Who eats "Meat and two veg"?

[teakdesk]

Reading all the posts regarding potatoes has made me wonder how many people still eat a traditional "meat and two veg" meal?

Years ago we would put a meal together by selecting a meat, every meal had potatoes and then there would be a vegetable.

Nowadays we rarely cook potatoes (perhaps once a week as roasted if we have a joint) and are more likely to have stir-fries, salads, or just "meat and four veg" without potatoes. Flat breads or ciabatta might have an outing before potatoes.

Are we alone or have other people given up the "traditional" English meal?

[Martin H]

We have meat and two (or three or four) veg more often than not, so we get through quite a lot of potatoes.

I like potatoes.

[Nannysally99]

We do, every day nearly, and my husband loves potatoes. The only veg I have to buy at the moment are cauli and broccoli.

[veggiechicken]

I skip the meat but eat 4 or 5 veg instead - usually one is potatoes.

[PyreneesPlot]

We might have meat and two veg plus roasties on a Sunday if we have a joint (maybe 1 week in 4) and OH insists on saute potatoes when we have Friday fish (3 weeks in 4) but the rest of the time the carbo load comes from bread, pasta, rice or other grains.

Meal construction starts with the veg and then I work around what we have. We don't eat much meat, usually just the weekend, and I really struggle when the in-laws visit as they are (fussy) meat and two veg types who tell us we'll die without a slab of meat on the plate everyday.

I like potatoes but have decided not to grow them anymore - I can buy better ones than I seem to be able to grow!

[Dorothy rouse]

We eat far less meat than we used to, and no red meat. More fish, and loads more veg, don't have meat everyday as we might have done in the past. Haven't had a 'roast meal' for weeks. Just love all these bags of veg I'm coming home with from the plot. I also look at what there is most of (courgettes!) and build meal round that.

[dim]

we eat meat 5 days a week, and fish for the other 2 days (It's a South African 'thing/way of life' ... meat is a staple diet)

we BBQ at least 3 times a week (even during winter) ....last christmas, I smoked a duck on the BBQ smoker for 5hrs using pecan wood .... neighbours thought I was batty

however, we also eat salad at least 5 times a week with the meat or fish (mainly greek style salad .... tomato, onions, green pepper, cucumber, celery, olives, feta cheese, fresh basil or fresh mint, dried oregano, salt, black pepper and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil)...

fried chips (my wife makes the bestest chips) or roast potatoes also feature on the menu most nights ....

lately, she has been substituting chips/potato with plain boiled spaghetti, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and topped with grated parmesan cheese

on some weekends, my wife will do a roast leg of lamb with pumpkin, green beans, roast spuds, peas,carrots etc, but that is only about twice a month

we used to have takeaways once or twice a week (curry or chinese, but that has also stopped now)

[Thelma Sanders]

I'm eating less meat nowadays, but still like potatoes.

it's always a difficult decision - potatoes or pasta .....................

potatoes or pasta

[Potstubsdustbins]

I love good spuds so eat loads. As to meat I like that too good job really as I have to eat what's put in front of me and SWMBO is a dinner lover.

Would I complain or ask for a change? Never I like to eat my food not wear it and these High Peak lasses can be a bit funny.

Many years ago on Sunday I was sat in a pub in Buxton. About 2-30pm in walks a rather irate lady carrying a plate of Sunday dinner apparently hubby was supposed to be home at 1-00pm but hadn't quite made it. The dinner was placed on the table with knife and fork and after a few choice words she turned to go. Everything would have been alright if the dopey bloke had left it at that but no he had to remind her she had forgotten the salt and pepper. That's when the plate was upended on his head, the pub was in uproar and he didn't come back for many a week.

[Scarlet]

it's always a difficult decision - potatoes or pasta .....................

That's not difficult for me - potatoes every time!

Our dinners are loosely based on what I can grow. I can't grow flour for bread, or pasta so my carb portion on my plate will be potatoes or the fruit I've had during the day.
Our main meals are based on the English tradition of meat and two veg with replacements! We eat mostly fish and eggs as the protein and white meat, though the kids love a roast beef dinner which surprisingly is a very low carb meal.

If I wanted pasta I would make it, I hate the dried stuff and I can't remember when I last ate rice. So spuds are eaten here most days.

[arpoet]

I love my meat.. always have done.
In the 50s red meat was the norm and chicken was a rare and expensive treat.
Family always had a lottie so I grew up with fresh veg and still love it.
We have tatties most days and always have at least 2 veg.
When I make a meat n tattie pie or a pasta meal, there are several veg in the sauce.
Apart from my own tomatoes, I hate salad and im always hungry an hour later, but a real meal fills me.

[teakdesk]

In the 50s red meat was the norm and chicken was a rare and expensive treat.

I know it's OT but yes, you are quite right that chicken was a real luxury as was a roast red meat. Liver or stew meat were more likely to be on my plate.

I can remember my Mum being unconsolable one Sunday after the tiny piece of beef she had roasted was dry and tough (even though it was my Dad's fault for refusing to eat anything even slightly pink!) as it had cost so much to buy.

I seem to remember my Dad persuading her to spend even more on a chicken for next weekend, which was delicious but we were only allowed small portions as it had to last for every other meal that week!

It was not until the 70s that I was able to eat as much chicken in a meal as I wanted but soon after that I realised I no longer liked the taste as much!!!

[WPG]

Have been vegetarian most of my life. Don't miss meat at all, but I couldn't live without my potatoes!

[Green Gerkin]

I love meat, potatoes and veg, have all three most days. Always meat with every meal plus potatoes, rice or pasta.
I just love food generally. 😀



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[Rocketron]

OK, I admit I sniggered.