Food is not expensive

[ragandbonewoman]

That is it really. I suppose I’m curious as to whether people agree or disagree with me. This follows a conversation I’ve just had with a friend where we disagreed on this point, but it’s something I’ve really noticed as things (life, not just food) have become more expensive. Lots and lots of people complaining that food is “so expensive” We are actually in the fortunate position of being able to spend less than the majority of the rest of the world (relative to our income) to follow a healthy diet.

Yes food has gone up. But (and I admit this is an anecdotal observation) food waste is prolific. I think we need to change our outlook. We should be prepared to pay more, especially for meat, to ensure that suppliers, farmers, animal welfare, are all getting a fair deal. I’ve always found it ridiculous that you can buy a whole chicken for £5! How?! And then people readily admit they throw half of it away.

Is this unreasonable? Food is important. People on the absolute breadline might have little choice, but for those that can take a little slack from elsewhere, they should. And stop complaining that you can’t get a tin of beans for 9p anymore! Stop throwing food in the bin because you feel like eating something else. Or AIBU?

I think it is more expensive to eat healthier. Not necessarily salmon fillets but I can buy a big pack of custard creams which will last 3/4 days of snacks or a pack of bananas 78p, satsumas 1.19, wonky apples at 99p to do 3/4 days of snacks. I buy the fruit personally but fruit/ veg costs me a good £5 a day feeding five. Not fancy stuff but keeping basic fruit bowl filled then basic salad/ veg brocolli, cauliflower, carrots, iceberg (whole ones) tomatoes type stuff. I aim for seasonal, Aldi special six, yellow stickers to bring cost down but I could absolutely save loads if I was happy to just feed everyone rubbish.

Well, yes, if you’re going to compare the cost of e.g. custard creams to the cost of fresh, seasonal fruit and veg.

I was meaning the cost of relatively cheap, healthy foods, compared with the cost of considerably more expensive ditto.

‘Snacking’ was never a thing a few decades ago, except maybe at weekends - most people didn’t feel the need to include a cupboard full of snacky things with their weekly shop. I know it’s different now - the number of bananas dd can get through in a week is amazing. After a substantial breakfast Gds can still now and then manage 2 during the 15 minute walk to school - NB he’s skinny as a rake.

I watch the limited budget challenges on YouTube from Weary Wolf Adventures and Atomic Shrimp.

Atomic Shrimp does a break down of what he has cooked in terms of nutrition.

What I have learned is that it is possible to live on a small amount of money but only for a short time and only if you don't mind eating a lot of the same things every day.

And you also need to be able to cook, have a well kitchen available and have a fridge.

Apologies for abandoning my own thread! Not my intention at all, we had another power cut last night and have no 4G in our house, then I was on the early shift this morning! I will catch up
on the comments and reply to those who have asked things shortly

The fact that it costs a lot more than it used to, and that it is a significant chunk of the money we have left once the static costs have come out, doesn’t make it expensive. It’s such good value for all the stages that have happened on the journey to bring it to our tables.

what I’m getting from this thread is that it feels expensive. I get that part of it.

I don’t need to watch money but my grocery bills have gone up close to 50%. £10 for a pack of two pieces of tuna that would only just feed one person. Olive oil is ridiculous, the one I used to buy up more than 60%.

Food is expensive to produce and has only been cheap in the past because of government subsidies and factory farming.
We are farmers - the general population don’t have a clue about the cost of producing food. They want good food for very little money so they have spare cash for cars , holidays , branded clothing for their teenagers and all the other crap they think they need ! Food should be top of your expenditure and good food is not cheap to rear/ grow / harvest.

I’ve never really understood the argument that junk food is cheaper. It definitely isn’t. Junk food and takeaways are very expensive. I stopped getting any takeaways about two year’s ago. Obviously fillet steak and salmon etc is expensive but it’s always been (we never had steak growing up in the 70s). I still find food shopping expensive compared to a few year’s ago and with my local shop being co op, it’s bloody expensive! Fresh veg is cheap and I make a lot of stews or hearty soups (bulked out with pasta or noodles). I make a little go a long way and use herbs and spices. What enrages me is shrinkflation and higher prices, that really gives me the red mist. I shop mostly own brand now as well.

No one expected those things when I was growing up (60s/70s), now people feel hard done by if there isn’t several cars in the driveway and two big fancy holidays (and mini breaks) in the year. I do think as you get older you realise a lot of ‘stuff’ is just clutter but it’s harder to see that when you're still relatively young and want all the bells and whistles.

What enrages me is shrinkflation and higher prices, that really gives me the red mist.

Glad its not just me! Shrinkflation gives me the absolute rage. Red mist, hate, stabby, it's such daylight robbery before our eyes (and purses).

DH had to talk me down when I saw the boxes of nescafe cappuccino had shrunk from 10 to 8 and now to 7. I'm sure the individual sachets are skinnier.

