The thing that everyone ITT seems to be forgetting is that while yes making rice or beans or something similar can be cheap and also very filling. When someone is working 40+ hours a week at multiple jobs to keep a roof over their heads, depression is inevitable. Living paycheck to paycheck is stressful, anxiety inducing, and depressing. So when someone is exhausted and depressed, sometimes all they have the energy for is to pour a bowl of cereal, because anything beyond that is just too much.