Mumsnet Talk

Busy day, casserole slow cooking all day so we could just come home and eat. I bought some frozen mash the other week for the first time so thought that would compliment the casserole for a quick and easy dinner.

Dh came home and you'd have thought I'd suggested eating mashed worms, the face he pulled. He declined, on the grounds it would be rank and made himself some chips to go with his casserole instead.

Ds's and I ate the mash, it was lovely and creamy, and not the food of the devil as he'd implied. He wouldn't even try it!

My frozen veg has only included peas and corn on the cob until now. But for 80p a bag (of which we only needed half of) and 5 minutes in the microwave I declare frozen mash is the future.

Aibu?

YABVU. I would point blank refuse to eat it too.

Frozen mash?? <pukes>

He kept saying 'smash is disgusting' to which I replied, yes it is, this is not smash!'

I buy frozen mash from Waitrose, the little pellet things (yes I am making that sound so appealing...) mainly because DS likes mash with every dinner. I CBA to cook mash every day so I ordered some of this and it is... nice! Honestly, it is. But why wouldn't it be?! You can make mash and freeze it yourself and the ingredients list is pretty much potato, butter, milk.

Frozen mash is great, its lump free

Frozen mash????? <faints>

I have never heard of frozen mash, it sounds as bad as frozen roast potatoes or that disgusting smash stuff.

Yeah Smash is vile. It has the consistency of wallpaper paste.

YABVU smash is lovely

Yeah these were in little pellets, 2 mins in the nuker, fluff up and add milk then another 3 minutes.

I like frozen mash, nice and creamy, and i can never get proper mash smooth. I would have inserted a potato masher up his backside if he complained

*not frozen mash, i meant the instant mash stuff.

I'm sure delia have them her stamp of approval?

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/lamb/good-old-shepherds-pie.html

My DS loves mash so I make a whole load in one go, portion it up and freeze it. I've never tried to reheat it from frozen but defrosted and reheated it's perfectly fine.

I would have but the masher was sitting off duty in the drawer!

I've always liked fresh stuff but when doing a snowy shop Aldi were out of potatoes and i didn't have time to go elsewhere so i brought some frozen roasts. I didn't tell the family, they all liked the extra crispy ones!

I prefer the idea of fresh generally but for the odd occasion frozen is good. I wouldn't tell DH because he might have screwed his face up too.

I freeze left over mash to top shepherd's pie with but haven't bought frozen mash yet because I am too tight fisted

I am very picky about food when it comes to quality and authenticity, but I swear by frozen mash, especially Aunt Bessie's. I cannot say this loudly enough: the ingredients are potatoes, milk, butter, salt, pepper. Exactly the same as it should be, when homemade. It's foolproof, delicious and easy. The only thing you must remember is not to over-heat/microwave it so it dries out. I usually add a slug more milk and a blob more of butter just to be on the safe side.

I am genuinely aghast.

My Irish brain can't comprehend why you would do that to a poor wee innocent spud?? <clutches rosary beads>

Also. Smash = satan's spunk.

AH but she also advocates tinned mince, even if it is m&s I draw the line there!

The Waitrose pellety frozen mash is fab.

My mum lives alone and uses frozen mash - she loves it.

Anyone wanting smooth, creamy mash needs a potato ricer - it's fab.

Smash idsvile, I agree. But it is no match for decent frozen mash. There is no comparison. It's like Lambrusco versus Dom Perignon.

is vile

Dh is usually chief masher, he does lovely smooth and creamy real mash, I think he feels threatened.

I have a potato ricer and it's brilliant, so much better than a masher. But for nights when time is of the essence you can't beat frozen.

I use it all the time, particularly on top of shepherds pie. It's brilliant and tastes just like homemade - mainly because as above the ingredients are exactly the same. DH eats it happily.

I think that link to cheat's Shepherd Pie looks great.

I have never seen frozen mash but wouldn't discount it - my kids' favourite is frozen lidl potato croquettes, which I give them as a treat with roasts sometimes.

Surely that's just frozen-mashed-potato-inside-breadcrumbs?

And for the record, my kids like frozen roast potatoes, frozen yorkshire puds and frozen chips (cooked, obvs).

I am a slattern, out and proud!

I am a fan of any veg frozen, in fact I buy only frozen broccoli these days and Waitrose frozen mixed grill veg is fab, tastes brilliant.

You were not unreasonable at all MrsKeith. Your dh was bu by not even trying it.

Whatever possessed you to tell him? First rule of quick cheats - don't 'fess up until after everything has been eaten (and hopefully declared delicious).

And having looked at the ingredients, I have added them to my shopping list

Frozen mash is great. Tescos and Iceland ones are really nice.
Nothing wrong with frozen vegies either

Frozen mash is just that. It's just boiled mashed frozen potatoes. Nothing synthetic or horrible. HIBU.

I might try frozen mash for my shepherds pie topping as my home made mash always sinks on top . Will that be any better?

Oh yeah I forgot broccoli, I use that frozen all the time.

Another fan of frozen mash here. It doesn't look too appealing but tastes great especially if you add butter or cream at the final mix. I got in to it via my mum who has too much arthritis to mash potatoes or even peel them and she served it to the kids who loved it. Has to be Waitrose mash though.

We just had it for the first time recently and it was delish. I was surprised but now sold!

