Strictly Cheese Sandwiches

Just watched the clip of that comment as I hadn't come across this until now. The clip includes a comment from another person that there are starving babies in the UK because their parents can't afford formula milk.

Starving? I do not believe this.

That aside, it is rather a ridiculous comment AW made, but I also think it was a ridiculous example. The chairperson said something about "all the ingredients of a cheese sandwich" which suggests to me that it wasn't just a plain cheese sandwich that was being talked about.

Baggs

Just watched the clip of that comment as I hadn't come across this until now. The clip includes a comment from another person that there are starving babies in the UK because their parents can't afford formula milk.

Starving? I do not believe this.

That aside, it is rather a ridiculous comment AW made, but I also think it was a ridiculous example. The chairperson said something about "all the ingredients of a cheese sandwich" which suggests to me that it wasn't just a plain cheese sandwich that was being talked about.

I can assure you there are people starving. At my voluntary work today I had a woman phone who had 2 small kids. Her pre-paid meter had run out and she had no money to top it up. She also had no food in the cupboard or nappies for her baby. All through no fault of her own. She was so grateful for the small amount of help we could give that she cried. So did I when she left.

Nusgranny

Baggs

Just watched the clip of that comment as I hadn't come across this until now. The clip includes a comment from another person that there are starving babies in the UK because their parents can't afford formula milk.

Starving? I do not believe this.

That aside, it is rather a ridiculous comment AW made, but I also think it was a ridiculous example. The chairperson said something about "all the ingredients of a cheese sandwich" which suggests to me that it wasn't just a plain cheese sandwich that was being talked about.

I can assure you there are people starving. At my voluntary work today I had a woman phone who had 2 small kids. Her pre-paid meter had run out and she had no money to top it up. She also had no food in the cupboard or nappies for her baby. All through no fault of her own. She was so grateful for the small amount of help we could give that she cried. So did I when she left.

I do not think this tells the whole story. People in desperate straits do get 'state' help as well as the kind of help you were able to give. I do not believe that people starve in the UK.

If they do, why isn't it in the news instead of us being told almost daily that 2/3 of adults in the UK are overwieght or obese?

halfpint1

My Dad came home from his shift , had a cup of tea , and then
cycled off to his allotement, we hardly saw him. My Mum came home and started preparing the meal from scratch, we
never went hungry. What they didn't do was sit and watch
t.v. or have Smartphones or drink alcohol .

I don't suppose smartphones had been invented, so that's not really a surprise.

Who says people with hardly any money watch TV or drink alcohol? Do you make a habit of peering into people's windows to see what they're doing?

Baggs

Nusgranny

Baggs

Just watched the clip of that comment as I hadn't come across this until now. The clip includes a comment from another person that there are starving babies in the UK because their parents can't afford formula milk.

Starving? I do not believe this.

That aside, it is rather a ridiculous comment AW made, but I also think it was a ridiculous example. The chairperson said something about "all the ingredients of a cheese sandwich" which suggests to me that it wasn't just a plain cheese sandwich that was being talked about.

I can assure you there are people starving. At my voluntary work today I had a woman phone who had 2 small kids. Her pre-paid meter had run out and she had no money to top it up. She also had no food in the cupboard or nappies for her baby. All through no fault of her own. She was so grateful for the small amount of help we could give that she cried. So did I when she left.

I do not think this tells the whole story. People in desperate straits do get 'state' help as well as the kind of help you were able to give. I do not believe that people starve in the UK.

If they do, why isn't it in the news instead of us being told almost daily that 2/3 of adults in the UK are overwieght or obese?

Maybe they don't go for weeks without food, but I believe there are people who skip meals when they're hungry. I also believe that there are people who can't afford nutritionally balanced food, so they fill up on pasta, bread or potatoes

I thought "you haven't got a clue women" when I seen that quote from her , she will be suggesting bread and dripping next , unfortunately you have got to afford to cook meat before you can have the dripping!! She is a typical person who hasn't had to think about anyone but herself for her entire life.

Agreed, gs. But that isn't starving.

I expect we have all seen pictures of people who are (or were) actually starving. You don't see that in the UK or, for that matter, anywhere else nowadays except war zones.

Emotive exaggeration is unhelpful.

So you agree that some people in the UK go hungry and are malnourished?

In answer to gs question, Yes.

MrB comes from a poor family and he says he was always hungry. I think home food was pretty basic but there was always enough. He was certainly thin. But he wasn't unfit or unhealthy. Teenage boys are meant to be thin.

He qualified for free school meals but didn't eat them because of the stigma. While I understand that and hope that problem has been addressed by now, he didn't actually have to go hungry.

So, given the much greater amount of help that people get nowadays – state and non-state – especially for children, I find some of the excessive angst such as what was shown in that AW clip is over the top.

I also don't think anyone needs to be malnourished in the UK. Not all good food is expensive and one doesn't need a massive variety to stay well nourished. I suspect it is food ignorance* more than food poverty that causes a lot of problems.

* that's not to blame people. As is often said, kids (and some adults, it would seem) need to be taught the basics.

www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/food-for-thought/

Baggs

In answer to gs question, Yes.

