What has happened to people cooking!

odds-n-sods

you can; use a cast-iron frying pan as they will take the heat well, but you'd probably only be able to make 1 at a time, and that would use a lot of gas/electrcity.

Kelinik

Ah OK, think I'll stick with the little ones then. Thanks. x

odds-n-sods

you could probably get 2 of the 4" pans in an oven, that would be 8 at a time, and jsut 1 cast-iron pan. Not sure if I was clear on that!

newster

Talking about grated cheese.......

I don't know if any of you have read "Miserly Moms" by Jonni McCoy. This is an American book, which is quite good. I enjoy reading it, she also has a recipe book which has some nice recipes in, although it's for American readers. They can be adapted though.

Anyway, in her book she relates being interviewed on one of their tv programmes and made a sample shopping list for one of the guests, one of the items she put on the list was a block of cheese, instead of sliced. THe interviewer asked "but what if you want a slice of cheese ?" To which Joni replied, she would have to take a knife and slice it ????? She then adds on the end of that... "It's amazing what people have missed in their kitchen." lol.

Hapless_2

Before we moved into this house the council put in a new kitchen (tyical council standard mind you). and there was room for a microwave, just enough room for our fridge and a squeeze for the washing machine.
I know there is a 50yr old rayburn there which I refused to have removed but there was no room left for a cooker. I use the rayburn. I was told by the housing officer "we removed the old pantry and put a nice modern kitchen in..
A nice modern kitchen not home cooking friendly.

morganb

I use 4 sandwich tins to make our yorkshires in, and I always use self-raising flour and they turn out fine. Enjoy!

savingsara_2

Although I don't eat them myself (last time I tried a chilled ready meal it went thru me like a souped-up Porsche :eek: ) I have no argument for the meals for one. They were a life-saver for my late Mum, who couldn't stand for long and had arthritis in her hands and shoulders, as well as COPD and osteoporosis. It was only after Dad died that she got a microwave (1996). Old people's appetites are often small as well so they are ideal. Much less work and washing up. Whilst my Dad was alive she always cooked proper meals for them and baked. When we were at home everything was cooked from scratch, and nothing was wasted. Having been born in 1921 she had lived through the war as a young adult and learned to appreciate good food, having beenin the ATS. We always had a pudding too!

On the whole I cook from scratch, but I'm not averse to occasionally using packet mixes and the odd frozen dessert.

Like many others I buy certain things from certain shops, my trolley must look very odd at times!

MrsTinks

The local Tesco must really think I run a Zoo... twice a week I go there to buy loads fo Bananas, Apples, Oranges, satsumas, plums and grapes... We have a work fruit bowl which I top up and then get expenses back on (and I get the Tesco points hihi) but people must honestly think I work in a zoo!
Back to the cooking from scratch theme... it occured to me that my nan never had a microwave even before she moved into sheltered accomodation... she's now in the nursing home but she's never had and never wanted a microwave... And I can't for the life of me see my grandfather ever considering eating anything not cooked from scratch... To this day in the nursing home where he lives with my nan he is a fussy eater! He sends meals back to the kitchen if it's not cooked properly! (They are in a VERY nice nursing home in Denmark with the nicest staff you could wish for!)
It still fustrates me that I can't convince my mum to cook more from scratch, but she's never really done it, and never really learnt as her mother died when mum was only about 14... So I grit my teeth and survive on what is served when I visit My StepMum however can cook! She's russian and over there there is no such thing as ready meals. Cooking is a passion and my word they know how to cook!!

I do agree that ready meals have their place, epsecially with people who are inform and find it hard to cook, but as a staple diet? I cringe at having the odd ready meal (actually I can't recall last time I bought one...) because of the addatives and the salt in them, and I can't imagine they do wonders for older people who really need healthy food... Maybe if the food is more like home cooked food it wouldn't be too bad?

jennybb

Interesting thread............

I am not holier than thou, but avoid processed food and cook from scratch because it tastes better and is so much better for you. While I appreciate that ready meals are a big help for some people in certain circumstances, I wouldn't want to have to eat them or feed them to my family.

What happened to people cooking?? What's happening in this country? Unfortunately, we don't really place much value on someone who spends time planning, sourcing decent produce and preparing meals from scratch. TV dinners have become the norm for a lot of people. Supermarkets stock more and more processed food and less fresh - so we see that as normal. I find it really scary - what will it be like in 20 years?

GreenNinja

I must confess that when I split from my ex and moved out in October of last year to live alone, I found it hard to get any motivation to cook, whereas before I had always been a strictly "cook from scratch" person. From October to March time I suppose I was buying ready meals but doing loads of veggies to have with them and still eating salad and fruit for lunches.

Since discovering this site! I have felt quite ashamed of myself and have now turned my back on the ready meals BUT I do have a new man who adores my cooking so I guess that may have something to do with it! So I am now back on the cooking from scratch and doing liver and bacon and the like where you can make loads from really cheap ingredients.

My point being when you are on your own or maybe working long hours etc, it can look like a good option, especially as there always seem to be loads in the reduced section.