More(or is it mare) to come

[SarzWix]

My 3 have had one term of it, that's it.

[veggiechicken]

I have a book called "Food Rules - An Eater's manual" Michael Pollan Food Rules: An Eater's Manual: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Pollan: Books. The essence of it is "Eat Food; Not too much; Mostly plants".
Here are some Rules:-
Don't eat anything you grandmother wouldn't recognise as food
Avoid food products that contain ingredients no ordinary person would keep in their pantry
Avoid food products that contain more than 5 ingredients
Avoid food products that contain ingredients you can't pronounce
If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant don't.

A ready made burger or lasagne would break all of these rules

[VirginVegGrower]

My 3 have had one term of it, that's it.

Are they primary or senior level? My two are senior level. Although I didn't have a lot of proper meal cookery in my Home Ec class. Mostly Lemon Meringues and Eve's Pudding. Doesn't mean I can't cook/won't cook. A lot of this really extends to lazy parenting. My mother AND father could both cook. Mr VVG was hopeless, but can now turn his hand to anything.
The cookery at my children's school teaches things like ragu sauces, bolognaise sauces, making fresh pasta (after my daughter said we make our own at home), they borrowed my pasta machine, beef stew, etc. Maybe they should look at making beef burgers and mincing their own beef! Having had a lot of fussy kids through my door on play dates (hate that term) I know most are fed on frozen burgers, hot dogs, fish fingers, pizzas (out of a box) and oven chips. Talentless mothers? No! Quite the opposite. Working, successful, dressed up to the eyeballs (some of them) types in well off houses (some of them) but plain lazy when it comes to their children. Two houses that my son went to had nannies and still ate burger and chips. It's been a real eye opener for me to be honest.
School meals are still a long way off in my opinion. They are great at looking through kid's lunch boxes but serve up insipid looking sausages and chips. If it's a roast and a child says they don't want the veg, then it isn't put on the plate. Isn't this what dinner ladies are for? We can no longer tell them they have to have it or eat it up, I was told. Most at school will have pasta boxes or sandwiches, because the hot food runs out so quickly How?

[redser]

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[Alison]

It annoys me that the press keep trying to focus on the fact that it's horse meat and we don't eat horses so that must be terrible, after all they're pets and all that. It's got nothing to do with that, I have no problem with eating any animal that has been farmed appropriately and can be traced accordingly, the fact that food is now shipped all over the place makes the tracability much more complicated and easier to abuse either on purpose or by accident. It's also interesting that the fact that there has also been pork meat in some of the products isn't getting much of a mention, despite the fact that there are several groups of people who would have a real problem with this for reasons rather better than cuteness but maybe that's not such a good story. It's very unlikely that I've eaten any of this meat as I don't do processed foods very often and genuinely can't remember the last time I had a burger but it does reinforce what I've always felt right which was to try and buy locally and ethicially and reduce consumption to make that feasible.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm glad that home ec. is still being taught - I thought that maybe it was not. So perhaps not so much has changed since I went to school (back in the days when they had proper exams and everything!) after all.

I think we took the subject for a term and a half each of cookery and of sewing. Cookery was following a recipe each week (which was great and I loved it) but we didn't have any teaching on nutrition, as I recall. That would be just as (or more) important than the recipe thing, in my view.

I am genuinely puzzled as to why it does not seem to be the norm to cook your tea - it is cheaper than ready meals, and often takes only the same amount of time to cook, tastes a million times better, and you know that your dinner won't neigh at you, or send the kids hyperactive with e numbers.

[VirginVegGrower]

I'm glad that home ec. is still being taught - I thought that maybe it was not. So perhaps not so much has changed since I went to school (back in the days when they had proper exams and everything!) after all.

I think we took the subject for a term and a half each of cookery and of sewing. Cookery was following a recipe each week (which was great and I loved it) but we didn't have any teaching on nutrition, as I recall. That would be just as (or more) important than the recipe thing, in my view.

I am genuinely puzzled as to why it does not seem to be the norm to cook your tea - it is cheaper than ready meals, and often takes only the same amount of time to cook, tastes a million times better, and you know that your dinner won't neigh at you, or send the kids hyperactive with e numbers.

