting shower head. Trust the UEA (of Climategate infamy) to come up with such a stupid idea, and the BBC to publicise it.

        3. Philip Stott

          Re: I thought hospitals already had this...

          @Clashman - excellent, thought it was just me optimsing morning ablutions ... don't tell me you pre-heat your tea mug on top of the toaster too?

          1. Roq D. Kasba

            Re: I thought hospitals already had this...

            Tea mug pre-heat, that's good. I don't drink tea at home, nor today that often, otherwise I'd try that.

            A respected former lecturer once described engineering as 'Approximate physics for profit', which I thought was rather good, too.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How well does it mix with...

    Chocolate?

    1. Old Handle

      Re: How well does it mix with...

      Apparently.

  12. Grikath
    Devil

    One thing this article proves...

    Any of the recipies could be improved by adding Bacon as an ingredient.

    Just read it again, and while salivating try it ...

  13. Jonski
    Childcatcher

    My happiest food memory

    Eating whole spit-roast piglet directly off the spit, ripping the rich dripping cooked flesh off with my teeth, burning my tongue on the hot bits, trying not to singe my eyebrows in the flames.

    I have before-and-after photos of the piglet. Firstly, running around my feet in the volcanic highlands of Virunga as sold to me by Johnny Walker (his English name), and secondly a few hours later with a spike up its bum and out its mouth, slowly caramelising and rendering in a circular fashion. An animal that most certainly did not die in vain.

    And it was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Soylent. Who am I kidding? Completely unlike Soylent.

  14. OllyL

    It's not that bad...

    I've been on the soylent (1.5 I guess) for about 4 months now, using it just for lunch. I've found it most palatable when you use about 25% less water than they recommend, add a sachet of hot chocolate powder to it, make it about 2 hours before you intend to consume it and add a handful of ice to the mixture before shaking it. It's still largely unappealing; but I like that I can stay in bed for an extra 15 mins (not having to prepare a lunch), and it's considerably cheaper (both in a time sense and $$$) than going down to the food court at the office complex/leaving the building to go find food. I still go out with the team on Fridays, but for Monday to Thursday, soylent worms out at about $2.50 a day and certainly satisfies my appetite.

    1. Grikath

      Re: It's not that bad...

      And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the best use-case of this product.

      If your life is determined by 15 bleedin' minutes of effort and you're still not questioning you're actually Doing Something Wrong, then there's no hope. At all.

      1. OllyL

        Re: It's not that bad...

        Absolutely; my life is optimized around getting up and out of the house as fast as possible, then doing whatever I can to cut down the amount of time spent at work; so that I can get back and spend time with the kids/walk the dog/see the wife, so fifteen minutes in the morning and forty five minutes at lunch get me back an extra hour at the end of the working day. For me, soylent has been great. I'm happy that you have oodles of free time to spend on things like making cheap, tasty and textured lunch; but for my life, it works well and I'm very pleased with the trade off.

    2. Rich 11

      Re: It's not that bad...

      Fifteen minutes in the morning to prepare lunch? It takes me thirty seconds to prepare mine, probably less time than the gloop-mix preparation you describe, and costs about £1.50. And it has the advantage of having both solid and liquid components, along with a variety of flavours.

      1. dONKig

        Re: It's not that bad...

        Well arent you a special snowflake

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's not that bad...

      Whatever floats your boat dear, but to me that's a damned expensive and unappetising way to get that many calories. And I've nothing against artificial foods, I had fake bacon sarnies for breakfast just yesterday, and mmm, they tasted so good! (also mildly expensive, but much more pleasurable than drinking even, say, a strawberry milk shake).

      1. Neil Barnes Silver badge

        Re: It's not that bad...

        $2.50 wouldn't even pass muster for the annual 'quid a day' eating orgy.

        Unless the pound rises to heights unseen since the sixties, of course.

    4. Mark 85

      Re: It's not that bad...

      The title says it all.. sadly. If I'm going to eat, I want it be a) tasty b) satisfying both physically and mentally.

      Sorry, I've tried the commercial protein shakes, etc. and would rather skip a meal than use them.

    5. sisk

      Re: It's not that bad...

      For a while my lunch budget was about $2/week. That got me a loaf of bread and a pack of hotdogs or bologna. I'm not sure which is more unappetizing: that or Soylent.

  15. Rol

    I have a doubt.

    Part of the gastric system relies on information from your mouth, like chewing and suchlike to prepare the body for what's to come.

