My mother was a depression baby too, and things like spam, fried baloney, canned tamales, and shit on a shingle were staples for lunch our home - and we weren't poor. She considered them treats.
As a college student I ate enough macaroni and cheese to swear off of it forever; and when the revolution comes, anything served hot that involves canned tuna will cause the cook to be sent to a reeducation camp. My preference for SOS is the dried beef in the jars ... not sure if that's Buddig or not.
I spend 9 years, 5 months, and 22 days in the Navy, and ate in the chow halls for a good four years of it. A WMD I would recommend we use on alQaida prisoners is powered eggs and spam served cold. Hot (with an adequate dose of Heinz 57 and tobasco) it can almost be considered fit for human consumption; at room temperature you can almost get it down. But cold ...