Economy Gastronomy - new budget cookery programme; BBC

Kadeeae

Just had a check in the new TV Easy mag, and it shows it starting Wed. August 5th at 8pm on BBC2

Primrose

Jojo -excellent criteria but I suspect that would rule out most of the TV chefs as they generally leave their wallets behind when cooking for TV. In a way I think the supermarkets have done huge damage to the ability of people to produce good healthy meals at home by the introduction of ready prepared meals. I know they are convenient for those living alone, the time-challenged and the lazy, but it has spawned a whole generation of individuals who simply don't know how to cook even e very basic meals. I have been in supermarkets where huge trolleys have been overflowing with ready-prepared meals for a whole family. Not only is it exhorbitantly expensive, it is denying basic education to children who will grow up lacking one of the most important life skills of being independent and being able to look after and feed themselves. Watching Mum or Dad cook is one of the ways we best learn of doing it for ourselves.

Penelope_Penguin

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

£220 a week? Knocked down to £110 a week? Good grief, if I spent £15 a day on food, I'd be the size of Milton Keynes...

How about a new idea - they have to keep to a budget consistent with being on benefits? Oh, and everything has to be sourced and bought within a 3 mile radius, as that is about the only distance most disabled, elderly or poor people can travel. And it has to be brought back on a bus. So no giant sacks of onions or bulk buy meat, as you can't carry it.

I think it'll be £110/week for a family, not per person

How about lobbying Martin to include more OS cooking in the next series of his C5 TV show The first programme had lilibet talking about soapnuts, and we were promised more OS tips each week. There was the odd item, but not nearly enough frugal cooking for my liking

Penny. x

ubamother

I'm sure the programme isn't designed for OS experts, but for the millions out there who might be enthused into making positive changes - and that has to be a good thing surely, for them, for local food providers, local shops etc.? Any 'hardcore' programme might frighten off those who need the encouragement and support to take the first little steps that many on here recommend to newbies.

thriftlady_2

I shan't be watching it (or buying the book;)) I've long since stopped watching TV cookery shows. They are just so irritating.

rosieben

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

...
How about lobbying Martin to include more OS cooking in the next series of his C5 TV show The first programme had lilibet talking about soapnuts, and we were promised more OS tips each week. There was the odd item, but not nearly enough frugal cooking for my liking

Penny. x

I was a bit disappointed that the OS bit sort of petered out and I gave up watching as there was very little else of interest/use to me, I'd love to see some more Old Style stuff

PasturesNew

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

How about a new idea - they have to keep to a budget consistent with being on benefits? Oh, and everything has to be sourced and bought within a 3 mile radius, as that is about the only distance most disabled, elderly or poor people can travel. And it has to be brought back on a bus. So no giant sacks of onions or bulk buy meat, as you can't carry it.

And it has to meet the government recommendations for healthy eating. And the school rules regarding healthy food, nut free rules and acceptable nutritional guidelines. And has to be done in a kitchen measuring 240cm X 200 cm with no storage space for food, tools or fancy equipment. All cooking equipment has to be value range - knives, pots, everything.

Then there would be some degree of reality to it.

And no gadgets (food processors, liquidisers)
And no freezer
And everything they DO buy has to have a chance of being used again if the recipe only u ses a spoonful or dash or pinch of the whole bag/carton/whatever.

But the programme is never about passing on knowledge is it ... it's just about making watchable TV for the masses and 'celebs' raising their profile.

Idiophreak

I'd like to say this sounds good, but I'm relatively assured that it will be the same old nonsense - there are two kinds of these segments

- the Gordon Ramsey "quick" style - "anyone can cook tasty grub in 5 minutes...here's my recipe for gold plated fillet of beef with sapphire-studded green-beans and platinum potatoes (which does take 5 minutes, as long as you've pre-prepared all the ingredients, got everything in place, have pre-heated all your ovens/grills and have a 6-ring range cooker)

- the ready-steady-cook cheap model "we're going to cook a meal for only £10! yes, you heard us right...the principal ingredients will only be £10 (plus £20 of things you should always have in your cupboard...like eggs, butter, flour, bread, stock, capers, olives, hand-massaged sun-dried tomatoes, salad, vegetable, avocado, blah blah blah)"

Also, I've every confidence that the people presenting the show will be patronising and irritating, as always.

I look forward to being proved wrong, though

Butterfly_Brain

I so agree with you Ideofreak - The TV cooks are not in touch with the real day to day living for people who have no choice but to live on a budget.
I hate the fact that they go to the most expensive shops and use recipes that most ordinary folk would probably not like.
Butternut Squash Yuerk!

Butterfly_Brain

A better idea would have been to give the chefs £50 to feed a family of four for a week and see how they get on