to be shocked by the way this family eats?

[lotney]

A friend told me about a woman she knows who has 3 year old twins and a 2 year old. Her husband works away for long periods of time. She doesn't cook while he's away - the children eat freezer food like fish fingers, chicken nuggets etc and she has ready meals. When he's home he cooks, but when he's away they just eat things from the oven for convenience.

I can't begin to imagine what life is like with 3 under 3 but surely preparing fresh food at least occasionally is important for nutrition and learning about food? I find it really odd and a bit sad.

Sorry did not mean to post twice

We eat frozen venison and truffles

Some one get Marianne a halo!

You are the mum we should all aspire to be

Of course.. It is unacceptable that your dc won't go in a sling whilst you chop broccoli and polish your skirting boards....shame on you

bean and sausage stew? does that have baked beans in it? and processed meat? (sucks teeth)

And your DH cooks it Marianne?
So you don't actually have sole responsibility for the evening meal every night like some of us frozen veg, non chopping oven chips cooking mothers??

Now it makes more sense, always easier to be sanctimonious if YOU AREN'T ACTUALLY DOING IT YOURSELF??

I don't aspire to be Marianne by the way, I love my life even though I don't cook from scratch every night!

Baked beans Not quite.

Re: the broccoli debate, never though you were the devil for eating frozen broccoli but you have answered my question about the pointlessness of it - it obviously isn't any cheaper and at most 20 seconds more convenient.

No, tantrums, I don't cook, but DH does have the sole responsibility for cooking every night - and he cooks before I come home. And manages to do it while looking after two young children. And he agrees with me on this.

You know what? I grew up on Bernard Matthews turkey drummers and other delectable treats. Potatoes came in the form of birdseye waffles or chips, we had beans (baked), crispy pancakes etc. my mum worked full time. If my dad was cooking we had left over ration packs from the military aircraft he flew. My parents were keen gardeners and grew masses of tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes etc. We did eat fresh veg, but normally while out playing in the garden . Food is food. At least they're eating every day. My husband didn't as a child. His Mother depended on free school dinners. So don't judge. It's not that bad.

But it is cheaper cos there is no waste! Not everyone is weird enough to have broccoli every night

Weight for weight, frozen broccoli is much cheaper than fresh on the ahem Ocado site, actually.

I work 32 hours a week, plus journeys (no car), I bring up two DCs on my own, on a very modest stipend, and if I want to shove frozen food in the oven whilst doing a load of laundry, talking to my dad on the phone and answering the front door at 6pm, then I bloody well will.

Hecuba, that's totally out of order.

Oh dear, this is turning into Carnage - the screeching of obscenities has started!

I don't think Hecuba was out of order at all

Missed the frozen veg bit. The only fresh veg I cook are potatoes and carrots. We eat frozen peas, broccoli, cauliflower, soya bean, edamame beans, green beans. We eat salad fresh obviously and sometimes corn on the cob. But other sweet corn is tinned. Yabu if you think frozen veg is bad!

And I grow my own vegetables and tomatoes and freeze or pickle them.

In mariannes situation one of them is at home not doing anything so it makes it a lot easier to cook most people are not in that situation.

hecuba well said

YABU. She has three dcs under 3.

Well, I like cooking too, and I cook most of the days for my little one, husband and myself just because I am used to it and I like it. but I would not assume that a mother who does not cook is not feeding her babies properly just because of that, they can have chicken nuggets for dinner, but had a good breakfast, and healthy snacks through the day, so? If the children are HEALTHY that is for me, everyone has a different life style, that is a good thing, and each to their own