If I bought frozen mash I'd have to stop mashing in the Kitchenaid and that's one of my favourite jobs. I fecked the masher into a hedge the day I bought the KA.

I do have a potato ricer, bought from Ikea. It's brill but my shepherds pie mash topping always sinks in, where am I going wrong?

Nowt wrong with it!

I challenge anyone to notice the difference in a blind tasting! Many frozen veg are fab and actually more nutritious as they are frozen so quickly they don't have time to degrade.

ThonHoor another wee paddy crying at the thought here. Is there anything easier than mash? I'm curious though...

My absolute bugbear is frozen omelette, I worked in tesco at uni & ordered omelette for lunch one day, I saw the staff chef take it out of a box in the freezer & asked him wtf he was doing. I swear it would've bounced if it hadn't have been frozen solid <barf> they take 3 mins ffs!

I truly can't believe the prevailance!

Mash s easy but takes a good half hour of peeling, boiling and mashing.

oh nowt wrong with frozen veg - including mash!

I have seen frozen baked potatoes, that puzzled me because you can 'bake' one in the microwave in 5 minutes.

Morrisons frozen mash with swede and carrots is a gorgeous topping for shep pie

Never tried it, but have added it enthusiastically to my shopping list. I can also heartily recommend frozen/fresh chopped onions. Weight for weight they are comparable to the rice of unpeeled onions, and it's a lot quicker to stick a tablespoon into the bag and into the freezer. Also, Waitrose also sell resealable pouches of chopped frozen garlic. I will never peel another onion/garlic again.

<adds frozen mash to next weeks shop>

Ooh I love frozen mash. It's lump free Tastes much better than my attempts. Then there's the peeling, boiling and mashing.

I draw the line at frozen roast potatoes though. They're awful.

My Mum had been bigging it up for ages so I gave in and tried it a few weeks ago. It's great! Tastes good and is so quick and easy.

Sugarice you have to let the filling cool properly before you but the mash on. That way it won't sink.

I haven't ever bought frozen mash, I always make too much mash and have a freezer full of the stuff.

Do be nice to each other, everyone, won't you?

The last frozen vegetable thread I was on (about broccoli of all things), went really nasty with all sorts of accusations (chav, snob) being chucked around, and eventually had to be deleted.

You wouldn't believe how upset people get about frozen veg

I'm Irish too, but there is one thing that I hate more than processed spuds and that's peeling the fecking things.

Frozen mash is brilliant. It's mashed potato that is frozen so you don't need to peel, chop, boil & mash.

It's easy to do individual portions and you don't have potato trees growing in your cupboard.

What is there not to like?

Frozen swede & mash combo even better.

It's a lot easier (and a lot less washing up) than peeling, chopping, boiling and mashing. I haven't tried the frozen stuff but use Ocado fresh mash from time to time. I agree that Smash is vile though.

As for potato ricers, yes, lovely smooth mash, but it takes ages, is messy and the holes get all clogged up. I've gone back to a normal masher.

I've also got frozen spinach in the freezer!

I buy all of my condiments frozen. I made a nice pasta last night with frozen pesto portions and also bought a pouch made up of Italian seasonings ready to bung into the pot.

Marvellous stuff, long live the frozen aisle!.

My elderly aunt is a big fan of frozen mash as she finds it difficult to either peel potatoes or mash them up easily due to arithritic fingers.

If there is really and truly nothing in it than spuds then YANBU.

Any other ingredients then I'm afraid it'd not be something I would use (quite aside from the fact that I haven't got a freezer)

and I agree that the Waitrose range of frozen herbs, garlic, ginger etc is brilliant, also love frozen onions, just make cooking so easy.

hippohero I'll be more organised and cook the filling earlier, thanks for that.

It is brilliant. Lump free so DC prefer it. Almost as cheap too. My ricer went rusty after three goes.

Ok I'm warming to the idea ( I always manage to 'peel' a bit of nail too), just don't tell me ma!

I buy the ready done frozen baked spuds - I can make my own but unless you crisp them up in the oven for 15 mins after microwaving them the skin is blugh

frozen ones microwave to crispy in minutes I love them

I freeze my own, just mashed, without any milk or butter. I freeze it squeezed flat into ziplock bags so I can snap off what I need; reheat from frozen in the microwave, then cream with milk and butter. It doesn't work if you cream it first, but just mashed and defrosted it works really well.
I can't imagine why a grown man wouldn't try something before dismissing it. At least he had the good grace to do his own chips!

Ah is that the difference with the frozen bakers? If we're having them at home I'll give them a quick blast in the microwave then finish them off in the oven but for just me at lunch or at work I'll just microwave them but yeah, skin soggy!

He's funny like that, just decides he won't like something and that's that! I just leave him to it.

I've never tried frozen mash and didn't know you could freeze your own. If you've frozen your own, do you just defrost and nuke?
This bloody place got me into frozen onions, brilliant for spag bol, chilli, etc. Up until then I'd only gone with frozen peppers and peas. Going to have to try the mash on the dcs.

Yanbu, also try frozen carrot and swede mash, really nice.

Sugarice, where can I buy frozen pesto??? I am bizarrely excited by this prospect.
(also a recent convert to frozen mash...)

yes DawnDonna, nuke, I don't even defrost but if you have frozen it in a big block then I'd guess you need to defrost first. It's great for using up the last of a big sack of spuds (bought for cheapness) so the last few don't go soft.

