How much do you really care about the food you eat?

We are mindful of what we eat. We try not to purchase UPFs. We often have microwave meals; batch cooked, homemade with fresh ingredients, and frozen for easy meals.
We try not to eat out too often nowadays as so many places buy in preprepared items. Even our local pub which advertises "home-cooked", buys in processed items. We take full advantage of everything we grow in the garden and swap with others.

Yes I am. I think what we eat is very important and cook mostly from scratch, I eat very little meat; only Sunday really when I do a roast for the family. I’ve also read up on gut micro biomes and how important they are for our overall health.

Unfortunately my grandchildren only like processed food and sweet stuff. One is autistic and would live on chocolate if he could and would go without rather than eat a “healthy” meal. He will eat homemade Spag Bol though.

Oreo

JaneJudge

I am a very capable cook but sometimes I am lazy

Me too…or just tired.A pizza or ready meal doesn’t do you any harm as long as you don’t live on them.

I had a bad night on Wednesday and felt like death warmed up yesterday. Halfway through the morning I rmeembered I had a hair appointment at 11.15. I rushed out, got there in time and did some shopping in the towncentre, afterwards. I then looked at my watch. It was nearly 1.00pm.

A smell of vinegar drew my attention to the fact that the fish and chip shop was one shop down, so it was inside for 2 pensioners potions.They were huge and one portion of chips went straight into the freezer. First fish and chips of the year. They were delicious

At least it wasn’t a fox like in Friday night dinner

I love a fish finger sandwich 😄

After talking about being lazy. I cooked a lasagne from scratch at half past 7 last night. We didn’t eat until 9 🙈

😂

No, not one of those.

Allira that reminded me of the episode of One Foot In The Grave, where Victor, left home alone looks in the freezer and finds a frozen cat 🤭😲

Today I found something unrecognisable in the freezer, topped it with leftover mashed potatoes and it turned out to be a very tasty chicken and leek potato topped pie.

Anyone fancy a fish finger sarnie right now?😁

JaneJudge

I am a very capable cook but sometimes I am lazy

Me too…or just tired.A pizza or ready meal doesn’t do you any harm as long as you don’t live on them.

It matters to me very much what I eat and what my grandchildren who live with me eat. I won’t buy anything with sweeteners, palm oil, palm fat, folic acid, etc and I check everything on the app called yuka. I only buy proper butter and proper organic milk.

I find shopping, cooking and eating a chore but still do my best to eat as well as I can. While I do use jars, tins and ready meals they're for when I'm not at my best, if I don't eat the easy things then I'll eat rubbish or not at all.
When my kids were young the majority of food was made from scratch, just like when I was a kid.

Now my kids feed their kids the same way, they did cheat here and there with baby jars but my son and his wife both work full time and my daughter has MS while her husband works full time and more.

My grandkids love coming here because that's when they do get fish fingers and chips lol

I go by taste.
As I usually keep to the same ingredients I don’t bother to eork out if they have too much of this or that.

I live alone and I mostly cook from scratch, however most of my vegetables are frozen but with no additives.
I have to carry an appi pen as even when eating out is a problem.
To help me make a better judgment of commercial food I do use the free app Yuka which informs, to the best of their abilities, of added additives.
This app helps me choose the best on offer. I was very surprised as to what was hidden in famous brands’ ‘healthy’ sandwiches, when I was caught out unexpectedly unprepared.

I always cooked from scratch when I had a family to cook for. Both my mum and grandmother were wonderful cooks, I don’t think I was anywhere near their standard.

Now I live alone I’ve really lost all interest in cooking but I do care what I eat and try to avoid unhealthy and calorie laden food.

I never eat fast food and I haven’t eaten meat for nearly thirty years, although I like fish.

The good thing about living alone is that I can please myself and eat when I’m hungry rather than set mealtimes.

I don’t eat meat or fish but I buy real meat for my cats and dog. The cats won’t eat minced anything so I have to use chopped braising steak. It’s £4.60 for 500g in Waitrose which is not much more per meal than the ultra processed junk in supermarket pet food.
So what’s the difference between minced and chopped beef?

