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[Descan]

Maybe he does hope to make it cheaper via economy of scale, but he doesn't know by how much yet so he's keeping zip until he gets it running?

[DWC]

For cheap, healthy and balanced meals, it's really not that difficult. I think western people tend to put too much emphasis on vitamins and minerals and whatnot, especially for adults. I can only think of one person I encountered that had a nutritional deficiency and the only food he ate for the last several years was white bread and vodka and he only lacked sufficient calcium. Nutritional deficiencies are a 3rd world problem where the variety is very limited, flatbread, rice, beans ad nasuasm and even then it's only a major problem with children.

Try the fresh food section, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, turnips are dirt cheap. Dry lentils and beans. Noodles. Chicken is still really cheap. Eggs are cheap. Make soup. You can live forever off ingredients like that and it's very inexpensive.

I think if you wanted a dirt-cheap mass produced soylent type product, it'd be more like the nutraloaf they serve in prison. It's just that nutraloaf slurry you drink from a tall glass would basically just be really dodgy and unappetizing soup. So this guy's product is a different niche market then something like the factory-produced famine food stuff like it's namesake was in the book.

[Sheb]

I'm just going to point out that there is a world of differences between a perfectly healthy diet and one where you don't detect any nutritional deficiency.

[ibot66]

Also, soylent is supposed to be quick. It's supposed to fulfill all your nutritional requirements without taking time to prepare.

[SalmonGod]

E-mail update

Thanks to the incredible response we've seen in the past three weeks, we are delighted to announce that we will be accepting selected international orders immediately!

At this time, we are confident of being able to ship Soylent to the following countries:
Canada, UK, Mexico: December 2013
All other EU countries: March 2014

To accommodate higher shipping costs, we've created 5 new reward levels:
$75 - One Week's Supply of Soylent
$150 - Two Weeks of Soylent
$270 - One Month's Supply of Soylent
$525 - Two Months Of Soylent
$770 - Three Months of Soylent

If you are outside of these countries, we appreciate your patience as we work with individual regulatory agencies to get Soylent certified for import, and will be sending out further updates as our progress continues towards worldwide Soylent availability.  Sign up for additional updates regarding international shipping here: http://bit.ly/soylent-intl

Also, please note that while these are conservative ship dates that we should be able to fulfill with ease, they are still estimates and unforeseen issues could push them back.  We will be sending updates as necessary.

If you haven't taken our Soylent survey yet, we encourage you to do so!  We're gathering data on what kind of blends you are excited about, how often you're planning on replacing meals with Soylent, and more!  Share your feedback with us here: http://bit.ly/soylent-feedback

Want to share Soylent with your friends and family?  Check us out at facebook.com/soylentme.  Want to talk to us? Email info@soylent.me!

Thanks again for all of your feedback and support, knowing we have the backing of so many people around the world is a wonderful feeling!

Also, the $500k stretch goal reward is that a blender bottle will be included if you donated enough to be rewarded with some Soylent.

Someone from Forbes did a week-long trial of the stuff, eating only one small meal of real food in that period.  It was refreshing to see somebody unrelated to the product do this.  All the other articles I've read basically commented on their emotional reactions to the idea.  This guy actually gave it a fair shot, despite not really being in favor of it in the beginning, because he loves cooking and food.  He ended up liking it.  Said he'll probably live on the stuff for 1/2 to 2/3 of his meals after it's made commercially available, and that he'll no longer have an excuse to skip breakfast.

[Scelly9]

GlyphGryph, did you ever start on this?

[Moghjubar]

I've got an order of it too... and I got el-cheapo version here already as well, so I can compare when he finally ships (assuming all things good).  Stopped on the el-cheapo for now due to how easy it is to do too much of it and turn it into soylent-enema instead (got to add a crapton of fiber, and then I still have to do a half-dose only).

[GlyphGryph]

Review of cheapo version:

Fucking powder.

Fucking powder everywhere.

Hard to find effective containers and make in batches in advance. Not nearly as convenient as I'd hoped. And I ran out of one of the ingredients so it's on hold until I get more. It tastes terrible IF you botch it up and don't mix it properly, but tastes okay if everything is mixed properly (especially if you drink the vitamin fluid separately). Got a lot better after I got some specialized hardware like a mixing cup.

Overall less convenient and less tasty than eating vegetarian chick'n patty sandwiches with baby spinach on it for every meal, but probably healthier and at least a bit more fun to throw together.

It also helped me get over some longstanding medical issues which was nice, as it apparently gave some internal wounds I've had for like 4 years the time they needed to properly heal, and all that "food" stuff was why they were still bothering me as it was apparently re-opening the wounds with every meal, which was a nice if unexpected side benefit.

I'm hoping once I get in the "real stuff", some of the taste problems will be fixed (I'm pretty sure the main bad tasting stuff wasn't the bits I needed, but the fluid they were suspended in), and hopefully it will come pre mixed or at least not require me to measure out stuff from a dozen different containers every day.

Overall, though, I'm currently missing it as it is cheaper and more filling than my usual fair, and suppressed the urge to snack constantly. (I sipped constantly instead, and still had enough for a "big dinner" cup a few hours before bed).

So, overall impression:
Lot more of a hassle than I thought it would be, dedicated supplies (a mixing cup and several decent sized containers with the ability to pour powder) a must
BUT I liked it and enjoyed having it.
I'm hopeful for the real thing, as the major issues are primarily me-issues and crappy-inappropriate-ingredient-mix issues, which I think that will resolve.

[Skyrunner]

Nice to hear it's not snake oil, even if it's a coincidential side-effect.

[SalmonGod]

A pretty good follow-up interview to the one that first made Soylent internet famous.

[Descan]

Every other article I read about this, whether approving in the end or not, seems to deride it and the makers. "Hah they're nerds! It looks gross! Get it, they're nerds?"

[SalmonGod]

I just like how good Rob has gotten at dealing with the critiques.  He has very concise, clever, and meaningful responses.  Like this one.

Nutritionists, foodies, and other critics seemed particularly attached to the idea of chewing, and are mad at you for taking it away. Are you dedicated to the smoothie medium or could Soylent move into bars and cereals and other solid foods?

We can make anything, but a liquid is the best for nutrient absorption. Humans started chewing in the first place because it makes food closer to a liquid.

Shit, that's a good point.

[Descan]

Yeah, but it makes reading about it annoying. :/ Everyone thinks they're so clever deriding people, I hate it. It's bringing people down to bring yourself up, it's cheap writing, it's everywhere, and I haaaate it.

[SalmonGod]

Really?  I don't think he's that derisive.  He's actually incredibly chill given the amount of derision he has received from critics.  He pretty much sticks to stating facts.  Those facts just happen to be really good at highlighting how much emotional reactionism is inherent in the things people say about him and his project.  He has to respond somehow.  So when the driest, most straightforward factual response possible makes someone look like an idiot, I think that's really their own fault.

[Descan]

Salmon, no. Bad.

* Descan smacks the FishLord with a newspaper.

I was talkling about the derision -of the guys who make Soylent- by the critics!