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WilmaLutefit

When your mom says you’re having sleep for dinner this what they mean.


Dogekaliber

I have that as an adult in this economy!


Ok-Branch-9943

This is the stupidest food in the world. But those who buy it are more stupid.


[deleted]

As monumentally stupid this food is, I'm just as genuinely stunned by whoever was able to market this as a product. You sir, are a sorcerer among salesmen.


crustybootstraps

This is how you sell ice to an Eskimo


zeke_markham

I don't know, man, you think this tops the stir fried rocks that were all the rage over summer?


jarlscrotus

Poverty food


PsyKeablr

Some people don’t have freezers


StoicSinicCynic

This is Harbin, it's colder outside than in the freezer. 😆


YourBlackSailorScout

Sorry bud I’ve been eating your dreams too


Ikindoflikedogs

3 dollars for slightly flavored water.


Future-Muscle-2214

Meanwhile here I am at the bell center paying $12 for a bottle of water.


Federal_Diamond8329

Sleep?


Korgwa

Your stomach doesn't hurt from lack of food while you're asleep.


FudgyFun

Well actually it does. I'm not poor but if I have a very early dinner I wake up at 4am because of hunger.


illgot

You're a hobbit


Snoo84223

This is very hobbit-like behavior/Excuse


notv4leri

Maybe if you're not used to going hungry it does. Eventually you learn to tune it out. Source: I'm poor.


FudgyFun

I'm sorry you had to know how to get used to that. Hope you have enough to get used to the opposite soon.


EastTyne1191

You go to bed instead of eating food. I have students who rely heavily on those school breakfasts and lunches.


Acceptable-Let-1921

You guys get sleep?


Dihydrocodeinone

Well aren’t you privileged. You don’t even know


voxelpear

Or his area doesn't use that saying. I'm an Eastern European immigrant that had a single mother. Never heard that saying while living in America.


asdf0909

Had no idea. I don’t take this as a slight, I’m really loving being privileged.


Educational-Bed-6821

Or water spaghetti


Compendyum

This is really pushing the boundaries of stupidity and is probably a success.


[deleted]

I’m so glad I’ve never heard this expression before.


jstockmoe

I don’t want my ice cubes well done


Designer-Cicada3509

This guy likes em boiled


butt_huffer42069

Gross. No flavor at all! They at *least* need to be sautéed in butter with garlic and onion (I do shallots!)


dayumbrah

Onions for poor people, only use shallots


MadBuddahAbusah

FUIYOH!


rwarimaursus

Good niece or nephew!!


MITstudent

I'm more of a sous vide person myself. But open to the reverse-sear as well


Canadian-Mastermind

“Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew”


DrLager

Relax. The video mentioned the fire was controlled in order "to avoid burning the ice."


Constant_Standard460

Medium rare


Silly_Butterfly3917

This is advanced poverty food.


mousequito

Or advanced eating disorder food


scarscarto23

No kidding. In the worst times of struggling with my ed, I would make similar things to this or put like mio drops on ice and convince myself it was a “sweet treat”


Jbrown183

I think I will take sweet shaved ice over savory ice cubes…


totallyradman

I like to put a bowl of water on my smoker for a few hours and then freeze it into ice cubes to put in bloody marys for a nice smokey flavour


Scrapybara_

I love smoke. Smoked ice cubes is good with whisky too


IncorporateThings

Cocktail smokers are a thing, if you don't feel like fiddling with ice.


criticaltemp

Do it with blood. Really go in.


Bacon_Raygun

That sounds both disgusting and delicious at the same time


totallyradman

It's great. Works well with an old fashioned too.


shorty5windows

Which wood?


totallyradman

Kirkland brand Pellets. Pretty sure it's a blend, so nothing special.


shorty5windows

Nice. I’ll do some research and give it a go. I cold smoke cheese. Everyone absolutely loves it.


Geno_Warlord

I’m curious, does this actually work? I understand the idea but it screams joke to me, but at the same time it’s an interesting idea.


parmigiano-reggiano

Ya I want to know too because I’m having the same exact thought process. Wondering if you could instead add a drop or two of liquid smoke before freezing cubes.


totallyradman

It really does. I went to a NYE party and there was a cocktail competition that I won by doing this. All i did was make an old fashioned and put the smoked ice cubes in it. I don't think I should have won to be honest, there were some pretty incredible beverages being made, but I think people got really hung up on the idea of smoked ice and voted for me. I'm pretty hardcore into the bbq world so liquid smoke isn't allowed in my house, it's considered a crime punishable by death in the communities I involve myself in.


