Wasting food

[Egbert]

I feel some sympathy for Gordon Brown. Here he is again, telling us an unpalatable truth that many people will criticise him for: that we waste too much food.

He is quite right to tell us, as a nation, to stop wasting food. But doubtless he will be criticised and there will be snide remarks about him always whingeing about something. I am no Brown fan - but I think he is right on this occasion

[Steve the Original]

I would proberly agree with him we do waste too much food, i know we throw food away out of the freezer because its been forgotton about and is out of date,we should take more care and use the food what we buy rather than buy and forget it..

 

 

Steve

[asperity]

Its not the fact that he's saying we waste food so much as his trying to pin the rising cost of food on that waste rather than admitting the real reasons why the cost of living is rocketing ie politics and his failed policies

[P J]

What if we stop feeding politicians as some would consider that a waste of food

[Bazj]

well it is when the lkes of prescott buys his on expenses!

[Bill]

I tend to do the weekly shop these days but now that the kids have gone, our shopping tends to be for smaller meals and the two for one thing miffs me off.

 

I bought some fish one a two for one thing at Sainsbury?s this week. I didn?t really want two lots given the short shelf life of fish but the second lot was free. The fish turned out to be pretty naff so I suspect the ?free? ones will just end up in the bin.

 

If the stores can offer two for one deals, then they?re selling the product for half the price and I reckon they should allow people like myself with no large family to buy just one at half the price.

 

Bill

[Peter T]

I suspect that supermarkets throw away more food than most.

 

If they reduced the price to a sensible price instead of trying to make a profit, they wouldn't throw as much away.

Sell-by/use-by dates need looking at, as there seems to be a blanket rule covering everything and stuff lasts a lot longer than it says.

 

And what's the problem with cauliflowers? 24 hrs after coming out of the chiller, they start going bad.

 

I remember in the good old days, we used to cut them and trim the leaves and have them at market and in the shops by 10 am.

[observer]

With a single weekly shop at an out of town super-market; with two for one offers etc; it is no wonder we come away with surplus food. It is also no surprise, with "sell by dates" to cover their backs, that the super-markets, ditch a lot of food, hence a lot of tramps etc can now be seen going through their bins for a free meal! Perhaps, with folk trying to save petrol, we may see a return to the idea of the corner shop, with more visits per week on foot, and less food purchased per visit. We may also see folk taking an interest in actually cooking for themselves, making a joint of meat for example last for three days (hot, cold then hot pot); not forgetting of course the old bubble and squeak with those left over spuds and veg - waste not want not!

[Peter T]

Steady on obs.

That would be a culture shock for todays families.

[demelzadoe]

Just two days ago, Gordon Brown was urging us all to stop wasting food and combat rising prices and a global shortage of provisions.

 

But yesterday the Prime Minister and other world leaders sat down to an 18-course gastronomic extravaganza at a G8 summit in Japan, which is focusing on the food crisis.

 

http://www.prisonplanet.com/summit-thats-hard-to-swallow-world-leaders-enjoy-18-course-banquet-as-they-discuss-how-to-solve-global-food-crisis.html

[Bazj]

......and he flew there on a whacking big jet while banging on about climate change too...

[Peter T]

What happened to "Blair Force One"?

[Egbert]

I quite agree that it doesn't seem to make sense to have world leaders jetting all over the place to discuss climate change, etc, when one of the causes of climate change is said to be air travel. Particularly when they could hold their conference online without ever leaving their own countries.

 

But I suppose its a bit like the so-called credit crunch here. Try and go out for a meal at the weekend, particularly a Sunday, and you will find most eating places packed to the door with people eating and drinking as if there was no tomorrow! I suppose the "can't cook won't cook" women of today won't be deprived of their weekend treat whatever the financial situation.

 

Asperity

I don't think Gordon Brown is blaming price rises on food waste, he is simply pointing out that at a time of rising prices one way of minimising the problem is to waste less. Which is common sense, surely.