I freeze batch-cooked mashed potatoes in those ikea kiddie bowls, one bowlful = two kiddie portions, or one adult. Freeze, knock out of pot, stack into zip lock bag, straight back in the freezer, when you need one bang one into the micro, blast for ooh 2-3 mins, add butter/milk, plop on plate, eat. yy to a potato ricer.

I cannae get me heid round supermarket frozen mash at ALL - I feel a trip to buy some and see what all the fuss is about is in order.

If I were you I'd wait a few weeks and then give him frozen mash without telling him, claiming it's been freshly mashed by your own fair hands. And then, having established that he's enjoyed it, bring out the packaging.

I think he'd be more disgusted by me sneaking frozen mash than by the thought of horse lasagne!

I love love love mashed potatoes.
Yabvvvvvvvu!
Bleurgh!

Yuk - can't imagine frozen mash! But nor would I like to have a dh so critical of what I cook!!!

I didn't exactly cook them

Ok so if you made too much mashed potato, would you throw the excess away, or would you save it. In which case you would freeze it.. and then defrost it when you needed it. Just because someone else has made it and frozen it for you, doesnt mean it is shit! lol!... there is nothing wrong with pre-prepared mash, fresh or frozen, it just saves a bit of time.

As for the mccains frozen baked spuds, they are lovely. And again a quick fix when you are in a hurry.. (a raw spud nuked is definitely not as good).

Frozen mash is fab.

Can't fault it.

Frozen mash is bloody great, even the Asda one is just potato and butter!

I'd buy it all the time if I could afford it - I love mash and hate peeling spuds.

Another frozen mash fan here.

I hate hate hate peeling potatoes.

Even delia has recipes with frozen mash

I hate peeling spuds, and am just a lazy cook. I always make a huge pan of mash and then portion up to freeze for when needed.

I buy the Tesco one all the time. It's lovely.

Boak.

Ok, my first thought was Boak, but everyone is saying they're nice? I would live to avoid peeling tatties, but I have to do dairy free mash for DS3, so I would STILL have to peel and boil spuds anyway.

Might be ok to try for a dinner when he's not here though. If I can get over my initial boakiness at the thought.

(I don't use frozen veg either, have always used fresh veg and steamed rather than boiled, my mother always steamed her veg so I find boiled veg, fresh or frozen, rather soggy and insipid, so maybe my frozen-mash ism comes from that?)

Those microwave jacket potatoes make me .

If you do potatoes in the microwave, the skin is soggy not crispy. And therefore doesn't constitute a proper jacket spud to me.

Surely they are the easiest dinner in the world?! You throw them in the oven, wait an hour, then chuck some beans on top? Where does a microwave need to come into it? You don't even need to check on them.

I do jacket spuds when I CBA to stand and stir or watch anything!

YANBU. Frozen mash is just fine. Especially Waitrose's version. What I am more baffled about is your dh's decision that chips of all things would go well with a casserole though.

I make a really nice fish pie and shepherd's pie by laying the little discs of frozen mash over the top. Well I did before I came to live in Qatar - we can't get it here so I've been forced to use my potato ricer, which is waaaay better than a masher so I don't mind doing it quite so much as I used to before I discovered ricers.

It's more than just fine, it's delicious. Providing you buy a decent one. Some of the cheaper own brands do have other ingredients that give it a slightly more processed taste, but the good ones are equally delicious if not better than homemade and I defy most people to tell the difference. And that is really something coming from me. I am the one who gets all arsey and unreasonable when people don't cook their Christmas dinner from scratch.

I love frozen mash. I too have arthritis and can't manage fresh mash very well. The frozen jobby is better than my fresh attempts any day. I noticed that all the brands we get here (Oz) are made in the Netherlands. They are all packaged for the individual supermarkets but look and taste exactly the same so I imagined there must be a factory in the Netherlands that produces all the frozen mash in the world . It is particularly good for chucking on top of cottage pie or fish pie filling straight from the freezer and then straight into the oven, just fluff up with a fork half way through cooking.

I have 4 bags in my freezer because sometimes imported things go missing from the shops for months here. Can't have a mash crisis!

That's what I thought pandemonia! But he's a big boy now, chips and casserole don't go in my world but he cleared his plate.

I love M&S frozen mash, miles and miles better than I could ever make. I also use all of the Waitrose frozen stuff like onions, ginger, garlic & shallots.

I used to have a bag of frozen mash in the freezer for "adding" purposes. You know those times when you have leftover potato but not enough to make all the mash you need. Make mash, use frozen stuff to bulk it out. Perfect.

Except DD2 now has a dairy allergy so mash is made from scratch with oat milk and dairy-free margarine with cauliflower for bulking purposes.

Cuddlyrunner frozen pesto came from Sainsburys.

Weight watchers used to do a lovely frozen mash with chives in. I know, I was as surprised as you all are!

I used to like the ww ready made shepherds pie, surprisingly nice!

Its fine and re jacket spuds we oftrn zap them in the microwave and then give them 20mins im the oven to finish cooking and crisp the skin.

He's a twat - even Delia used it in some of her recipes!