I thought a mix of cooded and raw was better for us. Tomatoes for example have more lycopene when cooked and carrots more beta-carotene. Why not mix it up?

I like tomatos plain and raw, in salad and various cooked tomato dishes too.

I noticed yesterday there's new proof about pesticides and cancer though. Unsurprisingly!
It was based on a study of cancer clusters in Peru.
I shall look it up when it's not the middle of the night!

I don't put anything into my body that's laced with insecticide so that means all produce has to be organic, and yes, it's a bit more expensive but Sainsbury's has a very diverse range of organic fruit and veg now even extending to lettuce and the prices are not extortionate. I also try to eat as much raw as I can because any veg that's cooked is without nutrition.

On the subject of a joint of beef for spag bol, I buy organic minced beef with 5% fat only from Sainsbury's, it's £9.99 for 500 gm and that makes spag bol for 6 (at just under 90 gm meat per person) so under £1.70 per portion. The spaghetti is also organic costing around 30p per portion, so with the addition of onions and some mushrooms the entire meal can be had for £2.50 and every single ingredient totally free from chemicals. I don't know why people moan at the cost of organic produce and simultaneously fall into the rising number of those with IBS and the like.
Yes I am fussy about my food but occasionally I'll buy a boxed aromatic crispy duck with sauce and pancakes and absolutely love it - then I'll have an arthritis flare up. It's not worth it - we should all stick to food which is biologically appropriate for human beings and the NHS would be in a much better state.

gillyknits

I’ve always cooked from scratch and thank goodness I have, as I have recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease. At least I know what’s in my meals. I’ve had to make a few changes, as some staples do contain gluten. The worst thing is all the millions of additives in gluten free things that I buy. Biscuits, cakes and bread contain loads of unhealthy stuff.

Best wishes, I know how difficult it can be as one of my family is and another one gluten-intolerant.
Many gf foods contain oats, which contain avenin which can upset some people who are coeliac and even some who are not.

A lot more foods are gf now but it's best to always read the labels.

Some gf additives may sound unusual but may be be fine!

gillyknits

I’ve always cooked from scratch and thank goodness I have, as I have recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease. At least I know what’s in my meals. I’ve had to make a few changes, as some staples do contain gluten. The worst thing is all the millions of additives in gluten free things that I buy. Biscuits, cakes and bread contain loads of unhealthy stuff.

I come from a family of Coeliacs and have been tested twice, once they said I was coeliac and once that I wasn't! I now think of myself as gluten intolerant as I'm not as affected as some in the family.
I find the most difficult thing is finding good bread, but the "Genius Naturally Gluten Free Ancient Grains & Seeds Bloomer" is OK though a little fragile.
My mother was diagnosed about 50 years ago and was a great baker but never managed to make a good GF loaf, she used to make griddle cakes, scones and similar bakes for herself. At that time she was given bread on prescription but it was very bland and contained no fibre.

I’ve always cooked from scratch and thank goodness I have, as I have recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease. At least I know what’s in my meals. I’ve had to make a few changes, as some staples do contain gluten. The worst thing is all the millions of additives in gluten free things that I buy. Biscuits, cakes and bread contain loads of unhealthy stuff.

Yes, it matters a lot, I'm obsessive. My husband cooks more than I do, thankfully

MaizieD

Oh, dash it,, you've already done it Allira

Actually, my method sounds very similar to your new one but perhaps I'll try cutting them a bit larger.

They're never as good as fresh but open freezing seems more successful than the method I used.

not a lot

Oh, dash it,, you've already done it Allira

Actually, my method sounds very similar to your new one but perhaps I'll try cutting them a bit larger.

I'd love to know about your bean freezing method, too, Allira.

Please, please share 🙏

I had a glut of runner beans last year so did freeze some (as well as giving them away to anyone who wanted them ) but I don't think frozen are ever as nice as fresh.