Hacker News Reader

Comment by digitalpacman | Hacker News Reader

My biggest gripe, which has me real close to complaining to the times about it, is he didn't even talk about any of the other avenues of flavoring the product that the owners advertise themselves. Never once mentioned adding chocolate, or vanilla, or peanut butter. You can add anything you want. It helps, isn't great, but it makes it much better. Also he didn't mention if he left it in the fridge for a few hours to let it settle. Which you're supposed to do in order to let the rice protein mix well. All of which the owners mention, but no actual facts are in the article. It felt like he wanted to complain.

View on HN

These are good points for discussion. But the counter-arguments is that they add cost, complexity, and time.

I can readily buy 2000 calories of food that are shelf-stable for under the $9/day price of solent. That are equal in weight (500g), hit a target of 15% protein, are compact in volume... and far more palatable for long durations.

Soylent has going for it that its easy 1-step and always predictable with minimal preperation and packaging. Once I start having to mix or pre-soak, Soylent has no apparent advantage to the system I just highlighted above.

It basically becomes assemblage if not outright cooking. And the need for something like a fridge? Again I think it is capital intensive and sort of against yhe minimalist ethos/usp of soylent.

I wish I could prepare, cook, eat, and clean a meal in the time it takes to create a shake, drink it, and wash out the cup.

Do tell, what's your secret?

This explains the math. 140 cal/28g. Prep time <5min.

http://andrewskurka.com/adventures/alaska-yukon-expedition/f...

Also, on general Considerations in Food Items:

http://andrewskurka.com/2010/the-5000-calories-per-day-wilde...

A worked example in more detail (see "Daily Rations"):

http://andrewskurka.com/2012/food-planning-for-multi-day-hik...

Possibly. At any rate, the loss/gain of Soylent is all about the type of person you are. I don't expect someone who doesn't see the appeal/desire of Soylent, to enjoy drinking it.. Rob didn't intend for that.. it's supposed to be cheap, neutral, and healthy. Nothing more, nothing less.

With that said, i'm super excited for it, and i've been drinking DIY "Soylent" for a few days now, since i'm getting impatient waiting for official soylent, and i couldn't be happier. It's everything i wanted. Once the official stuff gets here, i'll spend even less time preparing, and in theory it will taste better too (mainly less grit).

You're not supposed to let it settle. The instructions dont advise it; they just say to drink it within two days.

It's a widely suggested tip, but it's not as if it's a documented instruction step.

in my opinion, to review any experience other than the one derived from exact use of the instructions is rather dishonest.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com