$3 per meal? I can eat for less than that and it still taste good.
Pour bag of black beans in crock pot
Add Ro-Tel
Add small can of chipotles in adobo sauce
Add whatever else might happen to sound good
Wait a day or two
Eat
Wait
Regret that black beans are so high in fiber while trying to decide if you just pooped out a useful organ
I think I'm on day 6 of this batch, and might toss the remaining 3-4 days worth. After the first day or two of edibility, it thickens up to the point where you can scoop it onto bread for pretty darn good sandwiches. Just leave the crock pot on keep warm (might want to verify the temp yours keeps is high enough) and it stays good, though you might want to add water or broth every couple days.
Grab handful of $1/pound pasta
Break in half so it fits in rice cooker
Add water
Push cook button and walk away
Drain pasta
Add a good scoop from the dollar store can of pasta sauce
Eat
Be thankful for a break from the chili
Mid size handful of $1/pound linguine
Use rice cooker again
Dice pork chop, chicken part or whatever
Stir fry meat bits and whatever else you want with teriyaki sauce
Drain pasta and toss with a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil to make a quite passable lo mein
Eat, being smug about your talent with chopsticks
Fry patties of HEB Skillet Mix (ground beef, cut with TVP, but somewhat seasoned - not too bad if you're not eating it every day, and $1.56/lb)
Mix $0.50 brown gravy packet into $0.88 can of cream of mushroom soup
Makes about 2 meals for $3
If you just want to fill up and/or carb load, the Idahoan instant mashed potatoes can be easily hydrated in the bag with hot tap water. Bacon cheddar chipotle is my current favorite, though they have other good flavors. $0.88-$1.09 per pack depending on your local stores.
...or it could be a money saver for a lot of people.
Make it and similar products the only things that can be purchased on EBT cards. 
Just take the EBT cards away and give them a weekly ration of nutriloaf.
