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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that if you cannot afford free range chicken/turkey meat and eggs...

755 replies

LolaTheShowgirl · 27/05/2009 09:31

...then don't buy at all?

I mean the suffering these birds go through in cramped, dirty sheds is unbelievable. There is usually no natural light and the birds are usually ill before they're culled.

If you can stomach it, please look at these:
WARNING: NOT NICE PICTURES!
HERE

OP posts:
southeastastra · 27/05/2009 21:04

i keep rabbits, couldn't eat them though

bronze · 27/05/2009 21:05

I have a friend who kept rabbits for food.

helsbels4 · 27/05/2009 21:06

RockinSockBunnies, I don't have a car to sell (dh needs his car as he's a taxi driver )

I didn't put the heating on at all during the winter (although I lit the coal-fire occasionally. Mil gave us some wood to burn)

I make all of our lunches at home and I shop on Ebay for the kids clothes (other than what is given to us)

I am also currently growing, tomatoes, chillis, cucumbers, peas, salad, courgettes, strawberries and all sorts of other things that my dc's probably won't touch.

What else can I go without in order to give my dc's better food?

Thunderduck · 27/05/2009 21:06

I love rabbit meat.

I'd rather have wild rabbit though.

bronze · 27/05/2009 21:06

hels you have my sympathy I understand how not driving has a big impact on what youcan and cant do especially with jobs

helsbels4 · 27/05/2009 21:08

I have guinea-pigs! Do you think the dc's would eat them? They're organic. I suppose!!!!

(Sorry guineas, I didn't mean it )

bronze · 27/05/2009 21:08

if you have a garden? I'm guessing yes if growing then chickens? Or quail as I mentioned earlier

You sound remarkably like us in a lot of ways

southeastastra · 27/05/2009 21:09

my rabbit is free range and organic

you have to bake guinea pigs don't you

spicemonster · 27/05/2009 21:09

helsbels - I have eaten guinea pig! Tastes rather like chicken actually. There's your answer!

(nb this was in south america - I did not slaughter a pet honestly)

bronze · 27/05/2009 21:10

Could start a business breeding guineas to sell to posh restaurauts as the latest in delicacy

helsbels4 · 27/05/2009 21:10

Thank-you bronze . It's bloody hard. Everything seems to be out of the village I live in, crazy hours that would need childcare, or "car driver preferred/essential"

PinkTulips · 27/05/2009 21:11

helsbels, i'm tough with dd, i make sure there's an element of every meal she'll eat but if she doesn't like all of it then tough.

she wouldn't eat the burgers tonight but ate the bun (wf)... last time she loved the burger . she picks the mushrroms out of everything, mostly only eats the cheese on the pizza, refused to touch the lasagne even though she likes all the elements that make it. this time she ate the chicken and loved it and even ate ds1's when he wouldn't but last time she refused to touch it.

i refuse to cook two meals and i refuse for us all to live on plain pasta and potaoes for her benefit. she's growing and full of energy and gets pleanty of healthy snacks and breakfasts so i'm not a bit worried about her if she won't eat dinner 50% of the time.

thunderduck; the recipe is stolen from my parents and tweaked a bit

first i soften some shallots and garlic in butter and oil, then i chop up the chicken breasts into chunks and fry off in the same pan. once the chicken is browned a bit i chuck in a cup of chicken stock and approx 250mls of cream and grate in about and inch of ginger, more if it's a thin root. i season with salt and black pepper and simmer gently for about 5/10 mins.

the leeks are just slow fried in butter for about 20/30 mins on a very low heat. i did tagiatelle this time but i've served it with rice or potatoes too, depending on our mood.

bronze · 27/05/2009 21:11

we're the same. Can't afford for me to work (though I wouldnt right now anyway with a tinyun)

Thunderduck · 27/05/2009 21:11

Thankyou Tulips. It sounds delicious.

helsbels4 · 27/05/2009 21:15

bronze, please don't let my dh hear you suggest getting chickens!!!! He suggested that a few months ago!

