Jamie's Fowl Dinners

fizzywizzy wrote:

I often find that my local Tesco has organic meat and free range chicken in the reduced section so I snap it up and freeze it when I see it.

Then I try to make up double quantities of meals and freeze them till I need them. It comes out of the freezer in the morning when I leave for work to be cooked when I get home.

I do that too (in Morrison's) although it is often not in sufficient quantities to feed the lot of us it can usually do a couple.

fizzywizzy wrote:

Then I try to make up double quantities of meals and freeze them till I need them. It comes out of the freezer in the morning when I leave for work to be cooked when I get home.

But what sort of meals are these? When cooking fresh meat my children will only eat a "roast dinner" or a chicken breast with veg and pots etc.

I can't cook and freeze a whole roast dinner. Maybe it would be easier if my kids liked casserole and stuff like that but simple fact is they don't. I do cook them chicken breasts fresh in the evening though - though this is again cheap chicken.

I buy reduced stuff all the time and freeze it but very rarely does that apply to chicken - it is usually fish or beef.

I am thinking about growing my own veg and salad this year though - although there is no way I could grow enough to last the whole year!!!

Don't fancy chickens wandering my garden either!

WendyBull wrote:

fizzywizzy wrote:

Then I try to make up double quantities of meals and freeze them till I need them. It comes out of the freezer in the morning when I leave for work to be cooked when I get home.

But what sort of meals are these? When cooking fresh meat my children will only eat a "roast dinner" or a chicken breast with veg and pots etc.

I can't cook and freeze a whole roast dinner. Maybe it would be easier if my kids liked casserole and stuff like that but simple fact is they don't. I do cook them chicken breasts fresh in the evening though - though this is again cheap chicken.

I buy reduced stuff all the time and freeze it but very rarely does that apply to chicken - it is usually fish or beef.

I am thinking about growing my own veg and salad this year though - although there is no way I could grow enough to last the whole year!!!

Don't fancy chickens wandering my garden either!

I think you need to get your children to eat a wider variety of stuff then.

[quote="WormThatTurned
Also, give me some evidence that cheaper chicken affects my health and I might alter my buying patterns.[/quote]

I've tried ever so ever so hard to keep out of this one. But now I've just burst and have to join in.

I remember all too well a thread where we discussed how the government had PLENTY of evidence that drinking over the advised limits is bad for health and you were absolutely determined to ignore that evidence.

Then there's tonnes of evidence that driving too fast, driving aggressively and so on is more likely to kill you - you don't buy that one either.

I have to conclude that if there were hard and fast evidence that eating meat filled with growth hormones, steroids and antibiotics from animals fed on crap was bad for you, you would most likely find excuses to ignore that as well.

I don't eat meat because I like animals too much. I hate what people do to them in the name of cheap food but I respect the right of people to choose to eat crap if they want to. But please don't say that there's no evidence that intensive industrial farming doesn't harm the animals it raises and the animals that eat them.

I SHOULD buy organic vegetables - but I don't. However, as far as I know whilst I might be pumping myself with nasty pesticides, no cabbages were harmed in the creation of my dinner.

fizzywizzy wrote:

WendyBull wrote:

fizzywizzy wrote:

Then I try to make up double quantities of meals and freeze them till I need them. It comes out of the freezer in the morning when I leave for work to be cooked when I get home.

But what sort of meals are these? When cooking fresh meat my children will only eat a "roast dinner" or a chicken breast with veg and pots etc.

I can't cook and freeze a whole roast dinner. Maybe it would be easier if my kids liked casserole and stuff like that but simple fact is they don't. I do cook them chicken breasts fresh in the evening though - though this is again cheap chicken.

I buy reduced stuff all the time and freeze it but very rarely does that apply to chicken - it is usually fish or beef.

I am thinking about growing my own veg and salad this year though - although there is no way I could grow enough to last the whole year!!!

Don't fancy chickens wandering my garden either!

I think you need to get your children to eat a wider variety of stuff then.

Spoken like somebody with no kids!

I've never been to Brazil but I know they speak Portuguese there

fizzywizzy wrote:

I've never been to Brazil but I know they speak Portuguese there

Not the same though is it, do you understand their culture, their dialect their norms, values and folkways? At least Phil has said he tries to think of how people manage with kids and still thinks there is laziness, you refuse to contemplate that getting more than one child to eat a variety of healthy can be nigh on impossible.

I have a child that hates mash, three that hate mushrooms, one that hates garlic, one that does not like pasta and one who will not eat cereal. These are just a handful of things BTW. Like it or not preparing a meal they will all eat is not as easy as you seem to be imagining.

I was brought up to eat what was given. My brother brought his children up the same way.

