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Gregg Wallace programme on TV
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Cornucopia wrote: »Indeed. As Liza Tarbuck herself says (she narrates the programme): "sometimes we substitute a more expensive product to improve quality".
Oh thanks, I couldn't work out who the narrator was and I kept meaning to check.:)0 -
Cornucopia wrote: »Indeed. As Liza Tarbuck herself says (she narrates the programme): "sometimes we substitute a more expensive product to improve quality".
The elephant in the room is that good nutrition generally, and the Jamie Oliver recipes specifically, involve ingredients and an approach to food that some people may view as "trendy" or "middle class". We need to get over that. The optimal nutritional approach is whatever it is... to an extent we ignore it at our own risk (but also at a cost to the NHS).
I agree wholeheartedly with what you say. I don't think JO recipes use middle class or trendy ingredients though. I think they use good, clean healthy ingredients that are widely available. I just think eating a clean diet is harder in terms of finances.
I'm on your wavelength, I just have less per head to spend.0 -
I just think eating a clean diet is harder in terms of finances.
I'm on your wavelength, I just have less per head to spend.
I think it depends how you interpret the diet and its ingredients. The only things that raise costs significantly are meat and fish - especially if you are trading up from cheap, processed products to organic and/or premium brands and products.
Whilst it's nice to have those things occasionally, I don't think it's necessary to do it all the time, especially if it puts pressure on the budget, possibly causing compromises elsewhere. I'd certainly be looking at ingredients like beans & pulses (whether dried or tinned), fresh fruit & veg, and tinned & frozen fish before committing too much of the budget to higher-priced meat and fish products. Also, the meat substitutes (tofu, quorn, soya, lentils) are a way of both reducing costs, and potentially broadening the range of nutrients. Eggs are useful, too.
There are also store-cupboard staples like rice, pasta (and other less popular grains like unflavoured cous-cous, bulgar wheat, pearl barley). Quinoa is supposed to be the best, but it is much more expensive.
In terms of using cheaper cuts of meat, I would recommend Slow Cooking (red meat) or Stir Frying (white meat or fish).0 -
Cornucopia wrote: »I think it depends how you interpret the diet and its ingredients. The only things that raise costs significantly are meat and fish - especially if you are trading up from cheap, processed products to organic and/or premium brands and products.
Whilst it's nice to have those things occasionally, I don't think it's necessary to do it all the time, especially if it puts pressure on the budget, possibly causing compromises elsewhere. I'd certainly be looking at ingredients like beans & pulses (whether dried or tinned), fresh fruit & veg, and tinned & frozen fish before committing too much of the budget to higher-priced meat and fish products. Also, the meat substitutes (tofu, quorn, soya, lentils) are a way of both reducing costs, and potentially broadening the range of nutrients. Eggs are useful, too.
There are also store-cupboard staples like rice, pasta (and other less popular grains like unflavoured cous-cous, bulgar wheat, pearl barley). Quinoa is supposed to be the best, but it is much more expensive.
In terms of using cheaper cuts of meat, I would recommend Slow Cooking (red meat) or Stir Frying (white meat or fish).
Pretty much all you have suggested my digestion cannot cope with. I ate the wholemeal flour in those recipes at the weekend and was uncomfortable for three days. I tried rice last night and I dare not write how it effected me. Lentils and pearl barley (pearl barley has a crippling effect!) I can't do grains any more.
Quinoa isn't a grain, it's a seed so I am looking at trying that, good call thanks.
You've mentioned grains as fillers and cheaper alternatives and I can see why because it's what I used to do, it's what my meals consisted of but can you see my frustration at not being able to do that. I'm not looking at premium anything really (I love tinned mackerel in tomato sauce at the moment) I am just trying to get my head around the shift, learn new skills and manage my budget.
I am so skilled at making my money stretch with meals but take away grains and it becomes a little more difficult.