We have a not very large, or particularly secure garden with lots of foxes roaming in a terrace of houses! I'm sure the neighbours would be delighted with us having chickens as well as our noisy kids!

I told dh that when he buys me my dream home in the country, that's when I'll look after his chickens!

Spicemonster, "Tastes like chicken"!!!! Doesn't everything?

Lovesdogsandcats · 27/05/2009 21:16

What a load of absolute ill informed shite on this thread and I only read a quarter of it.

Those saying the health of your kids means more than animal suffering...who said your kids NEED this non organic crueely-produced crap in heir diets, anyway?

I feed mine on varied diet...meals will consist either of organic chicken/meat or non meat meals.

if I can do it so can you lot.

bronze · 27/05/2009 21:19

I still want to know what a real person is

helsbels4 · 27/05/2009 21:21

*PinkTulips, you could have been talking about my dd in your post! I can't second guess what my dd will eat. One time she will clear her plate and the next time she won't touch it.

I don't pander to her. At all. She knows that there is nothing else offered but that doesn't bother her in the slightest! She has the same meals put in front of her as we eat. I honestly don't know what else I could differently tbh.

helsbels4 · 27/05/2009 21:23

So what do you feed your children with Lovesdogsandcats?

southeastastra · 27/05/2009 21:23

do you campaign the supermarkets dogsandcats?

RockinSockBunnies · 27/05/2009 21:23

Helsbels - without having read the entire thread, you sound like you're doing lots of good things. But in terms of children needing meat - not something that's strictly necessary. Either buy free range and eat meat less or just eat less meat overall. I often buy Tesco organic chicken thighs or legs - far cheaper than chicken breast and probably more nutritious.

Or, why don't you rear your own chickens and kill them (if you have a garden?)

howtotellmum · 27/05/2009 21:30

If you can stretch to a free range chicken or organic, you can make it last 3 days- that's about £8 for 3 meals for 4 people, plus rice- so you are looking at around £12 for 12 meals.

We have it roasted with loads of vegs, then use the left overs in a rice pilaff- rice with a load of veggies in- then I simmer the carcass and make stock and use it to make a risotto- rice costs around £2, and feeds 4 adults.

I would never but a battery chicken again - they ar e not necessarily good for you as they contain traces of antibiotics which they need when they are kept in cramped conditions- and hormones to make them fatter more quickly.

Thunderduck · 27/05/2009 21:31

While I'm very much in favour of purchasing free range meat and eggs and believe that a lot of people could purchase free range chicken if they know how to make the most of it, I still don't believe that everyone can.

I don't agree with the 'If I can do it so can anyone' attitude. Yes you, general you, might be living on a very low budget, and purchase only free range but do you have their exact circumstances?

Do you have transport. Do you have a good bus service. Do you have a car. What supermarkets are near you? Do they even sell free range chicken. In some areas you'd be lucky to get a glimpse of one.
Do you have their extremely fussy children who will only eat meat based dishes?
Do you have the same expenses?

If you have their exact circumstances then I think you can say you can certainly do it too and you have no excuses for not doing so.

PinkTulips · 27/05/2009 21:31

mmm, chickens thighs make the best curry ever.

and are bloody gorgeous turned into goujans too.

Lovesdogsandcats · 27/05/2009 21:33

Baked spuds with beans/cheese and salad

Roast (organic) chicken dinner with roast spuds/veg etc
Leftover chicken to make chicken/salad wraps

Homemade minestrone soup (with pasta) and crusty bread

Quorn sheperds pie and veg

Quorn lasagne and salad/garlic bread

Chiili n rice with Vegemince

Veggie sausage and mash with fresh veg

Beans/spagetti on toast with grated cheese

Cauli/broccoli cheese

And if you want stuff like bacon sarnies/sausage baps, use Quorn (which is made with free range egg)