I think people pander to their children too much; in all but the very extreme cases, a child will eat if he or she is hungry and has been clearly told what the deal is.

"He won't eat it" just doesn't wash with me.

I may not have children but that doesn't mean that there are no children in my family or that I haven't worked with children. In fact I have worked with children in a residential setting and I know how children can be at mealtimes.

fizzywizzy wrote:

I was brought up to eat what was given. My brother brought his children up the same way.

I think people pander to their children too much; in all but the very extreme cases, a child will eat if he or she is hungry and has been clearly told what the deal is.

"He won't eat it" just doesn't wash with me.

I may not have children but that doesn't mean that there are no children in my family or that I haven't worked with children. In fact I have worked with children in a residential setting and I know how children can be at mealtimes.

I agree, parents do pander to their kids too much, I was brought up with the same mentality although nowadays if you give your kids something and they don't eat it is considered abuse if you do not offer them an alternative! I suppose I disagree with your view of making them eat it because I was brought up to eat everything before I could lead them table and I remember being physically sick at the prospect of what we were having for tea hoping that it would not be scouse made with the worst mince, spam fritters and liver and onions. I am confident that what I give my kids is a hell of a lot better than what I was given!

At least that was real food! What I have a problem with is daft shapes of reconstituted nonsense that doesn't resemble real food. I strongly believe it contributes to many kids becoming fussy eaters who won't later eat the real thing when its put in front of them

I know someone who's forty who is adamant he hates fish - but all he's ever had is fish fingers - which he says he likes!

Now that is an extreme example but there are alot of people who claim not to like things they haven't even tried.

By the way, I can sympathise with you - when my dad was striking my gran used to give us her free tins of EEC stewing steak; every mouthful was torture - but i knew I had to eat it!

fizzywizzy wrote:

At least that was real food! What I have a problem with is daft shapes of reconstituted nonsense that doesn't resemble real food. I strongly believe it contributes to many kids becoming fussy eaters who won't later eat the real thing when its put in front of them

I know someone who's forty who is adamant he hates fish - but all he's ever had is fish fingers - which he says he likes!

Now that is an extreme example but there are alot of people who claim not to like things they haven't even tried.

By the way, I can sympathise with you - when my dad was striking my gran used to give us her free tins of EEC stewing steak; every mouthful was torture - but i knew I had to eat it!

We had that why my dad was striking too, tins with no labels and you never knew whether it was dogfood, rhubarb or steak but it all looked the bloody same! I agree about princess shapes etc to an extent. I think they should be used as a way to introduce children to meats if they will not eat them but they are not a substitute. I was distraught when my son did not know what chips were made of! I let my kids cook with me whenever possible so they at least get an idea of what food is made of. Otherwise they think fish comes out the see in the shape of fingers!

dididave wrote:

fizzywizzy wrote:

At least that was real food! What I have a problem with is daft shapes of reconstituted nonsense that doesn't resemble real food. I strongly believe it contributes to many kids becoming fussy eaters who won't later eat the real thing when its put in front of them

I know someone who's forty who is adamant he hates fish - but all he's ever had is fish fingers - which he says he likes!

Now that is an extreme example but there are alot of people who claim not to like things they haven't even tried.

By the way, I can sympathise with you - when my dad was striking my gran used to give us her free tins of EEC stewing steak; every mouthful was torture - but i knew I had to eat it!

We had that why my dad was striking too, tins with no labels and you never knew whether it was dogfood, rhubarb or steak but it all looked the bloody same! I agree about princess shapes etc to an extent. I think they should be used as a way to introduce children to meats if they will not eat them but they are not a substitute. I was distraught when my son did not know what chips were made of! I let my kids cook with me whenever possible so they at least get an idea of what food is made of. Otherwise they think fish comes out the see in the shape of fingers!

Saying that I thought hamburgers were made of ham for years! Bloody Mc Donald's!

fizzywizzy wrote:

I think you need to get your children to eat a wider variety of stuff then.

Thanks so much for answering my simple question so kindly - I'll know not to ask for any advise from you again!

If you beleive so passionately about what we are talking about here wouldn't it be better to be nice and more polite to people asking genuine questions then to be sarcastic and aggressive. I would be more likely to listen and ask more questions if you were.

Don't be so thin-skinned Wendy, FFS. There was very little, if anything, wrong with fizz's post. She voiced an opinion and a fairly valid one at that, based on your own post. Gah.

Ciao's Favourite Member wrote:

Don't be so thin-skinned Wendy, FFS. There was very little, if anything, wrong with fizz's post. She voiced an opinion and a fairly valid one at that, based on your own post. Gah.

