Is it still good home cooked food if you use a jar?

[Hsundbfhdi]

We've had a pretty rubbish day here, I'm heavily pregnant and feeling rough and my husband is working crazy hours. Our childcare fell through so we've been trying to juggle a toddler too.

It's time to get dinner ready and I've popped open a jar of honey and mustard chicken tonight. Poured it over some chicken thighs. Will make pasta and peas to go with it.

Curious to know where people stand on how unhealthy it is to use jars? I've never really cared before, but now we've got a little one, I'm more conscious of the food I'm making. Growing up, my mum would use jars quite regularly e.g dolmio, curry, chicken tonight etc she'd also make amazing Mediterranean food from scratch too. It was a real mix.

Anyway, would you still consider this a healthy, home cooked meal? Do you think it's still better than a takeaway (I do)? I've started trying to make my own sauces when I've got time, but my husband and I both work full time, long hours, and trying to get something together after work and before baby bedtime is a real mission! So I'm still partial to a jar here and there.

Just curious for thoughts.

I wouldn’t think of it as a home cooked meal, no, but it’s not terrible.

Per Mumsnet it is not home cooked unless you raised the chickens yourself and grew the peas in your back garden and made the pasta using a pasta maker. Everything else doesn't count apparently.

Interesting. I'd still class it as a home cooked meal I think, just not the most nutritious. Do you make most of your meals entirely from scratch?

This has given me a much needed giggle on what's been an absolutely shite day. Thank you.

I use jars about once a week (pasta sauce or curry paste). In moderation, nothing is that bad. Sounds like a pretty well balanced meal to me.

I always use the ready made jars for this kind of thing. Dolmio for spag bol (with Quorn mince and spaghetti.) Etc etc etc.. Never make my own, never would ... CBA. Life's too short to waste time cooking shit from scratch! And I am far too busy to be spending half my waking hours in the fecking kitchen! It's fine. Nobody ever died from eating food out of jars!

Better than a takeaway = Yes

Really healthy home cooked meal = No

But it's quick and fine so don't beat yourself up 🤷‍♀️

The reason I'm not keen on most jars is because I can often taste the sweeteners, a bit like when you swallow a diet drink and you get that awful aftertaste?

Having said that, I always use jars of bechemel sauce when I make lasagne.

Absolutely perfectly fine. Don't give it another thought!!

I wouldn’t class that as a “healthy home cooked meal”, it’s basically carbs and a UPF cream based source, with some protein and one portion of veg. Obviously it’s better than a takeaway but it’s not the sort of meal I’d be serving more than once or twice a week. We aim for prepared from scratch with at least 3 portions of veg at least 5 nights a week.

I’m not against using shop bought sauces totally, but I only tend to use them if they’re accompaniment e.g. mayo, ketchup, sweet chilli and the occasional marinade. Sauces which are the “base” of a dish are much healthier and tastier home made. You can also cram more veggies in which is good.

@Hsundbfhdi ". I'd still class it as a home cooked meal I think, just not the most nutritious."

Why not? I bet if the OP had described roasting some chicken and serving it with pasta and vegetables you would say it was fine. A jarred sauce doesn't remove nutrients!!

Depends what’s in it. I would look carefully at the list of ingredients to judge if it is a healthy option. There are some great high quality jars of food out there. Check the ingredients and if they are all real foods then go for it. If there is a single weird chemically looking one then it’s no good. I would also check the sugar content.

If you're worried about the sugar/salt/processed ingredients of the jar sauce, you could try making your own sauce from a tin of tomatoes, or a white sauce with milk and flour. It's also much cheaper so win win!

I would agree, not home cooked but perfectly acceptable.
I make all of my sauces from scratch because I find jars too salty, but I am also partial to the odd fish finger!

I tell myself it's wholesome/home cooked when using a jar, but in reality I know I'm kidding myself.

No, it’s definitely not a home cooked meal. The main component is made in a factory. However it’s much healthier than the average takeaway and as long as it’s not every day, then there’s no problem. Everything in moderation and it’s tough being pregnant.

Everything's a sliding scale isn't it.
I use jars, they're handy and time isn't plentiful.

Some have a long list of weird ingredients and some are just stuff I'd put in myself and it's just pasteurised, or one weird ingredient to give it shelf life.. I aim for those by pref.

Definitely not home cooked.

Totally depends on the ingredients of the jar tbh. But it’s good enough for those days and 10x better than a takeaway!

Sounds divine. Would you mind sharing the kinds of things you make? How long do they take to prepare and cook? I see so many recipes online that claim to be quick and easy, but require about an hour - and we don't have that window in the evenings! Would love to see what others are throwing together.

Yep, exactly this. SO many posters on Mumsnet claim to always cook from scratch. And they claim they do it for EVERYTHING. They make their own stuffing, yorkshire puds, gravy, pasta sauce, shepherds and cottage pies, etc etc etc. I am sure the odd person here and there does that (who has plenty of spare time on their hands!) But I reckon most people don't. Cook from scratch now and again yeah, but all the time? Nah, fuck that!

Another thing I hate (when someone posts for advice about cooking for their family, and they are busy,) is when people suggest BATCH COOKING. I hate that bloody phrase. Do some batch cooking OP. It's sooooooooo easy. It will make your life totally stress-free!🙄

Carry on as you are then. Plenty of people see food as an investment in self. Sorry if that sounds a bit (insert whatever word takes your fancy). I never think of being in the kitchen, and making healthy meals, as a waste of time, thank goodness.

Heavily pregnant you say! You do whatever gets you through 😅

Sometimes I use a jar, sometimes I make a sauce. I don’t give it any consideration, life really is too short!

It is just as quick to put a spoon of honey and a spoon of mustard over. I don't get how this sauce saves time. Just adds oil, Salt, sugar and other additives.

Probably 5 days out of 7. It depends if it’s a particularly busy week really. I use the slow cooker a lot on working days. Have more time at weekends but we tend to have family / friends over and often order in.
Like I said, it’s not terrible. Just not home cooked.