7 Easiest "Poor" Foods That Will Make You RICHER (That The Japanese Swear By)

Key Message

• The video argues that “poor foods” in America are often actually more budget-friendly, more filling, and more nutritious options—especially staples Japanese families rely on during hard times.
• The central theme: make simple swaps for inexpensive, minimally processed foods to reduce grocery spending while improving meal quality.

Budget Strategy (“7 Swaps”)

• Make all seven swaps and compare costs using your own receipts.
• The creator claims annual savings add up to ~$2,000–$2,800, depending on household size.
• The swaps emphasize buying whole ingredients (like whole cabbage) instead of convenience/packaged versions.

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#7 Cabbage (whole head) — cheap, versatile, high value

Why it’s recommended

• A whole head of cabbage costs about $1.50–$2 and can feed the family for multiple days.
• Nutrient-dense for very few calories (notably vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin K).

How to cook it (Japanese-style pan-browning)

1. Cut the head in half, then slice into thick wedges so they hold together.
2. Lay wedges flat in a hot pan with a little oil.
3. Leave undisturbed 4–5 minutes until the flat side browns.
4. Flip once and cook a few more minutes.
5. Finish with a soy sauce splash at the end.

Mistake to avoid

• Don’t stir constantly—stirring leads to steaming instead of browning.
  • The video says browning tastes sweeter and closer to “candy.”

Avoid

• Bagged coleslaw kits: they often lose crunch, go slimy in ~3 days, and cost more per cabbage.

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#6 Natto (fermented soybeans) — probiotic breakfast

Why it’s recommended

• Costs about ~$2 for 3 servings (around under $0.70 per breakfast).
• Traditionally eaten for close to a thousand years.
• Positioned as helpful for heart health and bone strength (per the video).

How to make Natto Gohan

1. Thaw natto (counter or fridge overnight).
2. Stir beans hard 30–40 times until pale and stringy.
3. Add sauce packet + mustard.
4. Serve over hot rice.
5. Top with chopped green onion.
6. Optional taste adjustments:
   • Start with half a pack on a larger bowl of rice.
   • Mix in a raw egg (the video says this helps kids ease in).

Mistakes / tips

• Skipping vigorous stirring changes texture/smell negatively (as claimed by the video).
• Strong smell/stickiness may take adjustment; if you still hate it after several tries, move on and try other swaps.

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#5 Udon (real udon + egg) — fast, cheap “carry-all” meal

Cost / convenience

• Frozen udon blocks: about $3 for five servings (roughly 30–60 cents per person).
• Dried udon is even cheaper.

Japanese dinner ideas

• Kake udon: simple noodles in broth
• Sukimi udon: egg yolk “moon viewing”
• Nabiaki udon: uses leftover fridge items simmered in

Basic recipe (9-minute method)

1. Boil water; loosen/fetch noodles from frozen block (~1 minute).
2. In a separate pot, heat 2 cups water with ½ tsp dashī powder; turn off heat.
3. Add splashes of soy sauce and mirin (after removing from heat).
4. Add noodles to bowl; crack egg into broth.
5. Cover with a plate for ~1 minute so yolk stays soft and white cooks.

Mistakes to avoid

• Don’t boil soy sauce in the broth (dries off sweetness; leaves salt-only flavor).
• Don’t cook noodles in the broth (can cloud it and make it gluey).

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#4 Wakame (dried seaweed) — small amount, big minerals

Why it’s recommended

• Bag lasts months: 1 tbsp dry flakes → full bowl in ~5 minutes (cold water soak).
• Nutrient density: claims more calcium/iron per gram than $4 bagged kale.
• Also mentions iodine and thyroid support.
• Very low calories (~10 per bowl).

How to soak/use

1. Soak 1 tbsp flakes in cold water for ~5 minutes.
2. Drain and gently squeeze.
3. Use in:
   • Miso soup
   • Wakehan: soaked seaweed mixed with hot rice + pinch of salt
   • Sonomono: seaweed-cucumber salad with rice vinegar, sugar, soy

Mistakes to avoid

• Don’t start with a handful—overdoing it ruins the experience.
• Don’t soak in hot water (texture becomes soft/slippery and taste suffers).

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#3 Canned mackerel (Saba) — high protein for low cost

Why it’s recommended

• About $1.50–$2.50 per can, with ~20–25 g protein.
• Claimed benefits: omega-3 fats, calcium (from soft bones), and vitamin D.
• Suggested as a safer frequent option vs tuna/swordfish for heavy metals (per the video).

How to eat it (3-minute meal)

1. Put hot rice in a bowl.
2. Tip in mackerel + its liquid.
3. Add soy sauce, squeeze lemon, and chopped green onion.
4. Optional: chili flakes.

Tips

• Avoid draining the liquid (omega-3/flavor are in it).
• If you disliked it cold straight from the tin, warm it in a dry hot pan for ~30 seconds to improve aroma.

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#2 Sweet potato (satsumo) — “breakfast hack” with history

Cost / use

• ~$1–$1.50 per pound at Walmart; four big sweet potatoes under $4.
• The video suggests roasting for the week and reheating quickly in the morning.

How to cook

• Roast whole, skin on, nothing added.
• Oven at ~400°F for ~1 hour.
• Key idea: slow roasting converts starch to sugar.

Mistake to avoid

• Don’t microwave (the video says it turns dry/mealy and tastes “cardboard-like”).

Storage

• Keep in a cool, dark cupboard (not the refrigerator), so texture/sweetness stay right.

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#1 Miso soup with tofu (ikiju isai) — cheapest “finished” flavor

Why it’s recommended

• Miso paste is cheap and lasts: ~$4–$5 tub yields ~30–40 bowls.
• A bowl is positioned as ~60 calories and deeply satisfying.
• The video links it to the phrase ikiju isai (“one soup and one dish”), describing a meal structure used across social classes.

How to make (about 4 minutes)

1. Heat 2 cups water + ½ tsp dashī powder.
2. Add cubed tofu + pinch of soaked wakame; warm briefly.
3. Turn off heat completely.
4. In a ladle: add 1 tbsp miso, mix with some hot broth (mash smoothly to prevent lumps), then stir into pot.
5. Top with chopped green onion.

Non-negotiable rule

• Never boil miso.
  • Boiling kills live cultures and flattens flavor (the video says this is the difference between restaurant miso and bland homemade miso).

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Notable Locations, Products, and References

• Locations: Kobe; Osaka; Tokyo (train stations); Hokkaido; Okinawa
• Products/Foods mentioned: cabbage, natto, udon, dashī powder, wakame, canned mackerel (saba), sweet potatoes (satsumo), miso paste, tofu
• Book / brand mention: frugaljapan.shop (creator’s book offering frugal Japanese recipes and grocery-saving strategies)