Jamie Oliver; Ministry of Food

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catkins wrote: »

It wasn't so much the children sitting on the floor to eat (although I don't feel that is good for every meal) but the fact that I read that they had to use their hands because there was no cutlery in the house!!

As I say, I did not watch the programme, so that may not be true but if it is - well. How can you not have any cutlery? How can they eat all meals with their hands? I even eat burgers and pizza with a knife and fork (all my friends laugh at me)!!!

I once took some of my grandchildren into McDonalds (first time I ever had been into one) and they fell about when I asked for a knife and fork. I can't stand plastic cups either

Cinny91

I didn't watch this (decided to read instead!) but there were alot of clips on HallamFM of people saying 'Who is he to come here and tell us how to cook?' If I were in their situation and feeding my children off of take aways I would welcome any suggestions of his with open arms! But then I didn't watch it so I really can't comment (will watch it next week though)

I've been baking and cooking since I was tiny (with help!), it's always been my 'place' in the family. The little baker! I owe all of this to my Great Grandma, Grandma and Mum. I earliest memory was helping my great gran make rhubarb crumble. When I was homeschooled I had cooking days with my grandma and I've always sat in the kitchen talking to my mum while watching her cook tea, it's all stuff that just soaks in. But with 'food tech' lessons being quite poor (when I was at school we only had a lesson once every 2 weeks) and if parents are just buying take aways then I can see that their children are going to follow suit. Good luck to Jamie!

shelley1977

catkins im glad im not the only one who likes to use cutlery to eat things like burgers and pizzas.i have always been laughed at for it and even my children think its strange.

irishwexford

I watched this yesterday on 'catch up' and was amazed that someone could live on take aways every night. I brought my three children up on home cooked meals and it was like a conveyor belt, I hated all the cooking but had no choice as that was the done thing but we all sat around the table and this I did like. When they left home my first husband died so I lived on ready meals and it was heaven not to cook until I developed colon cancer. I never taught my two daughters to cook but as they grew up on home cooking they did the same for their children. Despite both working full time they still do this. They were not too impressed with my frozen yorkshires and shop lasagnes. I now cook everything from scratch and still hate cooking but it is cheaper and healthier as we have an allotment. Jamie looked as shellshocked as I did when one lady did not know what boiling water looked like. I think he may have a breakdown doing this one. Asda have chickens at £2 at present, the young woman could have a roast dinner and stir fry with this but its a shame she would not know how to start.

SJC31

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

I don't blame the people at all. I do have a friend who doesn't know how to cook much and it isn't that she can't but she just needs someone to show her. I remember teaching her years ago how to make pancakes from scratch. She thought it was amazing. She still makes pancakes and loves doing it. I do need to teach her how to cook other things as tuna pasta and things of the like are about as difficult as she can go at the moment :rolleyes: . She's 21 and I'm 19. I've known how to cook for years and started cooking for myself at around 13. I liked the independance of it.

This could have been me a few years ago. If it didn't come with microwave insructions, I wouldn't buy it. Fortunately I too had a good friend whose parents were great at cooking things I'd never even thought about. By spending time at her house, I gradually learned how to fend for myself. And again a few years later when flat sharing, another friend showed me more recipes etc. My mother is a dreadful cook, and that is where I picked up my ready meal addiction from. But now I'm, slowly, teaching her how to cook from scratch. It's great to see her now making up her own meal ideas. :T

We all have to be taught these things, and I agree that we should be learning about it at school, as well as how to manage our money. I'll stop now as I feel a rant coming on!!

elona

A couple of years ago DD(22) was going to celebrate a friends birthday by several of them clubbing together for a picnic in the park.

Rather than just go out and buy something I gave her the recipe for the Tightwad gazette muffins and suggested she look at it.

She made a dozen cheese and onion muffins, a dozen apple and cinnamon ones and a huge chocolate cake using ingredients already at home- cost about £2 for the lot- her friends were really impressed and could not believe she had cooked it all herself.

One large bought muffin would have cost nearly a pound!!!!

DD(19) had friend staying over who also had a birthday - for breakfast I made lots of pancakes with a choice of lemon and sugar, strawberries and cream, jam or savoury ones filled with cheese or bacon etc.

It cost very little and her friend raved about how special it made her feel.

Sometimes the cheaper the dish the better we eat.

My mum was a fantastic cook and I felt too intimidated to learn but when I got married I taught myself using authors like Shirley Goode, Jocasta Innes, Bernadine Lawrence etc.

kirstyreanne

Hi all,

Please don't shoot me down by this comment, but surely what we should be commending is the fact that these people want to change & want to bring about a better future for their kids.

Just my two pennorth.

calleyw

kirstyreanne wrote: »

Hi all,

Please don't shoot me down by this comment, but surely what we should be commending is the fact that these people want to change & want to bring about a better future for their kids.

Just my two pennorth.

But don't you think it is sad that these people don't have these skills to cook and budget in the first place.

Also I think he tried to hard and should have started really basic like delia's such as how to boil and egg. Sounds like dumbing down but these people can't cook at all.

Yours

Calley

SavvyStudent_2

When I was at junior school, (which is only about 10 years ago, I'm 24 now!) we had home economics lessons weekly and they tried to get us cooking every couple of weeks. Girls AND boys! I really appreciate now the basics we got taught (from budgeting to chopping an onion), as well as the more complicated roasts, soups and desserts we got on to. I remember the first lesson was tea and toast! Topped up with watching my mum make a dinner every night out of what was left in the fridge (we didn't have a lot of money, and we NEVER had takeout, and we always ate well on tesco value etc!). Now I can cook almost anything without reference to a recipe, and in a really economical way. I intend to make sure, HE lessons or not, my own children pick up the art of economical home made food from me.

By contrast, the OH went to an all-boy school and got taught woodwork, and literally can't scramble an egg. Last time he tried they were burnt AND watery all at once. So I guess it is possible not to have a clue! At least he tries lol.

I do feel sorry for the mums on jamies programme - although salmon is easy, it is a bit in at the deep if you've never ever cooked, and can be expensive - I think I would have started with a boiled egg / baked potato / basic soup lol. I agree with whoever has said he really needs to be teaching economy as well as cooking!

L xx

BARGAINHUNTER!

I think one of the issues with the people shown was that they just 'could not be bothered' Far easier to just toddle off down to the local take away and have your dinner dished up for you in a polystyrene dish! Cooking takes a bit of effort, and sadly what was shown on tv last night is by no means unique. As these people are on benefits they probably don't work, so they have ample opportunity to make the time to plan what they are going to make and cook it. They were just making excuses (buses, taxis etc) I was staggered that they were spending so much on takeaways. if they truely had no money they simply would not be able to do it! Even if they just brought a load of frozen food and popped it in the oven it would be something! If they were spending £12 a night on takeaways they could all be feasting on steak everynight if they spent the same amount per meal down at the supermarket.

I do feel that Jamie needs to go right back to basics though - as someone else suggested a basic tomato sauce that could be added to mince to make spag bol, chilli, shepherds pie or added to pasta to make pasta bake. Thats 4 meals already!!

The programme provided a very shocking snapshot of what britain is like today, and how people really live.

I think primary and secondary schools should run more afterschool clubs - get the grannies in - im sure they would love to pass on their cooking skills! The children could prepare and cook a nutricious hot meal and a dessert, then they could all sit down together around a table to eat. Unfortunately schools are judged purely on their academic results these days, which is why subjects like cooking are pushed to the back.