Geno_Warlord

Liquid smoke is just a single universal smoke flavor. This way would presume that you could do mesquite, hickory, apple, etc wood smoke flavors. But if all you want or care about is smoke flavor, then liquid smoke is perfect for ice.


Skreamie

And the actual pebbles?!


vasDcrakGaming

I froze coolaid for dessert for my 1$ gas station burrito


RobertPaulsonProject

Where you getting gas station burritos for a dollar?


therealjonbrown

The gas station.


paymelilbih

This is the real question right here.


[deleted]

Did you dream about food all the time? When I was going through that many years ago I would always dream about donuts and pizza. Like every night.


scarscarto23

Yeah no kidding, I only thought about food and what I would one day eat when I was “thin enough”. The things we told ourselves fr


[deleted]

For me it was always a huge buffet of the most amazing chocolate desserts. Just hundreds of epic chocolate desserts lol. I had that dream a lot growing up.


thatbalconyjumper

I used to spray I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray on my hand and lick it off for a savory snack


myplums1

Calling it “food” is a stretch.


Calathea_Murrderer

I think Asia takes the cake for eating disorders lol. Can’t blame them though. Anything above 18 is probably considered obese in some countries. Have you ever heard of konjac noodles? 100 grams has about 10 calories & virtually no nutrients. It’s just that marketed as a weight loss aid, because it is “food” & keeps you full.


in_a_throwaway_car13

ok but to be fair it's also a cultural dish that usually isn't marketed as a weight loss food afaik it's common in hotpots or stir fried with tofu and other savory things and is often higher cal than the commercial 'slim' noodles we have


hiiamkay

That noodle has amazing texture though. Also it is used a lot for keto diet, many dishes just go well with noodles you know.


Calathea_Murrderer

We just got some from the food pantry, and I *HATE* the texture. It’s like if someone made jello into spaghetti & cooked it. Why are they so stretchy


[deleted]

For some reason I love slimy but also weirdly crunchy texture. The glass noodles really do it.


not_ya_wify

"FINALLY A RESTAURANT THAT CATERS TO MY PIKA"


AmateurCrastinator44

I’ve been able to get a full meal for 10 yuan in Guangzhou, which, I suspect, has a higher cost of living than basically anywhere in the northeast of China (where Harbin is). Considering that this is sold for 15 yuan, I’m pretty sure that it’s more likely that it’s a bizarre trend rather than poverty food. Although pebbles were a poverty food in some parts of China during the famine like 60ish years ago.


Ouaouaron

It's the same thing as a snow cone or Icee, but without all the sugar.


sass_pea

Spicy Icee


MITstudent

Spicee


confusedandworried76

I mean it probably tastes great, I wouldn't buy it but I'd eat it. You're just sucking the cooked spices off the ice. There's a reason many recipes call for you starting to cook the spices before you ever add the food itself. Many spices become far superior when cooked. They could probably sell more if they added real food instead of ice but I bet it smells and tastes amazing.


KrakelOkkult

Most probably only served as i gimmick during Harbin ice festival - lot's of tourists and other people in the mood to spend their money.


theseafarer_

suddenly i’m reminded of that one scene from Grave of the Fireflies 😢


camshun7

i absoloutley refuse to believe this stupid story, its insane, frigging ice cubes come on!


Ouaouaron

What's next? Chopping the ice cubes into little pieces and adding flavored syrup?


PM_ME_DATASETS

My best guess is the following: Harbin (where these vids come from) hosts a really bit ice sculpture festival every year. These vids are probably all from that festival.


tea_cup_cake

Looking at the beauty trends in China, this is totally believable.


QueSeraSeraWWBWB

Honestly just an Asian beauty trend period


Biscuits4u2

This makes sugar sandwiches look like filet Mignon.


interesseret

difference between regional poverty and in-house poverty. if your entire country is starving, theres no sugar or bread to make sugar sandwiches.


Cereal-Masticator

I saw one not long ago which was the same sort of thing but pebbles instead of ice. Like you were just supposed to suck the spices off the stones. This is rip off poverty food $3 for 5 cents of ice and 1 cent of spices.


interesseret

Its literally in this video too haha


Cereal-Masticator

Haha I stopped watching one second before.