Well mumsnets introduced me to frozen diced onions and those are brilliant so maybe I should try frozen mash next?

I have seen an Aunt Bessie one but does Tesco have an own brand mash?

I love Waitrose frozen Croquetter Potato, I quite often use them cut in half for a quick Shepherds pie for DS

I've never used frozen mash but often buy Tesco finest or M&S microwave ones. There's nothing in them except potato, butter and black pepper. Exactly what you would use at home and a potato is a potato, it's not like meat where some is better quality than others.

I often start off jacket potatoes in the microwave and then finish them in the oven. It saves time and electricity.

Frozen mash? Really? Amazing. Right up there with bags of ready grated cheese....

For lazy fucks I should have added.

And have I actually just read that some people use frozen chopped onions? I did used to wonder who bought all the pre-packaged shit in supermarkets but now at least I know.

Thanks for that judgement countrykitten. Due to looking after four people with disabilities, there are days when I am unable to leave the house. At this point frozen veg, be it onion, peppers, whatever, becomes a necessity. But hey, if my eighteen hour day makes me a lazy fuck, so be it.

I know country, lazy fucks making life just that little bit easier for themselves.

Oh chill Countrykitten.

I actually have a bag of frozen chopped onion in my freezer right now. And no, I'm not a lazy fuck I just often have to start putting a dinner together at 7 in the evening and not having to peel and chop onions and dispose of the skins and sweep up the bits that flew out of my hand onto the floor and wash my hands because they now stink of onion makes my evening that little bit easier.

countrykitten stop with the frozen onions bitchfest .

There is nothing wrong with frozen food when there are no added preservatives and other nasties.

I am by no means a lazy fuck either! just so you know.

I know - chopping fresh lovely onions is SUCH a chore isn't it? Must take all of er, 2 minutes. And washing your hands when cooking...it's a NIGHTMARE isn't it?

Listen if you want to feed your families stuff like that then go right ahead. I find it pretty disgusting that crap like that even exists let alone that certain people buy it. And yes I am judgemental about certain things - aren't we all? Saying someone is judging you is not an insult - merely a fact.

As I said - we all have our own standards and feed our families what we see fit.

Chopping an onion or peeling a potato are not big or time consuming jobs in my opinion. For others a fresh onion is clearly a step too far!

Findus ready meal anyone?

Eh, chopped frozen onions are just chopped frozen onions. There's no additives or anything like that. You just pay slightly more than you would for the same amount of onion unchopped and unpeeled.

You seem to have a rather knee jerk reaction to frozen food without really understanding what you're talking about.

And yes, I find peeling and chopping onions a bit of a chore sometimes. Particularly if I'm tired and in a hurry.

Yes I have no understanding of what frozen food is....

On the bright side though I do know how to make lovely FRESH mashed potato!

Gosh, you really aren't very pleasant, Country. There are people on this thread with arthritis, for whom chopping an onion is more than a couple of minutes. As I said, in an emergency, with no fresh veg to hand, frozen peppers (cheaper than fresh, by the way) are a godsend.
Oh, and calling us lazy fucks is in fact an insult.

So do I Countrykitten. And I know how to peel an onion.

And I know which frozen or ready prepared foods are bad for you and which are simply timesaving and cost a tiny bit more for saving you the trouble.

And I agree with Dawndonna. You are very rude and aggressive.

aunt bessies frozen mash is really nice

I think that was the one Delia recommended firawla. I must try it sometime. Her frozen roasts aren't great though.

I recall another thread where someone was bitching about frozen onions , there are plenty of us who use this much maligned form of food storage and will continue to do so.

Long live the frozen onion!.

Has countrykitten ever said anything nice on MN?

I make my own bread, cakes, meatballs, burgers, etc on a regular basis but also use frozen mash, roast potatoes and veg regularly! It depends on my mood and my time. Its great to have the choice, i dont think its lazy , times have changed. Also frozen mash for 8 costs £1.50 , I cant make real mash for that price.

Never heard of her before but I now know she hates frozen mash and onions and she thinks us who love using them are lazy fucks.

I'm sure she's charming in real life , she just needs to chill!

I always used to wonder why would you bother buying ready grated cheese, until you realise that you can actually buy it for the same price that you would buy a block of cheese and in my house it actually goes so much further because I can't eat great big lumps of it I am a lazy fuck...so shoot me

Have never tried frozen mash, but could definitely be tempted next time I go shopping. We don't eat potatoes much because I really can't be arsed with all the peeling

Just keep out of her way when she's waving her big onion chopping knife around

Plain frozen veg contains as many nutrients as fresh and makes meal planning and cooking quicker and easy.

It's miles away from a substandard ready meal of dubious provenance.

Frozen mash is going on my list. I hate mashing potatoes and never make enough..

You've all convinced me, I'm going to start buying frozen mash.

30 mins to peel, cook and mash potatoes is time I don't really have.

It's swede I've given up on, auntie Betties carrot and swede is great, my duff wrists can't be bothered with whole swede.

I'm not certain I like frozen mash, but I have resorted to it for toddlers.

Sweet potato mash freezes better than ordinary spuds and makes great toddler food.

I didn't read the whole thread, but I wouldn't buy it. I would feel ripped off to start with. I pay about £3 for a bigish sack of potatoes and that makes lots of mash.

