Great British Budget Menu-BBC

crumblepie

There wasn't any context to the " I have £2 a day or £1.66 per person per day to spend on food". Where did those figures come from?

I think they were a bit obsessed with meat - chicken, sausage etc. I hardly ever eat meat and instead get my protein from beans, lentils, quorn stuff - none of that was mentioned.

I did notice they had a cursory "oh look the meal they've prepared has meant an overspend but it can be used for tomorrow a different way" but not showing the second meal.

Yes the cupboards were empty - yes a store cupboard is a useful thing but I make a chicken curry using a tin of value chicken curry (56p Tesco) add other veg to it and serve with a bit of rice which comes out with 5 portions for less than a £1 a head. That's what they needed to show not buying jars of expensive spices !

sonastin

I couldn't help but notice how much unnecessary stuff the family had - trampoline, exercise ball, sun umbrella in the garden. I know they were a large family but it was also quite a large house. I couldn't feel any sympathy for them because it looked like they were prioritising spending on other areas then claiming food poverty.

The old boy and the single mother seemed to be suffering from ignorance rather than food poverty. They had money to spend on food, they just didn't know what foods to buy or what to do with it. If either of them had realised they could come on here and learn how to take care of themselves, they wouldn't have featured on the show.

I was massively disappointed by the show. It was so clearly aimed at the comfortable middle classes to lecture them on how some people are struggling. I was hoping for something a little more educational to show the people who are struggling how to make the best of what they've got. The only "tips" I picked up were chicken is the cheapest meat and supermarket "bargains" aren't always the cheapest option. Oh, and you've got to shop around to make money stretch further. Anyone who hasn't figured that out already hasn't really tried to help themselves to make ends meet. I do despair with the number of people who expect others to do the thinking for them and spoon-feed them knowledge so they don't have to use their brains too much.

raphanius

a few things stood out to me as bbc dominant ideology.

1. the new 'pet' is the chicken
2. its no good complaining about being poor. there's no such thing as poverty just ignorance.
3. money wasted on junk such as sugar can be spent on wholesome ingredients such as oats.
4. domestic science should be brought back to schools and food academies introduced for adults and teens.

note the politicians were both powerless representatives not actual members of the tory cabinet.

another thing i spotted was a chef on a budget walking out of the supermarket with 2 10p 'bags for life'

edit: i know its judgemental but the 'poor pensioner' had a packet of fag papers next to his loose change on the table.

Mrs_Boo_Boo

As usual not much cop. Even my hubbie who isn't too concerned about moneysaving and cooking said what did chefs know about cooking on a budget?
Never went to Aldi or LIDL as far as I could see!! Also bought spices which were included in the budget,but would last for much longer. One bought fresh salmon and went totally over budget,but didn't look in the freezer section.
I thought they could do with coming here to be educated.

Butterfly_Brain

I was very disappointed as well, these chefs have no idea of how the other half have to live on a day to day basis. As for buying extra spices, well that would be out in a normal household. It seemed to me that the BBC has just made another smug little peep show in order to belittle people and more fool them for taking part, mind you saying that my DD did a diploma in media and says they just edit the programs and manipulate what they do show.

Shoey1610

On the program afterwards about benefits, there was a smug lady lecturing the lady on benefits about not buying a whole chicken 'which is half bones' and that her money would go further if she bought some nice chicken fillets and cut them into chunks instead. :eek:

sugarpuss27

This actually left me angry. I don't necessarily agree about the stuff that the family have. I'm sure we all have stuff that we have had from better times and things have gone up so much with wages not keeping up with inflation, paying your mortgage and keeping your head above water with bills etc, we wouldn't then get rid of all that stuff unless it cost us money. What did come across to me was the lack of skills and I really don't think you can blame the individuals either. I was lucky having a very make do and mend upbringing, learning how to cook from very young and also having it taught at school. It was called housecraft in my day and you learnt all the household skills. If you have never been shown or were taught these skills where do you get them from! School curriculum's over the decades have dumbed down these skills or have taken them off completely. I am not saying there may be some who cannot be bothered but I'm sure there are those who really just have no clue.
Like many I was disappointed with the chefs handle on the budget. You also need cash to be able to have or build up store cupboard items they do not just magically appear.
Overall I was left more angry that there are families and individuals out there that have been let down by a system where academic excellence has taken priority over basic life skills.

janeyd2

The family had a decent size garden. Couldn't help wondering why they didn't clear the vegetation and grow some veg

sarahsarah

Shoey1610 wrote: »

On the program afterwards about benefits, there was a smug lady lecturing the lady on benefits about not buying a whole chicken 'which is half bones' and that her money would go further if she bought some nice chicken fillets and cut them into chunks instead. :eek:

As soon as I saw that I logged onto this board to see if anyone had said anything! :eek:

I turned it off shortly afterwards!

whitesatin

janeyd2 wrote: »

The family had a decent size garden. Couldn't help wondering why they didn't clear the vegetation and grow some veg

Was that the terribly unkempt garden? Wouldn't they have been better getting a cow or a goat maybe?