What has happened to people cooking!

lazy_daisy

One thing I've noticed about cooking from scratch and hence eating loads of fruit and veg is that I'm hardly ever ill. This is not necessarily a good thing as I often seem to be the only person left at work because everyone else is off sick with the latest "lurgey". (? Spelling!) My colleagues all seem to get colds and chest infections one after the other, in fact there is nearly always some hideous bug doing the rounds.
Sorry if I sound smug, but, well I am! (just a little bit...)

Congratulations on the job, by the way Softstuff - nice work!

Bananabelly

I have to agree with lazy daisy above, since cooking more and more from scratch (I always have, to some degree, but now it's just about everything) we are soooo much healthier, the only time I've had colds is when I've been on holidays and unable to get decent food!

lil_me

I've gone from can't cook won't cook to cook everything myself. I do now notice more what others buy, especially family members. In queues lately it just seems to be ready meal after ready meal people put through, they are soooo expensive I am pleased I am out of that trap now.

janb5

morganb wrote: »

I have to say I have been tempted to buy diced onion only because my eyes are so sensitive that I cannot cut up onions or even leeks without having to leave the room several times to wash them.

Diced onion is my saviour too as although I cook everything else from scrath, it is a help after a long day and it also saves on waste as I can take out exactly what I need. My son is also a chef and I agree with the comment that often they(chefs) eat poorly or erratically. Well he gets up at 5am so often is bone tired by the time he gets home in the evening. If he is going out straight from work he will often have baked beans on toast and a Muller corner just as a reprieve from cooking.

As they say one man`s meat is another one`s poison. We all should be tolerant on what labour saving devices and convenience food means for us . I do agree with the comment that if you eat HM food you tend to be rarely ill!

Doom_and_Gloom

I cook from scratch most of the time. Being a vegan there's not much you can get that's ready made really and organic to boot. I have a few sachets of organic vegetable soups for when I really don’t have the time but that’s about it. I do use tinned tomatoes, tinned beans, frozen vegetables, pasta or curry jars (all organic) every now and then as well but to be honest I’m doing my best as I am only 17, nearly 18, and not living with my parents. I’ve been able to cook since I was really young as my parents wanted to make sure I could and I do thank them for that. I do think it is ridicules that there are bottled pancake mixtures when it’s cheaper to buy the needed ingredients and you can make more of them for your money too!!
I do realise that ready meals are needed sometimes as I’ve said I sometimes just do not have the time as I go to college and when I get home I need to do all my work and any cleaning that has to be done too so it can be all a person has the time to do when it comes down to it.
I do have to say that I do have a habit of looking in other peoples baskets/trolleys to see what they’ve got. I do get really upset if ALL I can see is ready meals and junk food as I aim to be a dietician when I am older so obviously a basket full of ready meals and junk isn’t what I want to see. I can only hope that they get fruit, vegetables and other health items else where or at a different time to when I see them.

SkyBlue_2

Moneybubbles wrote: »

Mum and dad also seem to live on pre preparred meals (chopped carrots, !!!!!!!!!) blimey

I know! Chopped carrots...a few sticks in a bag....??? And bags of grated cheese. What's that all about?? Cannot believe people want their veg prepared too and will pay through the nose for it!

Must admit, I have used ready meals in the past, shop bought goodies, like pizza etc, and have tried frozen roast potatoes...ready made Yorkshires and steam in the bag veg....

I did it because money was no object, I had a career which kept me out of the house until late, and three hungry children to feed and I was pressed for time.

Now money IS a big problem and my budget is tight I have to think about every blessed thing I put in my trolley. (It's hard when you are used to throwing in whatever treat you fancy...) I am trying to eat healthily...but am still dismayed to see how much mushrooms, peppers cucumbers, apples etc cost in the shops. In all my working life (I am ashamed to say) I never looked at the price of things. Wow..bread costs a pound or more....and a red pepper is 73p? Never???? :eek:

Fortunately (or unfortunately...) I don't work now, so I have a bit more time. Having a tight budget really does help you assess what is and is not worth buying.

I am not really into home baking (yet) but I never put cakes or biscuits in my trolley any more...nor do I buy ready meals. My waistline may thank me for it, but yes, I too feel quite concerned when I see people loading up the supermarket conveyor belt with so much junk and easy-cook stuff.

I tried to give my children healthy foods though...I will say that, and I am dismayed to see young Mums throwing packets of crisps or Haribos at toddlers in buggies. It just isn't right...that really ISN't good houskeeping...but perhaps that's for another thread.

Yes, must admit I have become a bit of a conveyor belt voyeuer too....and it's amazing what people are living on.

SkyBlue_2

Newster wrote: Does anyone think though that these tv chefs are a lot to blame for the downward trend in wanting to cook. They seem to cook meals that just don't seem practical.



What a good point!

It's true isn't it? The food they show us how to prepare on tv is lovely quite often, but I don't ever go away and think "I'll try that at home..." I might think I'll try it when I next eat out at a fancy restaurant....(Doesn't happen often these days anyway..)

Even Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall (or whatever he's called) the back-to-the-land chap who eats road-kill doesn't inspire me to cook from scratch...or go hunting for wild mushrooms.

People scoffed when Delia devoted a show to boiling eggs, but back to basics stuff is required.

Not many poeple want to feed their families on souffles, quails eggs or vegetables braised with armagnac, truffles and pine nuts, but they might quite like to see celebrity chefs make a simple dish cooked with broccoli or apples....

odds-n-sods

there is ready, steady, cook, many of those dishes can be made at home.

ahll

Wow a few of you obviously use your freezers to better effect than I do...I will have to look into it. I have alot of frozen vegs in as I find if I dont my veg seems to go off quickly

Kelinik

morganb wrote: »

I have to say I have been tempted to buy diced onion only because my eyes are so sensitive that I cannot cut up onions or even leeks without having to leave the room several times to wash them.

OK I'm gonna sound like a right plum now confessing this but I have really sensitive eyes and now wear my swimming goggles when chopping onions and leeks. Looks stupid - yes, painful eyes - no!

I do buy grated cheese after I compared the price with a block of the same weight of the same cheese and there was only 2p in it - we only use cheese grated and for 2p I'm more than happy to pay a machine to do it for me!