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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that ready made mash is not that bad

74 replies

carriedababi · 11/08/2011 18:30

you know that fresh mash you get in the shops that you microwave for 3 mins

for somereason i feel v lazy guilty having it, as if peeling spuds is just too much hard work

dont feel to guilty about preperpaed veg or salad though

OP posts:

ebbandflow · 11/08/2011 19:41

Don't have a microwave so cook in the oven-I really like the ready made stuff. My homemade mash is bland compared to shops. My DD says it tastes even nicer than schools.

MightyQuim · 11/08/2011 19:42

I tried some frozen mash once because I had heard it was meant to be OK. I couldn't eat it but possibly cos it didn't taste like MY mash rather than because it was vile.

meditrina · 11/08/2011 19:43

Soups: Try the French version of Smash - it's called Mousselline, and can be found in delis here.

SecretNutellaFix · 11/08/2011 19:45

I'll buy it if it's just for me and DH. IF we have friends over I do make it. Because a big bag of spuds will probably go off before we use it all.

picnicbasketcase · 11/08/2011 19:46

I can't eat mashed potato because (and no-one believes me when I say this) my primary school gave us cheap undercooked beefburgers, baked beans and that school mash they served using ice cream scoop every day, the first year I was there. The very idea of the powdery taste of it makes me want to heave. It doesn't matter how many people tell me proper mash is nice, I couldn't bring myself to eat it.

But in principle, buying ready made mash, why not? S'convenient, innit.

FellatioNelson · 11/08/2011 19:48

I am a massive fan of ready made mash, and I say that as something of a food snob. Aunt Bessie's mash is not only delicious, but it has nothing more in it than I would have in homemade mash, ie. potatoes, butter, milk, salt, pepper.

Making mash is a messy faff and Aunt Bessie's mash is a godsend. I won't buy some of the crappy own brand versions that have dubious stuff in them though.

It can have a tendency to dry out if you are only cooking a smallish amount, so iI always add an extra knob of butter and a splash more milk or cream to be on the safe side. I have also added olive oil, herbs, garlic, grain mustard, spring onions, whatever I fancy and it's always lovely.

AgentZigzag · 11/08/2011 19:49

We used to have school mash doled out with ice cream scoops Picnic

Every day is a bit extreme though.

squeakytoy · 11/08/2011 19:51

I hated mash at school too, it was lumpy and grey and eughhhh. My mum made lovely mash with butter and salt in it... so there was no way on earth I would eat the bland stuff at school! Plus using an ice-cream scoop for mash just seemed so wrong!

AgentZigzag · 11/08/2011 19:59

Yeah squeaky, but did yours make it up to you by serving rainbow pud with pink custard like ours? mmmmm pink custard in a metallic jug, the best.

This is primary though, I lived on chips and gravy all through secondary

Original poster

carriedababi · 11/08/2011 20:00

oh yeah i forgot about the ice cream scooops!

OP posts:

picnicbasketcase · 11/08/2011 20:01

Oooh, pink custard.... I'd forgotten that.
School dinners improved as I got older, to be fair. Peppermint custard and chocolate crunch, mmmm.

Original poster

carriedababi · 11/08/2011 20:02

the potoroes i refuse to cut corners on are chips, these have to be homemade, roasts homemade only, and jackets never microwave, must be fully done in the oven .

OP posts:

SuzysZoo · 11/08/2011 20:04

Aunt Bessies is totally yum. I don't feel guilty. If I decide I need mash I presently don't have time to wait half an hour for it...........I feel a bit bad about all the salt, but it's not every day so what the hell?

MissPenteuth · 11/08/2011 20:04

I never mash potatoes myself. Ready made mash costs about a quid (even from Waitrose and M&S, the 'fresh' stuff in the veg aisle is cheaper than the stuff in the ready meal aisle), saves washing, peeling, boiling and mashing the potatoes and saves having to wash a pan and potato masher. And if the potatoes are the part of the meal that will take longest to cook, it saves time too!

I've never tried the frozen stuff though, might have to give Auntie Bessie's a go.

AuntiePickleBottom · 11/08/2011 20:05

i loved choclate crunch and pink custard in primary school nom nom

AgentZigzag · 11/08/2011 20:10

I'm definately going to try to pass off as my own Aunt Bessies mash.

at peppermint custard and choc crunch, we were depraved deprived.

squeakytoy · 11/08/2011 20:13

My MIL used to buy frozen chips, but as my FIL was a fussy git, she would peel one potato, bin it, and leave the peelings on the side, so he thought he was getting "real" chips.... he never sussed it, just told her she made shite chips!

Marymaryalittlecontrary · 11/08/2011 20:14

Picnic - I feel your pain. I also used to hate the school mash (ours was also served in ice cream scoops) and remember vividly having to eat beans on toast once because I had been doing something for a teacher and that was all that was left when I got there. I didn't like beans on toast then and I still don't now. I remember trying to hide the beans under the bread so it didn't look like I'd left as much. Also, the day before I went to my grandma's funeral I was forced to eat chicken pie. It took me about 20 years before I would try another chicken pie!

Marymaryalittlecontrary · 11/08/2011 20:15

My husband won't let me get aunt bessie's mash anymore as he complains I burn it to the pan!

theoldtrout01876 · 11/08/2011 20:26

I actually bought a tub of ready made mash for the first time ever yesterday.Hid it in back of fridge as was planning on passing it off as home made .
I heated it up as per instructions and I have to say it was VILE. Threw it out and made chips instead :o.
I make awesome mashed spuds,just couldnt be arsed yesterday so there was no way I could pass off the grey glue as my tatties.

Soups · 11/08/2011 20:28

meditrina I'll be in a French supermarket early next week so I'll pick some up. I was going to buy another tub of Smash to take on holiday but maybe we'll go french ;)

Justification - we're spending the first week in various hotels, then just one night in a tipi, before 2 weeks in self catering. Thought some emergency food may be wise. Smash you can add water and stir, without measuring.

Soup slopes off, hanging head in shame.

AmeliaSachs · 11/08/2011 20:38

I find it quite peppery. But it is fab for cottage pies, cheese & ham pies etc.

Postive on less washing up, plus it can be recycled.

meditrina · 11/08/2011 20:42

soups: even if you don't like it, you can keep the packaging and decant Smash into it later

Soups · 11/08/2011 20:45

I like your thinking I'd look dead posh and my kids wouldn't know I had a secret stash. Yay me.

deste · 11/08/2011 20:49

My DH announced that finally, at long last I had got the mash perfect. I had to laugh as it was the first time I had bought the ready made stuff. The secret to fluffy mash is to use boiled milk in the pan after the potatoes have cooked. Mash them and stir with a wooden spoon and add a dash of olive oil.

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