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😮 ghastly 🎄 supermarket party food.

(297 Posts)
FriedGreenTomatoes2 Mon 16-Dec-24 11:36:29

Ultraprocessed foods in boxes with sell by dates weeks ahead. Weird desserts - Do we need, in fact, any of the mad options now available to us on supermarket shelves? Waitrose has spent a lot of money this year on an advert featuring Matthew Macfadyen and comedian Joe Wilkinson, starring a pudding called the No 1 Red Velvet Bauble Dessert, which looks a bit like a Viennetta. At Sainsbury’s, you can buy a “Christmas Carol-Mel and Brownie Cheesecake”, which is apparently a cheesecake with brownie cubes, salted caramel sauce, chocolate mousse and “bronze lustred” chocolate curls. Tesco has a “Showstopper Macaron Tower”.

Probably all a bit yuk?
I’m hoping for a ‘less UPF Christmas’. Food my grandmother would recognise.

What about you?

Allira Tue 17-Dec-24 11:15:17

MissAdventure

I wouldnt know, because I can't stand sausage rolls, actually.
Thats the daftest part.

😂😂😂

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 11:11:14

Gregg's were in the newspaper for something or other at the time, comparing their sausage roll to jesus or something.

That's what sparked the discussion.
It was thoroughly unpleasant, though, as was being followed about the forum for months afterwards with snide comments.

It's just a pity, a thread like this sparks more interest than one asking if anyone has been shown kindness, or chatting to people who are obviously lonely and in need of a bit of kindness themselves.

Allira Tue 17-Dec-24 11:05:49

NotSpaghetti

Astitchintime

There isn't much by way of commercially produced party food that actually appeals to me. Reading the ingredients can be very alarming - 5 or more ingredients is a sound indication that the food is ultra-processed and something to avoid as far as I am concerned.

There will be 5 or more ingredients in nearly everything I cook!
Even a flan has 5 or more,
Stuffed mushroom,
Vol-au-vent,
Samosa,
Baklava...
Even a simple risotto or Victoria Sponge has 5 or more!

5 or more ingredients is a sound indication that the food is ultra-processed and something to avoid as far as I am concerned.

This always makes me laugh because if every component of even just those five ingredients were to be listed, as they are on any processed food, they would be extensive.

Eggs
Meat, plain vegetables, jus made with water (wine is processed)
Fruit

Could become a rather boring diet.

Flour, sugar, butter have all been processed.
Eggs.

Then mix, bake - ultra-processed?

petal53 Tue 17-Dec-24 11:05:17

Haha but you bought one from Greggs! It was probably for someone else though.
To be honest MissA, I’m not a fan of sausage rolls either. I neither make nor buy them. Nor eat them. But I had to make them in Domestic Science once at school, including the dratted pastry from scratch.

Mollygo Tue 17-Dec-24 11:02:46

I’d rather have some of the things mentioned in here than the Biotiful Kefir Overnight oats I’ve just been given.
I need a Baileys to take the taste away, but it’s too early!

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 11:02:30

I think I've seen Delia using ready roll pastry before, and singing its praises.

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 11:00:20

I wouldnt know, because I can't stand sausage rolls, actually.
Thats the daftest part.

petal53 Tue 17-Dec-24 10:59:01

Nobody in their right mind makes puff/flaky pastry these days. The bought version is so good, just why would you?

Allira Tue 17-Dec-24 10:53:15

MissAdventure

The first couple of months I was first on gransnet I was taken to task about a Gregg's sausage roll, of all things! grin

Every time I see those words, I want one!!
However, I haven't eaten one for years.

The only thing to beat a Gregg's sausage roll are my friend's sausage rolls, she adds all kinds of tasty bits and pieces to the sausage meat but I think even she buys the readymade puff pastry.

petal53 Tue 17-Dec-24 10:48:57

MissA grin

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 10:48:28

The first couple of months I was first on gransnet I was taken to task about a Gregg's sausage roll, of all things! grin

petal53 Tue 17-Dec-24 10:44:56

I agree FGT, I won’t be buying or eating any of it. My grandmothers would definitely recognise the food I’ll be eating.

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 10:44:48

Well, ads can't cater to appeal to everyone, I guess, but most people with the smallest amount of imagination would be thinking about celery, cherry tomatoes, and all the things that go with erm... picky bits.

It's sort of like being shown a picture of a bucket full of mashed potatoes, and how appealing that looks.

Then imagining it on a plate, with delicious organically reared meat, tiny buttered petit pois, caramelized onions, and a rich gravy topping it off

MissInterpreted Tue 17-Dec-24 10:44:45

MissAdventure

All together now!

Picky bits, picky bits, pickies all the way!
Oh what fun, to stuff ourselves, with beige food off a tray, hey!

gringringrin
As I say, these kind of threads always bring out the food snobs...

NotSpaghetti Tue 17-Dec-24 10:43:41

Astitchintime

There isn't much by way of commercially produced party food that actually appeals to me. Reading the ingredients can be very alarming - 5 or more ingredients is a sound indication that the food is ultra-processed and something to avoid as far as I am concerned.

There will be 5 or more ingredients in nearly everything I cook!
Even a flan has 5 or more,
Stuffed mushroom,
Vol-au-vent,
Samosa,
Baklava...
Even a simple risotto or Victoria Sponge has 5 or more!

Witzend Tue 17-Dec-24 10:41:29

From experience, the good old retro classics always go down very well - cheese and (fresh) pineapple hedgehogs, and sausages on sticks. Because there happened to be some that needed using up (I’d used frozen packs as ice packs en route) - I once served a load of sausages on sticks as canapés at an al fresco lunch at a chateau in France - guests of BiL who owned the place were mostly French neighbours.

The Ss on sticks all vanished within a couple of minutes!

pascal30 Tue 17-Dec-24 10:38:23

pascal30

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Here’s one ad.
If you picked up a paper plate and a plastic fork would this array of party food really tempt you?

very greige,, where are all the colours of fresh veg and fruit..

well obviously we would MissAdventure, but the advert is not appealing without them...

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 10:29:48

That's what you serve with them.

pascal30 Tue 17-Dec-24 10:29:13

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Here’s one ad.
If you picked up a paper plate and a plastic fork would this array of party food really tempt you?

very greige,, where are all the colours of fresh veg and fruit..

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 10:27:31

As I say, for health reasons, people need to look at what they're drinking.

pascal30 Tue 17-Dec-24 10:27:04

Kate1949

I love a sardine and tomato paste sandwich on white bread and butter. How's that for rubbish? grin

very popular in Portugal.. I like it too

Astitchintime Tue 17-Dec-24 10:25:13

There isn't much by way of commercially produced party food that actually appeals to me. Reading the ingredients can be very alarming - 5 or more ingredients is a sound indication that the food is ultra-processed and something to avoid as far as I am concerned.

Babs03 Tue 17-Dec-24 10:22:48

I remember when quiches first came out, every buffet table was replete with them. I went one better, I made mini quiches 😂

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 10:22:30

What would you have to drink, fgt?
Most spirits and wines are processed or ultra processed, you know.

MissAdventure Tue 17-Dec-24 10:20:00

All together now!

Picky bits, picky bits, pickies all the way!
Oh what fun, to stuff ourselves, with beige food off a tray, hey!