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

[LolaTheShowgirl]

...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

What's a real person? Basically people who aren't wrapped in a blanket of smug and go around lecturing other people on how they should live their lives.

I bet all the ethical chicken crew are SAHM's with 1 kid and a big salary. And I bet they all drive big 4X4's to do their ethical shopping.

Like I said, try feeding active, growing teenagers (with adult sized appetites), on a fixed income, whilst juggling jobs etc..

We have meat 5 times a week here - if we went 'ethical' I'd be bankrupt. So no, I don't give a shit about chickens etc...

Not me. I'm a non-driving mother of 3 with a ft job.

It's cheaper not to eat meat, & it's healthier not to eat crap meat, or too much meat.

Who's lecturing? Battery chicken is cruel, end of. So either accept you, personally, are causing animal suffering, or don't buy the stuff. Your moral decision. Your choice.

Kind of surprised none of your teenagers are veggie anyway.

I think it's amix of things, onager. To some extent it's about good food because some farming methods involve feeding shit to the animals which then isn't very good for humans. How that food is then processed is more of an issue, in terms of good food.

But yes, I take your point.

"I bet all the ethical chicken crew are SAHM's with 1 kid and a big salary. And I bet they all drive big 4X4's to do their ethical shopping."

I am one of the ethical chicken crew although I did say I fully understood why it was not a choice for everyone. I am a teacher so have a reasonable but not huge salary, am not a SAHM and do not drive a 4X4. I mostly don't drive to do my shopping actually I walk but recognise I am lucky to be able to do that.

I accept it is cheaper to eat cheap cuts of meat. I could not afford to eat meat 5 mights a week though.

Hello beastie you talk sense

not generalsing at all there are you lowenergy

I'm a nondriving mum of four and apparently I'm not a real person

oh and Hels if your dh wants chickens, let him get them they are lovely to have

I don't like buying cheap meat either, but since being made redundant I must admit I have lowered my standards quite a bit, just buy cheap cuts of chicken wings/drum sticks etc and make food that uses mince, sausages and chicken. No more steak or roasted joint anymore .
Good point about family of teenagers, hadn't really thought of that, must be tough... I'm thinking shepherds pie, use half mince half lentils, that kind of thing?

"I bet all the ethical chicken crew are SAHM's with 1 kid and a big salary. And I bet they all drive big 4X4's to do their ethical shopping."

0 4x4
1 WOHM (DH works full-time as well)
2 DCs

But you know, don't let the facts get in the way of your prejudices

ethical chicken crew member reporting for duty:

• no 4x4 (I walk to the supermarket.)
• Am in paid employment
• Do NOT earn a big salary by any stretch of the imagination
• Do have one child but most nights we are feeding at least one of his friends too.

my friend raised 4 boys from babies up to the youngest who is 23 now. she fed them no meat at all, ever.
Mostly vegan food, cheap as bloody cheap as they are skint.
All the kids are over 6 foot tall, strapping healthy beautiful boys (men!)
and they ate and ate. " of them do incredibly physical jobs- builder and landscaper and still maintin a vegie/vegan diet.

It can be done and people don't die/fade away.

I'm not saying that people HAVe to do this- and i can't come up with recipes for children i don't know, but it can be done and it osn't impossible. honestly.

And I have chalk and cheese type kids so i make simple meals that incorparoate what each child will eat happily and let them eat what they need to eat.

Wraps are best as they get a whole load of little dishes of stuff. ds1 will eat the beans and the cheese and the vaeggies. ds2 will eat the beans and hummus and dippy stuff but not much veggies. But they pick what they want and only get offered wholesmome stuff.

anway, the last thing i am in real life is smug. I truly am not, so it rankles with me that apprently there is a problem satying any of this because people who have less money than me may be offended due to my mythical smugness.

"I bet all the ethical chicken crew are SAHM's with 1 kid and a big salary. And I bet they all drive big 4X4's to do their ethical shopping."

SAHM & WAH
4 kids
several big 4x4s, ackcherly
but our ethical chickens/eggs are in the garden so I don't need to drive anywhere to get them.

:zero chicken food mile smuggery:

Also, I am a real person?.

no-one has as far as I can see, mentioned the TASTE! Battery chickens have no taste at all - once you have tried FR or organic. I'd rather have 1 real chicken once a fortnight than battery stuff twice a week.

I agree that feeding teenagers is more tricky- mine would look on cauliflower cheese etc as a snack, not a main meal! Having said that, it is easy enough to go veggie for 2-3 meals a week, using lentils or pasta.

I have to say that I am alsways surprised at how many ( not all) people say they cannot afford FR or organic, yet their trolleys are full of unecessary stuff like biscuits, pop, cakes, crisps, ready meals, etc etc. I don't buy any of those and if we have cake etc it is home made- much cheaper and you know what's in it. I reckon they could easily save a £5 which would convert their battery chicken to free range.

YABU
So only the rich can eat meet eh?
What a silly OP

That picture isn't too bad

Good post howtotellmum. I agree peoples priorities are very questionable sometimes.

Message withdrawn

I really can't understand i. the anger on this thread and ii. the constant asking for recipes.

Why on earth don't you find your own recipes as you know your own children best and what they will / won't eat? There are lots online.

There hasn't been any blame doled out or smug fuckwittery. I'm frankly amazed that someone can't present a point of view that others disagree with and then get insulting and defensive angry about.

I think all the OP really wanted to do was to say that there are alternatives. And that she, who is entitled to her opinion just as everyone is, couldn't understand why one would eat cheap meat or eggs knowing what cruelty goes into producing the stuff.

Yes, I mentioned the taste hours ago. It really is better than the cheap crap.

I am a SAHM, don't have unlimited funds. Just care about what my kids eat.

Message withdrawn

Im torn.
I personally buy free range.
But if you say you only buy the cheaper ones or indeed go without because you cant afford it, I hope you dont go filling your trolley with all matter of cakes/biscuits/etc. Surely its better all round for your family if you spend the money on the more expensive eggs which are better for you than junk and as we all know you can easily bake some nice treats for DC from the eggs.
But if you buy cheaper or go without and also spend your limited cash on nutritious healthy alternatives then its your choice.

Sorry if Ive repeated what anyone else has said but I have squirming toddler demanding my attention so havent had time to read entire thread!

A quick look at the Sainbury's website shows:

"Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Free Range Whole Chicken (approx 1.63kg)

Save 20% was £4.89/kg now £3.91/kg"

An approx 1.63kg chicken will cost £7.97, say £8 to round it up for ease. That size chicken will easily do 2 adults and 2 children for 3 meals + sandwiches; if you bulk it out a bit, 4 + sandwiches. Let's say 3 + sandwiches though, that's £2 per meal and £0.50 per person. If you bulk it out a bit and it lasts 4 meals + sandwiches, obviously it's even cheaper.