in thinking that cooking from scratch isn't that unusual and doesn't make you a pretentious?

[ScentedLovePuff]

I keep encountering more and more people who think its weird that I cook almost everything from scratch. I'm not some earth-mother or housewife with time on my hands, I'm a working single mum on a very tight budget. I get the impression that people think it makes me some kind of snob! Personally I find it cheaper!

I really enjoy cooking, I do it when my daughter is in bed and cook in batches so I can reheat it for her later (she is only 1 so I'm a bit careful about what she eats still) like a homemade ready meal. She does sometimes have fish fingers or fish cakes, I'm not a total food nazi!

Is it so strange? I've encountered people who are shocked and appauled that I do, and I dont just use frozen whatevers or tins.

Just putting this to the mumsnet panel, am I a freak?

I cook from scratch too, I think it has made me pretentious although I try to hide it well.

I didn't have anything against processed food, actually my mother NEVER cook from scratch. But I cook from scratch because DS was a full catalogue of allergies when he was younger and the only processed food he could have from the whole supermarket was Dolmio bolognese sauce. However, having to read every single label I have become horrified at the amount of unnecessary rubbish that goes into processed food, children food is my pet hate, even petit swiss are in my list of nasty stuff.

Surprisingly, Mc Donalds is not.

Waves to Ragwort
Yes...not an antibacterial fan at all...and like you, my children are never ill, either!

Agree with many of you about the additives; that's what I don't like...those flapjacks that my SIL bought were so full of e-numbers and stuff I'd never heard of. So, there are some things that I will buy 'convenience' versions of, but I do pay attention to the ingredients.

I am an avid fast food restaurant hater...rubbish food and food handling practices...there are just hosts of reasons why the industry itself is evil!!!

Except in America, Riven...processed stuff has become the norm there now.

You definitely find this attitude in America, though, Riven... and that's "abroad"

xpost eve
I actually find that it's easier to find stuff with less additives in it here than it is in America. There is so much crap everywhere when I'm in the US... we eat so horribly that when we return to the Uk we need to detox. Our own faults for indulging in our american favs... which are all junk.

Trouble with pesto, is when I make it, it tastes like vomit, but when I buy the Sacla one it tastes nice!

I haven't Riven, but will check it out...I get so angry in American supermarkets when I go home, and I do see the UK moving in that direction...it drives me crazy!

Agree...Star Expat...I'm on my way there on Saturday, and am doing a detox this week to prepare myself!! Nothing that I crave from home is healthy!!

I am against industialised food production, so yes, I'm a farmer's market, local butcher, bread maker type person.

I have now started making my own soap and cleaning products. Basically epsom salts or vinegar in various combinations. A lady down the road has a lot of lavender and she lets me cut and dry it to put in stuff as well.

I work and have 1 DD and it doesn't take much extra time, time that basically, I'd probably only be using to watch crappy TV.

Also, it is something to do with DD, although our last lot of bath bombs went all funny and did not stay in the moulds properly...still fizzed though.

And yes, I'm one of those weird people who believes screens have a negative effect on the growing brain so limit DD's time on them.

I have also found some people are very defensive about my cooking...I think they secretly want to do it themselves, can't be arsed, or are too worried and so turn it around and dislike the person who is doing it.

I cook 'from scratch' - like the OP I do stuff in a batch and freeze it. A lasagne prepared that way is a hell of a lot cheaper than a ready done one from the supermarket.

The only day that we don't cook from scratch is on a friday. No one should have to cook on a friday. I just eat wine instead.

I also cook from scratch it was the way i was brought up.

lol eve. It's so funny because all of our favs from home that we can get here are all junk, too. When you see an "american food" section in a shop near an expat community it's full of total crap.

Agree, wholefoods is the only way to go... but that is very expensive. Or if you're in the area, Trader Joes

I know, Starexpat!! It's appalling that American food has that reputation...but there is so much truth to it!!

I wish we lived a bit closer to a farm shop...part of why I like to cook 'from scratch' is because I like to buy local stuff when I can...but the lack of farm shops in my area means I rely too heavily on Tesco.

I think people are bound to know how you cook when you have children because when they are round your house you always end up having to feed armies of rugrats. Hence I know pretty much exactly what all dd's friends get fed. Here (hippie central) it is generally all from scratch, extra bonus hippie points for home grown eggs/vegetables/milk.

I think its funny that spag bol is basic food now though, when I was little it was our saturday night special fancy treat

Lets just settle this once and for all; anything I do is right and proper. Anything you do that is not exactly what I do is either pretentious or chavvy depending on whether or not I would secretly like to do it.

I might just post this on every thread from now on.

I am desperate to grow veg/have chickens for eggs...... a girl can dream!!

Ah, misunderstanding Eve - I meant that my village is hippie central, not me

Do have lots of homegrown veg mind you, but largely because that's what I do for work, it is not exciting for dd!

Well, I grow my own tomatoes and every year manage to produce the equivalent of 1 jar of dolmio from them

And I grow my own squashes too