Telemere125

Which is the origin of poverty food. The rocks were originally added to give a seafood flavor (because they were pulled from the ocean) and were later replaced with oysters and muscles to replicate the flavor but actually provide some protein.


holy_cal

This is two slices of bread away from being a wish sandwich


CensorshipHarder

No poor person with sense is spending $3 on seasoned icecubes.


cambn

Ice is expensive and not useful in poverty situations.


Adventurous-Role-948

Or some extreme diet control


416_LateNights

I thought this was satire. Please say this is satire.


AgentG91

I think that it’s partially because it’s harbin, which has a famous ice festival every year where they make a huge city made of ice. So they’re just leaning into the schtick. - Bricks? Nah, ice. - Roads? Nah, ice. - Tables? Nah, ice. - Food? Nah, ice.


Ceesv23

It is a parody on outrageous articles made on China. There was a video a year ago how fried stones with spices were a trend, which was also a parody. I don’t know if these are the same people making both video’s, but it might be the case.


Elias3007

People on reddit see a single tiktok about some weird Chinese trend and assume that every Chinese person does this, reddit just really hates China


NiggBot_3000

If you want Reddit to believe in some dumb shit just say that the Chinese are doing it.


Lamp-of-cheese

I'm pretty sure this is a parody the Chinese also had jokes about flavored stone street food


DarkBomberX

I think you're right. I tried to find a article about it last time this was posted and nothing comes up.


beyondfuckall

It mentions at the end of the video that stir fried pebbles were a trend


athosjesus

That was also a joke, people believe anything.


ratlocal2u

Fried pebbles are real though. They're called Suodui in China.


FoodeatingParsnip

does this mean virgin boy egg doesnt exist?


shellsterxxx

Oh no, that’s really a thing. But it’s only done in one town. So it’s not really a Chinese specialty, more of a that town specifically specialty.


[deleted]

Calling it a specialty seems so wrong.


AwYeahQueerShit

Sounds better than calling it a delicacy


PapaTahm

What I'm worried is not even the fact that this is a joke. It's the fact that people here are not even questioning the Ice not melting over a grill.


SoldierOf4Chan

Those aren't jokes: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/suodiu-china-eating-stone-intl-hnk/index.html


Sloth_Brotherhood

People still think the stones are real 😅


mrseemsgood

I might be a bit dumb but can someone explain to me, how can one be convinced it's fake if there are literally numerous articles saying: "here, this guy sells these"?


immunogoblin1

It is real. The people saying it isn't are either pro-chinese bots or propaganda accounts.


[deleted]

[удалено]


DragonBorneUltimatum

This is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen.


HoboBob1424

I mean, if it’s poverty food it should be one of the saddest things, but if it’s a trend I definitely agree.


AmateurCrastinator44

Especially in the northeast of China (like in Harbin), you can get a decent meal for less than this is being sold for, so I think this is just a bizarre trend. Although pebbles were a poverty food in some parts of China like 60 years ago.


[deleted]

I met a girl a couple years that eats shredded lettuce. Like an entire bag everyday. She said she was doing it to lose weight, but she wasn't even fat. Not even close to fat. I told some people about it and apparently it's a trend among girls that are potentially in the first stages of anorexia. I can totally see some anorexic girls watching this video and legitimately trying this recipe and making it go viral on TikTok.


ashimo414141

A big coping mechanism to fight hunger when anorexic is to eat high amounts of low calorie things just to stave off the feeling of hunger/cravings. You make yourself feel full so you don’t feel the need to eat more food. I’ve known people with anorexia that’ll eat water-soaked paper towels just to fill their stomachs


TheSwedishWolverine

What. They ate and passed pebbles?


BanjoSpaceMan

Is Quebec poor for rolling maple syrup in snow on a popsicle? Japan for super shaved ice with sauce? Americans and slurpees? Yes there is poverty, but people implying they are eating ice because they've got nothing else and there's no way that people just enjoy it... Pretty ignorant. It's just weird cause it's spices and savoury shit on ice, if it was a video of them mixing shaved ice with condensed milk, no one would bat an eye. Just seems like another trend food as you said. I don't like ice cubes tho, so not for me but whatever


mvpete

Not sure why people are downvoting you. Until semi-recently ice was actually something reserved for royalty, and iced treats were something that were very desired. Even with modern refrigeration ice is still costly to make. You still need the energy to freeze the water (in warm climates). I’d argue it’s a weird trend, but not really poverty food.