🤬

I think food is expensive. I am in the fortunate position of not having to worry too much about it, but I don't buy very expensive things even though I don't need to buy the most basic items.

However, I also don't waste food. If I buy a whole chicken, I use a whole chicken. If there are leftovers from a meal they get eaten next day, or go into the 'soup' bag that is in the freezer. Any vegetables that we haven't eaten before they aren't about to go off get put in the 'soup' bag.

I do think some younger people now don't necessarily know (because they haven't been shown/taught) how to cook with fresh ingredients, they don't know how to use leftovers and they buy things I don't consider necessary, like pre-prepared meals and snacks. Not all of them, obviously, but quite a lot. I know time can be an issue, but I cook at the weekend and make enough for several meals. If I can, I freeze them. If I cant, then we eat the same meal more than once. Snacks don't have to be bought, they can be made, or they can be fruit (which can be expensive I know). My whole chicken would do 2 meals for 2 adults and 2 children if I was being frugal - (it's not a mumsnet chicken) and the carcass would be boiled up for stock to make the soup using the soup bag in the freezer.

Have you been in Iceland recently?

They frequently do an offer that is 10 items for £10.

It's 100% shit (chips, potato waffles, chicken nuggets, pizzas, burgers etc) and it would absolutely feed a family cheaply. They sell huge bags of 66 chicken nuggets for £3.50! Farmfoods and the freezer aisles at Aldi and Lidl are the same. Too cheap to resist for families who are struggling, but just complete rubbish.

Take aways aren't cheap, but convenience food IS in many places and unfortunately for many it has become the norm to feed kids on mostly beige, mass produced freezer based meals.

Even Ocado do a 'fill your freezer for £10' deal often, but at least they include frozen vegetables, frozen fruit etc. On the whole, it's mostly crap again, though.

It's just not true that feeding a family fresh meat and fish with a carb and fresh vegetables is cheaper, unfortunately.

I can see your point there. Maybe if the Iceland junk was served with some inexpensive fresh veg (carrots, cabbage etc) it wouldn’t be so bad. I used to buy a really nice shrimp in a bisque type sauce thing that I’d add to pasta but they’ve stopped it now (it was really good) but one of their pricier range.

I was going to say.

Due to my sons dietary needs, Iceland is great for filling up the freezer of stuff he can eat. I top it up with the limited veg he can eat.

It is incredibly cheap.

Me too. The idea of throwing away food that can be turned into another dish doesn’t sit right with me at all. I have noticed my compost bin is much less full than it was a few year’s ago since becoming more mindful. Anything in my fridge which has a use by today gets put in the freezer if I’m not going to use it. I put a big bag of grated cheese in the freezer so it doesn’t turn before I’ve used it all. Dog is always grateful for the left over mush of a roast dinner etc topped on her kibble. Both my sons are able home cooks and can cook from scratch. I buy frozen pizzas though as too much faff to make. The best way for me to deal with food costs is meal planning. I’ve been doing it for a while and it’s such a good way to not buy stuff you won’t use and it feels good to know you’ve dinners for the week sorted.

I pay extra for quality food but then I can afford to . In an ideal world animal welfare would be top priority and meat / eggs etc would be much more expensive to give the animals a quality of life .

This is pretty much NMW! We each earn around the same, 24k a year. Both in social care but relatively senior, working opposite shifts

kids are teens, hungry teens at that!

I live outside the UK but visit a few times a year. I wish my food cost as little as in the UK. I did a top up shop at the supermarket yesterday:

box of 12 free range eggs $8.49
loaf of basic multigrain bread $3.99
200g ball of mozzarella $10.99
1lb tomatoes $5.99
1lb asparagus $4.99
tub of olive oil spread (margarine) $6.99
pack of butter $8.29
baguette $3.79
1lb bag of new potatoes $4.99

i try to buy things on special but even what I consider the basics are crazy expensive. I could buy cheaper eggs but I won’t buy ones that are free range. The mozzarella is extravagant I admit (but I bought one in Morrisons last year for 80p!)

From my personal observations, people waste loads

How much do you earn, if you don’t mind me asking? We are barely above minimum wage

This is such a balanced post and completely what I was actually trying to clumsily say, with some actual stats thrown in. Thank you

Fair point. I could afford to buy free range meat, if I ate less meat

Depends on availability. We only have a Spar in our village and it's extortionate. The fruit and veg has seen better days.

Deliveries by Tesco etc must be above a certain amount and the dates are awful.

I do get a monthly meat delivery from a butchers but fruit, veg and bread etc are a problem.

The point isn’t so much about food costs- to me it’s the costs of living generally meaning there’s less available for food meaning when food prices increases it really pinches budgets. housing (especially in the south), energy and utilities are much more expensive here, childcare is expensive. People’s pay isn’t rising in line with inflation. Food is such a regular and vital expense of course people feel that significantly when other costs are so high too.

Totally agree