Can't believe the "food" you can buy now

arkonite_babe

In our house there is one simple rule, we spend time cooking your food, if you don't like it or don't eat it, that's fine but you get nothing until your next meal and there will be no junk substitutes.

Our 2 seem to be ok with this and up until recently the youngest was happy to take fresh fruit and veg in her lunch to school (eg carrots, cucumber, apples) now that she's in P3 some kids are taking the p's and she no longer will take these to school, and is now demanding what I call !!!!!! instead :mad:

beachbeth

arkonite_babe wrote:

Our 2 seem to be ok with this and up until recently the youngest was happy to take fresh fruit and veg in her lunch to school (eg carrots, cucumber, apples) now that she's in P3 some kids are taking the p's and she no longer will take these to school, and is now demanding what I call !!!!!! instead :mad:

I hated this too when my kids were little. I never gave them any sweets or orange squash. They weren't deprived and I thought they would never miss what they never had. I knew there would come a time when they would want these sort of things but why give them all this rubbish if they don't ask for it?

My eldest was crying and playing up in a shop once when she was a toddler because she was tired and a kind lady came up and spoke nicely to her and popped a sweet in her mouth before we could say anything. Well, my daughter just pulled a face and just spat the sweet out as though she'd been poisoned! We thanked the lady and she didn't notice the sweet had been spat out! But its so true that you actually develop a taste for sweet things. You aren't born liking them.

When they started nursery and school they were soon given all this rubbish to eat (also at kids parties) so there was no stopping it then. However, even now they are teenagers they don't fill themselves with sweets and rubbish, they eat a moderate amount and prefer to fill themselves up with proper food. I never made a fuss of them eating sweets, I just never gave them sweets as a reward, only if they specifically asked for some and I happened to be going to the shops that day.

Trow

Callisto wrote:

What about those who rely on public transport? I did a temping job a couple of weeks back and it was only about 5 miles away. I finished at 5pm, but didn't get back until 6.15pm. I had to wait twenty minutes for the bus, then the actual time on the bus, then fifteen minutes walk home from the bus stop.

Also extra time in the morning to get to the bus stop - it all adds onto the day and makes you feel more tired by the time you actually get home.

Hold on a moment - I didn't say it was always possible, but the original question implied that it would be a very rare thing indeed to be able to get home by 5.30pm. I just think thats a peculiar comment. Indeed I used to rely on public transport and it would be 5.45 before I got home, but in a previous job when I lived in a different area using public transport I would usually be home by 5.20pm.

Simba_25

im finding it really hard to change my habits at the moment..... my mum has always used convienience foods, she never does a meal from complete scratch so ive never really tasted a 'home cooked meal' as when i moved out her habits rubbed off on me. Even sunday dinners she uses frozen rosties and yorkshires. I really do envy people who can say they sat down to home cooked meals at home, as i can honestly say i really dont like mums cooking lol. The only thing ive ever known her to make from scratch is rice pudding or a treacle sponge. Even cakes and buns and pancakes she uses the packet mixes.

It is only from coming on here that i have started to change my habits.... slowly, but getting there. i now make my bread and jam from scratch, god i love my bread maker lol. I have a 3 year old son and i really want to change habits for him. ive been lucky really as he would rather have a bowl of fruit to sweets and a plate of veg to a cooked meal so im hoping it will be easy. I have offered to cook dinner today (im at my mums at the min inbetwen moving) and plan on doing a full home made meal......i have a gammon joint in the slow cooker now. I must say it is the first time i am really looking forward to dinner in a long time.

calleyw

skintchick wrote:

Who on earth does a full-time job and gets home at 5.30?!?!?!?!?

Some one who starts at 8am works until 4.30pm with an hour for lunch. Then takes an hour to get home. Which is 37 and half hours a week. When I last looked that was full time.

Now he gets home at 5.35pm as he works 5 mins walk from home.

Everyone makes choices of how far you want to work from home you have made your choice to work miles away from home.

For me, I would never work in London (approx 120 miles away)no matter how much money was on offer because I want to have a life which I could not have if commuting.

Yours

Calley

skintchick

I don;t know anyone who does a full-time job and gets home at 5.30. Perhaps it's the type of job?

crana999

Well... just because you personally don't know anyone with a particular job doesn't mean they don't exist, does it?

I think it's pretty obvious that some people may start early/live very close to their workplace etc and get home by 5.30 or before then.

For example at one of my jobs I work 7am - 3pm - that's 8 hours, which is full-time, and even if I had a pretty long way to travel or used public transport (it takes me about 1/2 an hour to get changed and get home) I'd still be home by 5.30.

Quackers

Bogof_Babe wrote:

I would just say that none of these replies seem to come from anyone who is half of a two full-time working partnership. And I only saw one reference to vegetarian food (someone mentioned Quorn sausages).

While I would never ever dream of buying frozen mash or ready grated cheese, when we were both at work and coming home shattered every night, we did rely quite a lot on chilled ready meals, like Sainsbury's delicious spinach and ricotta lasagne, and several others that I can't actually recall just now.

When you've been out of the house between 8.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m., and have walked home for a couple of miles, believe me all you want to do is bung something in the oven or microwave. If I were to start making a veggie lasagne at that time (even if I had the energy) it would not be ready until bedtime, and as for the washing up...:eek: .

:T I thought I was all alone until I read your post!

I buy ready made yorkshire puds. Why? 'cos I'm lazy and would rather spend my time watching tv, reading a book or playing connect 4

Oh, and I eat smash. Why? Cos I like it.

I lived with my grandparents so ate home cooked food every night. My Nan also taught me how to cook and I am capable of making a huge variety of meals. But sometimes I cant be bothered and buy ready made. We both work full time and dont always have the energy to cook. Sometimes we'd rather spend the time doing other things. Simple really. I buy ready peeled stew pack thingies for soup when they are reduced - saves time and effort. I'm not afraid to admit that I like the convinience side of it - although I wouldn't pay full price!

I eat a varied and balanced diet. Well, most of the time!! I'm a veggie and love all vegetables and do not believe I'm unheathy - just a bit lazy :rotfl:

Bogof_Babe

Yeah Quackers, it's the balance of time = money, money = time really, isn't it?

I'd rather make economies in other areas (e.g. we don't feel the need to holiday abroad, we have little enough time to enjoy our home as it is), and so long as we don't eat complete junk then the odd pre-prepared meal is both a treat and a respite, imho.

Heck, who was it who said life is too short to stuff a mushroom?

larmy16

I know it must seem very unfrugal, but I do like to buy frozen onions :eek: and frozen mushrooms :eek: . I like these because if I come home knackered from work, these mixed into some tvp or veggie mince and a tin of toms plus frozen veggies and some herbs, makes a quick meal for me. At weekends I dont mind chopping and slicing etc but even then I put the onion in this electric chopper thingy.

My energy levels ebb and flow and I have been known to throw away onions that have been hanging around so long they are inedible also same with the mushrooms. At least in the freezer they get some chance of being cooked

I dont like the frozen yorkies much though, they taste peculiar to me. Anyway I am on a "diet - oops I mean healthy eating plan, so yorkies will only be an occasional treat for me. They are bloomin lovely though.