Since the packaging changed Sainsburys mince is awful

[Ifeelabnormal]

Just that really. Mince is now in these vacuum packs and it's horrid and lumpy - hard to get out the pack to start with, but doesn't break up properly while cooking so it ends up full of lumps and really disgusting.

I appreciate the new packaging is probably for environmental reasons but it's making the mince inedible! I think I will stop buying it even though it's one of my easy go-to meals.

Are other supermarkets using the same? I haven't checked.

There is nothing wrong with it. Put in a bit of effort and fry it off properly with onion while breaking it down with a wooden spoon.

Tesco here still has the old style packaging

I agree with OP the mince in the vacuum packs is lumpy, slimy and unappetising

@squashyhat I have done exactly that. It remains slimy, lumpy and the smell is nauseating.

I haven’t purchased any mince since Asda changed to this packaging. Just doesn’t cook the same no matter what you do with it , surely the supermarkets have noticed a down turn in sales since they squished the life out of the mince and turned it into an an appealing slab.

Yes. I now buy mince from Tesco or M&S.

Morrisons also does it in the old style packaging

You're all cooking it wrong.

I agree with your kids.

I very much prefer the new packaging, as it stays good for longer, is easier to storage and open (without using a knife) and doesn’t look like worms or ropes if you don’t break it down properly.

I refuse to buy it. I either pay more for the minced steak (rare) or use Quorn.

I cook my mince in the slow cooker. I pre-cook it a little in a pan, just to soften the onion and garlic I cook it with, then put it with a bit of red wine and a can of tomatoes. Stir occasionally during cooking and it turns out exactly the same. I'm fully behind wanting to cut down on packaging, so I don't mind at all.

I don’t buy it anymore. Went in M&S and managed to find a nice pack of mince that was packaged in the normal way and it was easy to gently break apart in the pan and cook.

Honestly this is why climate change is such a huge problem if people can't even be bothered to spend an extra couple of minutes cooking mince! 🤦‍♀️

Waitrose have managed to reduce their packaging without squishing the mince to a pulp consistency.

I think it makes very little difference compared to all the other waste. E.g. disposable coffee cups (I bet loads of people who preach about waste and the environment still buy coffee in disposable coffee cups), oversized crisp bags with about 10 crisps in, other oversized plastic packaging, those fancy tuna tins with the plastic lids on, plastic clothing, plastic bags. I could go on and on.

My SIL moved to a city so they could use public transport to get to work, don’t eat meat because of the environmental and moral impact etc. But they still go on holiday abroad at least once, if not twice a year. So their carbon foot print will be way bigger than mine.

@MrsPeregrine it's not so much about the plastic waste. It's because the smaller packet size means that more packets can be transported at the same time, saving on fuel costs and CO2 emissions.

And regarding your SIL, you're absolutely right that as individuals it's hard for us to make a tangible difference. That's why it's so important IMO to support actions taken by companies, rather than individuals, as these can make a more significant impact.

I agree. Vacuum packing it changes the texture of minced beef.

It's awful in the vacuum packs. I make a lot of bolognese, the first thing I do is tip the mince and break it up whilst it's cooking then I'll tip the fat out. Add in the onion, carrots and celery then the garlic so that's another few minutes of cooking before I put the passata in then it will slow cook for a couple of hours. It still comes out lumpy! Last night I made one with "normal" mince, didn't have time to cook it for as long but it wasn't lumpy so it's nothing to do with laziness. My children won't touch it, I'll eat it but it's not the same.

Add a bit of cold water and mix it, helps break it down.

It's all about profit.the only thing not recycled on the old packaging was the thin film lid .so where these companies come up with some stupid percentage about saving plastic is cr@p.Oh it last longer.they say ...well good for them as it will sit on the display counters till it goes out of date for me
. Shoppers buy with their eyes and what there trying to sell looks like dog meat. We need to boycott this .well done to Iceland who u turned on this .

Yes, we got the compressed mince from Lidl for quite a while and it was such a chore to break the meat down. I tried with a knife, spoon and masher and it still formed lumps ( I do have slightly limited movement in my dominant arm, though). My partner cooked it once and he went too far the other way, mashing it until it formed a weirdly smooth paste which no- one liked! We've switched back to the roomier packs now.

@Markybran it's not really about saving plastic, the main reason is about transport. The the smaller packs can be transported more efficiently which reduces CO2 emissions.