The True Cost of Cheap Food?

kate83

Can I add value fruit and veg to the value things that aren't c**p.
Last week I got value pears, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, oats and dried fruit, tinned kidney beans.
They're a bit smaller and not as pretty as the non value, but just as good for you. Some things, like carrots are just what there's a glut of at the moment. They'd probably be cheaper from the farm shop or market but I don't always get chance to go as they're a lot further away.

I also sometimes get value plain flour, baked beans and chocolate (occasionally cheese) and I don't really want to know about why they're cheap as I'm sure it'll be really bad!

Would never buy value ready meals or sauces though, one look at the size of the ingredients list (and number of chemicals) is enough to put me off.

HockeyDuo8083

I think it really comes down to being a 'savvy' shopper. I used to just chuck in what I needed into the trolley not really paying attention to whats on the labels or brand.
Now I do take the time to check labels and i agree with you all when you say if you make it yourself then you know whats in it plus it does tend to work out cheaper per portion as well.
I also buy value veg & fruit, if it goes into a casserole or pie then who cares what it looks like! lol

Vibrant

Perhaps it's just me, but I actually prefer the value fruit and veg. I like the different shapes and sizes, it reminds me of my childhood, when all the fruit didn't have to be the same size and taste and sometimes you would get a really nice, apple, orange, etc.

I have read a few articles, that suggested some cheaper food could be better for you, as it contains more water and bulking ingredients and less fat, salt and sugar.

But you never truly know what you are eating. One of my friends works for a very well known breakfast cereal company and insists that at certain times of the year, the grain is teeming with earwigs, that are ground up with the grain and used in the cereal (well you could hardly pick them out).
Hasn't put me off eating ******** though, although I do wonder about the brown bits now, lol.

gunsandbanjos

Vibrant wrote: »

But you never truly know what you are eating. One of my friends works for a very well known breakfast cereal company and insists that at certain times of the year, the grain is teeming with earwigs, that are ground up with the grain and used in the cereal (well you could hardly pick them out).
Hasn't put me off eating ******** though, although I do wonder about the brown bits now, lol.

Dont tell us things like that!:eek:
Although i'm sure they are full of protein_pale_

Catwoman_Kent

Vibrant wrote: »

Perhaps it's just me, but I actually prefer the value fruit and veg. I like the different shapes and sizes, it reminds me of my childhood, when all the fruit didn't have to be the same size and taste and sometimes you would get a really nice, apple, orange, etc.

I have read a few articles, that suggested some cheaper food could be better for you, as it contains more water and bulking ingredients and less fat, salt and sugar.

But you never truly know what you are eating. One of my friends works for a very well known breakfast cereal company and insists that at certain times of the year, the grain is teeming with earwigs, that are ground up with the grain and used in the cereal (well you could hardly pick them out).
Hasn't put me off eating ******** though, although I do wonder about the brown bits now, lol.

That's me off cereal now - I'll stick to toasting my homemade bread!

lindsaygalaxy

I dont like shows like this, some of us just cant afford to buy branded stuff. Its okay for the chefs on the show, they are on good wages and can choose what to buy, but for some people this just isnt an option.

Personally, i only buy value/budget food that is ingredients such as porridge, veg, fruit, flour, that kind of thing, and wouldnt buy a value or branded tin of meat. But some people dnot have a choice, im sure they know there is a lot of cr*p in there, but it doesnt mean they have a choice.

Icemaiden

Iam sorry lindsaygalaxy but I believe everyone does have a choice, just as people have a choice on what expensive car they drive and having the top sky package or the latest mobile phone. If people weren't so fixated with keeping up with the jones more people would be able to buy better quality food.

Ice
x

competitionscafe

kate83 wrote: »

Can I add value fruit and veg to the value things that aren't c**p.
Last week I got value pears, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, oats and dried fruit, tinned kidney beans.
They're a bit smaller and not as pretty as the non value, but just as good for you. Some things, like carrots are just what there's a glut of at the moment. They'd probably be cheaper from the farm shop or market but I don't always get chance to go as they're a lot further away.

To be fair, I think the article (and I assume the TV programme) admitted that value fruit and veg was not crap - it is somewhat hidden away in the article though:
fruit and veg "where the value ranges score well".

In fact, as is often the case with the media the headline does not really reflect the reality - as it's the value processed products (especially the meat ones) that were the issue not ingredient products like value oats.

So "The cost of cheap food. Does value range food really have to be as bad as it is? " should really be "The cost of cheap food. Do value range processed food products really have to be as bad as they are? "
But then that would not be as catchy.

OrkneyStar

I think the value debate is a funny one.
People say they can only afford to buy value ranges yet they are often buying value ready made junk, when it would be cheaper to buy non-value raw materials to make decent food (or even cheaper to buy value raw materials!). I saw about 3 people in Lidl today buying 4 or 5 chicken or beef dinners, when a cut of cheaper meat, a bag of tatties and some carrots would be cheaper and more nutritious (and not much more hassle esp if you cook the meat in an inexpensive Slow Cooker).
I would buy value ranges of tinned toms, sweetcorn, maybe flour, potatoes (basically they are just more odd shaped) - I agree with thriftlady- choose wisely. Value, when it is a raw material is more value than something processed.

brokenwings

bravo orkney star
you have just saved me having to type out the exact same thing