People can't afford to eat...............

[Mungler]

1 hour ago, JohnfromUK said:

I'm not as organised as that - but when the food arrives (I typically get one delivery a fortnight and top up locally in between) I jot the 'use by' dates  for the perishables (like meat, fish mainly as I ignore veggies and cheese dates) on a list.  Then a glance at the list shows what is getting near end - and think of something to make based on that.  I waste (almost) nothing.

Yes, I usually make enough for 3 or 4 meals.  A very good way to keep portions is to pop in a silicon tray, freeze (like a giant ice cube) then when frozen, turn out of the tray, vac pac and label.  Takes less freezer space and keeps frozen for ages with no 'freezer burn'.

Vac pac may not be the most environmentally friendly process (single use plastics), but I have found Lock&Lock boxes go very brittle in the freezer, and genuine Tupperware is good, but VERY expensive.  Food does keep better even when frozen in  a vac pac.

I’m a big fan of vac pack but got into plastic containers with lids (off Amazon for sauces etc). Then the Mrs found a reusable sealed set of plastic boxes and lids in Costco - £20 a set but worth every penny, robust and reusable. 

The answer to most family meals is batch cooking. We used to suffer from family dinner being knocked up, there being a couple of portions left at the end and no plan what to do with the left overs and so they would end up festering in the fridge or off to the bin.

But at the same time (when we had 3 kids at school) we saw on their dinner money account they (left to their own devices) were eating rubbish - 99% bread or pasta based.

The school meal cost was about £40 - £50 a month a head. So the Mrs sacked it off and got each of the kids a ‘food flask’ where the kids would take in reheated left over bolognaise, lasagne, roast dinners every day. The kids mates were all eating crisps and cheese sandwiches but they ate hot proper food everyday and we saved £100+ plus a month on rubbish school dinners.

Having typed that out, the answer to eating properly and household management is to marry the right woman 😆

Edited November 19, 2022 by Mungler

[jason g]

Them flasks look alright 👍, my better half can put a sauce around anything which really helps to give variety 😁

[Mungler]

7 minutes ago, jason g said:

Them flasks look alright 👍, my better half can put a sauce around anything which really helps to give variety 😁

If you get the fridge / freeze rotation right no one is eating the same thing for 3 days and nights solid 😆

And my last solid gold tip is :

https://chefjonwatts.com/recipes/

I saw a Facebook clip for his beef and potato curry - takes no time at all, handful of ingredients, one pot cooking and was out of the park delicious.

We’re working our way through his other recipes.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/5468290643226385?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V
 

 

[Walker570]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

What is this “waste” of which you speak?

Nail on head again.  We always look at any left overs ...if there are any....as a basis for tomorrows meal.

A big line of cars outside Costa Coffee again yesterday morning so no shortage of cash.

[Nuke]

2 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

Things like pies and pasties can be done - but manually 'pulse' vacuum to just take out the air without crushing the pastry.

There are multi use containers that can be used for this, you connect it to the vacuum mashine with a hose.

Works for sallad as well.

/Markus

[JohnfromUK]

4 minutes ago, Nuke said:

There are multi use containers that can be used for this, you connect it to the vacuum mashine with a hose.

Works for sallad as well.

/Markus

Yes, thank you.  I have the hose attachment on my machine and a couple of the containers.  My 'issue' with the containers is that they use LOTS of freezer spare and go brittle in the freezer.  

[Penelope]

On 16/11/2022 at 17:21, derbyduck said:

same here not much of what we cooked made it home mind,  may I suggest you don't talk about your African domestic help in a cockney accent !

😆

[amateur]

On 19/11/2022 at 10:15, Mungler said:

......... Having typed that out, the answer to eating properly and household management is to marry the right woman.............

Never was a truer word spoken

[Rupert]

Taking note recently, duration of this thread, Sunday on the Motorway, no signs of any cutbacks on the motoring fornt, Greggs, big line of people, Maccy's, Costa all the same. Went out to a costly Itailian and it was rammed, tickets for a show sold out in minutes at £40. Are the press making a meal of it or are people keeping up appearances on the credit card?

[Dougy]

I knock up about 100 venison burgers at a total cost of £40, £8 of that is a bottle of red wine. 

Sausages around 20 kg for around the same cost probably a little more due to cost of casings. 

I recently made 6 pies (enough for 2) from duck and pheasants from the shoot we pick up on. 

Last night we finished off some chuck steak casserole from a load i bought from the butchers and cooked a 6ltr slow cooker full, then split into sad meal pots for the freezer. 

Home made Jam, Marmalade, Ice cream. Folk just want everything given to them on a plate these days. 

 

Its doable if your interested, or you have a bit of common sense. 

[Stonepark]

Even shop bought food doesn't have to be expensive, made for tonight and for next few days: -

Tatties (WONKY) 2.5kg £1.09

1/2 Neep £0.35

2 large White Onions £0.50

2 Carrots £0.20p

667g Links £3.49

2 tsp Bisto £0.15

30g Butter £0.22

Salt and pepper to taste £0.10

Fry onion and sausages, put in rest including water at 50% of volume, bring to boil and simmer for 45min to an hour on stove stiring occasionally £0.30

Total £6.40

The above makes 8 bowls of Stovies (Full to within 1cm of rim of Systema Microwave Mugs which i use for fridge storage), which are suitable for either a large breakfast or lunch or the main course for tea.

Cost per portion is £0.80

[henry d]

On 16/11/2022 at 16:29, Walker570 said:

I keep reading how folks just cannot afford to eat....

 

On 16/11/2022 at 18:43, Walker570 said:

BUT I see them wobbling down the High Street...

I presume you are not referring to the same people? The wobblers and those that can't afford food?