As I remember, mash doesn't freeze well at home, so I wonder what else do they put in there to make it freeze well.

I usually tend to cook enough mash to last for 2 meals and keep it in the fridge for a couple of days.

Once bought powder mash which I liked well enough, but I stopped buying it when I looked on the ingredience list.

Yes ok I am horrible because I don't buy frozen mashed potatoes, frozen chopped onions and ready grated cheese. I prefer to feed my family fresh food and cannot see a better alternative.

And please don't try and say that everyone on here using this pre-packaged factory made food (yes your 'lovely' mash is made in a massive vat in a factory) has arthritis or cares for people with disabilities because that is not true. It may well be a godsend to those who need it and that is a different matter - I appreciate that.

I still maintain that anyone who has no extenuating circumstances and who actually can't be arsed to chop a fresh onion is bloody lazy.

But apparently that makes me a cow and you all hardworking saints. Yeah right.

Swede is the Devil's Own Vegetable to peel and chop.

I freely admit to being a complete lazy fuck where swede is concerned.

Yes and there is the cost too - a sack of spuds for us is £3.50. How much is your crappy frozen mash?

No countrykitten you're rude and aggressive because of the way you have posted on this thread.

Wouldn't dream of it countrykitten - i do it because life is, to quote Shirley Conran, too short to stuff a mushroom!

Swede wedges are lovely. I make them as a potato alternative and they go down very well!

Waitrose frozen mash is lovely YANBU

yay I am lazy. I buy sliced cheese, frozen mash, ready made yorkshire puddings, loads and loads of stuff. How very dare you call my frozen mash crappy

Anyone who gets so worked up about frozen mash needs to go and have a lie down

countrykitten come over here. Chill. You seem to have a lot of anger issues (not just this thread my lovely). Use that tone & you WILL piss people off.

I agree with your principles, I said as much way up thread (I like to cook fresh & can't imagine taking a bag of mash out of the freezer), but no one got hacked off with me. Now why do we think that is?

have a (organic earl grey if you're interested.

<sprinkles ready grated cheese on Funny's mash>

I keep reading 'chill' as 'chilli'. I have those frozen too, in little squares.

I AM lazy when it comes to cooking tea - it's dull! I have just finished making shortbread with my 4 year old though!

Country kitten if the ingredients are potato, butter and milk, why so disgusted ?

I'm sensing tension on our frozen mash love in thread.

Chill countrykitten, life is too short to post if you disagree with us freezer lovers!

I've put the mash on my list, looking forward to it already, I bet they'll never know the difference , haha

Yes Beer I love the cute little pots of chilli, garlic and ginger.

I am easily pleased by such small things!

If the ingredients are that simple, why not make it yourself rather than eat food made in a factory?

Just disappointed I suppose as I hoped that more people would cook from scratch on here. MN has been a bit of a revelation for me all round tbh - it's not at all what I expected.

Aunt Bessie's frozen mash is the best thing since sliced bread! bet there woulda been a row about that too on mumsnet, back in the day

I'm like can't cook, won't cook all rolled into one

Are they those 'very lazy garlic' etc. I've often been tempted to try those as I'm constantly throwing out fresh garlic that's gone soft or ginger that's been sitting in the fridge too long.

We freeze our own pesto is that ok ?

I'm wondering if I could get DH to cook more often ever if I bought frozen mash? I can whip up amazing mash in 20 mins, start to finish. I swear it's becaus I'm Irish & it's genetic. He on the other hand is English & takes at least half an hour to badlypeel the spuds, overcome so they're watery & can't mash for toffee.

Perhaps it's a cultural thing

I've never come across CK either. What a contrast betwixt name and personality

I do cook from scratch the majority of the time using my ingredients at hand in the fridge, freezer and cupboard.

oh and you know what else is good? asda's pre-chopped butternut squash and sweet potato for throwing into a soup - life is too short to be wrestling with a butternut squash and a big knife!

I told you Countrykitten I am LAZY and I happily admit it - I couldn't give a flying monkeys toss if people on the interweb are bothered by that

countrykitten I do make most stuff myself from scratch and definitely think more people should cook as opposed to buying ready meals. But I don't go around snarling at them and telling them they're lazy fucks. Also, even those of us who mainly cook from scratch do like to use the odd short cut. Even Delia has admitted to doing that.

The 'Very Lazy' range is a bit strong and vinegary for me. These are Dorot ones.

Still cooking from scratch to me <shrug> Just that someone else has chopped the herbs.

I do own a mezzaluna but it's a bit deadly.

Well 'Delia' happens not to be a role model of mine. Whatever floats your boat I guess.

I cook most things from scratch but I'm a SAHM who isn't opposed to child labour. Things will most likely change when I return to work.

I am addicted to batch cooking & love taking the day or week off when I can't be bothered, but it's with all my own home coke deals. Cooking from scratch definitely saves me money. £80 per week for 2 adults & 2 small but very hungry DCs, cat food, cleaning/washing products & nappie/wipes. Combination of butchers, green grocers & Sainsbury. (I could cut & paste this into another current thread!)

Is there anyone you approve of?

Yy, drmummmsy. Who can be arsed to chop squash into perfect regular little squares for soup?

