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Sorry, Nadiya but I watched your new series in disbelief!

(79 Posts)
merlotgran Tue 16-Jul-19 09:50:30

The premise of Time to Eat is to convince busy mothers they can spend less time in the kitchen preparing meals. Surely this is wrong because that's been the problem at the root of obesity and poor nutrition thanks to a reliance on ready meals and take-aways.

Programmes like Eat Well for Less have been encouraging parents to spend more time in the kitchen with healthy recipes replacing expensive ready meals. Nadiya is turning this on its head by demonstrating some pretty unhealthy looking food while gushing about how unimportant it is to spend time and care cooking for your family.

That ghastly, sugar laden baked pancake thing filled with jam and peanut butter had me yelling 'Elvis Presley died eating this stuff!' at the telly - and this was for breakfast!! shock

I did like the look of the tortilla omelette thingy which was a little more nutritious but those home-made pot noodles where you only add boiling water were a puzzle. Why would you go to all that trouble when you could cook a proper meal in the same time?

DH asked me why I didn't turn it off given it was making me angry but I was mesmerised by its awfulness. grin

merlotgran Tue 06-Aug-19 11:27:41

I haven't tried jackfruit either. It's supposed to resemble pulled pork and beloved of vegans.

I agree about the honey. Her recipes are far too sweet for me.

Callistemon Tue 06-Aug-19 10:53:44

I was crocheting too and missed the honey.

Auntieflo Tue 06-Aug-19 10:52:03

The only recipe last night that I might try, was the all in one traybake.
Did anyone else think that there was an enormous amount of honey in the trifle? (I think it was that) I was crocheting and counting.

Callistemon Tue 06-Aug-19 10:45:19

I wondered whether to try the chicken satay type dish (all-in-one and looked easy!).

Not sure about the jackfruit though - has anyone tried it?

travelsafar Tue 06-Aug-19 10:42:59

Although i don't agree with some of the receipes she does Nadyia is so pleasant to watch, she is so enthuiastic about food, she always looks beautiful and i just love the clothes she wears. Her husband and children in the odd moments we see them look lovely too. I find this a very relaxing program to watch and sometimes i think 'oh yes' i could try that dish. I am sure no one would exsist on this kind of food every day and I don't believe the program intends that, but it is useful for the odd occasion when you are pushed for time.

Callistemon Tue 06-Aug-19 09:55:16

MawBroon, yes, that book (Delia's)

Sorry, I was rather slow on the uptake

aggie Tue 06-Aug-19 09:51:20

Shredded wheat and a sliced banana is quicker than those croissants

Callistemon Tue 06-Aug-19 09:43:03

DH loves trifle and, in fact, I do have all the ingredients to make that recipe, including chia seeds bought by someone when they were staying! I said I could whip one up today.

However, DH declined the offer.

Surely the brioche buns would be rather dry? They'd be better served warm for breakfast, along with the croissants.

annep1 Tue 06-Aug-19 09:35:41

Sounds horrible Merlotgran

GrandmaKT Tue 06-Aug-19 09:32:34

I agree about last night's recipes Merlot. A lumpy trifle with yoghurt and chia seeds? Think I'll pass!

merlotgran Tue 06-Aug-19 08:54:38

There's nothing wrong with using tinned or frozen food but her recipes contain an unnecessary large amount of sugar.

Why serve butter croissants filled with a sugar laden cheesecake mix that was made the night before? They had to be baked so how can that save time when you're trying to get breakfast on the table?

What's wrong with a plate of warmed croissants, butter and a good quality jam which is optional?

Takes no more than a few minutes.

I didn't like the look of any of the recipes last night. That trifle certainly didn't appeal.

Pittcity Tue 06-Aug-19 07:47:44

Just like Nigella, Nadiya "always" has every ingredient under the sun in the house in case somebody needs feeding.
I usually have the ingredients for a cheese sandwich and a cuppa!

annep1 Tue 06-Aug-19 04:34:27

Haven't watched the programme but I do know working mothers are under a lot of pressure - my daughter is one who has little time/energy for the kitchen. And feels very guilty about it because before starting work she spent a lot of time producing good nutritious meals.

