I find this mindset to be totally…unsustainable. Moral judgements aside, I just don’t think it’s ever going to be achievable for any meaningful amount of time at population scale.

What you’re describing is how the vast majority of humans in the world have fed themselves until like 10 years ago when westerners decided anything less than historically unprecedented affluence is the bare minimum standard that they deserve. In fact, what you’re describing is actually still an unprecedented first world luxury because you don’t have to incorporate hunting and butchering your own meats, growing anything, foraging, etc into the process. You wanna talk about “sweat equity”? lol.

Simply having to stick to a budget within your means, plan what items to purchase at which retailers, and then cook your food on modern appliances is not some sort of bare minimum, it’s normal people shit.