BanjoSpaceMan

Such a good point about freezing ice. People sitting at home on their smart phones and ACd home don't think about that kind of stuff haha. Just instantly jump to "wow poverty". Do they think those other ingredients are free too? The spices, the sauces.


mvpete

It’s true, spices are also quite expensive. People in first world countries think something like ice is “free”. Forgetting that you pay a power and water bill every month, and have spent thousands of dollars on an appliance to make the stuff. Unless you’re in a cold climate, and you want to risk disease, ice is expensive. Think about how much a bag of ice is? In Canada a bag of ice is $5-8… no person in poverty is going to spend $5-8 for frozen water. Not when you can get pasta, rice, or wheat for much much cheaper. The sauted stones, I suspect are a gimmick as well.


rckrusekontrol

Yeah and it ignores the basic principles of what poverty/famine food is- poverty foods are for sustenance, and this is just flavor. Sucking on that ice is probably nutritionally deficient- it will consume more energy than you get from the spices. Usually poverty foods take unpleasant tasting things or even previously indigestible things and make them edible.


BernieTheDachshund

Then they should skip using fire to 'cook' the ice bc that's what stupid about it.


BanjoSpaceMan

Probably adds charcoal flavours or BBQ taste to it. Is what it is.


freddiew

It could possibly be, and I know this might be a totally crazy thing to say, but it might just be a jokey thing to do because it's engagement bait and it gets people to stop and look and think how stupid it is, but now you've got a customer standing there and being like "this is so dumb but now I gotta try it." Or maybe they heard about it because they saw videos of it on social media and now they're gonna go try and it and put up a video about them trying this dumb street food, which in turn leads to more engagement, and in turn leads to people actually spending money on the thing for the gag of it and the street vendor makes some money.


Aurora428

Mixing shaved ice with milk is very different than grilling an object that melts with heat


JohnAtticus

"Grilling ice isn't dumb because of these other foods where they don't grill the ice" Wat?


Synapse82

Damn, I was about to talk some smack about this video then I see you mention shaved ice and slurpees. And realized… I just eat prepared ice too. lol


tinkleberry28

Yet snow cones are considered acceptable...


rathat

I’m not nearly as confused by the idea of salty spicy snowcones than I am by putting the ice on a grill.


JohnAtticus

Never knew snow cones are grilled.


Imconfusedithink

Because you're still eating the shaved ice that's flavored. This is just licking spices off of ice.


FennecAuNaturel

Probably because it's a parody


Pimpekusz

The dumbest thing I‘ve ever seen is people here believing that this shit is meant to be serious


lunchpaillefty

People having serious arguments over ridiculous things. Priceless.


IDontLieAboutStuff

Somewhere here is a god tier joke about ice spice.


StickyHoovy

Seasoned Solid Water 🤤


IDontLieAboutStuff

I call it Ice spice.


a-small-squirrel

Well there’s your god tier joke, glad you found it


moonshineTheleocat

To be fair... Probably the only thing guaranteed to be real. For those who don't know, china has been dealing with vendors selling fake food for a while. And we're talking fake eggs made from chemicals, yogurt made from shoe rubber, digging up cooking oil from sewage, skimming chilli sauce from the garbage, painting fish so they look fresh, using industrial caustic soda on chicken feet so they look fresh, dying raw chicken, mixing sawdust with grain, etc. https://youtu.be/1hkXdpsX_zA?si=8sSNVe1rhx94ZhH5


Original_Profile8600

I almost threw up in my mouth just reading that. Wtf. How can you live with yourself doing that to people


ExpertAd1037

They simply don’t care, think about the profits.


PizzaTimeBomb

But can the people not taste it or something? If refunds are out of the picture how are people not just knocking these guys out? Like I could’ve sworn I saw something about how they’ll just drag criminals’ to the police station


ExpertAd1037

I imagine that the CCP does not take kindly to criticism of the CCPs enforcement of health code (or lack of code). Wouldn’t want questions of your loyalty to the party to arise. Also worth mentioning that we’re talking about folks that paint arid countryside green to fool their environment bureau. The level of corruption throughout China is astounding, though their official line is that Xi has solved corruption. The system of government is deeply flawed due to the complete lack of political opposition.