The only good thing about Smash

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND8Bbn9V6as&NR=1&feature=endscreen

CK you cannot possibly cook not using anything which was made in a factory unless you are a Victorian farmers wife. Cheese ? Bread? Even the flour if you make your own bread. I suppose you don't used tinned tomatoes either.

cheers Beer I am a bit that our Waitrose seem to have stopped doing the frozen portions of pesto

Look, I am amazed that's all. That people buy this stuff who don't need to. That they would rather feed factory made mash to their kids than spend 20/30 mins making their own. I do find it a bit shocking - that's it really.

And no-one answered me when I asked how much this stuff costs....I am guessing therefore that it's a whole lot more than buying a large sack of spuds for £3.50 and making your own (for weeks on end if you want to).

Exactly Wish.

CK - today I made scrambled eggs with smoked salmon (both organic) for breakfast

I had homemade hummus for lunch and will be making a pasta sauce from scratch tonight but I also sometimes fall back on prechopped or prepared veg and other shortcuts. It's not a black and white thing, you know.

And I'd be interested in the ingredients list too as I have just read the Asda one and it's full of crap.

lots but it saves 25 mins of the day - so it's worth it ...added bonus of making certain type go all pearl clutchy

agree wrt the lazy garlic. We just threw a pot away as it was so strong and vinegary

Aunt Bessies:

Potato
Milk
Butter
Salt
Pepper

gordy thank you - the Tesco one has dried potatoes in it and other stuff I wouldn't want to eat.

If the ingredients are that simple though - why not just make it yourself

Could someone tell me about frozen chopped onions?

I've never used them but they would be handy if I only wanted a small amount.

Do you have to defrost them before frying them?

Can't comment on the mash CK but I think that the ingredients in the frozen onions and the grated cheese are just onions and cheese

And the price...!!

magi no bung em straight into your pot, they defrost as they heat up, marvellous !

because, as you said - it takes 25-30 mins - I can't be arsed when I can zap it in 5 mins and spend 25 mins doing something interesting

Where's my cow - think you need to know that cheese will have its own ingredients list as it is 'made'.

An onion I grant you is probably just an onion.

Can't be arsed....well I can! So you stick to factory food and I'll eat fresh. Easy.

Aunt Bessies frozen mash is great! I love it with a shit load of cheese.

25-30 mins is a huge amount of time when you get in from school / nursery / work and have laundry, bedtime, reading to deal with.

sugarice

Country I get Aunt Bessies for £1. So doesn't cost much at all and does me and the toddler for a while

I can't be arsed when I can zap it in 5 mins and spend 25 mins doing something interesting

But cooking should be interesting! Even something as simple as mash potato.

As Mr Ramsey always said. "Make love to it, don't fuck it!"

Country if you are going to be so sanctimonious you should try to be a bit better informed. Cheese doesn't always have a list of ingredients, neither does Greek yoghurt it does what it says on the tin. Likewise frozen peas and onions.

I like frozen onions, I love frozen peppers, they're bloody excellent for pasta sauce and chili. I have never tried frozen mash, might do at some point, but I don't really like mash full stop tbh. Lazy garlic is shite, it tastes of vinegar, the garlic paste in the ethnic aisle however is brilliant stuff. Works out cheaper than the garlic at the green grocers too, as do the frozen peppers. The onions admittedly are a little more, but I am lazy and they are easier.

I like cooking, but I like cooking for occasions and elaborate baking. Not cooking dinner every night, that doesn't deserve hours of effort.

CK If you are absolutely fanatical about using fresh food only that's great. But why are you so aggressive to people who take some short cuts? Debate it with them by all means but sniping, name calling and criticising is not necessary.

I think frozen roast potatoes are disgusting. I am getting very tempted to but frozen mash though, this thread is really selling it to me.
HWBU, not to try it!

Not read the whole thread (shoot me) but, if you work in catering you'll know that most pub/restaurant places use frozen mash pellets. It's nice, nothing like smash.

hope it's not that grated stuff SPsFanjoTheBigStickyHaribo on your frozen mash

I like cooking, but I like cooking for occasions and elaborate baking. Not cooking dinner every night, that doesn't deserve hours of effort

this - exactly - we are having frozen baked spuds tonight - I am currently sat in the sofa cuddling DD2 - much nicer than cooking tea

I think, for some people, their time is worth more to them than the additional cost of frozen mash over driving out to a farm and buying muddy potatoes in bulk. I don't really understand why that would upset anyone.

Anyway: frozen onions. Can you fry them off properly? Or do they kind of steam boil in the pan due to their initially frozen state? If they work perfectly, I might get some.

Note to those who think deciding I have better things to do with my time than chop onions requires and excuse: I do have arthritis. And standing in the kitchen for long periods of time aggravates it, as does loads of chopping. But even if that weren't the case, I don't see what difference it makes if you chopped the onion yourself. You didn't grow it yourself either.

I have no excuse for using frozen mash apart from being a lazy fuck.

I love frozen mash. 2 bags for £1.50 in Morrisons, much nicer than the lumpy discoloured mush that I usually produce.

I made a lovely fish pie at the weekend with left over mash from Christmas day that I'd bunged in the freezer.

Christmas Day 2011 . It worked really well though.

The subject of a different thread perhaps but those who buy potatoes in bulk can you tell me how you store them to make them last. My potatoes always start sprouting after a few days.