I usually have fresh food but I think tinned food has its uses. I love Heinz tomato soup. I also use tinned...sweetcorn, baked beans, kipper fillets, sardines, tuna, tomatoes, fruit in juice, chickpeas and kidney beans. I don't like tinned potatoes. I buy readywashed - hate cleaning potatoes.

SparklyGrandma Tue 06-Aug-19 04:18:27

The other day I saw a health promotion ad stating the 5 a day of fruit or veg could include tinned vegetables.

There is nothing like fresh veg.

GabriellaG54 Tue 06-Aug-19 03:35:10

The only tins in my cupboards are Waitrose baked beans and Tesco evaporated milk (which I prefer in coffee)
I can shop daily for everything else.

GabriellaG54 Mon 05-Aug-19 20:17:21

Teacheranne
Could you not make use of online ordering again?
Delivery drivers will often take shopping right though to your kitchen for you, although it may depend on the company you use.

Callistemon Mon 05-Aug-19 18:12:17

Frozen veg are absolutely fine, Teacheranne - in fact they say it is frozen so quickly that there could be more nutrients than in 'fresh' veg which has been sitting around for a few days.

I do remember those days, rush, rush, rush.
Puds like Angel Delight were popular (I shudder at the thought of them now).

Lessismore Mon 05-Aug-19 18:00:57

Wow, you are a charmer.

GabriellaG54 Mon 05-Aug-19 16:13:33

It's not just children who are overweight.

merlotgran Sun 04-Aug-19 12:41:23

I guess Nadiya has quite a “sweet tooth”.

This has been my argument. I too was a hard pressed working mum with two small children and a third to follow during the seventies when there was only one supermarket half an hour away. I worked part time but money was very tight indeed so luxury foods were few and far between.

I really can't agree with programmes almost encouraging parents to spend less time in the kitchen by serving up calorie laden meals when there is an obesity crisis and far too many children are overweight.

MawB Sun 04-Aug-19 11:38:39

Her cardamom ice cream is heavenly! Fatal for the diet too.
The “meat loaf wellington” not really worth the faff. Giant sausage rolls made with ready rolled puff pastry much easier and IMO taste better.
I tried the Tarte Tatin with fresh apricots and whizzed up pistachios and that was good too, I suspect the banana version would be too sweet. I guess Nadiya has quite a “sweet tooth”.

Teacheranne Sun 04-Aug-19 11:34:31

Hmm, I watched this programme and enjoyed it as much as I enjoy any cookery programme - easy to watch but only one or two recipes that I fancy trying.

However, the message behind the programme was great for busy, working people who need to feed hungry families in a hurry. I wonder how many of her critics were single working mums on a limited budget? I was! I had three children, worked full time during school terms and was totally frazzled at times! I only had the time and energy to shop once a week and also relied on online deliveries which were just beginning then. I needed to feed my children quickly when I got home from work. Sometimes I did not have the energy, time or money to spare on preparing meals from scratch - fresh ingredients entails shopping frequently and there were a lot less prepared veg in the shops 25 years ago.

I did not use ready meals ( again a lot less choice then) as I did not like them and they were too expensive but did rely on frozen food a lot especially during term time.

I was lucky though to be able to have more time during the school holidays and could then go shopping and look for bargains among the reduced fresh foods and get some meals made for the freezer - but with three teenagers with hollow legs, it never lasted long!

Sometimes people are too quick to criticise young parents today without fully understanding the pressures some of them are under having not lived that kind of life themselves.

So I will watch the rest of the series with interest and see if I can pick up a few ideas to include in my diet - even though I am now retired, health reasons prevents me from shopping regularly so frozen and tinned food have crept back into my meals.

GabriellaG54 Sun 04-Aug-19 11:06:52

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GabriellaG54 Sun 04-Aug-19 11:03:34

telly telling

GabriellaG54 Sun 04-Aug-19 11:03:08

Can't stand the woman.
She's only telly us what we've already heard a trillion times.
If you want a recipe, look on YouTube.
There are hundreds of non-celebs cooking in their own kitchens and making the odd mistake but at least it's real with no photo/ food stylist and you can see how they manage with one ring and few utensils.
I do like Mary and Nigella.