Hugh's War on Waste

Pollycat

honeythewitch wrote: »

There is often a tiny "normal" butchers counter alongside the pre-packed stuff, so you can get smaller amounts of a limited range (one of the butchers had never heard of ox liver) but the larger amounts in the packages are usually much cheaper, and that is what sells best.

Then he really isn't a 'real' butcher - or not one worth his salt.

honeythewitch wrote: »

As I was saying, even the "real" butchers also sell meat pre-packaged, because it sells better (so they say)
And of course, every supermarket sells it this way. Even the organic free range stuff is in plastic and polystyrene.

I may be wrong - I will check next time - but I don't recollect seeing any pre-packaged meat in any of the local butchers I use.

missbiggles1

JackieO wrote: »

Sadly many 'real' butcher's have closed owing to the apparent preference of pre-packed stuff from 'meat' men type of shops.I used to travel down to Osprey just outside Faversham to a real old fashioned butchers who would happily talk about different cuts and what was good value and he even would cut a couple pork chops with kidneys attached out for my late OH(back in 1999)His shop has closed now although I think there is still a branch in Faversham.He made his own sausages as well and they were really nice,a bit dearer than supermarket ones but far superior in taste.

You have to really search for the old fashioned sort today.The chap I went to still used to have saw dust on the floor of his tiled shop :):)

I would rather pay a bit more for decent meat and have less just for the taste alone.one 90% meat sausage is nicer than three bland tasting ones and far more filling.He also used butchers wrapping paper to wrap the meat.
because its getting harder to find a decent butchers I am buying less and less now.

How I miss pork chops still with the kidney attached!

honeythewitch

Pollycat wrote: »

Then he really isn't a 'real' butcher - or not one worth his salt.

I may be wrong - I will check next time - but I don't recollect seeing any pre-packaged meat in any of the local butchers I use.

No, obviously not a real butcher. Though he claimed to be.

I am sure it is different in each area. Some places do have the pre-priced meat (usually in larger quantities) on metal trays, and the contents are put into a bag, which seems much better.

My original point was that anyone who can get their waste down to a tiny amount is doing a wonderful job, because so much of it is beyond our control and we are bombarded with plastic.

fuddle

Where I used to live there was a 'real' butcher. They were meat suppliers to the local area, had open kiosks where you could ask for certain amounts and also sell pre weighted, pre packaged stuff at a reasonable price.

Just because a butcher prepacks and pre weighs doesn't mean they don't know their craft.

[Deleted User]

We have a super little independent butchers shop in the local shopping centre who makes his own sausages and where I can still go and buy proper shin of beef for stews, I often go in and buy 4 sausages for a meal for the two of us and he even makes the exotics like Toulouse, dragons breath, and a gorgeous breakfast sausage with black pudding in it. They do get packed into plastic bags though not wrapped in paper. What I love is it isn't ready packed in sealed packs, the display under the glass on the counter is beautifully done and the meat is properly hung and aged particularly the beef and his mince is dry and not wet and bloody but in separate small pieces of lovely lean meat.

RAS

What I like about my local butcher is that I can buy as little as I want; a few sausages, a small piece of meat to cut myself for stewing or some lean cut pieces. Their mince is great and I occasionally point at nice little end of steak going blue (well hung) a spare chop or a bacon end and ask for a price. I am happy to cook the steak that night or to design a couple of meals and some soup round the bacon end.

The previous owner used to do chicken carcasses for soup after they had removed the breasts, legs etc. In winter they came with the wings and enough good meat for a stir fry!

Rainy-Days

Thanks Fuddle & MrsLW - I still think the best place to buy meat is a 'time served' traditional butcher like you both mention.

We have two in the town and they do their own award winning sausages and yes the pork, black pudding and pear is just an amazing treat of a sausage to have - breakfast or not.

Years ago I used to get my meat from Tesco then one day said to my Mum why and how and you meat so tender when you cook it and mine isn't. The reply was because I get mine from the butchers who hang their meat properly and you get the processed stuff which hasn't been from Tesco! I changed that habit fast.

By the way someone mentioned on here (thank you) about the Dispatches programme on Channel 4 at 8pm on Monday - it is going undercover in Aldi - so I have pre-recorded that. Just wanted to mention it again in case others have missed it!

No complaints with their fresh packed and ground coffee though - it's the best I have found for a really reasonable price!

preciousillusions

honeythewitch wrote: »

Absolutely. Many people with eating disorders (and their families) have to buy a selection of everything they think the sufferer might be able to eat, just in case, and a lot inevitably gets thrown away.
My advice to anyone in this situation is to carry on doing everything you can to reduce the stress around food and dont let anyone make you feel guilty about "waste" (in whatever form)

And very often an extensive knowledge about preparing and storing food too, but perhaps not the capacity to deal with it right now, and in my opinion should not be chastised for it.
Do whatever you need to do get through the day. Some things are more important than discarded bacon.

Great post thank you. Yes, and for me the issue is that I need to get food out of the house sometimes and that actually is a GOOD thing in terms of my illness as otherwise I will end up 'wasting' it via my body instead. Outcome is the same that the food is gone, but one way harms me and the other means it's thrown out, doesn't mean I won't feel guilty for the latter, but in fact the complete opposite. Also, my freezer and fridges are crammed.

Thank you to those others that have sympathised and shared their own stories.

pasturesnew: I am sorry to hear about your struggles, sounds really tough and I really hope you can push yourself to try and reach out for help, professionally. Do you live alone or with family? if the latter, how understanding are they?

Rainy-Days

Interesting links on the BBC Business sections and also Daily Mail regarding Morrisons sales slumps. Of worthy note is the comments section (at the bottom of the article) in the DM and also references to Morrisons Facebook page where many are 'up-in-arms' at Morrisons and about their treatment of the parsnip grower:-

Tough Christmas predicted for embattled Morrisons as sales slide gets worse - but new boss insists he is 'making good progress'

• Sales fell 2.6% in the third quarter, worse than 2.4% in previous quarter
• Boss David Potts says the business is 'moving in the right direction'
• Share price down 3.5% as analysts claim strategy is not working and Christmas will be tough

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-3304875/Morrisons-sales-slide-accelerates-Potts-maintains-grocer-making-good-progress.html#ixzz3qeOBiZ1U

meritaten

if you haven't got a local independent butcher - Morrisons do cuts which aren't available in most supermarkets. if you aren't boycotting them right now!
I can usually find neck of lamb, ox liver, pigs liver, lamb hearts and a chunk of shoulder lamb in the prepacked section - and if you ask at the butchers counter.........you can usually get what you want.