    The senses in your mouth tell the brain what is going on and the brain in turn tells the stomach, pancreas and associated bits to get a move on.

    As I'm sure people who have eaten chewing gum can testify, mimicking eating food doesn't half play havoc with your gut and so, conversely, not giving your gastric system an heads up must have some consequences.

    I always considered the "everything you need in one handy serving" would have been like a flapjack, indeed, for about three years I made flapjacks every week, to eat at work. Easy to make, plenty of options for flavouring and if enough consideration has gone into it, a perfect nutritional meal, that provides energy throughout the day.

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Re: I have a doubt.

      "As I'm sure people who have eaten chewing gum can testify, mimicking eating food doesn't half play havoc with your gut and so, conversely, not giving your gastric system an heads up must have some consequences."

      Yes, I think I might be a bit concerned at having to share a workspace with anyone planning on living on this stuff. The digestive system will still keep pushing down through your system, even if there's nothing solid to move. People who skip lunch tend to fart more. I dread to think what will happen to someone not eating solids at all.

      ISTR there has been some concern about calorie free artificial sweeteners with regard to the the brain and digestive system getting the sweet taste and preparing for an onslaught of high carb calories which then fail to arrive so the digestive chemicals produced then don't get used up,

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I have a doubt.

        I have a friend who's been in Soylent (or an alternative) for a while and he tells me that he doesn't fart much more than normal and even shits less but when it comes out, it REALLY comes out. Fun!

  16. Winkypop Silver badge
    Devil

    "alt-food slurry"

    This will have the wall paper paste fanciers in a stir!

    There's much more to food than the nutrients received.

    Make time to cook properly.

  17. thomas k

    Or ...

    You could just have a couple of Boosts or Ensures.

  18. msknight

    Ok I've had all I can take...

    Search -> "Post-pub neckfiller"

  19. NorthernCoder
    Coat

    I'm waiting for...

    ...the eco-friendly version, Soylent Green!

  20. Elmer Phud

    But I don't have

    A fixed wheel bike, a dodgy beard, a top-knot or trousers that appear to have been stolen from a washing line of 14 yr olds clothes.

    I am not qualified --- PLUS only 400 calories?

    I prefer a fried egg and bacon butty.

  21. Jimboom

    Could be a world solution?

    Sounds like the perfect food for Vegans/veggies. They can eat nothing but this stuff, which will then allow us to reduce the amount of vegetables we grow, thereby reducing carbon emissions from growing/transporting the stuff, also think of the water it would save, perfect for drought stricken areas.

    Which would also give us meat eaters more room to be able to raise more piggies for bacon... sweet sweet bacon.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If this was given to prisoners

    We would call it cruel and unusual punishment.

  23. Lostintranslation

    This article reminds me of why I was once a Guardian reader. It used to be funny, witty, erudite and engaging.

    This article also reminds me of why I don't read The Guardian anymore. It's no longer funny, witty, erudite and engaging.

    Thank god for El Reg then.

    1. LucreLout

      This article reminds me of why I was once a Guardian reader. It used to be funny, witty, erudite and engaging.

      You must be very old.

      For the past 30 years I've been old enough to be familiar with its works, the Guardian has been hypocritical, illogical, emotive, and just plain wrong.

      Why, take its work on tax avoidance by the use of SPEs, offshore trusts, and venture capitalists - that saved it over £350,000,000 in taxes, which would have paid for a lot of nurses. And yet it emotively campaigns against this behaviour for everyone else.

      I could raise its "use me as a mouthpiece" fiasco from this very website as further example of an appauling lack of rigour, intellect, or rationale from its own science editor.

      In short, the Guardian is not what it pretends to be and it is not what its most avid readers believe it to be. Its just a left wing Daily Mail, nothing more.

      1. Lostintranslation

        You ain't wrong.

        You're right.

        I have read a full copy of the Guardian since about 1980. That fits in pretty well with your timescale.

        Why and how did the left become so feckin' humourless?

  24. mmeier

    And the most important questions:

    Does it also come in Green?

    Is there enough of the green variety or will we get Soylent Riots every Tuesday?

    Do we want to know what the green version is made of?

  25. JDX Gold badge

    I get the impression Neil isn't that impressed

    I might just be reading too much between the lines, but there seemed to be a very slight negative bias in the article.

    1. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

      Re: I get the impression Neil isn't that impressed

      All his comparisons seem fair and accurate to me.

