It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

catz4m8z

Bluegreen143 said:

Judging by people I know (I’m 35) it’s for health or environment and it’s not to save money. Everyone who I know who is vegan eats expensive meat substitutes and vegan processed junk food so it doesn’t cost much if any less than eating meat. Of course you can do a vegetarian or vegan diet cheaply but I don’t know many in real life who do.

TBH I think the people who are cutting out meat to save money are just having some meat free meals a week rather then substituting actual vegan options. In fact the processed vegan market is less popular now!
It got very popular (and trendy) a few years ago and so the market was saturated with vegan products but then cost of living crisis hit and alot of companies went out of business because people couldnt afford it.
If you've been vegan a while and care about your finances then you soon learn to cook from scratch! 

Toonie

Bluegreen143 said:

Judging by people I know (I’m 35) it’s for health or environment and it’s not to save money. Everyone who I know who is vegan eats expensive meat substitutes and vegan processed junk food so it doesn’t cost much if any less than eating meat. Of course you can do a vegetarian or vegan diet cheaply but I don’t know many in real life who do.

Same with the majority of vegan and vegetarians I know (I'm 40). I was comparing foods with one of my vegan friends a while back as I've been trying to get her to cook more of her own food by finding simple recipes as she is a bit younger than me and is already on medication for high blood pressure and is classed as pre-diabetic. I suggested it was the highly processed foods and especially meat substitutes she was eating as they contain a lot of salt and sugar and she didn't believe me as they are "healthy, green foods". So we did a food diary for a couple of days and then compared the salt and added sugar levels. Her salt intake over the two days was 35g! Her sugar was 125g! My salt was 5g and sugar was 35g. She was really surprised and is trying to cut down on the ready meals.

dreaming

There was a programme on tv the other night about ready meals and what was actually in them (https://www.memorabletv.com/episodes/ready-meals-the-shocking-truth-channel-5-wednesday-25-october-2023/). I only caught about half of the programme but they looked at vegetarian ready meals as well as those with meat and I think the conclusion was that none of them were particularly good for you if eaten too often. I live alone and was ill last year with some hospital stays and although I had frozen some of my own cooking I did start to rely on always having some ready meals in the freezer. Having a through medical recently some concerning things were shown and I realised I needed to look at what I ate in more detail . I found I was eating ready meals more often than I thought so am trying to get back to eating more simply. You would think this would be cheaper but as I can no longer drive or always get about easily I have my shopping delivered and it can be difficult to get good quality ingredients without spending a lot more. The "offers" are nearly always on highly-processed ready meals so I can see why it can be tempting to stock up on them - either because of cost or time saving, or just lack of knowledge or confidence in cooking.

London_1

Yesterday in hospital (I've been in rehab to start walking again) and Yippee I was finally discharged this afternoon

Breakfast was a bowl of bran flakes and milk, a slice of brown toast .a glass of apple juice and a cup of tea.,mid morning we had a cuppa and two custard creams (yummy ones as well )

Lunch was a cooked meal of minced beef, mash, carrots, green beans and cabbage ,with a bowl of ground rice pudding with custard to follow .
A cup of coffee mid afternoon then tea time it was a small bowl of diced potatoes and cauliflower mixed with a cheese sauce (actually very tasty, a cup of chicken soup, a brown bread ham sandwich and a small tub of ice cream also another cuppa ,then about 8.30 you could either have a hot chocolate, Horlicks  or another cuppa with a couple of digestives .mind you breakfast was around 7.45 am and after a shower it was physio in the morning Lunch was about 12.00 mid day and tea time was around 5.00pm. There were two veggie options for those who preferred to do without meat and I thought the food was actually quite nice and pretty plentiful .Probably a lot more than I would have done had I been home.

My DD drove me home this afternoon and the youngest DD has topped my fridge up with fresh stuff and fruit and veg so I am well sorted until next week.

 I do have several days during the week when I enjoy meat-free meals. I still eat meat but far less than I used to as there are such nice alternative. I'm not mad keen on too much pasta ,but adore fish of all sorts. 

I certainly don't think I could go the full vegan or veggies as moderation in everything ,but todays food choices in the shops are far more than they were for my late Mum in the 1940s raising three children during rationing wasn't easy, but thankfully she gave me a love of herbs and spices which has to me always brightened up 'beige ' food and there are so many brilliant things you can buy as an alternative to  the iniquitous 'ready-meal' batch and freeze is my best way I do things I alway make more than I need and freeze left overs without a seconds thought .Saves time, and cash on your energy bills as well.

JackieO xx

YorksLass

That's wonderful news JackieO - I bet you were so pleased to walk into your own home.  Your hospital meals actually sound quite nice and they seem to have kept you busy with all the rehab, but there's still no place like home.  Take it easy and keep up the good work.  X

Interesting to read all the different views on how and what we eat and why.  As I said before, we eat far less red meat and probably chicken too than we used to but more fish, F&V, pulses etc although I'm still a firm believer in having a little of everything for a balanced diet - including the occasional treat.  I was diagnosed as type 2 diabetic four years ago but so far have managed to control it by diet only.  It certainly made me more conscious of what goes in my mouth and since then I've shed two stones - and have kept it off.    My annual review is due next week, fingers crossed all will be well.