The parents I commented on are too busy going off too yoga or on date nights with their other half, in order to keep their marriage alive. If it's not that, then it is after school music lessons, football practice, Brownies, cubs, Guides, dance, private lessons or language classes - all for the kids. My daughter does ride, but that's one night a week - not all five!
My two have had three years of compulsory food technology. I thought it was two lessons a week, but I am informed it is one lesson a week. One lesson is theory so nutritional stuff, meal planning, etc. Next week it's practical. Lesson is 1.25 hours long. Boys and girls - no get out. Daughter will be taking it as one of her options. Homework outside of GCSE this week has been to produce a Powerpoint on Pasta. Origins of, different types, calorific values, nutritional values, different uses of in meals, etc. Wanted minimum of ten slides. Practical was making your own, as stated before. Pasta flour 00 grade and eggs. I am also told that Happy Hens down the road did a roaring trade that week as the teacher told them to source free range eggs. They have looked at eggs too - so ethics come into play. Maybe she's just a damned good teacher

[alldigging]

I am genuinely puzzled as to why it does not seem to be the norm to cook your tea - it is cheaper than ready meals, and often takes only the same amount of time to cook, tastes a million times better, and you know that your dinner won't neigh at you, or send the kids hyperactive with e numbers.

It takes time and effort and a certain level of skill to cook food from scratch.
It's not that it's not taught in school - it's that people aren't taught by their parents. School can't have all the blame for the lack of skills!


It is bizarre given the number of cookery programs on TV that anyone eats ready meals. Maybe we're all too busy watching food programs on telly to want to cook a meal.

[VirginVegGrower]

It takes time and effort and a certain level of skill to cook food from scratch.
It's not that it's not taught in school - it's that people aren't taught by their parents. School can't have all the blame for the lack of skills!



It is bizarre given the number of cookery programs on TV that anyone eats ready meals. Maybe we're all too busy watching food programs on telly to want to cook a meal.

I have a friend who has all the cookery books of Ramsay and Oliver but can't cook for toffee. Her MiL moves the pages on in her stand, just so it looks like she's made different stuff to the cleaner. I find it hilarious, although to be fair, so does she

[Hazel at the Hill]

It takes time and effort and a certain level of skill to cook food from scratch.

You see, I don't think it does. E.g. put pork chops in oven; drizzle with honey/squirt of jif lemon/shake of balsamic/smear or mustard/blob of sweet chili sauce if you are feeling adventurous. Peel & boil potatoes. Cook birds eye peas/veg. Make bisto gravy. Repeat with chicken for tomorrow. And even if it's for something daring that needs a recipe to follow, it's step by step. Do this, then do that. Not hard.

It's not that it's not taught in school - it's that people aren't taught by their parents. School can't have all the blame for the lack of skills!

Perhaps it is that feeding yourself was seen as - uh - normal when I grew up, and not a 'school subject'? But really, there's no excuse. As I say, I am genuinely puzzled.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I have a friend who has all the cookery books of Ramsay and Oliver but can't cook for toffee. Her MiL moves the pages on in her stand, just so it looks like she's made different stuff to the cleaner. I find it hilarious, although to be fair, so does she

That is very funny!

[veggiechicken]

It is bizarre given the number of cookery programs on TV that anyone eats ready meals. Maybe we're all too busy watching food programs on telly to want to cook a meal.

What's the betting that many of those watching the cookery programmes will be sitting in front of the tele with a ready meal on their laps

[VirginVegGrower]

Although VC to be fair I am now looking at my laptop whilst eating homemade leek and potato soup But I did cook it earlier.

[veggiechicken]

I do that too, as you may have guessed, but its usually something I've cobbled together from scraps

[smallblueplanet]

You see, I don't think it does. E.g. put pork chops in oven; drizzle with honey/squirt of jif lemon/shake of balsamic/smear or mustard/blob of sweet chili sauce if you are feeling adventurous. Peel & boil potatoes. Cook birds eye peas/veg. Make bisto gravy. Repeat with chicken for tomorrow. And even if it's for something daring that needs a recipe to follow, it's step by step. Do this, then do that. Not hard.



Perhaps it is that feeding yourself was seen as - uh - normal when I grew up, and not a 'school subject'? But really, there's no excuse. As I say, I am genuinely puzzled.

Can't believe you think this - there's lots of people out there who can't follow simple instructions. No doubt many more who just think the instructions aren't meant for them and others who don't need instructions! My money would be on the fact that none of them could cook!

When kids think milk comes from Tesco's etc how on earth do you expect them to be able to cook? This 'horsemeat fiasco' is a sure sign that people have no idea how food is produced nor why it is so valuable, let alone how to cook it...