Is food too cheap?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....lobal-food-giant.html

At a time in Britain when food parcels are being distributed, children are allegedly going to school hungry, and shoppers are complaining about the increase in their weekly food bill, here we have chief at Unilever saying "that Food is too Cheap"

I agree that far too much food is being wasted, but surely that is all down to bad kitchen practices and not because it is too cheap.

The housewives of yesteryear faced with the ordeals of food rationing, made sure none was wasted, all scraps were saved and made into soups or stews.

Footnote:

Ladies please don't jump on me for singling out women, when I used the word 'Housewives' because that was the correct terminology in 'days of yore', and we all know that the 'Chapesses' take their turn in the kitchen nowadays. :0)

[albaqwerty]

It's a sad sign of the times when one can go and buy frozen mashed potatoes.

When I buy a chicken, it's either boiled or roasted at home, even the bits off the bottom of the carcase are used.
Bones are good stock making for soup.

[mazie]

A whole chicken makes 3 different meals in this house

[shaneystar2]

I've seen lots of progs on TV at the amount of food that is chucked away. Tons of it .Sinful really when there is so much hunger in the world .
Everything gets eaten up in our house .I don't have money to throw in the bin Ditto Alba and Starbuck with chicken carcasses .If you shop carefully and know how to cook basic meals there's no excuse for all this food wastage .

[ummmm]

hc - Morrisons usually. It's never going to be as good as wild salmon but it's certainly improved. It's not as fatty as it used to be.

[hc4361]

I'll have another look at it, ummmm.

[cupid04]

food has gone up enormously in recent years, with rising fuel costs getting most of the blame. The rising number of take-away's in our area, I do wonder how people run to it. My mother always cooked from scratch and made meals out of left-overs that were still nutritious. People do tend more towards the ready meal. At least that's my experience when I'm standing at the check out
and nosing in other peoples trolleys and baskets.

[starone]

I just wrote something and it disappeared. Anyway try again - to hc. I wouldn't mind hc but to see most of the chicken wasted was shameful, in my opinion. You are quite right about fresh vegetables - they were really fresh - picked straight off the vine or dug from the earth. Incredible not to want them. Also, I thought salmon was supposed to be oily. I buy one piece (just for me) every week at Tesco and I do a little recipe I have which is very easy and bake it in the oven for about 15 minutes. Delicious.

[mazie]

I do that cupid (nose at other peoples shopping) I'd be terrible working on a checkout. I'd be asking everyone what they were cooking for dinner.

[ummmm]

I do it too but I can't say I ever see a trolley full of ready meals.

[shaneystar2]

I often go to farmers markets .We are lucky here as there are loads .Farming county .Last weekend I bought
A huge cauliflower ,a big bunch of carrots ,( fresh with all green on ,not like those insipid things in the supermarkets) two pounds of brussels tops ,four ginormous field mushrooms ,a swede ,a dozen eggs ,and five kilos of lovely Saxon spuds .
Total cost ...8.40

[Old_Geezer]

It can be argued to be too cheap when it encourages treating other species badly, such as factory farming and the like. There is something wrong with the system when cruelty is justified because the people claim food is too dear otherwise. (Although that may have something to do with being encouraged to have larger family than folk can support). But I don't believe it has a great affect on waste; some probably, but I'd be surprised if one can show a dramatic causal link.

[LyndaB]

I rarely waste anything. If wasting food isn't a criminal offence then it should be. I stopped doing a 'big shop' ages ago, now I buy non perishable groceries every four weeks when I get paid, I also go to the butchers on the same day and get what I need for the next four weeks. Then I buy things like milk, breads and dairy as and when I need them. Any leftovers are packed up and stored in the freezer till I think of something to do with them. Even though I know what the basis for our evening meal will be (meat, fish or fowl) I always have a look in the fridge to see if anything needs using up before I properly decide what to cook. We eat very, very well, and I save a fortune!

[pdq1]

It seems the only way to get your food cheap is to buy in bulk. Offers of BOGOF and three for the price of two are common nowadays. For the lone pensioner they lose out as they cannot consume the extra before the date runs out and the fridge is already stored to the brim. Also you pay through the nose for 1/2 sizes such as bread so they lose out big time.

[murraymints]

I hate wasting food..really paranoid about it..if you have ever been hungry with nothing in your purse then you will never again take for granted a hot meal....I used to live in Norfolk and loved the farm shops and honesty stalls around me..nice fresh veg....agree that home economics is not a big deal in school nowadays,,I learned all the basics of cooking and baking before I was 12 !! and much more just watching in the kitchen with mum and granny....