AIBU a generation that can’t be bothered.

I confess I often use the pre prepared vegetables to save time/hassle. I mix these with my own chopped onion and potatoe and what ever meat. Tonight we have slow cooked lamb with the above with a sliced potatoe topping. I can and do cook from scratch but use ready prepared fresh vegetables for convenience.

Rereading the OP, surely someone on a tight budget would have sat and carefully planned what food they could afford to buy and what meals they would serve and drawn up a shopping list before they went out.

It sounded as though the reporter sent out was totally clueless and bought random, foods within their limited understanding of cooking, the range of food in the shops and how much it cost.

M0nica

Rereading the OP, surely someone on a tight budget would have sat and carefully planned what food they could afford to buy and what meals they would serve and drawn up a shopping list before they went out.

It sounded as though the reporter sent out was totally clueless and bought random, foods within their limited understanding of cooking, the range of food in the shops and how much it cost.

I completely agree. It seems to me that the article was written with the intention that we would think negatively of the hypothetical shopper.

Whereas she could have shopped intelligently and turned the article into one on how to feed your family healthy and nourishing food on a limited budget - something of use to people with little idea of how to do that. I suspect she had another agenda though.

That would have been much better.

GagaJo

Actually, I've just come in from the supermarket. In front of me, at the checkout, was an elderly couple. Mid 60s probably.

No basic meal ingredients. Ready meals. Ready prepared meat and veg packs. A frozen chicken / stuffing oven-ready thing. The only unprepped stuff was a pack of tomatoes and some grapes.

So not really a generational thing at all.

Gagajo mid-60’s is NOT “elderly” !!!!

''I think we're talking about how much better our families are than other peoples''

no, Calli, we are not. We are, I thought, talking about common sense. If money is very tight, then buy stuff which is easy, fast and cheap to make. Simples.

And of course, everyone has the odd day... but talking about health, it also makes sense. Less fat, more protein and vitamins, etc. It's perfectly OK to talk about common sense without the usual people jumping up and down shouting 'judgemental'.

Some of you have got it!

The idea was that the journalist with two children under 5 and a husband would shop to feed her family for a week with only £60.

My point was that it seemed crazy anyone trying to eek out the pennies would buy grated cheese etc.

It would be great to get the journalists parents or grandparents and see what they did with £60.

Maw you beat me to it.
An elderly couple, mid 60’s!!
How very dare you GagaJo
?

Sounds like the journalist should be sacked. Then she can try feeding herself (and any dependants) on benefits.

I'm amazed at how many of you even notice what is in someone else's basket. Don't think I've ever done that.

Smart phones and social media eat up alot of time.

Kim19

I'm amazed at how many of you even notice what is in someone else's basket. Don't think I've ever done that.

Sometimes I glance and think 'oh, I forgot that' or 'that looks nice'

Actually, I've just come in from the supermarket. In front of me, at the checkout, was an elderly couple. Mid 60s probably.

Gagajo wash your mouth out!!

So does bringing up children.
I feel quite misty eyed when I think of the days when you just sent them and got on with your day.

Kali2

''I think we're talking about how much better our families are than other peoples''

no, Calli, we are not. We are, I thought, talking about common sense. If money is very tight, then buy stuff which is easy, fast and cheap to make. Simples.

And of course, everyone has the odd day... but talking about health, it also makes sense. Less fat, more protein and vitamins, etc. It's perfectly OK to talk about common sense without the usual people jumping up and down shouting 'judgemental'.

I think we're talking about how much better our families are than other peoples

I didn't say that, Kali2

If you look at the posts you'll see someone else said it and I responded.

She said it as a joke, I think and I responded in like fashion

It was me.
In response to the "Thank god my children all cook from scratch" type comments.

MissAdventure

It should be included in wedding vows.
"Will you cook from scratch and forsake crispy pancakes, as long as you both shall live?"
I will.

I used to feed my children Findus crispy pancakes (not every day).
They loved them
None of them would eat them now or feed them to their children.

I'm sure they're no worse for people than some of the meals people here enjoy.

MissAdventure

It was me.
In response to the "Thank god my children all cook from scratch" type comments.

You win the prize for best posts. ?

A packet of Bird's Eye fish fingers is winging its way to you.

Witzend

GillT57

Farzanah

I’m more amazed by the alcohol I see older people putting in their trolleys.

you were obviously the lady looking incredulously at my trolley full of beer and gin on Saturday........

Pensioner squanders fuel allowance on gin

Gin, beer, crisps, and two lemons.

You forgot the tonics!

As for knit-your-own, I did once read somewhere about knitting your own orgasm…

Yes that was a spoof on Cosmo magazine years ago;

Cosmo tells you how to demand an orgasm, Woman's Weekly tells you how to knit one.

As you were, I am off to make myself a gin and tonic. From scratch of course.

GillT57 as long as they were the organic, sea salted crisps I recommended in an earlier post ?

They soak up the gin better than the Aldi ones, so I'm told.

There is an initiative in our town to get people cooking simple and nutrition food. Sad that it has to happen but many people have grown up on ready meals and takeaways and simply do not know how to prepare food.

Well shame on their parents, who are probably some of your children.

sago, some people do not have the time, as others have said, maybe having a full time job, picking kids up from after school and starting to make a meal at 6pm at night, i live next to a primary school and watch the mothers picking up kids between 5/6pm, the kids are grumpy and the parents are the same. if someone wants to buy ready mash then let them. i buy microwave rice because i like the different kinds, chinese, mexican etc and yes i buy wipes for the bathroom. why not let people do what works for them, until you are in that situation you have no idea.

when my children were little and I was working and studying too I did whatever was easier and whatever I could afford and I couldn't have given a shit as to what other people were doing to be honest
and whatever I have done, I have always felt guilty