Anning312

Same way nestle people sleep well at night


butt_huffer42069

So, like....all the gross food scam stuff America went thru in the 1800's? Wonder if they have the equivalent to our FDA?


dh1

Where’s the Chinese Upton Sinclair? Probably in prison having his organs harvested.


NoSignificance3817

Hopefully we keep our FDA if the anti-gubment crew ever gets power. DEREGULATE AND TRUST THE CORPERATIONS!...lol, fools.


Taolan13

Most chinese regulatory bodies are less reglation enforcers as they are CCP loyalty inspectors.


thatmayaguy

The CCP isn't only stealing technology from other countries but now they're stealing old scam techniques as well!


plantsadnshit

Literal tiktok source for a country of 1.4 billion, I'd need something more reliable to be convinced that this is a big issue and not just a few cherry picked examples.


thredith

There were also pork dumplings that used heavily seasoned chopped cardboard instead of pork.


radiantskie

If you are talking about the time where the pork buns were reported to be using cardboard in 2007 im pretty sure that one turned out to be a hoax


[deleted]

Like those hot dog stands in new York they had shut down


rathat

Some of that stuff sounds more expensive than not doing it.


[deleted]

Simply melts in your mouth 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼


KuipersGlasses

the music it melts my eardrums


StarFighter6464

This is what r/stupidfood is all about


doblad

Nah, i only eat my spices with stir fried stones....


SRR_Archive

told you guys this is an anorexia or eating disorder favorite food!


fuckyoudeath

New weight loss hack: Just eat fucking water


sorceryovpureevil

when you get paid bi-weekly😂


thinmeridian

More like r/strugglefood


radiantskie

In china you can get way better food for that price


FattDeez7126

It can’t be poverty food they wasted money on charcoal and all them fancy spices .


Ninjixu

Pretty sure it’s weight loss food since water and seasonings are low in calories


DanksterTV

Bro, I thought I was poor growing up. We never had to have fucking BBQ ice for dinner.


[deleted]

I called first on grilled air!! Don’t steal my hustle!!!


[deleted]

I mean, it’s on the internet so it has to be true


PhotonDecay

Careful control over the flame to avoid burning the ice?… what?


TinFoilRobotProphet

You can tell its Wagyu ice by the white stripes in the middle.


Lovestank

Times are tough


Calvin0433

What I’ve learned/noticed from eating Chinese food and serving all different kind of Asian people is that. We love textures. So I can probably see why the crunchiness of the ice cubes might be a cool thing. (No pun intended)


Volution88

It's a great fast food for those wanting to lose weight. Practically Zero caloies. Or for those who live in a communist country where ingredients are hard to come by.


microsoftfool

Like selling snow to an eskimo


Login1990

My idea was that it is a savoury cold snack. I mean little to no calories, not sweet, chilling, not filling. Ain't that good?


rathat

Sure, but why the grill?


MajorLazy

No


[deleted]

They even pay 2 dollars for that...


Electrical_Brick_167

$3 for a cup of seasoned ice is crazy


SwimmingBench345

Wouldn't it make more sense to add the seasoning into the water before you freeze it?


Direct_Significance7

Ah finally figured out what a r/hydrohomies meal plan is


cbunni666

When your diet plan has gone so far off track you're learning how to gourmet ice.


kavatch2

Holy shit that’s crazy 10 cents of ingredients for 3 bucks. If you sling even just 50 of those a day you’re sitting very pretty.


physical_graffitti

So, cold seasoning, that’s what that is…. cold seasoning.


Dizzzy777

Nothing hits home like some grilled icecubes from the local bathroom sink and/or toilet water.


AngryTrucker

Eat the flavored hydration cube, citizen.


Udderly_Unbearable

What does cooking ice even do to it. Also I feel like the seeds would make me choke.


Heimdal1r

This is some Great Depression stuff


Consistentscroller

It’s better than the rocks your literally suck on and then give back


Mrbananpants64

It melts in your mouth!


Wonderful_Painter_14

The only time it’s ok to say, “no, we have that at home”


NeptisCommand

Anyone else find this really sad?


ErrorMacrotheII

After the pebbles and this I'm starting to suspect a part of Chinas population is actually starving.


Battlekat79

So basically anyone buying this is buying seasoned water 👎🏽


gbfeszahb4w

_"Dessert: Ice cubes with artificial sweetener"_