 

Again, while I don't think much of Brown, I don't think you can blame his failed policies for the current situation. Firstly, because it is a world wide problem and secondly because he has not been in office long enough to have much impact either for good or bad.

[P J]

Egbert - "I suppose the "can't cook won't cook" women of today"

 

There may be trouble ahead

[RO Rob]

One thing I can never be accused of is wasting food

[Bill]

We sometimes eat out at the weekend but not just because we?re filthy rich but some of the two for one offers on a Sunday dinners make it almost as cheap as dining in.

 

What?s more, her indoors becomes her outdoors cutting the lawn instead of preparing things and I don?t have to do the washing up.

 

It?s a win win solution for me.

 

Bill

[asperity]

Egbert!!!! Gordon Brown not been in office long enough????? He's been in charge of the nation's finances for over 11 years now, and look at what a mess he's made of them. Now he's blaming everything and everyone for his mistakes. Get your head out of the sand!!

[Egbert]

Bill

I usually avoid the "two for the price of one" places as there only one reason they are making the offer - they are not doing well. And if they are not doing well it is because their food isn't up to scratch.

 

Asperity

I was referring to Brown's period in office as Prime Minister, as I am sure you know. As for his 11 years as chancellor, he benefitted from a booming global economy (which had started to show itself even before New Labour came to power) and can expect no credit for that.

But he is now suffering from a global economic crisis so can hardly be blamed for that either.

It simply illustrates what I have always maintained - the UK government has no influence at all when the world catches a cold. We just have to sit sniffing and sneezing until it has run its course.

However I do accept that Brown made a complete hash of the Northern Rock crisis, almost a year ago.

[P J]

Its difficult to find anything he has done even moderatly well Egbert. And as for him likening himself to Heathcliffe what a buffoon, just shows how out of touch with the populace he is.

[Bill]

Egbert

 

Given that it?s a devil of a job to book a table at these places it seems a lot of people would disagree with you there. The Plough at Houghton Green does an offer of 2 meals for ?10 but last week they also had 50% off making each meal just ?2.50 and the food was excellent. Now how can you go wrong with that? Tell you what, if you had a wife that cooks like mine, you?d be looking for every opportunity to eat out.

 

By the way, I thought Gordon Brown did a pretty good job of running the economy but should have stayed in that post.

 

Bill

[observer]

Egbert's right on that point; Brown never ran "the economy"; he took credit for an 11year global boom, and now doesn't wish to take credit for a looming recession.

[Chrissy]

Ye Gods! and I thought it was us women who were saving the planet!

[observer]

Had to laugh at the criticism of the 11 course meal at the G8: food is only wasted IF you don't eat it!

[kateoflymm]

There can be very few households in this country where at least some food isn't wasted occasionally. Just last week, I was cleaning inside the fridge and pulled out the salad boxes. In one of them was a cucumber I didn't know we had that had "gone off", to be honest it was liquifying in the bottom of the box. Sadly it had liquified over half a bunch of celery, some spring onons and 2 tomatoes so it all had to go. In the other box there were leeks (fine) and carrots but the latter had grown whiskers so they had to go too. In my defense I can only say it all went in my compost bin.

 

Generally, however, I don't like to waste food. Being a small girl in the 40s, when food was rationed, I learned from my mother how to make a little go a long way. It stood me in good stead in the 60s and 70s when my husband and I had young children, a mortgage to pay and only his salary - I didn't go back to work until child # 3 was 10. I could (and still can) make a Sunday joint spin out into leftovers in gravy on Monday, hot pot on Tuesday and the bones into a pot of broth on Wednesday and, yes, it's all very tasty.

 

I don't know about my children's generation but I find it insulting to be told by Gordon Bennett - sorry Brown - that I'm an habitual wastrel. My culinary usage hasn't caused the present recession.

[observer]

Seems you had your own penicillin factory?!