Also we need to untangle the sirloin size/cost. I rarely eat it so looking online I couldn't see an Aldi sirloin roast but elsewhere it seems to be around £15 to 20/kg so 250-333gm or so of meat less if it hada covering of fat, so you've done really well or it wasn't sirloin. 

[worrall26]

On 16/11/2022 at 18:43, Walker570 said:

BUT I see them wobbling down the High Street covered in expensive tattoos and hanging out around the bookies, come off it. You just cut your cloth.

Agree.

[Walker570]

13 hours ago, henry d said:

 

I presume you are not referring to the same people? The wobblers and those that can't afford food?

Also we need to untangle the sirloin size/cost. I rarely eat it so looking online I couldn't see an Aldi sirloin roast but elsewhere it seems to be around £15 to 20/kg so 250-333gm or so of meat less if it hada covering of fat, so you've done really well or it wasn't sirloin. 

Do you ever have time to go shooting with all this research you do Henry ? Get a lofe.

[Rewulf]

18 hours ago, henry d said:

I presume you are not referring to the same people? The wobblers and those that can't afford food?

Yep same people .

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2768442/It-s-not-easy-overweight-benefits-says-25-stone-mother-two-wants-MORE-money-government-help-diet.html

 

'I tried swimming but it cost £22 a month and it meant I had to cut back on my favourite pizza and Chinese takeaways.'

Unemployed Christina gets £20,000 in benefits a year and lives in a council house with her two children by different fathers, Helena, 10, and Robert, two. '

[harrycatcat1]

6 hours ago, Rewulf said:

Yep same people .

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2768442/It-s-not-easy-overweight-benefits-says-25-stone-mother-two-wants-MORE-money-government-help-diet.html

 

'I tried swimming but it cost £22 a month and it meant I had to cut back on my favourite pizza and Chinese takeaways.'

Unemployed Christina gets £20,000 in benefits a year and lives in a council house with her two children by different fathers, Helena, 10, and Robert, two. '

She's very lucky to find anyone to copulate with.

[Houseplant]

50 minutes ago, harrycatcat1 said:

She's very lucky to find anyone to copulate with.

And who would want to?! 

[Stonepark]

31 minutes ago, Houseplant said:

And who would want to?! 

There is plenty out there who would hit it and quit it... And along comes child no 3....

 

What's worse is that ....

"her daughter has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and issues with her kidneys"

And somehow she doesn't think it is related to her and her kids diets......

[Aled]

Who paid for her tattoos?

 

[tonyshooter]

2 hours ago, harrycatcat1 said:

She's very lucky to find anyone to copulate with.

Agreed

14 minutes ago, Aled said:

Who paid for her tattoos?

 

You and me, ie the tax payers !

14 minutes ago, Aled said:

Who paid for her tattoos?

 

You and me, the tax payers !

[London Best]

It is disgusting and so morally wrong that she receives more in benefits/hand-outs than many of us ever earned whilst working.

[JohnfromUK]

4 minutes ago, London Best said:

It is disgusting and so morally wrong that she receives more in benefits/hand-outs than many of us ever earned whilst working.

Completely agree - and the reason is that we have a benefits system that can be used 'as a lifestyle choice'.  It is my assumption that the root cause is that the system as designed is weak leaving it open to fraudulent claims.  Add to that seemingly absent 'policing and checking' of long term claimants.

Of course there needs to be a system to protect the genuine disabled, the sick, the injured, those who have temporarily fallen on hard times through events etc.  That is (part of) what the Welfare State was set up to provide.

But it is my understanding that if claimants are persistent and untruthful in making claims, they can have a decent lifestyle freely given with little risk of being caught.  It is a regular thing to read of claimants who claim large sums for disability as 'unable to walk or work' caught out in activities that clearly demonstrate they can do both.

This has the effect of making funds short to support the genuine cases, and putting huge costs on the working taxpayers which (understandably they resent when people living on benefits are getting a 'better deal' that those working hard and paying for both themselves and the fraudulent claimants.

[Mungler]

The Daily Mail will always find these useless sponging loafers because it’s cat nip to their readers, but these are still minority cases. 

Without getting too wound up on these cat nip articles there does need to be a proper rethink of the benefits system and that’s because we can’t afford it - we think we can, but we can’t. Ditto for the NHS.

Basic tenants:

1. No one on benefits should do better than anyone in full time employment 

2. if you refuse more than 3 jobs on offer which you are capable of performing then you lose your benefits (I think Italy have implemented this). Indeed, just pause for one moment and let that sink in - we’re taking lessons from the Italians.
 

We need to do something and this system will encourage people to first find a job they want to do (else they will be forced into one they don’t or they will have to go without their benefits) and underlines that the benefits system is a safety net and not a way of life.

There is a wider economic issue too - if we have people capable of cleaning for example (being a category of job that will always need doing but no one seems to want to do), rather than import eager immigrants to perform these roles, let’s get a few claimants off the sofa and doing the jobs no one wants to do but which always need doing. 

[Aled]

Personal belief here and it is not backed up by any social science facts: I always thought that "the dole etc" was meant to be a walking stick to help you through difficult times e.g. the factory has closed its not your fault you need a bit of help until you find your next job, rather than a crutch you can't do without which others have outlined as a lifestyle choice. However where are peoples self respect? After i left Uni getting a proper career start was not easy, so i signed up with a work agency and worked on factory floors, did spells as a bin man, and other mundane jobs. I usually worked 4 days a week, which i preferred to signing on. 

[Houseplant]

My plan for a welfare state. Everyone that can work starts off with a year's credit which will give them full benefits for up to a year. After that, they're on their own. For every year that you work after that, you get another 6 months benefits credit. It wouldn't solve the problem of people out to sponge off the system, but would reduce the burden on the tax payer and some of these folk might actually decide they like working once they have tried it!