eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and quality meat is expensive

[zippitippitoes]

..however many government initiatives there are for low income families those foods are expensive

most people shop in supermarkets and they sell these things at high prices

and in the wrong quantities

with too much packaging

why does organic produce in supermarkets have more oackaging?

but lots of people don't have a daily or even weekly farmers market..which are expensive too tbh as a lot of the products are ready meals, cheeses, pickles,honey, cured meat, rare breeds, speciality veg and fruit etc to add value for the farmer

not all people on low incomes buy crap..like expensive ready meals, though some might be the cheap value ones

coke is just not apart of the discussion really

well I think it is - many people (judging from their shopping trollies)buy coke, ready meals,crisps etc and lots of it. If they then claim they're unable to afford healthy food then they'd be wrong.

Lidl is CHEAP and loaded with healthy food options.

There seems to be a Lidl in every low-income or deprived area around here.

So all this 'healthy food is too expensive' argument is nonsense in this area.

Box of cousous for 99p. A whole kilo of couscous. And all you have to do is pour friggin' boiling water from the kettle over it to took it and throw in some olive oil.

Open a tin of tomatoes to mix in and a can of lentils or tuna.

Salt and pepper.

Voila, cheap, healthy meal.

Bag of potatoes - dirt cheap. The foundation for loads of meals.

You don't need to eat meat.

SenoraPostrophe - Post them for me! I want them! x

i hasdn't read yr OP, Zippi, just the title so hadn't realised you were talking solely about low income.
I wasn't saying those on a low income would necessarily purchase ready meals over fresh fruit & veg, I was making a general point on what I notice (both at the supermarket and due to mykjob) about the foodbuying habits of the great Britisih public. I agreesome fruit & veg seems overpriced in the supermarkets (therewas a recent scandal aboutTesco pricing,I believe?), ditto on paying for unnecessary packaging.

I also think that we expect to eat more 'exotically' than our parents did - I know when I was growing up, it was very much a meat and 2 veg type of menu, much more simple, straightforward and therefore cheaper?

Even now my dad will only eat pasta when in Italy

The slow cooker gets round the cost of cooking the cheaper cuts of meat.

It's all about education - put more emphasis on food and nutrition back into the school curriculm.

I know expat but it is dullsville too...

I've said lots myself about cheap and possible healthy meals but noi one can say tinned tuna, tinned toms and lentils etc makes a delicious exciting meal

What's your definition of 'exciting' then, zippi?

I mean, roast chicken isn't exactly exciting but it's pretty versatile.

You need a good sprinkle of parmesan on that zippi - from Lidl of course

Their parm is great and lasts for ages!

You can buy salt and pepper and other seasonings in there for cheap, too. Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, chili flakes, etc.

the nearest lidl is 45 minutes drive from here

I would like my five veg or big salad with some nuts and seeds and fresh herbs, tasty sauce or dressing and something tasty to pull it all together

and preferably not my 679,000 tin of toms

but I shall think about making the trip

we had v little money when i was a kid, so my mum got an allotment. we have just got one and will be growing stuff you cant get in shops or stuff that is expensive. it has cost £20 for seeds, £18 for a years allotment rent. i havent managed to do anything on it as i just had a c section, but dh has dug half of it over and planted a load of stuff even tho he works full time. we have 4 kids, including the baby, and they love going.

Wait until their fruit and veg is half price! I'll post on here when it next happens, i bought some lovely chestnut mushrooms that made a fab risotto, some huge beefsteak tomatoes and flat mushrooms too.

also 10 tonnes of parsnips / leeks which i made into my soups and froze!

Can you get to an Aldi that is nearer?

We grow herbs in our windowsills - we're in a second floor flat with no garden space and on the wait list for an allotment.

Now's the time to plant herbs!

DH just planted basil about a week ago and it's already sprouted.

We planted dill, oregano and garlic chive last week. Will plant coriander in April.

If you've got a garden, tomatoes are dead easier to grow in a growbag from Homebase and taste WAY better than supermarket stuff.

I make vinaigrette with mustard and it is tasty!

I hope to move next year and change to growing stuff..no garden currently

that is an ideal..certainly a time consuming one but one we hope to follow

I think I have been wanting to move so long that I am fed up

ooh zippi look what I've found - Lidl recipes!

just off to browse

I had a jeka wotsit herb book for my birthday a few years ago with this in mind..we live on a building site..soon to be a development if the neighbouring plot gets underway unfortunately I am supposed to be writing a report with annotated plans and photographs for the planning officer today to try and stop it turning into something completely overbearing

make a shopping list for lidl and we will try it

no aldi don't know where one of those would be

might look at asda

town veg shops are rubbish