So if cheese is not 'made' of ingredients and is not comprised of milk, rennet, salt etc then what exactly is it wishihadabs? The same would apply for yoghurt....

2 bags of morrisons frozen mash is £1.50, feeds 4 people per bag, I wouldnt buy a big sack of potatoes as i don't have anywhere to store them and probably wouldn't get through them very quickly as we don't eat them that often, so I dont find frozen mash a rip off financially at all! I cook lots from scratch but use cheat products as well, my children are all healthy and well nourished, and i'm not lazy, just choosing how to spend my time.not

We keep our spuds in a dark corner of the boot room where they seem to last pretty well as it's coolish in there and I think they are better out of the light. Dogs keep nicking them though which is an ongoing issue....!

I bet cheese is made in a FACTORY as well and we all know they are evil ...apparently

I'm not arguing over the frozen mash thing any more so no need for people to get all arsey and defensive - just accepting that other people live very different lives.

And I was thinking of making mash for supper tonight too!

Isn't it about the dish you're making too.

I'm making cheese and onion pie for tea which means I have to chop fresh onions for the filling as the recipe wouldn't work with the frozen ones. I'm also preparing a chicken casserole which I'm bunging frozen onions, garlic , chilli and mixed grill veg into, It'll taste fab and it makes cooking easier and more pleasurable.

countrykitten wow! Carry on having your little paddy in the corner! If using frozen chopped onions makes me a 'lazy fuck' in your eyes, then so be it. You are entitled to your opinion, but IME, it's all about how you voice it. Neither you nor I are right, but your vociferous manner and nasty tones says a lot more about YOU than your opinion.
You sound very angry as if something is really eating away at you. Try and address it before it destroys you.

gordy - factories are not coming out of the current food crisis too well are they? Don't you really care how your food is produced? Where it comes from? What's in it?

LayMizzRarb - whatever.

meat processing plants - no not so much - wasn't aware that mashed spuds or cheese was being substituted for dog food or horse legs though

I buy all my meat locally from a farm shop - except for my dog chicken nuggets - they come from Iceland

Someone on another thread worked in a cheese factory and said the ready grated cheese is all the scraps and nasty bits. Gets mushed up and reprocessed. That really put me off buying grated cheese.

No issue with time saving food products though. I do think its cheaper if you freeze yourself though eg Big Bag of value onions, peel them, bung them in the food mixer, whizz up and freeze in portions. It literally takes minutes but saves so much time when you're cooking.

Anyway, enjoy your tv suppers tonight all. I'm off to do something a bit more interesting than debate this with you. Like watch grass grow.

countrykitten enjoy watching that grass grow, you grew it from scratch I hope !

Gosh, thank you so much for your time, countrykitten. It's awfully good of you to try to steer us all towards the path of foodie righteousness.

So sorry you found MN to be full of corner cutting plebs instead of a hive of whey-straining, herb-cultivating proper parents.

I only use frozen grass - no need to spend hours watching it grow @lazybastard - as Blackadder once said 'the long winter evenings must simply fly by'

oh and scraps of cheese squished together and grated ...so still JUST CHEESE then @epicfail

Sales of frozen mash mysteriously rocket this weekend, I reckon!

I worked in a food factory. Swept up corn flour from the floor and chucked it straight back on the conveyor belt...

Is it also wrong to eat tea on tray in front of the telly?

I am clearly a failure on all fronts!

I'm intrigued as to what countrykitten though we were all like.

There are no ingredients on the cheese and yoghurt in my fridge...just saying

I have astro tuft, I too fucking lazy to cut grass.

I'm*

I'm too fucking lazy to type Ms

I worked in a biscuit factory. Very high standards of cleanliness.

I make my own mash (yay me!) and then freeze it - so am I only half lazy?!

Mash freezes and defrosts perfectly well.

i can't beleive that people have spare mash in their freezer. SPARE? How do you manage that?
I peel a small/medium bag of spuds. I make mash using a ricer. Takes bloomin ages. Shepherds pie has to be one of the most time consuming meals EVER. This makes enough to make two huge trays of shepherds pie. One gets eaten. One gets frozen. Not an thimble full of mash left spare. God how i wish I had spare mash in my freezer. I do love mash.
I also buy frozen mash. ..... <<dreams of having drawers of spare mash in freezer>> ........

Love it - 'frozen onions' which, as everyone pointed out are just that - onions extrapolated to TV dinners! .

She's good that CountryKitten!

The cheese thing was rather more than scraps squished together and grated it was the bits off the floor, mouldy bits, dirty bits washed, squished and grated.

I adore cheese, there is very rare,y a situation when I wouldn't eat cheese. But that thread did put me off buying ready grated.

i like mouldy cheese!

I'm off home to open a bottle of wine while my frozen ready chopped onions do their thing.
It's shop bought wine, not homemade I'm afraid,( lazy arsed corner cutter that I am.)

Fucks sake, it takes NO time to ferment your own grapes....

I know Louis but I think the shop bought stuff tastes just as nice - the kids can't tell the difference and neither can I.

bet that wine was bottled in a FACTORY tough - it's probably half grapes half rotting sheep head juice or something

Love all the Irish people coming forward on a potato thread . I'm Irish and haven't tried frozen mash but will do now!

