"Just add beans, pulses and lentils"

[Hagrod]

I am sick of hearing this advice given when food poverty is being discussed!

"Just add beans, pulses and lentils to all your meals, they will give you the protein you need to spread expensive meat and fish further [ad infinitum]."

Like many other people, I do not have packets of beans, pulses and lentils nestled at the back of my cupboards just waiting for the day I am so starving I need to add them to a bowl of soup. I would have to go out and buy them, I assume they are not given away for free.

I just think it's such a cliched piece of advice that has been meted out to 'the peasants' for decades now and I wish they'd stop it.

It's marginally better than what appeared in our local paper re the energy crisis:
1 fit a heat pump....what spend about£10k
2 have thermal plaster installed....so chip off all the plaster, re plaster and decorate?

Well they are cheap and well most lentils are low effort. Some beans, cheap but then there’s the soaking and boiling bit long but worth it. In isolation though they aren’t complete proteins like meat is

Just because some of you 'don't like them' doesn't make the advice very good.

I think you’re being pretty unreasonable. They cost money, but much much less than the equivalent amount of meat. They’re healthy and filling and perfect for bulking out many dishes, making it go further. I’m just gutted that my son is allergic to lentils and chickpeas, or if he adding them to everything!!

Sorry, doesn't make the advice 'not good'

Red lentils are easy to cook as they don't need to be soaked. If they are cooked for more than 15 minutes they blend with whatever they are being mixed with. Makes sense to include them, for health and cost reasons.

Plenty of kids don't get five or 10 a day and this is a cheap and easy way to move towards that, with something that can sit in the cupboard without going off.

It's 'not good' because it's a smokescreen.

I am not in dire food poverty but can't afford an air fryer and pressure cooker.

Those who dislike lentils, can I ask why? Stomach issues aside. I add red lentils to lots of dishes and cant tell they're there at all. Green lentils are much more noticeable and "meaty" but I cant really detect a flavour in either of them that would be strong enough to be actively disliked (rather than "I don't really like lentils much").

Once you've bought them, if you cost up a portion and it's added to a meat dish you can serve an extra person for about 20-40p. You can't distinguish it and It's a jolly cheap way of stretching a dish out.
I buy TVP mince in bulk to do this.

Middle-class people are going to middle-class though.

They are a cheap way to stretch out other more expensive ingredients BUT not everyone can eat them. I get VERY “uncomfortable” if I eat most pulses. I have IBS and am supposed to avoid them.

They are cheap to buy and if you go ti ab Indian supermarket you can buy massive bags for not very much money.

Just because they aren't in your store cupboard doesn't mean they aren't in others. I always have red and puy lentils and tins of chickpeas!

It's important to aim for a balanced diet getting an inexpensive protein source is a massive part of that!

That's me:) Yes all light eaters. If DS were home from uni I would add one more can and more tomatoes but it would still be cheap? Definitely needs spices but spices last forever if you can make the initial outlay.

I totally understand that many people hate lentils- just like I hate meat- but that doesn't mean it's bad advice? Millions of people across the world without hobs, insta pots, even kitchens boil up daal on the side of the road!

Aargh my quote failed. I meant to say yes its me who will pioneer the famous MN channa masala with one can of chickpeas.

Just checked and brand is mezita £1.19. If you can’t get to b & m then world food aisle in Asda or Tesco have similar. I find them handy add go lots of things - they went in bolognese I made last night.

... So you're annoyed that the state do not provide beans, pulses and lentils for the back of your cupboard? 😐

We eat so many lentils, at least twice a week in either dal or blended into veg soup.

This is a great recipe www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/spinach-and-cashew-dhal we never add the eggs as I don’t think it needs it and always use frozen spinach (much cheaper and very nutritious)

Don’t bother with the meat at all, perfectly lovely without it.

haha true that :)

As a vegan, I eat a lot of pulses and lentils.Lentils in soup really add flavour and they're super cheap and convenient.

Thanks for the links to some great recipe ideas!

They also come in tins, they keep forever and are still cheap.

it might be a good idea to start keeping some in your cupboards. I do.

I don't think it's such bad advice.

The large flat brown lentils you get in Indian supermarkets are amazing in curry and don't need to be soaked.

Also tinned butter beans/white beans in beef stew or chicken/sausage casseroles will eke them out. Quite economical to buy in LIDL, Home Bargains etc, I think about 30-40p a tin?

I don't much like red lentils except in soup though.

My mum used to make lentil and pea soups, sometimes with bacon, and put boiled potatoes in them, and that was our evening meal.

But if you don’t have much money, you are a modern day peasant (going by your description) so eat accordingly? It’s good advice! Some people don’t want to help themselves always wanting handouts.