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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think peoples lives are crap enough without needing the government to interfere with Meal Deals

581 replies

Jeansmeansheinz · 27/06/2023 20:32

FFS just let people have the pleasure of a Meal Deal. I really don't need the Government telling me what I can and can't eat.

OP posts:
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IMustDoMoreExercise · 27/06/2023 21:20

Oblomov23 · 27/06/2023 21:15

WTF. Nothing wrong with a meal deal. 600 calories isn't going to cause obesity. Whose idea is this hair-brained plan? Twats.

But calories don't mean anything.

Chips and avocados might have the same calories, but chips are really bad for you.

Not all calories are equal.

Jeansmeansheinz · 27/06/2023 21:20

I eat healthily and I am struggling financially at the moment due to being on maternity pay.
I don't buy meal deals because I can't afford them. I batch cook meals that are fresh and home cooked. Today's lunch was a salad with fried chickpeas and aubergine in paprika and garlic with a tahini and lemon dressing and a banana. My lunch cost probably less than £2 for todays portion, was far more nutritious than a meal deal and I've made enough for 3 more lunches this week.
Eating healthy doesn't have to cost the absolute earth, you just have to prepare food and meal plan.

You sound like a great cook though and not everyone is. Nor does everyone have the time or energy to do this.

OP posts:
Motheranddaughter · 27/06/2023 21:20

Crock of shite
Take lunch to work most days
1 day I have a meal deal
1 day we go out for lunch
I know how to eat healthily and most of the time I do
And if they put £1 or so on a meal deal it’s not going to stop me having one
Any more and I will probably go out for lunch twice a week

JanesBlond · 27/06/2023 21:20

I wish they would interfere and reduce the salt levels so I could eat them again! Trying to watch my salt as have a suspected medical issue that could be exacerbated by it and all the sandwiches and most of the snacks have really unnecessary amounts of the stuff.

ElmTree22 · 27/06/2023 21:21

@IMustDoMoreExercise

Absolutely you are right. Tin of chickpeas-55p (dried are even cheaper per portion) will make a wonderful curry, instead of a £5 pack of chicken. Lentils are dirt cheap and are great in pasta sauces, salads etc.
people need to get more imaginative with dried pulses and beans and they could make nutritious meals for next to nothing.

Twiglets1 · 27/06/2023 21:22

It’s ridiculous they quote a person choosing the most unhealthy options as if we all would pick the worst option every time.
Most people would choose a normal sandwich not a triple. They may well choose a low fat drink and may well choose a less calorific snack. It’s not meal deals that are the problem as long as drinks like mineral water & fruit snacks are available as options.

Cherrysherbet · 27/06/2023 21:24

I usually pick up a meal deal at work. Sandwich, 340 cals, crisps 200cals and water or low cal squash, so not that bad for lunch (I skip breakfast when working). My grown up Sons on the other hand will pick up a triple sandwich, crisps and energy drink!
I’m all for the government banning them……

dillite · 27/06/2023 21:25

TheAnnaPhilAxis · 27/06/2023 21:02

So what has made you fat, then? Genuinely interested.

I think it's pretty shocking that 60% of Welsh people are overweight, tbh. People don't want the government to make it more expensive for people to buy crap, then complain about the NHS when so many ailments wouldn't exist if people just lost some weight and stopped eating garbage.

Myself. Depression. Addiction to sugar. Night shifts- I spent years working nights on my own where you couldn't doze off for a minute so literally lived on biscuits and chocolate in order to stay awake. There isn't one single thing, it's years of excessive eating. I am someone who eats when happy, when sad, when bored but mostly to satisfy emotions.

I cook all my own food, from scratch. Every day, except for breakfast when I have overnight oats or muesli. I bake a lot too and then end up eating most of that on my own.

If government really, truly wanted to tackle obesity, they would ban ready meals altogether. And convenience foods in general. I know that we see this said on most threads about the topic but really do look at places like Scandinavia, where convenience foods are quite hard to get. A massive cultural change would be needed too- not dissimilar to how smoking was tackled and is now being viewed. And you know what would also help? Feeling safe outdoors in urban spaces- where I live, it is not at all safe to just go for a walk after work at my local parks as by then they are full of druggies, feral teenagers and just general antisocial behaviour. They are also filthy. So we only go for proper outdoor walks on weekends when I can drive somewhere.

Having said all that, personally, what would help is not feeling that mental high that sugar gives. Because nothing compares to that feeling of satisfaction and comfort.

Anxioys · 27/06/2023 21:25

Low fat equals high sugar in many cases. This stuff is making people fat because the food industry want you to eat their goods. It's not even good for you.

Flammkuchen · 27/06/2023 21:25

They used to say the same about cigarettes. Life is hard enough. Let them have their little treat. It’s their choice.

UPF is the same. It isn’t ‘food’. It is made to be addictive and causes cancer and diabetes. Why is it a ‘treat’?

ElmTree22 · 27/06/2023 21:26

@Jeansmeansheinz

You sound like a great cook though and not everyone is. Nor does everyone have the time or energy to do this

I'm not a great cook by any means. But frying chickpeas in some oil and flavours/seasoning is straight forward, and doesn't take any time. The chopping of the salad took more time.
Lemon and tahini sauce is straightforward, I looked up a recipe. Tahini is a sesame seed paste, it's something I always have in the cupboard because you can make houmous with it, instead of buying pre-made which is expensive. It's £2 for a jar and lasts forever!!

ElmTree22 · 27/06/2023 21:28

Flammkuchen · 27/06/2023 21:25

They used to say the same about cigarettes. Life is hard enough. Let them have their little treat. It’s their choice.

UPF is the same. It isn’t ‘food’. It is made to be addictive and causes cancer and diabetes. Why is it a ‘treat’?

