Strictly Cheese Sandwiches

growstuff

Norah Did you manage all that for 30p?

I think so, wonder why 30p, why she chose cheese as filling.

Price of tomato slice, a few rocket leaves, a slice of tofu - if not a sum under 30p quite close. Sandwiches, as you know only use small bits of veg. My shop of tomatoes and rocket will last all week. I drain, press, slice tofu, marinate, spice, fry. Wrap slices. Freeze. A box makes 10 sandwiches.

Hetty58

nanna8:

'We were all poor then. Maybe you don't remember?'

No, not all of us - we were rich, but didn't realise it. As kids, we just assumed our families were 'normal' and other people were much the same - both totally, completely wrong.

Absolutely. I was very fortunate my parents were comfortably off and even on just professional salaries (no trust funds) could afford private school fees and yearly foreign holidays, something which even better off families struggle with today. Like you I thought we were “normal” but I know much better now! In fact although I am on the same level of occupation and qualifications than my father was I am worse off than them, two of my children are marginally better off than me while the third with 2 very good salaries coming in is much better off than I. We are all struggling more though at the moment and are acutely aware that there are many many even worse situated.
And lovely lady if no housing cost help is offered to low income families in “better off” areas who will work all the key worker jobs and service industry jobs that we all rely on!

Lumiere

Imagine just a few years ago having a discussion about whether eating cheese sandwiches was a luxury to be afforded by the few not the many
The depths of division and poverty that Conservative driven austerity has plunged us into, is indeed palpable
My daughter is a teacher and has taken cereal bars to school for her six year old pupils, for quite a few years, who have had no breakfast and possibly no dinner the night before
She now wraps up sandwiches for their lunch too. Of course, she can ill afford it herself and so we help with her efforts
This is not acceptable in the sixth richest country in the world and trying to somehow justify families going hungry today is beyond disgraceful
I despair

So where are the benefits going? Parents on benefits, or very low pay and therefore getting top up benefits, are supposed to live on that money. All parents on low income get child benefit. CHILD BENEFIT! It’s for the children, the clue is in the name. Then there’s housing benefit, council tax benefit, along with other benefits as appropriate. Not a lot but surely enough to provide toast for breakfast. And don’t forget if families are this poor they also receive free school meals. All children up to the end of Year 2 get free school meals. Nursery and Reception children get free school milk. All primary children get free school fruit. So why is a teacher taking in food for children?

Norah Did you manage all that for 30p?

maddyone

^…some of the people using food banks are nurses.^

I’m always puzzled by this. I thought people had to be unemployed and referred by a doctor or minister of religion in order to use a food bank.

People do generally need to be referred, but they aren't necessarily unemployed.

maddyone

^…..a cheese sandwich? It’s hardly beluga caviar, is it?^

Give me a cheese sandwich any day. Caviar, ugh!

I agree.

However, it's not really about cheese sandwiches. Even the ONS is reporting that food prices have risen an average of 19% in the last year. "Basic" foodstuffs such as dairy and pasta have risen even more and that's why poorer people are being hit harder than those who buy more "luxury" items.

Despite anecdotal stories about poor people filling their supermarket trolleys with crisps, pizzas and booze, most people on low incomes budget very carefully and they already know all the tricks to save money. They probably don't have anything left at the end of the week/month, so a big increase in food prices will have a knock on effect on what they can spend on rent, heating, travel, utilities, etc. all of which have increased too.

PS. If people can't afford beluga caviar, maybe they could swap to tuna! Unfortunately, the poorest (and others) are already eating tuna.

…some of the people using food banks are nurses.

I’m always puzzled by this. I thought people had to be unemployed and referred by a doctor or minister of religion in order to use a food bank.

…..a cheese sandwich? It’s hardly beluga caviar, is it?

Give me a cheese sandwich any day. Caviar, ugh!

Dinahmo

Norah I'm guessing that you're a vegan judging by your list of foods. I agree that avocados can be delicious but increased demand for them has resulted in significant deforestation in Mexico where most of them come from, although Israel is also a supplier.

Almond and other nut butters, apart from peanut are expensive to buy. I looked on Tesco's website and found that almond butter costs £1.56 per 100 gms whereas peanut butter ranges from 45p to £1 per 100 gms. That is quite a difference in price. I suspect that almond butter is more expensive in wholefood/bio shops. It certainly is in one that I occasionally use.

Yes we are vegan.

Today we had homemade bread, rocket, tomato, fired crispy tofu, auqafabba sandwiches. Quite good, we eat very well, if I do say so.

I also made a new (to me) chutney to eat with. Delish.

Thus no meat, fish, poultry, egg, cheese sandwiches. Yes, almond butter is a bit more than peanut butter, lower in fat, but lower in protein - all trade offs from unacceptable (to us) animal products.

I've noted Spain on Avos, I'll look more carefully. Thank you.

Norah I'm guessing that you're a vegan judging by your list of foods. I agree that avocados can be delicious but increased demand for them has resulted in significant deforestation in Mexico where most of them come from, although Israel is also a supplier.