MrB comes from a poor family and he says he was always hungry. I think home food was pretty basic but there was always enough. He was certainly thin. But he wasn't unfit or unhealthy. Teenage boys are meant to be thin.

He qualified for free school meals but didn't eat them because of the stigma. While I understand that and hope that problem has been addressed by now, he didn't actually have to go hungry.

So, given the much greater amount of help that people get nowadays – state and non-state – especially for children, I find some of the excessive angst such as what was shown in that AW clip is over the top.

What help do they get?

Are you aware of the level of benefit payments and the eligibility for free school meals? I'd hate to tell my grandmother how to suck eggs, if you already know.

Baggs

I also don't think anyone needs to be malnourished in the UK. Not all good food is expensive and one doesn't need a massive variety to stay well nourished. I suspect it is food ignorance* more than food poverty that causes a lot of problems.

* that's not to blame people. As is often said, kids (and some adults, it would seem) need to be taught the basics.

Errrmm ... a diet of pasta isn't exactly healthy!

Isn't she one of those Christian MPs too who comes out with things that Jesus wouldn't even think of thinking, let alone saying says myself, the heathen

To be perfectly honest, Baggs, I suspect you really don't have a clue.

Sadly I teach children that arrive at school hungry having not eaten since their free school meal the previous day. And yes, children plural - around 10% of the children in my class.
One confided in me that the children in her family take it in turns to have food day and day about. I gathered that the mum doesn’t eat with them ever (I suspect she’s going without most days) but dad does eat with them because he’s got a heavy job (delivery driver) . Both on minimum wage I suspect and possibly zero hours contract. I know both parents work full time (actually mum has 3 part time jobs). Even so there’s not much left after the rising rent, fuel and council tax - we have one of the highest council tax and water rates in the country.
One problem here is the cost of food locally. There’s only ready meals and crisps in the newsagents. It’s a bus trip to the nearest food shop. That’s £2 minimum per person each way for the trip (on current subsidised fares), The bus goes and come back three times a day. Supermarket delivery is even more expensive and there’s a minimum spend. No food bank near here and no referral anyway if you’re in work.
Life is tough for some now, just as it’s always been tough for some and ok for others. Just with so much social media some of us are more aware of it.

It reminds me of the 3 Yorkshire men sketch, "you had gravel!" But seriously I work in an advice centre and am saddened by the number of people particularly Carers who are choosing heating or eating. I never knew so many people using food banks

Although I think the remark is inappropriate to say the least, but I must admit I thought she was referring to the modern habit of always buying sandwiches instead of making your own.

montymops

Expectations are so high now. As others have said, being born in the early 40’s in London, during an air raid and growing up in the 40’s and 50’s , life was very different. No television, no mobile phones, hardly any toys, one Ideal boiler in the kitchen to heat the water, an open fire in the sitting room sometimes, ice on the inside of the bedroom windows in winter, no central heating of course, no sweets, lollies, ice cream etc. Meals were odd, revolting sheep’s stomach boiled , yuk- loads of spuds, swede which I hated, most foodstuffs were rationed. And yet, I remember, as that was life, being quite happy . We made our own games with friends in the road - that was fun. Therefore, I understand Ann Widdecombes remark, that if you can’t afford something, you don’t have it.

Oh for heaven's sake! You were happy because your parents sheltered you from the reality, as all parents do. I bet your Mother was tired and worn out from trying to make a meal from a piece of string and keep you children happy at the same time. It really irritates me when people harp on about what they see as the good old days, yeah; malnutrition, tooth decay, must have been a ball for your mother. Ann Widdecombe is an embittered, passed over politician who doesn't know what she is talking about. This is the same woman who approved female prisoners being chained to hospital beds while they gave birth; because we all know how easy it is to get up mid labour and make our escape.

Quite HPQ, she really isn't a very nice person.

I find the everyone buys their sandwiches rather than making them now, a bit weird too. As an observation I would say those people are in the minority. None of us would have time at my work to leave during our breaks to go and fetch a sandwich. All people take a packed lunch or ready cooked meal to reheat.

I told my foster mother about a girl at school who only had bread marge and brown sugar sandwiches for lunch. She told me to collect a bag of apples from the tree and make sure she ate at least one and if she said she liked it then to give her the bagful to take home.

Baggs I never thought I would ever find myself disagreeing with you on anything profound

If they do, why isn't it in the news instead of us being told almost daily that 2/3 of adults in the UK are overwieght or obese?

The news tells us that the cheapest food, is the least nutritious food , Full of carbohydrates, fat and sugar and little else and it has always been so. Poor women in my childhood were often overweight because they lived on sandwiches made from bread, margarine and sugar, the sugar being there to mask the horrible flavour of 1950s nargarine. Now they are feeding on junk ready meals and take-aways.

I am sure you have read all the articles about UPFs, Ultra Processed Foods. 'Foods' made from ingredients that have been processed and denatured and then re-assembled, the cheapest possible ingredients made as attractive as possible and as cheap as possible. Obesity is often a sign of poverty and malnourishment.

Depressing levels of misunderstanding, victim blaming and denial of reality for many, on this thread.