Economy Gastronomy - new budget cookery programme; BBC

Penelope_Penguin

smartcat04 wrote: »

Excuse my complete ignorance but does anything you put down the waste disposal system go into the drainage/sewerage system or into some kind of bin that has to be emptied?

Into the drain - it's plumbed in under your kitchen sink, so goes the same way as the sink drain

Penny. x

Penelope_Penguin

juliettet wrote: »

We have two weekly bin collections here in South Lanarkshire, alternate general/recycle paper & cans. I hate the thought of food lying too albeit for me very little. At least my 4 cats deter rats etc. If your council has plans for this shout loudly!

I want my council to go for fortnightly collections - as a nation we have to grasp the "waste" issue, not duck it by throwing things "away". There is no "away".

Penny. x

ALIBOBSY

Buttonmoons wrote: »

I did the braised mince recipe, and ended up making the one I marked for Spag bol, into another chilli because it was so nice, but it's expensive, once you buy all the bits and bobs you need to go with it (we aren't that keen on rice) so sour cream, guacamole or avacados (not to bad when Lidl has them for 29p but OH can eat 3 at a sitting) then you need the tortilla wraps, and the recipe calls for about half a bottle of red wine.

I made the braised mince which was delicious. I made the mince itself cheaper by using less mince, throwing in some lentins and finely chopped veg (mind you my veg was home grown so even more savings :T). I used just a splash of wine (all we had left from a bottle the night before) and increased the stock.
Chilli is great with baked spuds or homemade potato wedges (easiest thing in the world). Sour cream is cheap enough and you can make the wraps yourself for pennies.

I think what I am saying is you can take the basic recipie and tweak it to make it as cheap as you want. EG in the book they have some recipes that use mayo. Now they point out homemade is nicer but can use jarred stuff. As it happens homemade would probably be cheaper for most items.

ali x

cw18

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

I want my council to go for fortnightly collections - as a nation we have to grasp the "waste" issue, not duck it by throwing things "away". There is no "away".

Penny. x

I wish mine would go fortnightly for general too..... for a number of reasons.

First is I think it would make some of my neighbours think twice about what they throw.... one house in particular (parent - who I accept works from home - and two teenagers) fills their black bin (general waste) every week without fail. They use the green (garden) and brown (plastic bottles, marge tubs, yoghurt pots, glass jars and tins) bins, but I've yet to see them use the paper recycling sack !!!!

At the moment out green and brown bins are done fortnightly, along with the paper sacks, but our black bin is still weekly. As I live on a shared drive with 2 other properties, this means that every other week we have to find space for NINE wheelie bins (plus my paper sack every few months - small amount of mail and weekly freebie paper only). It's a total nightmare if we're all out, as the bin men scatter them all over the pavement, the entry to the drive (and one of my sections of lawn) once they've emptied them :mad:

During most of 2007 (where there were 3 of us here full time, and including the 'summer' months) I made a point of only putting my black bin out fortnightly - on the non-recycling weeks - and even then it was only ever half full at the most. I never had a problem with flies, insects or rodents - nor with smells - which are the problems I hear touted on various forums and amongst neighbours. I accept my bin is kept against a north facing wall (so could be a different story if I'd no choice but to leave it in full sun). I just wish our council would start to collect ALL cardboard to save me a detour to the tip when my pile gets too big (down from monthly to about 3 times a year since I started cooking everything from scratch) - at the moment the only type they'll collect is plain brown (no print, no coating, no tape etc) in with the garden waste.

MrsE_2

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Use a green cone They're completely enclosed, so no rats. If you produce only kitchen waste, and not garden waste, they're ideal, as there's no compost produced, it all soaks away into the soil.

Soemthing tells me that you're not open minded to this, yet, though

Penny. x

No I'm not:o

I can't see myself tramping 115 foot down the bottom of the garden with our dinner scrapings on a dark winters evening:eek:

ALIBOBSY

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

I think that once you factor in childcare (unless you're lucky enought o have relative to take care of your children) it's marginal whether working when you have littlies is financially worthwhile. When you take into account how much SAHPs can save by shopping for bargains, cooking from scratch, using leftovers, crafting, mending, growing F&V I reckon you'll be financially much better off being a SAHP.

And my children who are now 14 and 16, will tell you that would pick having a SAHM every time over childcare. Our choice, btw, not a pop at working parents.

Penny. x

I agree totally with this. I went back part time to my old job after first baby (DS) was born, but only because my mum offered to have him and the same part time after DD1 for a couple of years as mum again offered to pick them up and drop them off at school/preschool and look after them. I only did 2 days a week. A friend doing the same job worked full time with child care for one child. We worked out with running an second car (OH and I shared as we were both on flexitime) and the childcare alone she was only about £50-£60 a month better off than I was.
After DD2 was born we looked at the finances again and with what we save by me cooking from scratch/able to shop around/no childcare costs/no travel costs plus the increase in the tax credits beacuse of me not working means we are better off with me staying at home. The kids love it. Not long after I stopped work DS and DD1 told me they never wanted me to work again, "please stay with us mum".
ali x

BTW realised that could sound like a critisism of working mums, and whilst I believe kids are better off with a parent at home with them (mum or dad) I realise for some people working is an important part of their mental welfare and being at home full time may not be for everyone. Its a choice we all have to make ourselves.

cw18

I've been told NOT to put cooked food on the compost - only the 'raw' waste (peelings, cores etc) - and NEVER anything meat as that is what most attracts rodents !!

MrsE_2

cw18 wrote: »

I've been told NOT to put cooked food on the compost - only the 'raw' waste (peelings, cores etc) - and NEVER anything meat as that is what most attracts rodents !!

So you've still got the waste problem if you go to fortnightly collections

patchwork_cat

MrsE wrote: »

I want a waste disposal after watching that:D
I thought they were an old fashioned thing that no one installed anymore.
I thought it looked great:D

No you don't you have been on MSE long enough to know that to throw away that amount of food is criminal!

One thing strikes me about this latest programme apart from the phenomenal amount spent on food (but you know I think that!) is that they were throwing away £7K worth of food a year and the chefs saved them £8K. I can save them 7 - don't throw food away!

juliettet

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

I want my council to go for fortnightly collections - as a nation we have to grasp the "waste" issue, not duck it by throwing things "away". There is no "away".

Penny. x

I never thought of it that way I must admit. I was pleased regarding the size of the blue bin as with all my papers and cat food cans it saves lots of trips to the recycling centre. The other concern I have is fly tipping that really makes my blood boil.