Jamie's one pound meals

Has anyone noticed that, although Waitrose keeps trumpeting on about all the price cuts they've made, they haven't trumpeted about the other vast number of price RISES on other stock that they've made!

My Singaporean DiL taught herself to cook European food from one of Jamie Oliver’s books and does a very good job. She was already an accomplished cook as she learnt Malaysian cookery from her mother.

I love the Too Good to Go app. You can pre-order a bag of random going-out-of-date items from a local grocery, coffee shop or restaurant. Typically, you would get £10 worth of groceries for £3.30. I enjoy the surprise element, and can usually cook up something enjoyable for now or for the freezer.

What on earth is the use of these constantly repeated, silent “adverts”, a really annoying distraction through every page of this thread?!

Revenue for GN Delila.

How do these “ads” generate revenue?

kittylester

Germanshepherdsmum

I was at grammar school in the 60s. ‘Domestic science’ was done by those considered unsuitable to learn a second foreign language so its absence from the curriculum is nothing new. I believe it should be taught - it’s a valuable subject which I didn’t get to take.

I, too, was at Grammar School in the 60s and did 2 languages plus DS. I think I dropped art.

It's funny the things that stay with one though isn't it. I'm a reasonably good cook but I must have a nicely set table with handles etc pointing the correct way - all down to the dreaded Miss Elkin.

I had to drop Domestic Science and art after 4 th year for History. I had been put on the academic path at Grammar school yet they let me drop French for Geography which I later did at a further education level. We had to pick up Geology in the 4th year. I think even then they were looking at how many they could get through each subject and Domestic Science was low on the list. My nemesis was Miss Scott who hated me and showed it.
DH still says O.K. Miss Scott when I turn pan handles and know the recipe for pastry or white sauce without thinking.

The advertisers pay GN to advertise on the forum!

Do you mean Gordon BigBerth1?😂

Yammy
At grammar school I did Latin, French and DS, but we also did woodwork or metalwork. I found DS to be more useful than metalwork, but I wish they’d taught plumbing and electrics.

Elegran

Did he factor in the cost of buying a bottle of olive oil and so on? You only use a little each time, but you have to buy it by the bottle, not the tablespoon. That can be a relatively big expense, and is what keeps people on a tight budget from having a well-stocked store cupboard from which to concoct varied and interesting meals. Tuna gets boring, even if you vary whether it is in brine or oil, and how you serve it.

It would go down as a store cupboard ingredient and most of us have some form of cooking oil in. I have used rapeseed oil in place of olive oil on many occasions. People just need to use their common sense sometimes and learn to diversify instead of taking everything quite literally

Urmstongran

I always feel uncomfortable when wealthy people (or supermarkets) point out how us poor people can feed ourselves cheaply. Trying to make us happier with our lot?
“Do as I say not as I (need to) do” always comes to mind.

We’d do much better thank you if Jeremy Hunt increased our personal allowance before paying tax.

Now that would really be something us poorer folk could cheer.

Totally agree. It would benefit everyone, but it won't happen

I think some of you are being a little unfair to Jamie Oliver.

He realised years ago now, that a certain part of our society (dare I risk saying in the two generations younger than ours?) / were living almost entirely on take-away and / or biscuits, crips, chocolate bars and fizzy drinks bought in the nearest supermarket or corner shop, and had no idea how to cook.

I clearly remember watching a programme in, I think, 2011 or 12 where a young mother not only handed her toddler a packet of crisps or bicuits whenever he was hungry, but admitted that she had literally no idea how to turn on her electric cooker.

So addressing these people, it makes good sense to tell them that they can save fuel by putting lids on pans! And telling them that you can actually make good, nourishing food at home for little money.

He doubtless knows as well as we that countless auld wives know how to make good food cheaply, but when did a young mother last ask your advice?

Never, would be my bet, but they might just watch his programmes.

I like jamie- i think he's honest at least.I like it that he tried to help the other young less well-off budding chefs at his restaurants '15'. I will see if i can find/download these programmes for cheaper meals.But in our house theres always only me eating them, as my disabled sons have 'food issues'. Still, every little helps and maybe i can do more interesting things with my leftovers.🤔😋I did'nt like it when he interfered over school dinner menu's though as when they changed at schools there were loads of stuff that my son couldnt/wouldnt eat.

The series was made before the energy crisis? or I'm sure Jamie would've factored in cost of cooking..using microwave, air fryer and cooking dishes on the hob like stir fries all help with the cost. Most don't use the conventional oven much now.I like his energy and willingness to show everyone that anyone can cook a good, nutritious meal on a budget.

In the earlier days of 'keeping house' i remember 1 of my DD's ringing me to ask how to cook a pork roast...and when i was so ill my 2 sons rang round their sisters & brother to ask how to do xmas dinner.So yes some younger folk do still ask family..But wouldnt neccessarily sit & watch a tv chefs programme. So i guess it varies.

I work in a foodbank. The reason we ask for food with little or no cooking is to give to people who have no cooking facilities. A lot of our clients are living in tents, cars, or the lucky ones, a hotel room with just a kettle.

I loved doing woodwork at school.And the domestic science.The metalwork was ok but more boring (i surprised my DD a few weeks ago though when she was on about soldering and i piped up "oh i can solder"😂🤣 We did needlework as well which i am very good at but it seemed to take much longer to produce things.The boys or girls were allowed to choose to do any of them but not many did only 1 boy did cooking and about 2/3 girls doing metal or woodwork. 😄

Maybe high schools should go back to this regime and have the whole class do cooking or woodwork etc so that they ALL learn something of use to them for when they're uni students or have homes of their own? A few lessons that teach them budgeting/value of money or about tax/banks/insurances/bills etc would be useful as well.(THATS what lessons for life should be- not just the basics of sex)🤔

I quite like some of Jamie’s recipes, his £1 a meal recipes are usually for four people so a tin of tuna would cost more but it’s the individual serving that he’s referring to.
Years ago, in the 70s I had a little paperback cookbook called The Paupers Cookbook by Jocasta Innes. No lovely colour photos, just good cheap recipes. Wish I still had it although I’d give some of the recipes a miss! Tripe and heart for instance.

I have noticed that Rowyn..I cant afford waitrose prices much though, i get from there things i can't get anywhere else (like the double yolked eggs or lime/coconut ice cream) but only every 3-4 months now.

Nannan2

Maybe high schools should go back to this regime and have the whole class do cooking or woodwork etc so that they ALL learn something of use to them for when they're uni students or have homes of their own? A few lessons that teach them budgeting/value of money or about tax/banks/insurances/bills etc would be useful as well.(THATS what lessons for life should be- not just the basics of sex)🤔

Do you think they'd put it into practice in the real world?

I am just about to make his crumble with frozen fruit again the fruit cost far more than £1.00 a portion at Sainsburys

Update. Just found my old copy of The Paupers Cookbook. Now going to have a look and see if there’s anything I’d still want to cook.

When i put lids on my pans they always boil over & then put out the flame, even on the low settings!🤨& the hobs so old the gas does'nt cut out!🙀(private rented property)