  26. scrubber
    Headmaster

    Soylent Corporation

    Only Soylent Green is/was/will be people, Soylent Yellow is made from soybean concentrate and Soylent Red is similar, but slightly more palatable.

    The concept of re-using viable organic material seems fairly obvious to me but others seem somewhat squeamish about it.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: Soylent Corporation

      Well.. some folks consider us IT types to be the Morlocks of the world...

  27. Dr. G. Freeman
    Pint

    Stuff it,

    Off to The Archibald Simpson.

    It's Tuesday- Steak and Pint Special day. Proper food.

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      I'm still groaning from yesterdays kebab pizza :-)

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    As a day to day thing, if you're really busy, this might replace a smoothie or something similar as breakfast. Also, if you're serious about weight training, this could maybe replace a couple of meals a day.

    But, where it's really useful is in natural disasters, like earthquakes, hurricanes etc. Food and water in one hit and done. And it doesn't need refrigeration or cooking.

  29. lukewarmdog

    Diet shake

    So is the point of this not just because it's handy but also weight loss a la slimfast?

    Two delicious shakes followed by actual food?

    Guessing that's where they're aiming it at, rather than at the whey protein drinking bodybuilder crowd.

    I can see it being useful in food shortage situations, especially the pre-watered variety for disaster hit areas.

    I'm actually more confused having looked at their website than I was before I read it.

    "Some people use it almost exclusively" - do they, really tho?

  30. hatti

    Not for me

    I'm in the habit of not trusting anything that's served as a gooey slurry.

    It's far too easy to disguise a horse that way.

  31. cray74
    Paris Hilton

    Farm-free algae?

    "with half of its fat energy coming from farm-free, algae sources"

    Er...since I thought most edible bacteria was a product of algaculture farms, if the algae is "farm free," where did it come from?* Local retention ponds and drainage ditches?**

    *Non-rhetorical question.

    **Rhetorical, but speculative answers welcome.

    1. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

      Re: Farm-free algae?

      There's a comma between "farm-free" and "algae"; both adjectives modify "sources". The algae isn't farm-free; the sources are. No farms are ground up to produce Soylent.

  32. dONKig

    Ignorance

    The ignorance of this "journalist" is laughable.

    Soylent is used by most not as a complere meal replacement.

    But it is much better for you when you are on a trip or at work than eating the fast food crap that is offered to you there.

    Good luck getting a filet mignon with steamed vegetables and a salad in the next gas station, when on a road trip.

    1. cray74

      Re: Ignorance

      "But it is much better for you when you are on a trip or at work than eating the fast food crap that is offered to you there."

      My cafeteria has egg-white omelets, made-to-order wraps, a salad bar, and other healthy offerings (which I ignore in favor of the heart-clogging hot food line and grill). The glop-in-a-bottle doesn't necessarily trump work food on healthiness.

      Of course, not everyone has a cafeteria like that at work. Fortunately, Soylent 2.0 isn't the first attempt at producing shelf-storable foods suitable for keeping at your desk. There are many dried, salted, smoked, ultra-pasteurized, and otherwise preserved healthy foods that will store nicely at your desk and require no cooking. My cube mate favors granola, cereal, and dried fruits (which are options I ignore in favor salt-and-fat concoctions like Hormel's "Compleats" series of microwavable meals and Campbell soup). Again, Soylent 2.0's not really offering anything new for healthy, preparation-free work food even when healthy cafeterias aren't available.

      Travel's much the same. If you can keep it at your desk then it can go in a briefcase. For a day's road trip there are plenty of less storable, healthy foods that will keep, like a sandwich in a sealed bag. Even a filet mignon sandwich is safe for a day or two.

      Some other novel inventions of the past century have included items like "Thermoses" and "insulation" that preserve food temperatures for hours at a time so you can have a healthy, hot or chilled meal on the road.

      I'm given to understand militaries have put some consideration into preserved, nutritious, varied meal packs of convenient size, too.

    2. Vic

      Re: Ignorance

      The ignorance of this "journalist" is laughable.

      First day here - two posts on this subject. Welcome to The Register.

      Vic.

  33. sisk

    I actually want to get some Soylent to keep at the office for those days I forget to grab my lunch on my way out the door. Unappetizing as it is it's still better than the fast food I've had to eat on those does. A hell of a lot cheaper too. Mind you I'd probably opt for the powder with a shelf life measured in decades over the premix that I have to be sure to get through in a year.

  34. ilithium

    Version 3.0

    I'm waiting for v3.0, when it WILL be made of people

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon