Can't cook don't cook! Time for change.

downandout!

Thanks everyone,

Never managed to get online last night, so have just caught up with all the replies.

My OH made us Tuna Pasta last night. Me and my OH got stuck in and loved it. Toddler had a few mouthfulls, but at least its a start. My OH also bought some chewy fruit bar things which we gave her when she made it clear she didn't want anymore pasta. We are trying and will get some of fruit tonight. I may get abuse for asking this, but how long does fruits last? I don't want to buy lots just to see it going in the bin. My OH has suggested buying a relatively small amount and getting new stuff in 2 or 3 days time but I thought I would ask on here to give us some idea of how long stuff usually keeps good for. Bananas, Apples, Oranges, Strawberries, Seedless grapes, Pears and Kiwi Fruit I think we will be getting.

Watched Jamie again last night. I cannot believe the amount of work this guy has put in. I was far from his biggest fan prior to this but now I have nothing but admiration for the guy, and his lovely family, who seem to have stood by him and helped him through this despite the fact that they had to saccrifice alot of the time he would have spent with them. Certainly gave me a wake-up call and showing the muck that goes in processed foods really hit the nail on the head. YUK!

Thanks again all

downandout!

Ps: Slow cooker? will catch up with the links provided later as I have to do some work, but I really am way behind the times.

Lillibet_2

downandout! wrote:

Thanks everyone,

We are trying and will get some of fruit tonight. I may get abuse for asking this, but how long does fruits last? I don't want to buy lots just to see it going in the bin. My OH has suggested buying a relatively small amount and getting new stuff in 2 or 3 days time but I thought I would ask on here to give us some idea of how long stuff usually keeps good for. Bananas, Apples, Oranges, Strawberries, Seedless grapes, Pears and Kiwi Fruit I think we will be getting.:o

Bananas, apples, oranges, pears & kiwi fruit all keep in my fruit bowl for around 8 days before they start going a bit soft or loose colour but obviously their nutritional contant will be declining every day. I would suggest about 5-6 days is optimum in a cool fruit bowl placed out of the sun. Bananas last about 5 minutes in my house but should last around 5 days if they don't have any black spots when purchased. Strawberries & grapes I would keep in the fridge, good firm ones will keep upto 10 days but again this is less than ideal, I would say 5 again to be safe. Don't keep bananas in the fridge, it makes them go black very quickly. Organic fruit doesn't keep quite as long as it hasn't been chemically treated to make it last. This is also assuming all the fruit is almost but not quite ripe at time of purchase, if it is reduced, near it's date or soft or blemished it will not last as long but this doesn't mean don't use it! If anything is starting to look a bit soft or past it, either chop it into a fruit salad or stew on the hob with a little water & sugar for a few minutes & add to puddings like ice cream, rice pudding or mousse, or throw in the blender with milk or yoghurt for a smoothie.

HTH

Sarahsaver

Well dont for posting on here!
Get down to somerfield and get a copy of their free magazine which has monthly recipes, they are as I called them recently 'recipes for people who don't cook' they are easy and will ease you in gently. Yes well done for yourselves and especially your kids, you will be giving them a better start in life by making a change. Also I recommend reading 'you are what you eat' by Gillian McKeith and the river cottage cook book by Hugh Fearnley Wittingstall.
They are both a bit extreme, that is to say at the opposite end of the food spectrum to where you are at, but as Mr. F-W says we are all on a particular point in that continuum. If you move along slightly towards knowing what is in your food and using raw ingredients instead of processed foods you will reap the benefits in terms of health and your wallet too.I'm approaching the other end of the scale, planning to try and trap me a few squirrels as apparently they taste nice!
If you have any older relatives around, ask them for recipes, they would be delighted, and you and your kids would be continuing the recipes into the future instead of them 'disappearing'
all the best x

fazer6

I know others have said it but you should really consider getting a slow cooker. It's like a cheap maid. You throw a load of food in it, turn it on in the morning and as if by magic you have a lovely dinner in the evening. There's no frying or oil involved so it's healthy too!

If people are not inclined to eat veg there's ways round this. I think some mothers have pureed veg to go in a pasta sauce to disguise it (I don't have any kids so I don't have to hide things yet).

Have you tried doing a roast dinner? Its easier than you think. Get a chicken and follow the cooking instructions on the label. Peel and quarter some potatoes and boil for about 10 mins, put them in a baking tray with a bit of oil, they need about 45 mins and will want turning halway. They brown better the more space there is between them. Yorkshire puddings - they're also easier than you think. 2oz plain flour, 1 egg, 1/4 pint milk, pinch of salt. When you put your chicken in oil a yorkshire pudding tray and leave it in the grill bit to heat up. The oil has to be quite hot for yorkshires. They take 20 mins to cook so put them in the oven on the top shelf 15 mins before you plan to eat. You always faff about with getting the chicken pots and veg ready so this stops them staying in too long and burning. With a roast you then have loads of lovely meat for sandwiches during the week, or a curry, or pasta bake, or soup....

For mash I microwave pots and scoup out the middle and mix with some cheese and butter. The skins I then save and add a bit more cheese too and put in the oven for 15 mins(ish), you then get lovely potato skins.

Bananas keep for about a week, if they're going soft then find a recipie for banana bread or blend them up with milk for a milkshake. Apples and satsumas also keep for a week too.

Have you tried baking your own cakes too? It's really easy to bung a tray of fairy cakes in when the ovens on. Most recipie books have a basic sponge recipie but if you want cake and biscuit recipies just ask.

What they didn't show on Jamies Dinners was how they get the 'mechanically reclaimed meat'. Some of it is reclaimed from a carcass which has had all the meat taken off and is then hosed down with a pressure washer. This gets the last bits off the bones and is mixed with all sorts of nasty stuff to make burgers. Read the side of a tesco value burger box - I think they have more paper than meat in them.

JULIE

lillibet said not to keep bananas in the fridge... I would disagree.. my mum keeps hers in the fridge and although the skins go black quickly... the insides don't... I don't put mine in the fridge as they're not in the house long enough

Bargain_Rzl

Sarahsaver wrote:

Well dont for posting on here!
Get down to somerfield and get a copy of their free magazine which has monthly recipes, they are as I called them recently 'recipes for people who don't cook' they are easy and will ease you in gently.

Good plan Sarahsaver - I've just got a Somerfield near me (used to be Safeway but apparently Morrisons didn't want my local branch!) The magazine not only loads of easy recipes, it even has a "shopping list" section which reminds you EXACTLY what you need to buy in order to make them!

Plus it's got tons of coupons.

downandout!

Thanks all again.

Slow cooker sounds good. Must look them up.

Fazer, please refrain from telling me what is in processed food. I get the picture, and it is a picture I don't want to see. I feel abused as it is without the gory details.

Thanks again all. This is great. I'm starting to get peckish here at work so I'm off home (dont we love flexi) to get some shopping so we can make some REAL food. Ain't got a clue what I will make yet but I have enough ideas already to last us ages.

downandout!

ps: Bargain, same thing where I live with Somerfield. We may be neighbours for all I know. What u having for dinner and me and the family can pop round

crana999

Sarahsaver wrote:

Also I recommend reading 'you are what you eat' by Gillian McKeith...

I wouldn't recommend anything by her. Between her fake degrees and her completely wrong assertions, her credibility is in minus figures. No doubt she has some sensible advice in her book, but I'd go for something with less made-up rubbish in it personally (and perhaps one written by someone who didn't buy their fake degrees)

Sarahsaver

I on purpose didnt call her 'doctor' because i know she is NOT a doctor, but I do think that the laying in front of people the total junk they eat is a valid exercise. I did say she is extreme, but I would never advocate going the whole way with her suggestions. Its just useful in terms of edging some people out of a certain mindset, to see there is another way of doing things. I have a friend, quite overweight, and she has lost a lot of weight just by cutting out unhealthy snacks and eating the seeds/grains etc. as snacks.
She's no less credible than the food production industry which says it gives a dam about our health!

Just as I'm not suggesting everyone goes out in their gardens and bags a few squirrels and pigeons;)

Becles

Tip for the little one!

Childrens BBC have recipes on shows like Planet Cook and Big Cook Little Cook, and sometimes on things like Blue Peter. Most are available to print off on the programme websites. Try watching those with your daughter and see if anything takes her fancy, then let her make it (with help obviously!).

If she has picked something to make, then cooked it herself, she might be more inclined to try new tastes.