General Chat

Haven't you all got it yet?

We know nothing about anything.

We need someone (probably) appointed by some Government department to tell us how to wipe our b*ms.

It would never occur to me to look for bargains and make best use of leftovers.

Why would I dream of making my own fresh pizzas using leftover French Stick when I can go out and buy a pizza fully of crappy e-numbers and too much fat and salt that I can shove in the freezer?

Why use leftover bread to make breadcrumbs for stuffing to keep in the freezer when I can buy a perfectly good packet of dried stuffing mix to keep in the cupboard?

Why would I use fresh fruit (on offer- even better) to make a fruit salad when I can go buy a tin?

And I'd rather bin any unused fruit than make smoothies in the liquidiser. After all I can buy them from the supermarket so why make my own? Of course they nearly all have bananas in which my kids are seriously allergic to - but that's just them being awkward.

And I'm sure that that shop-bought frozen cauliflower cheese is much better than I make so why would I bother to make more than I need for one meal and freeze it myself for another day?

Golly. I am so glad that I'm going to have someone who knows what they are doing to help me to be more ecconomic. Beats me how I've managed all these years, what with being just some stupid wife and mother trying to balance a budget and feed her family.

And as for that vicar stocking up his cupboard. Does that mean he eats everything from a packet and nothing fresh?

And as regards children learning to cook. A few years ago I saw how cooking was being taught in the classroom. Talk about boring and a massive put-off. And even my daugher when she was in Yr7 was left so bored by it all. Three weeks worth of lessons to do 'pizza'.

Week 1. Study all the ingredients required and specify exact quantities, plan how the pizza would be created, etc.
Week 2. Take all ingredients into school.
One slice of white bread
One tomato
One small piece of cheese for grating

Teacher analysing pizzas as they were being made, told daughter tomatoes incorrectly sliced and not correctly placed on the bread.

Week 3. Writing a report and analysis of the pizza. Can't remember the term used now.

No wonder kids have been so put off going in the kitchen.

Going to get off soapbox now. I'd have washing up to do but thanks to all those ready-meals everything goes into the bin now :-P :-P :-P

Yes DET, thrift has been lost to the era of Fastfood/Chilled food generation. My own theory on this is the demise of cookery lessons in schools for the last few generations, so we had one generation after another that cannot teach their children to cook because they were never taught, themselves This has been compounded by several generations of mothers who have had to go out to work, and havn't been able to teach their children how to cook .I don't mean to say this dogmatically.
And yes Rose, you are quite right also. It is always assumed that there is money in the pot to bulk buy.
This person who is to give us the benefit of her advice, is employed in her capacity as a food demonstrator, by what must be the most expensive pottery in this country. Even at the wekend James Martin gave a demo. there, but the food could not be eaten buy the audience, because it was not cooked in suitable conditions, eg., a marquee.
This pottery is not above taking rents from 'outside caerers' eg burger vans, pie vans etc., when holding festivals in it grounds. So where does the thrifness come into this.
Yes the demonstrator may well be self employed, but I find it all so hypocritical.

Julia in Derbyshire

PS. I would have thought more of the radio station, if they had engaged a school cook to talk about thrift, and how to make your money go further. They also have to manage on a strict budget.

It might come in useful for those men and women who are moving into their own homes and also students.

What annoys me about the 'stock up your larder' bit is that it pre-supposes there is the cash available to do that, yes 24 rolls of toilet paper costs less per roll...but you have to have enough 'in the pot' to fork out for it...if you're living to the absolute penny each week that just isn't possible.

That said, if you can stock up there are some bargains to be had, providing the shop is local, and you are not having to add bus fares or petrol to the overall cost.

There's probably a LOT of people who need help, not just females who run the family kitchen.

Its a skill that has been lost to the fastfood/chilled meal generation. Even if the graduated students survive on pasta as filler, some cheap new ideas to make it different/tasty should be welcome.

I suppose there are some people who need help Julia, the rest of us go on in our own way and managing as we have always done :-D

I understand from the local radio, that there is , yet again, to be a hike in the price of food. In the light of this, tomorrow morning, there is to be a cookery demonstrator, giving us advice on how to get more from the food we buy and cook.
Now, and please forgive me, if I am wrong, but as housewives and mothers, have we not been practicing this for years. And, has there not been an increase in food prices, since the year dot.
Just walk into T**co., S****bury's, M***sons et al, and buy the same articles this week that you did last, and I bet at least half a dozen of the items have increased in price. And it is not just 1p,2p,3p,, it is 5p, 10p, 20p.,
Yes, I do know we all have to keep our eyes open, and get what bargains we can, and we have to find ways to make things go abit further.
But, to incesantly parade these so called food experts in front of us, telling us we are all going about this the wrong way, and therefore must be bad wives and mothers, is rather patronising.
I even heard a vicar extolling his own virtues as to how he stocks up his pantry when shopping.
For Gawd sake, life is too short to stuff a mushroom.

Disgrunteld in Derbyshire