Does anyone else feel like we’re living like a dystopian novel?

👋 TillyTrotter I’m enjoying being back again. 😁

windmill1

And it hardly seems fair for The Commons and The Lords to have a choice of subsidised restaurants on top of the lavish salaries.

Good point.

I so agree windmill1. Subsidised meals and drinks for MPs is laughable. And sooo unfair. I expect certain MPs would not see the irony when they declare "nanny state".

I will read the rest of the informative and balanced posts with my lunch which I am lucky to be able to prepare in a kitchen with cooking facilities unlike many families living in temporary accommodation for whatever reason.

Whitewavemark2

And I absolutely agree about no nannying in such a rich country.

Therefore I propose that the minimum wage be raised to a living wage.
Rents capped
And benefits sufficient to sustain those needing to use them.

I love your posts WW2 and usually agree with them but are you really confident that the money given out through a higher living wage would be spent on food?
There are so many outlets selling cheap, highly unnutritious food and the temptations of vaping, drugs, cheap plastic imports of stuff none of us need and so on.

I get a bit annoyed about people not knowing how to cook, I think they still teach cooking in the National Curriculum?
As to access to cooking fuel and equipment, yes, the housing market needs to be well and truly sorted out.
I do feel I live in a dystopian world, all the above plus people enjoying the heat while the earth burns!!

Calendargirl

I think back to school dinners in the 50’s and early 60’s.

5 shillings a week, (25 pence), unless, like my DH from a large and poorish family, you were entitled to free school meals.

A proper meat and veg main meal, plus pudding, and water to drink. No junk or processed food.

Yes, I know they were subsidised, but you didn’t hear about food banks and hungry children so much back then.

Fast forward 60 or so years, and this is progress?

🤷‍♀️

There was much less inequality during that period

Yes, I was never given fruit juice or cordial as a child. Always water or very milky coffee ( mum was a ‘coffee snob’ and ground her own ) The food was very plain, though, compared with now.

I think back to school dinners in the 50’s and early 60’s.

5 shillings a week, (25 pence), unless, like my DH from a large and poorish family, you were entitled to free school meals.

A proper meat and veg main meal, plus pudding, and water to drink. No junk or processed food.

Yes, I know they were subsidised, but you didn’t hear about food banks and hungry children so much back then.

Fast forward 60 or so years, and this is progress?

🤷‍♀️

Just curious but if you go out to say an average restaurant, how much would it normally cost in the UK? 🇬🇧
It varies here because some places have cheaper ‘senior’s meals’ which are about 2/3 the normal price or less. Average would be around $40 a head for a full cost meal plus drinks which are quite expensive these days, though you can often BYO and just pay corkage of a couple of dollars.

I thought it was what community centre cafes already did.

Last Christmas I went with a friend to a Christmas meal at Trafford college of Further Education.
They have a lovely restaurant called Aspire.
As well as cooking it for other aspects of hospitality.
Everything from being greeted, shown to a table, orders being taken and meals served was by advanced students.
It was all superb.
It was less than £30 for a three course meal.
Drinks were also available.
This particular occasion was organised by the local Rotary club ,who I am assured gave a very good tip to the college staff who supervised, for the students.
I do not suppose anyone was out of pocket so decent meals can be provided at decent cost.
Of course you still need money to go!,

And it hardly seems fair for The Commons and The Lords to have a choice of subsidised restaurants on top of the lavish salaries.

Whitewavemark2

And I absolutely agree about no nannying in such a rich country.

Therefore I propose that the minimum wage be raised to a living wage.
Rents capped
And benefits sufficient to sustain those needing to use them.

Hear! Hear!

We go to one of the student run restaurants here from time to time. It ain’t cheap,though. Went to one with some friends last week and it was lovely food and cocktails but at market prices. I remember in the 70 s the Hare Krishnas used to run a restaurant in town that was very,very cheap and very healthy food,too. We used to go there when the kids were very young and you got a big feed which we would not have been able to afford normally.
Are they talking about soup kitchens ? They are usually free and many towns have them.

GrannyGravy13

I could say, but I would rather not be banned 🤬

Same here. Who dreams up this stuff!

Yes I had a different opinion to the experts on 'gender affirming' care for children, I was also quite worried about the idea that vaping was a solution to smoking without having any issues of its own, its quite useful to question ideas. That isn't to say I have all the answers (although obviously I do 😃) but in particular those who are experts on nutrition have over the years had ideas that would have really benefitted from some level of challenge.

And I absolutely agree about no nannying in such a rich country.

Therefore I propose that the minimum wage be raised to a living wage.
Rents capped
And benefits sufficient to sustain those needing to use them.

PS welcome back fgt have missed you. Hope your DH is on a treatment which will give him quality of life again 🍀

Of course there is, but we are talking about children in abject poverty living with mouldy food and rats and no different to the poverty you would find in Victorian Britain.

They can’t afford a book! Let alone the ingredients or fuel.

I agree that some people eat a poor nutritional diet through choice or ignorance, but this is not what I am talking about, and neither are those setting up the restaurants.

Great idea for the many families that are in temporary accommodation and only have access to a shared kitchen with limited facilities.

Whitewavemark2 yes honestly, there is so much information out there regarding nutrition and food preparation unless someone is disabled (mentally or physically) it’s surely better to be cooking and preparing yours and your family’s food.

The UK shouldn’t need to nanny state meals in the 21st century.

Some families don’t have cooking facilities. Some heads of families have never learned to cook a meal nor will they when you can get a fast food meal - delivered if you want it - for an affordable price.
Fast food companies should be taxed higher so they cannot sell their food so cheaply while enticing a generation of people to eat their meals maybe 3 or 4 times a week.
I know we are all responsible for what we put in our mouths but local Councils have allowed city streets and retail parks to be overrun by the big Names in fast food.
People have liked what they eat from them and go back for more.
Anything that provides a healthy alternative must be better?

Yes, but meat and three veg won't work today, imagine how many variations of dishes would have to be provided to suit everybody's diet requirements, cultural needs plus the health and safety side of serving meals to a diverse population.

GrannyGravy13

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Now now GG13 you’ve been taught enough times on here that some cannot afford to cook using electric hobs, the price of utility bills, they only have a microwave etc. if that. They eat cereal or sandwiches. 🤷‍♀️

Jamie Oliver has a one pot wonder book, specifically to save energy costs.

Oh dear - honestly!!

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Now now GG13 you’ve been taught enough times on here that some cannot afford to cook using electric hobs, the price of utility bills, they only have a microwave etc. if that. They eat cereal or sandwiches. 🤷‍♀️

Jamie Oliver has a one pot wonder book, specifically to save energy costs.

Galaxy

I actually don't think it is a good idea for other reasons. I think one of the reasons we have this issue is the disconnect between preparing our own food and eating it ( I say this as someone who eats out quite a lot!) I am not sure that is an effective long term strategy.

The most effective long term strategy is to take people out of abject poverty. But that is not likely to happen very quickly so at the very least we can give them sufficient nourishment as the grow into adults.