Yes!!!!

electriclight · 27/06/2023 21:28

I can see their point because I often eat more if I buy a meal deal. I go in for a sandwich and a drink. If it's 10p more for a bag of crisps or a Kit Kat it feels silly not to. In theory I think people should take personal responsibility but the stats suggest that we don't.

wildfirewonder · 27/06/2023 21:30

Jeansmeansheinz · 27/06/2023 20:55

People don't need their lives made worse right at this time. People are skint and a meal deal is a little bit of a bargain and enjoyment for many in otherwise tough days, that's why I object. I bet the 'healthy eating' people aren't generally struggling as much. The government should be looking to help out people in many ways, but this is low priority right at this minute, and to me it seems cruel to take away choices and something people enjoy. I reckon it will have no impact anyway. It's not like people will have an apple instead, they'll just go to Greggs.

Isn't being obese and unhealthy going to make their lives worse?

I don't think it is cruel, that's a little melodramatic. Tax on cigarettes and alcohol have long been accepted on health grounds - people said they were cruel too.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 27/06/2023 21:31

ElmTree22 · 27/06/2023 21:21

@IMustDoMoreExercise

Absolutely you are right. Tin of chickpeas-55p (dried are even cheaper per portion) will make a wonderful curry, instead of a £5 pack of chicken. Lentils are dirt cheap and are great in pasta sauces, salads etc.
people need to get more imaginative with dried pulses and beans and they could make nutritious meals for next to nothing.

It needs to be taught in schools because people just don't know how cheap good food can be.

But I really think it is too late now. We should have done it 30 years ago. I don't think that the genie can be put back in the bottle now.

pizzaHeart · 27/06/2023 21:34

I’m furious can’t they leave me and my choice of Meal deal alone ffs??? I’m choosing triple sandwich, nice snack and a big bottle of water and share it with DD, the changes will mean me paying more.
Has any one of them in government ever saw the price of swimming sessions, gym membership etc.? Can’t they lower them not the calories in my half of the sandwich??!!!!

latetothefisting · 27/06/2023 21:34

Jeansmeansheinz · 27/06/2023 20:55

People don't need their lives made worse right at this time. People are skint and a meal deal is a little bit of a bargain and enjoyment for many in otherwise tough days, that's why I object. I bet the 'healthy eating' people aren't generally struggling as much. The government should be looking to help out people in many ways, but this is low priority right at this minute, and to me it seems cruel to take away choices and something people enjoy. I reckon it will have no impact anyway. It's not like people will have an apple instead, they'll just go to Greggs.

exactly this.
people aren't going to go from the 'buy a meal deal' to 'I'll make my own soup/salad and bring it to work'.
they'll either pay the extra few pennies to get the meal deal, or go to greggs, or to the chiller aisle and buy a pasty or whatever.

I agree something needs to be done but this is just a 'headliner' grabber whereby the WG don't actually have to pay or do anything themselves, just push the cost onto businesses. If they really wanted a healthier population they'd subsidise gyms/invest money into community sports/prioritise teaching children about exercising and healthy eating throughout school/make weight loss support (e.g. ozempic or whatever) free on the NHS if you're obese, improve public transport so people walk more...

Jeansmeansheinz · 27/06/2023 21:34

The fact is loads of people enjoy meal deals who are not fat!

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AllOfThemWitches · 27/06/2023 21:37

Omfg telling people they're not allowed to eat certain foods isn't gonna stop people being fat. Educate kids properly about 'healthy' eating and what sugar (for example) actually does to your body.

INeedAnotherName · 27/06/2023 21:37

Oh awesome. I wonder if the same brains are behind this that were behind the sugar tax to decrease obesity. Look how well that's turned out 🙄

Foods and drinks with aspartame can lead to serious health problems. -on BHF website

ElmTree22 · 27/06/2023 21:38

@IMustDoMoreExercise

It definitely should be taught in school. But sadly I think you are right, it's too late.

People have become so accustomed to the sugar and fat in unhealthy food, that healthy food just doesn't taste good enough to them now. And they don't know how to cook without basing their meals around meat or fish, which is unbelievably expensive. And should absolutely be a luxury item, as it was 30 years ago.

kelsaycobbles · 27/06/2023 21:38

The fact is that there is a causal correlation between people eating unhealthy and calorie laden food and being overweight a

Even if sone people are not

There is no need to encourage it

ElmTree22 · 27/06/2023 21:39

AllOfThemWitches · 27/06/2023 21:37

Omfg telling people they're not allowed to eat certain foods isn't gonna stop people being fat. Educate kids properly about 'healthy' eating and what sugar (for example) actually does to your body.

But that doesn't help when what those same children eat at home is sugar and fat laden foods bought by their parents.

TrustPenguins · 27/06/2023 21:41

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 27/06/2023 20:50

Far too many people are overweight. I don’t believe that as a nation we have suddenly become greedy and weak willed, I think it is because we are living in an increasingly obesogenic environment. This is a tiny step towards changing that. We are constantly nudged to buy more calories we don’t need. If we take away some of the nudges eating a healthy amount will be easier. The worry is they won’t do enough.

This 👆

StormShadow · 27/06/2023 21:42

Blanketenvy · 27/06/2023 21:15

I agree with the principle but can't see it making a huge amount of difference, surely it's takeaways that would make more of an impact. Plus for a lot of people they just grab a meal deal on the way to work, often in hard jobs, long hours with a very minimal break so they'll just grab something else instead, maybe even less healthy they'll forgo the sandwich and just have a mars bar and some crisps.

I thought this too. Worth thinking critically about what meal deals would be replaced by. It's not going to be chickpea salads all round...