Thanks for the ideas, I especially am interested in tofu after watching the JO programme the other night.0 -
One of the things I like about Jamies recipes is that when he does use an expensive cut of meat, he will use a small amount and it will be bulked out with the accompaniments. One piece of lovely free range steak, slice thinly. and spread out over a tasty salad served with hm flat breads for example
Free range chicken fillets, he butterfly's and bashes flat, cooks quicker but also stretches it out, one fillet can be used to feed two
The downside to jamie and co is they have made traditionally cheap cuts of meat trendy and that's made the prices creep up. My butcher used to give me lamb shanks the size of small legs for 50p each and was pleased to get shot of them. Now I can't get them as he sells them to the meat factories who sell them to the supermarket where one will cost up to £4 each
Lambs hearts which was a staple when we were kids along with oxtail and scrag end are costing the same as mince and stewing beef now. In fact I now make Irish stew with steak pieces as they are often cheaper and easily got0 -
Fuddle, I know about the gut problems and wheat but funnily enough if I make my own bread I don't suffer. Same with pastry, I can eat it if home made
I'm going to see if hm pasta works for me as well. I adore pasta but omg I'm not nice the morning after ( to put it as politely as possible )0 -
I'm another no grains due to,stomach problems....this means not just wheat but also rice, oats, all soya, legumes and nightshades - so no white potatoes.
It sounds horrifically restrictive but it isn't once you get your head round it. You just need to be prepared to experiment a bit.
I can eat fish, meat, poultry, game, eggs, as much veg and salad stuff as I can manage, seeds and nuts, and just a small amount of dairy and a little bit of fruit.
I have a small amount of protein at each meal - my dinner plate consists of about 25 protein and 75 per cent vegetables.
Instead of white potatoes I have sweet potatoes, they are just as versatile. I also have parsnip or cauliflower mash. Instead of traditional rice I make cauliflower rice. parsnip and apple mash is lovely and dead cheap if you can get your hand on windfall apples.
Instead of pasta I have courgettes. I don't bother spiralising them, leeks make a good lasagne sheet substitute.
It might sound like a faff but tbh the health benefits make it well worth the effort. I will never go back to starchy carbs again. Now when I walk past the bread aisles in a supermarket the smell makes me gag.
Fuddle - I take your point about carbs being cheaper than good quality protein but you actually don't need much protein. I can make a chicken breast serve two people. I buy good quality sausage with a high meat content and one is plenty for me. Its all about piling up the veg.
The other thing I find is that good protein keeps you fuller for longer. When I ate carb dense meals I was always hungry. I could eat dinner and then would be grazing all evening.
Now I don't need to snack so that must be saving me money.
A diet that is rich in plant based foods with small amounts of high quality protein shouldn't break the bank, especially if you have a good range of spices And herbs to ring the changes.0 -
lessonlearned wrote: »Instead of white potatoes I have sweet potatoes, they are just as versatile. I also have parsnip or cauliflower mash. Instead of traditional rice I make cauliflower rice. parsnip and apple mash is lovely and dead cheap if you can get your hand on windfall apples.
Instead of pasta I have courgettes. I don't bother spiralising them, leeks make a good lasagne sheet substitute. .
Carrot & swede makes lovely mash too.
Aubergines or butternut squash makes good lasagne sheet substitutes.0 -
Ooh thanks for that - I do have carrot & swede mash but hadn't though about butternut squash or aubergines for lasagne.
Will have a go with those.0 -
I've really enjoyed the new series of Eat Well for less. Its always eye opening to see what other people buy and I always enjoy a nose when I'm out shopping at other people's baskets. Sometimes I even spot stuff that I then look for next time!
I've also thought the test taste experiments rather interesting.
I do wonder though about the cupboards that are out of bounds for the families during the experiment. It looks like they use a masking tape of sorts which surely would damage the cupboard when its removed.
I'm intending to make the meat free chilli which was featured in an earlier episode. I thought this might make a good lunch option. I also liked the look of the cottage pie? (or was it shepherds pie??) with added lentils. I wasn't clear with the lentils whether these needed to be pre-soaked or not? They didn't say?0
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