beans mash and sausages is a healthy meal

[madhurjazz]

Mother in law thinks its junk food. But the beans contain 1 of your 5 a day, mashed potatoes are just veg and a good source of carbs and the sausages are full of essential protein.

We often have ketchup, this has been shown to reduce many cancers like prostate, and a glass of juice.

Seems healthy to me and not junky.

[Idliketobeabutterfly]

I don't see issue with a good sausage.

[TheGruffaloMother]

It's a solid meal that isn't horrendous, yes there are people here who can truly rip the nutritional value apart though. Like the sugar in the beans, processed meat in sausages, butter in the mash, you get the gist!

[Rainbowunicorn73]

It's not the worst meal you can have, especially if you hide extra veg in the mash. Sausages aren't great though... Processed and full of rubbish unless you buy really good quality ones from the butcher?

I absolutely love this meal, healthy or not.... A childhood favourite.

[ChocolateButton15]

I wouldn't call it healthy but average. Depends on portion size too as could very easily be unhealthy. Ketchup is full of sugar but again depends on portion size, can't see the odd splodge being unhealthy.

[PurpleDaisies]

I do today call it junk food but I wouldn't really call it healthy either. Sausages are often high in saturated fat and I don't believe ketchup reduces cancer. I'm happy to be shown a link to a reputable scientific journal.

[BertieBotts]

I wouldn't call it healthy TBH but it is certainly nutritious from the points you made.

I don't think it's necessary to eat "healthy" meals all the time.

[EssentialHummus]

It depends really. To my mind, beans contain a lot of sugar, mash is "simple carbs" (a bit like eating white bread) which are not brilliant in vast quantities, and sausages can be of iffy provenance.

OTOH, good quality sausages, sweet potato mash and lower sugar beans, while not exactly healthy, is an OK meal.

Fine in moderation, basically. But I kind of agree with MIL.

[Penfold007]

Sausages tend to be very high in fat. Potatoes don't count as a vegetable and the beans need to be reduced sugar and salt to be 'healthy'. I loves sausage, mash and beans

[PurpleDaisies]

Do today?! I meant wouldn't.

[TheGruffaloMother]

I just had it

I leave the skins on my mash...lots of goodness there. And as PP said, mash is great for hiding other veg in.

[ilovesooty]

It's one meal. Why does it matter?

[WorraLiberty]

It's healthy OP.

Some people on MN could pull apart the nutritional value of a head of lettuce, until it appears worse than a Big Mac.

[Squiff85]

Certainly wouldn't say healthy, more treat/once a week meal in my opinion

[EarSlaps]

I agree with you. Yes, beans do have a fair bit of sugar and salt, but the fibre and protein in them are fantastic.

Sausages can be bad, but good quality ones are fine.

I feel the same about pizza. People label it as junk, but I make it thin crust with a 50:50 whole meal dough made with milk (calcium and protein), homemade mixed veg and tomato sauce and cheese. Plus non-fussy ds and I usually have sweet corn and tuna or chicken on it. Yes, a stuffed crust pepperoni is not the best meal but don't label all pizza as 'bad'.

[milkjetmum]

Fish fingers mash and beans is even better and a good crowd pleasing dinner!

Variety is key for us. We eat 'traditional' kids meals like that a few times a week, grown up dinners the kids don't like every so often (salmon with feta and mint anyone?), foods we never had as kids but the kids love (gnocchi with pesto), and bog standard classics (roast chicken, spaghetti bold).

We get bored if we eat the same things too often, and the kids have to like it or lump it here

[VanellopeVonSchweetz99]

If it's a high quality sausage, reduced salt & sugar beans + mash from scratch and perhaps some additional veg + water to drink I'd say that's pretty decent.

[Mycraneisfixed]

Not junk food. We'd have this once every two weeks or so. I try to have broccoli or other green veg instead of beans but if you want to be quick can't be arsed no harm in the occasional dollop of beans.

[Allalonenow]

Chips instead of mash would be healthier, as vitamin C is not destroyed by frying as it is by boiling, and potatoes are one of the richest sources of vitamin C in a normal diet.

[Neffi]

This meal would be on my top three list for my last dinner on death row. Along with fish and chips and a third which changes periodically but at the moment is pork dumplings and chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce

[Dobinette]

YABU.

Sausage and mash has to be eaten with peas (fresh or frozen, not canned).

[FayaMAMA]

It's not healthy but it's not junk either.... it's just standard. I wouldn't feed it to my DDs unless I was feeling lazy or unwell, sorry if that sounds judgmental. You don't NEED the sausages for protein, the beans contain plenty. If you added another vegetable with this it would be more healthy (in the mash?). Who cars what you MIL thinks though? Really?

[FayaMAMA]

It's not healthy but it's not junk either.... it's just standard. I wouldn't feed it to my DDs unless I was feeling lazy or unwell, sorry if that sounds judgmental. You don't NEED the sausages for protein, the beans contain plenty. If you added another vegetable with this it would be more healthy (in the mash?). Who cars what you MIL thinks though? Really?

[FayaMAMA]

It's not healthy but it's not junk either.... it's just standard. I wouldn't feed it to my DDs unless I was feeling lazy or unwell, sorry if that sounds judgmental. You don't NEED the sausages for protein, the beans contain plenty. If you added another vegetable with this it would be more healthy (in the mash?). Who cars what you MIL thinks though? Really?

[TwoKidsAndCounting]

It's not healthy but it is satisfying and that makes you feel good. You need the nice sausages however

[Scarydinosaurs]

Faya- indeed! Who cares? Really? Really? Really? 😆

I love this dinner BUT there needs to be cabbage/broccoli/peas medley in there!

And I would go for gravy over ketchup any day of the week.