To ask if there’s a social class issue surrounding Findus Crispy Pancakes ?

[Jumell]

I’ve read some things in mine and sort of sense this might be the case but not 100% sure

Also is there a class issue around Fray Bentos pies ?

I love those !

I ate them as a child, we were pretty broke, had some more recently as a nostalgia thing and they were so bland probably fewer additives. I wouldn't give them to DS.

We also used to have things like square white fish boiled in a bag with some kind of cream sauce. I remember when i was young if I went to a friend's house and the tins in the cupboard had ring pulls I'd think they were posh/rich

Never had a crispy pancake.

Bloody love a fray bentos pie for a dirty dinner.

Grew up middle class, very much not middle class anymore

@TheShellBeach those crispy cod bites were lovely

Ring pulls, we used to dream of ring pulls. Unless you mean the keys you got on tins of fish or ham, pesky buggers they were.

No it's this

Mate, I grew up in a council flat in the 1970s and even we thought Findus Crispy Pancakes and Fray Bentos pies were for people even more common than us!!! 😂

🤣 hope for me as I love Fray Bentos

We did eat Vesta curry though, and arctic roll.

Also frozen cook-at-home croissants AND occasional Waitrose sausage rolls for parties when there isn’t quite enough time to make your own.

Exactly. I don’t recall them being aspirational foods, even for us plebs. My dad liked fray bentos, but he also ate lard on toast and tripe, not exactly someone with a delicate palate.

@eatreadsleeprepeat Waitrose do those giant fish fingers too on the fish counter and they make amazing sandwiches

I've no idea what either of those things are, but why care what other people eat or think if you like it?

The idea anyone who likes Waitrose doesn't buy any frozen food is crap- it's just what we buy - I buy young's tempura battered fish ( £2 for 2 on Nektar points in Sainsbury's and bloody lovely) fish fingers, frozen gyoza, peas, soffrito, shallots, Albert Bartlett potato croquettes, , Birds Eye southern fried chicken fillets - ( like these on a brioche roll with lettuce and chilli mayonnaise) - frozen herbs, frozen cauliflower cheese -

As a teenager in the 1970's, I remember eating many Findus Crispy Pancakes, Fray Bentos pies, Vesta Chow Mein and frozen Cod in Butter sauce. Mostly these were things cooked by me when I was eating at separate times to the rest of the family. My parents never ate them.
My DF was a bank manager, which back in the 70's was a respected profession! Not sure if that made me middle class or not. Would I eat those things now? Hell no! I have actually developed taste buds during adulthood.

I sometimes used to put a fray bentos pie, tin of spam and a pot noodle in my kids Xmas stockings as a special treat (didn't really do junk food).

Backfired when they told the teachers......

@ohtowinthelottery I agree- I don't look down on it at all and gave eaten lots in my younger years but most of it is bland mush - it's not that cheap either - I honestly fir same money would rather have 2 crumpets with cheese on and an egg on top with a side of mushrooms -

What???? Really? Fresh ones?

Mid 60’s and never had a Fray Bentos pie or Findus pancakes! My mother cooked everything from scratch and it was all portion controlled and well balanced. Veg was compulsory and was portion sized according to age! She was and still is a fantastic cook at 90. Profiteroles and Mille feuille to die for!

If you are a single, middle aged, middle class man then Fray Bentos pies are quite likely to be a staple part of your diet.

The crispy pancakes, not so much

I’d have loved to have been there to see their little faces light up on Xmas Day !! 😍 🎉🎁

My social class would be considered low growing up. We never had crispy pancakes but I always wanted them as my friends had them, with regret I’ve never had one to this day.
Just before I left home mum started buying the tinned pies - heaven when really baked well, so I ate lots as a student. Bought one during Covid and strangely it was disappointing …..perhaps I’d moved up in the world 🤣

Not class related for me but both things are minging and I'd never eat them. Not cos of anything about UPF or class issues, I eat all kinds of crap, just because they're gross 🤣

@Crikeyalmighty I did once pick up a box of Vesta Chow Mein in Home Bargains and was tempted to buy it for old times sake, until I read the list of ingredients on the box and promptly put it straight back on the shelf. I think it was my memory of cooking the crispy noodles in the chip pan, watching them puff up and sprinkling them with soy sauce which tempted me. Not that I even own a chip pan now!

We did have Findus Crispy Pancakes when they first came out, for novelty value, with home-made mash and broccoli I expect. Not in the last 20 years though.

Posh pie brands do exist, there's quite a lot of artisanal pies. I had a game pie recently, my dd said 'it's like Henry VIII in here'.

Had a Proustian moment there.