Almond and other nut butters, apart from peanut are expensive to buy. I looked on Tesco's website and found that almond butter costs £1.56 per 100 gms whereas peanut butter ranges from 45p to £1 per 100 gms. That is quite a difference in price. I suspect that almond butter is more expensive in wholefood/bio shops. It certainly is in one that I occasionally use.

Yes, well said.

She is vile, and anyone who excuses her comments, well . .. they must be too.

monica 👍

And high end trainers...

Well said, MOnica

growstuff

Well said MOnica!

Maybe after the public kitchen volunteers have done their stint, they could follow the "clients" home and check out what they put in their trolleys.

And check their homes for flat screened tv

Spot on M0nica.

Well said MOnica!

Maybe after the public kitchen volunteers have done their stint, they could follow the "clients" home and check out what they put in their trolleys.

What a virtue signalling, self aggrandizing group many people on this thread are - and with such a contempt for the poor, talking of them as if they were excresences on this earth who had to justify ever mouthful of food they ate.

When some people are not busy polishing their halos with stories of past poverty they are acting as judge an jury telling the poor what to eat. They are undeserving of choice, should stick to eating regimes that better off people approve of for them

Those living in poverty are people just like us nd indeed could be us or our children at some time in their lives. They do not, and cannot choose where they live. They live where their are jobs and they want to stay close to family and friends because for them almost more than the rest of us, their social and family networks are crucial in helping deal wth their low incomes.

When it comes to food their budgets are small and they cannot raise to steak or caviar, but they are entitled as any of us to have a nourishing and enjoyable food, which contains a full range of foodstuffs, including cheese, meat, fish, just like the rest of us, even if it is the cheapest cuts.

Or perhaps we could replace food banks with public kitchens serving carefully measured bowls of gruel to the poor because they have done nothing to deserve and some posters on this thread could volunteer to assess each poor person and their worthiness, before using exactly the right size ladle of food that they considered them entitled to.

What we should be doing is trying to do is to ensure everyone has an adequate income that they can afford to house, heat and feed their family without resorting to charity.

If this thread is anything to go by we have replaced the 19th century idea of deserving and undeserving poor, by a blanket belief that to be poor is to be undeserving - of decent food, decent housing near work and warmth.

Ilovecheese

MaisieD
You are quite right, but what I find equally depressing is that the current Labour leadership are equally economically illiterate and still believe in "handbag economics"

I absolutely agree, Ilovecheese.

All I can hope for is that if/when they win the next GE they're not quite such b*stards as the tories.

MaisieD
You are quite right, but what I find equally depressing is that the current Labour leadership are equally economically illiterate and still believe in "handbag economics"

Batworthy

Whitewavemark2

I am always amused when a thread like this comes up there is a competition as to how poverty stricken everyone was.

It wasn’t right then and it isn’t right now.

Poverty isn’t a competition it is a state of affairs that destroys life chances and families.

You are absolutely right. Poverty has never been acceptable, never will be, and no one should have to endure it now.

Quite agree Batworthy

Whitewavemark2

I am always amused when a thread like this comes up there is a competition as to how poverty stricken everyone was.

It wasn’t right then and it isn’t right now.

Poverty isn’t a competition it is a state of affairs that destroys life chances and families.

You are absolutely right. Poverty has never been acceptable, never will be, and no one should have to endure it now.

growstuff

Norah

growstuff

Norah

growstuff

Do you make your own cheese Norah?

We don't eat cheese. Thus I said it was a mystery item.

I do make all our bread. I do know that is easy and cheap.

So what do you put in your sandwiches which costs less than 30p and provides protein and fat?

Chick pea salad, avocado fava salad, mushroom and pickled onions, veg and avocado, crispy tofu, hummous peanut or almond butter.

Aquafaba mayonnaise.

Anything really, without meat or cheese.

And how much would they cost?

Sorry, but they sound disgusting anyway.

Costs, please!

You asked me what we eat - I'm sorry you're disgusted.

I'll not rudely say what disgusts me to what we will not eat as it's all just taste. Everything is an opinion, yours doesn't match mine.

You can work out the costs to boiling dry beans and pulses on your own. You can look to avocado, nut butters prices easily.

Norah

growstuff

Norah

growstuff

Do you make your own cheese Norah?

We don't eat cheese. Thus I said it was a mystery item.

I do make all our bread. I do know that is easy and cheap.

So what do you put in your sandwiches which costs less than 30p and provides protein and fat?

Chick pea salad, avocado fava salad, mushroom and pickled onions, veg and avocado, crispy tofu, hummous peanut or almond butter.

Aquafaba mayonnaise.

Anything really, without meat or cheese.

And how much would they cost?

Sorry, but they sound disgusting anyway.

Costs, please!

Lost punctuation.

Hummous, or peanut butter/ almond butter.

growstuff

Norah

growstuff

Do you make your own cheese Norah?

We don't eat cheese. Thus I said it was a mystery item.

I do make all our bread. I do know that is easy and cheap.

So what do you put in your sandwiches which costs less than 30p and provides protein and fat?

Chick pea salad, avocado fava salad, mushroom and pickled onions, veg and avocado, crispy tofu, hummous peanut or almond butter.

Aquafaba mayonnaise.

Anything really, without meat or cheese.