I'm not looking forward to the clocks going back this weekend - it always signals the approach of winter for me, which is my least favourite season of the year.  Today here is very dull and chilly and it seems we are due for rain at some point every day for the next two weeks.     It's very tempting to hibernate indoors but I'll still be trying to get out as much as I can, both for the fresh air and the exercise.

Looking at my October grocery budget I've gone over for the third month in a row.     I've kept all my receipts and can see it's nothing to do with being extravagant, far from it.  The sad fact is the money just doesn't go as far as it used to.  Fortunately we have very few food dislikes or allergies so can be adaptable when it comes to meals.  This lunchtime we had hm leek & potato soup with a crispy roll and tonight it's a lightly floured/crumbed cod fillet with mushy peas and a few oven chips.  This has replaced our previous Friday chippie tea, but it's still probably one of our most expensive meals due to the cost of the fish.  I have some frozen basa fillets in the freezer and I'll use some of those to make a batch of hm fishcakes that we can have on alternate Fridays to keep the cost down.  Every little saving helps.     

weenancyinAmerica

@London_1 - Jackie, so glad you are home. I am interested in the ground rice pudding you mentioned. Do you know how using ground rice affects the recipe. I never liked rice pudding because of the rice hurt my teeth and would get stuck between them. I had never known you could use ground rice. Did they grind their own?

joedenise

@London_1 - so glad you are finally home.  Lovely that your DD drove you home and that your other DD filled your fridge with fresh fruit and veg.  I'm sure you'll be glad to be back in your own bed.  It's definitely what I look forward to if I sleep anywhere else!

elsien

I am eating less meat. Nothing to do with veganism or ethics, just saving money so it’s just cooking a veggie meal from scratch or using less meat and bulking out with lentils.
I don’t buy any of the vegan alternatives. I accidentally bought a “plant based” hoisin duck wrap awhile ago and it was vile. Texture was not nice and I don’t see the point of pretend duck. Tofu didn’t do anything for me either. If I went vegan I’d probably starve. 

Longwalker

What fantastic news @london_1 - Jackie

We eat very little meat now. Well I say that, what meat we do eat is the cheaper cuts bulked out and if we do indulge in a steak dinner, me and mum share a small steak 

But we do eat a lot of chicken, mostly because we have Moy Park/Pilgrims in the next town. Since they became Pilgrims and had a reshuffle, the plant here processes the high welfare birds under Waitrose/marks/Jaimie Oliver and Duchy of Cornwall labels. so its not as cheap as it used to be but still bargains galore. Popped in on the way back from the airport yesterday and for £15 I got 4 packs of organic chicken legs ( 6 packs) , two packs of organic fillets ( 4 packs )  two packs of fillets with leeks and Wensleydale and a tray of British butter chicken  which is a new product - to feed 4 - we had it last night and it was absolutely lush , just found it on the Sainsbury's site and that is £6 to buy. So Im a happy bunny as easy tea and a full freezer again   It really is hit and miss as to what you get in there. Last visit I got loads of BBQ packs - flatties and kebabs which were great with salads. Then the community fridge get supplied by Hulls so we get a fair few packs of sausages and burgers throughout the year - free of charge 

Anyways we didnt spend much at all in Tuscany. It appears our generous contribution before hand went towards the accommodation and catering so our only spends were transport and lunches out. It also wasnt so dear as we thought, and compared to Dublin it was bloody cheap The wedding itself was BEAUTIFUL , everyone was sobbing, not discreetly wiping an eye, shoulders were bobbing and sobs were heard. It was also great fun, we had a two piece band for the afternoon and my god the singer was amazing, and the rest of the band set up for the evening and I danced and danced and danced, even Mr L got up and made some moves. We were the oldest there but the youngsters were just so wonderful and totally included us , treated us as peers and not the oldies to be tolerated. It was a lovely 3 days - even if it rained and rained and rained We got drowned going into Pisa. We got there unscathed, just slightly damp having taken shelter in a cafe for an hour, but at Pisa, the heavens fully opened and it was in for the day ( and night ) We took shelter under an umbrella to an outside cafe, but it was obvious it wasnt passing so I called one of the touts selling brollies and ponchos over, he wanted 5 EURO for a flimsy poncho which should be 1 euro at most, I gave him 3 !!!

Came home and I walked into a smelly house. Mum is really not coping with any cleaning at all. I had left the kitchen clean and omg , it was a complete hash. So two minutes in the door and I was sorting the washing and cleaning the kitchen and she walks in as Im spraying the counter tops and hob and says " oh I didnt know how you cleaned those"

Shes 85 this year. I dont expect her to be vacuuming , washing floors, etc , I already do all the proper cleaning and cooking. But she is capable of sticking a ready meal in the micro, making her breakfast and lunch and hot drinks and she comes out with that statement. Now Im worrying like billy - O - has she really no idea or was it a case of she doesn't clean and just left it for me?

It never rains but it pours as they say

cuddlymarm

Good morning everyone 
I tend to stretch meat further so a pack that would have done two now does 3 and we’ll have a soup and stodgy pudding meal occasionally. 

I can’t bring myself to buy a tiny pack of beef for a fiver that will get lost in the gravy, so we have meat less often and potato or pasta based meals. Also I can get away with veggie based meals as long as there’s a nice cheesy topping.