Get out of here, I asked a sensible question about what she made that froze easily and she was sarcastic in her response! I am not being thin skinned!

koshkha wrote:

[quote="WormThatTurned
Also, give me some evidence that cheaper chicken affects my health and I might alter my buying patterns.

I've tried ever so ever so hard to keep out of this one. But now I've just burst and have to join in.

I remember all too well a thread where we discussed how the government had PLENTY of evidence that drinking over the advised limits is bad for health and you were absolutely determined to ignore that evidence.

ACTUALLY I WAS STATING THAT I BELIEVE THE DANGERS OF MODERATE DRINKING ARE OVERSTATED.

Then there's tonnes of evidence that driving too fast, driving aggressively and so on is more likely to kill you - you don't buy that one either.

I NEVER SAID ANY OF THOSE THINGS. I STATED THAT ECO DRIVING MEASURES ARE IMPRACTICAL. IN REPLY YOU ACCUSED ME OF BEING AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER, JUST ONE YOUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ME WAY OFF THE MARK.

I have to conclude that if there were hard and fast evidence that eating meat filled with growth hormones, steroids and antibiotics from animals fed on crap was bad for you, you would most likely find excuses to ignore that as well.

YOUD ONLY BE STAYING TRUE TO FORM IF YOU DID CONCLUDE THAT.

I don't eat meat because I like animals too much. I hate what people do to them in the name of cheap food but I respect the right of people to choose to eat crap if they want to. But please don't say that there's no evidence that intensive industrial farming doesn't harm the animals it raises and the animals that eat them.

I RESPECT YOU FAR MORE FOR BEING A VEGGIE THAN PEOPLE WHO GO ON ABOUT WELFARE OF ANIMALS BUT STILL EAT THEM. BUT AS IVE ALREADY STATED BATTERY FARMING DOESNT BOTHER ME AND IVE YET TO SEE PROOF THAT BUYING CHEAPER CHICKEN IS DETRIMENTAL TO MY HEALTH.

I SHOULD buy organic vegetables - but I don't. However, as far as I know whilst I might be pumping myself with nasty pesticides, no cabbages were harmed in the creation of my dinner.

LAST NIGHT I CHECKED THE PACKAGING ON MY CHICKEN FILLETS AND FOUND THEM TOBE FREE RANGE. SO MAYBE JAMIE'S CAMPAIGN IS FORCING PRICING DOWN. ALL THE VEG I GET IS FROM MY DADS ALLOTMENT SO YOU CANT GET MORE ORGANIC THAN THAT. [/quote][b]

fizzywizzy wrote:

I was brought up to eat what was given. My brother brought his children up the same way.

I think people pander to their children too much; in all but the very extreme cases, a child will eat if he or she is hungry and has been clearly told what the deal is.

"He won't eat it" just doesn't wash with me.

I may not have children but that doesn't mean that there are no children in my family or that I haven't worked with children. In fact I have worked with children in a residential setting and I know how children can be at mealtimes.

While I agree that parents do too often pander to their children, if a child will not eat something they wont eat it; end of.

For example, my son will not for any love or money eat cod. Hates the stuff. Gags everytime I make it.

Have I made him dislike it? No. Is he like it because I pander to him? No. Does he eat everything else I give him? Yes.

So the 'he just wont eat it' really is true, regardless of if it 'doesn't wash with you' or not.

Wow people..... lets not go any futher into personal attacks in this thread please.

We all have foods we really don't like but I do believe that many parents all ow their children to be too choosy.

In answer to Wendy's question, the following all freeze well. Meatballs, chili, shepherds pie, lasagne, stews and casseroles, soups, moussaka, bolognese sauce.

Other dishes that take no time - kedgeree, I just take a couple of smoked mackerel fillets out of the freezer in the morning and the dinner takes less than twenty mins to prepare and cook.

If I make a curry I make a double quantity of dhal and of any side dish too.

I don't think that suggesting you get your kids to eat a wider variety of things is so outrageous. It's good for the child and in the long run helps the parents. As I said, I know adults who still eat stuff like tinned hotdogs and fish fingers as an integral part of their diet because they were indulged to heavily as kids. As a result these friends are a nightmare to dine out with because they just don't do "real food".

And if I can address a point made further back about having more respect for veggies than people who talk about animal welfare and still eat them.

The point is that I respect good animal husbandry and believe that farmers should be properly paid for what they do. I think it is scandalous that farmers have been reduced to cramming as many chickens aas they can into horrendous conditions to fulfil supermarket demands.

I would rather pay more for meat that has been better bred and where the farmer gets a fair price. If animal welfare was my primary concern then I would not eat meat. However, I believe the mass farming methods that farmers are reduced to in order to have a chance of supplying to supermarkets who impose low prices produce a lower quality of meat.