I am assuming those that don't like food made in a factory grow all their own vet and have their own animals that they slaughter and never buy yog, or cheese,or bread, pastry, pizza bases, or ice cream, hummus, coleslaw or any tinned products etc!

Figs frozen stuff can be just as good as fresh and sometimes is better if frozen very quickly after being picked etc.

Not all frozen food is crap.

I use frozen pastry as well sometimes...

We have frozen berries etc as they are cheaper and nice to defrost and add to a pudding.

Sometimes people are in a hurry or they can't be added. Frozen potato is convenient and not full of crap.

We've had the frozen mash from Ikea that you sometimes get free when you buy the meatballs. It's ok but I wouldn't buy it, but it always seems almost magical how much mash you get from a small amount of pellets! Not tried any other sort and never paid for it directly so don't know how it compares cost wise.

I know when I looked into the onions the price was 60p per kilo for loose onions v. £2 per kilo for frozen onions so more than just a little bit more expensive. Can understand that for some people the extra cost is worth the time saved though.

CHIPS WITH A CASSEROLE???

Leave the bastard

The other argument for frozen veg is if you are not cooking for a large family it can be far more economical to use an exact amount of frozen broccoli than buy a large packet & waste some.

And much frozen veg has a far higher vitamin content than fresh.

I certainly intend to try frozen onions as I often only need half an onion to fry off & fresh onions do not keep well.

My cheese and onion pie made with freshly cut onions was delish. home made pastry too! doncha know!

My mexican turkey stew made with defrosted turkey breast , frozen onions, chilli, garlic and mixed frozen veg was also fab and was scoffed with plates almost wiped clean with bread ,shop bought then defrosted, oh the shame!

All round winner

We had mexican chilli bean wraps tonight. Really unhealthy coz it uses loads of tins!
Tin of mixed beans,
Tin of tomatoes,
Tin of Kidney beans as well as onion, smoked paprika, basmati rice.
Delicious and in fact very healthy, or should I not be lazy and ensure I soak all my beans overnight?

Dawn tinned produce don't equal unhealthy

I'm not faffing with soaking beans overnight either, I'll never produce a baked bean to even resemble heinz!

On the basis of this thread, I have been to sainsbos and bought a pile of freezer fare: mash, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander. I'm hoping for a revelation in my cookery (or at least, less time standing about chopping stuff in the kitchen).

Another one who has just returned from the supermarket with frozen mash.

I wouldn't trust that it is frozen mash TBH

crikey, is this all you have to think about?

I have a DH, who peels a sack of potatoes boils them , mashes them (without butter or milk, puts that in when reheating, it dosn't go soggy that way) then bags in portions and freezes.

Does the same with sweet potatoes, swede and squash. Oh and sliced roast meat and cooked sausages.

We both work, DH working shifts, means a meal can be ready in minutes.

MrsKeith did your dh peel, chip and fry his own potatoes to make his chips? He wouldn't eat frozen oven chips would he?

I used the frozen mash for tea tonight. It was nice. The texture isn't the same as freshly made mash. Kind of stickier (as well as smoother even than mash made with a ricer). But it was much, much quicker and easier. A useful freezer standby.

He did make them from a potato He has an airfryer thing, was quick and tasty chips.

I have been known to make my own cheese,butter,yogurt, bacon,sausages well loads of stuff really but there is bugger all wrong with frozen mash/ onions

I'm quite keen on frozen mash nobody else in my household eats potatoes so its very handy for me as it means I get to eat something I like without having to naff about or buy bags of them that never get used.

Op are you seeing my estranged husband? He's about 6'4 built like a brick shit house complete wanker tho and was always convinced frozen mash was that smash stuff.

I just make extra mash when I'm doing it from scratch and freeze in cubes for the children. Quick to defrost and heat up and I know exactly what is in it. Works really well and makes brilliant bubble and squeak if you have left over veggies from Sunday lunch.

That is brilliant. I wanted to make DD some mash today to go with (homemade) cauliflower cheese (I did use ready grated cheese though - shoot me now) and only had a huge potato and short if time. Waitrose frozen mash added to my Ocado!

Personally I'd rather 'cheat' with things like this and have the time to make main meal, bread etc. from scratch. In my house the odd 20 kind here and there really does count for my sanity.

kind = mins

Maybe with my extra mash time I can learn to type.

Good God,I cant wait to try this-sounds fab!

sock let's compare penis size

I won't pay for bags of frozen onions. I do chop them an freeze them (on a shallow flat tray first, so they stay nice and loose and don't clump together in a solid lump) and keep the in a plastic bag. I just don't see the point of paying three times the amount for something I can do so cheaply and easily at home. Mash is different though - it's a faff, and I don't find that freezing my own works so well.

I will buy frozen peppers though. Sometimes you buy fresh peppers and don't use them, or you don't need a whole one and the rest goes manly before you can use it, or you never have a fresh one when you need one on a whim, so I consider that a cost effectiveness/convenience thing, rather than a time saving thing. The chopped onion freezing is a time saving thing.

Thanks, I read 10 pages wondering what sort of chips they were!

I wish I had a freezer.

OP, what's an air fryer your husband used for his chip?

It's the Phillips air fryer. Basically works like a deep fat frustratingly the yuk fat. Does mean chips, roast potatoes, bacon, steak, roast veg and tons of stuff, it's really great. Doesn't use any oil.