What can be done to reduce food waste?

missbiggles1

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I've always shopped this way, when we were a family of 4 with both the girls at home and had family pets too. As I said horses for courses and it wouldn't suit everyone and the bus pass definitely helps stretch the pension but when I had to I paid the bus fare and carried what we needed back home. Hubs had the car for work every day and I don't drive so it was a necessity or pay village prices which are usually a minimum of 20p more per item than in the larger stores. I relied on the independent greengrocers and bakers to get products that would usually last until the next shop, the quality usually being slightly better than in the supermarkets.

I didn't learn to drive until I was 50 so I'm quite used to walking into the shops or catching the bus - I'm also quite strong and was able to carry quite a lot. However, it was always a PITA to struggle on and off the bus with 3 or 4 carrier bags full of shopping, including heavy things like tins of dog food and bottles, particularly after a hard day or week at work.

I wouldn't want to go back to that and doubt I could even do it any more now I'm older.

moneyistooshorttomention

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I never mentioned "housewives", I can't imagine why you'd think I would.

The "turning back the clock" post referring to "housewives" doing the shopping was by another poster - and my post was in response to that one and expressing surprise at "shoppers" being referred to as "housewives" (as most won't be).

Grumpmum

I was talking about this issue with my friend who's a teacher. She would love to implement budgeting and basic cooking ect into her planning, but the pressures on teachers mean this is tricky. However, she reckons it would be fantastic from educational, societal and environmental angles. Teaching children can also filter through to parents- for example, she recently taught her class about sun safety and some children went home and talked to their parents about it, resulting in some parents going out to buy some sun cream and hats! obviously, this wasn't everyone, but every bit can help. And I think it will take lots of bits to make a solution.

And well done Miss Biggles for learning to drive at 50! Am approaching 50 and was starting to feel I was too late! Apologies for being off topic.

missbiggles1

Grumpmum wrote: »

I was talking about this issue with my friend who's a teacher. She would love to implement budgeting and basic cooking ect into her planning, but the pressures on teachers mean this is tricky. However, she reckons it would be fantastic from educational, societal and environmental angles. Teaching children can also filter through to parents- for example, she recently taught her class about sun safety and some children went home and talked to their parents about it, resulting in some parents going out to buy some sun cream and hats! obviously, this wasn't everyone, but every bit can help. And I think it will take lots of bits to make a solution.

And well done Miss Biggles for learning to drive at 50! Am approaching 50 and was starting to feel I was too late! Apologies for being off topic.

Thank you!:)

My aunt learned when she was over 60, so definitely not too late.

PasturesNew

I had to learn to drive asap - small village, last bus home about 10pm ish - and it doubled job applications as I could apply for jobs "anywhere" and not just in the one town the bus went to.

Had to learn - nobody else was going to be my chauffeur and I wasn't going to spend my life walking and mopeding everywhere come wind/rain/sleet and snow.

Butterfly_Brain

usernameisvalid wrote: »

We had one, Jamie Oliver, only posters on this board mocked it as it was showing how to use up legs of lamb and whole salmon and he dared use ingredients such as smoked paprika

I like many others cannot abide that jumped up Sanctimonious, pub cook Jamie Oliver

moneyistooshorttomention

Aw! I quite like Jamie Oliver personally - though I just sit there every time thinking about the way his wife is...:cool:I know...I know...but I don't like the way he looks though.

I watch Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall programmes sometimes and find him a bit offputting in some respects - but I do pick up some useful ideas from him.

I think it would be interesting to see a cookery programme by Jack Monroe (ie "A girl called Jack") and I think she could be the sort of person that could do a programme or two on using up leftovers/ using bits of food that arent normally used (all the stuff I do use personally anyway - like radish leaves, cauliflower leaves, watermelon rind, etc). I thought she would be too camera-shy to do a tv programme until recently - but she's doing a tv advert now - so am guessing she's changed her mind on that.

[Deleted User]

MTSTM her books not bad either, she seems to be pretty good at using up almost anything she can find

Dclutterchique

Grumpmum wrote: »

I was talking about this issue with my friend who's a teacher. She would love to implement budgeting and basic cooking ect into her planning, but the pressures on teachers mean this is tricky. However, she reckons it would be fantastic from educational, societal and environmental angles. Teaching children can also filter through to parents! I think it will take lots of bits to make a solution.

And well done Miss Biggles for learning to drive at 50! Am approaching 50 and was starting to feel I was too late! Apologies for being off topic.

Grumpmum, your friend may be able to confirm or deny this. Is part of the problem that the lessons are so short there isn't enough time to teach/demo and for the pupils to learn/do anything cookery wise beyond the 'How to make a cheese sandwich, please bring sliced bread and sliced cheese next lesson' system that is so (rightly) derided? If so, then cookery lessons need to be long enough to have a practical application.

Re: learning to drive I was in my mid thirties when I learnt and passed my test and I have a Great Aunt who was over retirement age when she learn to drive, so give it a go.

UKParliament, regarding teaching cooking skills

1) Co-ordinate with the Dept of Ed, Local Authorities and/or schools to have sufficient time to learn how to cook.

2) Teach techniques not just recipes eg if teaching how to make cauliflower cheese make it clear that broccoli can be substituted, if teaching how to boil/steam vegetables teach the different options available eg microwave, plug in steamer, metal colander over a saucepan of water so people can 'future proof' themselves. Screamingly obvious to those of us who can cook, but a revelation to anyone who has been taught/indoctrinated not to deviate from the method proscribed by Mrs Beaton circa 1860.

3) Recover the 'lost generations' of cooking by making the facilities available to teach all adults of all abilities out of school hours - evenings, weekends, holidays - so people in certain demographics don't feel excluded from learning 'just because'.

The sentence I emboldened in Grumpmum's quote sums up the situation.

Mojisola

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I think it would be interesting to see a cookery programme by Jack Monroe (ie "A girl called Jack") and I think she could be the sort of person that could do a programme or two on using up leftovers/ using bits of food that arent normally used (all the stuff I do use personally anyway - like radish leaves, cauliflower leaves, watermelon rind, etc).

I thought she would be too camera-shy to do a tv programme until recently - but she's doing a tv advert now - so am guessing she's changed her mind on that.

She did a segment on a programme recently where she made a meal for a group of foodies and restauranteurs - they were enthusing about how 'fresh' everything tasted and the range of flavours - it was a very cheap meal put together from tinned food but obviously tasted great.

She did look rather anxious at times but I hope she does some more tv.