As it seems that people think that just because I don't have children I therefore have loads of money to spend on food, let me just state that my partner and I both earn considerably less than the average salary but we don't have contract mobiles, subscriptions to Sky, a car, a dishwasher, a tumble dryer and probaly most other things I would consider a luxury.

That's how we eat well

fizzywizzy wrote:

As it seems that people think that just because I don't have children I therefore have loads of money to spend on food, let me just state that my partner and I both earn considerably less than the average salary but we don't have contract mobiles, subscriptions to Sky, a car, a dishwasher, a tumble dryer and probaly most other things I would consider a luxury.

That's how we eat well

I dont have a SKY subscription or a dishwasher either.

I have to have a phone and a car because of work. I would happily dispense with the phone given the chance. I couldnt do without the car though.

I only purchased a tumble drier late last year and that was only because the washing loads had gone up because of the baby therefore it made life a hell of a lot easier.

My budget on food is restricted but that isnt because Im wasting money on luxuries.

WormThatTurned wrote:

What I dont get is....if you care so much about chicken welfare, why do you eat chicken ? Hypocrisy !!

I also do what I can (like Dave) but first and foremost budget is my priority because my family is my priority.

What I conclude from all of this is how ethics is more important to people who dont live on a tight budget.

Also, give me some evidence that cheaper chicken affects my health and I might alter my buying patterns.

I don't think it's hypocritical to support animal welfare and then eat them. Meat-eating is a very natural thing; lots of animals do it! The difference between them and us is that they don't treat the animals cruelly before they kill and eat them.

It's MORE hypocritical to say that your family is your priority then feed it food pumped full of hormones, drugs and goodness knows what else. I tend to try and consider things on a common sense basis. If meat is full of things it shouldn't be full of, there's a high possibility it won't be good for me; I don't need specific evidence of that but if you do, perhaps you could consider Mad Cow's Disease as one example?

WendyBull wrote:

But what sort of meals are these? When cooking fresh meat my children will only eat a "roast dinner" or a chicken breast with veg and pots etc.

I can't cook and freeze a whole roast dinner. Maybe it would be easier if my kids liked casserole and stuff like that but simple fact is they don't. I do cook them chicken breasts fresh in the evening though - though this is again cheap chicken.

I buy reduced stuff all the time and freeze it but very rarely does that apply to chicken - it is usually fish or beef.

I am thinking about growing my own veg and salad this year though - although there is no way I could grow enough to last the whole year!!!

Don't fancy chickens wandering my garden either!

I try all sorts of cunning things with my nieces and nephews Wendy - I'm a master of disguise! One won't eat potatoes (until you mash 'em up with swede!) One won't eat fish (unless you smother it in tomato sauce and say it's had a road accident. That's funny, apparently!) One won't eat anything green, but will eat purple broccoli! And none of them get any of my lovely organic chocolates, cakes or biscuits until they eat a decent meal and some fruit first.

In fairness, perhaps it's because going to Uncle Phil's is an adventure (and I don't underestimate that) but it still really works!

WormThatTurned wrote:

fizzywizzy wrote:

As it seems that people think that just because I don't have children I therefore have loads of money to spend on food, let me just state that my partner and I both earn considerably less than the average salary but we don't have contract mobiles, subscriptions to Sky, a car, a dishwasher, a tumble dryer and probaly most other things I would consider a luxury.

That's how we eat well

I dont have a SKY subscription or a dishwasher either.

I have to have a phone and a car because of work. I would happily dispense with the phone given the chance. I couldnt do without the car though.

I only purchased a tumble drier late last year and that was only because the washing loads had gone up because of the baby therefore it made life a hell of a lot easier.

My budget on food is restricted but that isnt because Im wasting money on luxuries.

Wormy - my challenge back to you is that you shouldn't need to give up luxuries. God, life's too short. You can do both!

fizzywizzy wrote:

I was brought up to eat what was given. My brother brought his children up the same way.

I think people pander to their children too much; in all but the very extreme cases, a child will eat if he or she is hungry and has been clearly told what the deal is.

"He won't eat it" just doesn't wash with me.

I may not have children but that doesn't mean that there are no children in my family or that I haven't worked with children. In fact I have worked with children in a residential setting and I know how children can be at mealtimes.

I agree with you on that one. A lot of parents do pander to their children Ive seen it.

However some children genuinely dont like certain foods. When I was a kid - sprouts and marmite and anything blackcurrant made me heave. I think forcing a child to eat something it doesnt like is abuse.

My 8 month old screws his face up at fish and refuses to eat. Hes not being pandered to - its a natural reaction to a food he doesnt like and babies cant manipulate at that age. We binned that one and found some others he does like which I think is the most sensible approach.