Though a strangely snobbish attitude toward frozen food lingers in Britain, with one in three believing it is inferior to fresh food. A lack of education about culinary preparation is one commonly cited factor, though that has been mitigated in recent times by the emergence of budget-food celebrities and more generally by access to the internet. Moreover, there are other impediments to eating well on a budget.
They also don’t take account of the cost of electricity and gas, and the limited storage and cooking space that people may have access to. But the cost of these meals per person is typically based on making enough for four to six people, which is not applicable to every family. The food blogger Jack Monroe has demonstrated conclusively that it is possible to make tasty and nutritious meals on a budget: her website showcases recipes for Cornish fish pie, mustard chicken, salmon and pea pasta - each meal costing less than £1.50 to prepare. Nutritious ingredients such as lentils (£1, all Asda prices), potatoes (49p), chickpeas (33p) and half a dozen eggs (75p) certainly go further than salt and sugar-filled ready meals (£2) or a calorie-dense stuffed crust pizza (£3.50). Suggested reading Why food banks are a cause for national pride “The less money you have,” writes Orwell in The Road to Wigan Pier, “the less inclined you feel to spend it on wholesome food.”īut is it actually more expensive to eat well? And how much does it cost to eat nutritious food in Britain in 2020? There is a George Orwell quote that is trotted out during every debate about food, with Orwell arguing that poverty and unemployment lends itself to the desire for “tasty” food over dour offerings such as kale and brown bread. Instead of sourcing and preparing healthy ingredients, they chose to plonk themselves in front of a television set and inhale pot noodles and multipacks of crisps. The underlying message was that the lower orders were feckless and stupid. The story was written in admiring tones - Kath Kelly was presented as a sagacious and resourceful example to the poor. “She even collected a staggering £117 in loose change dropped in the street.”
“Frugal Kath Kelly, 51, ate at free buffets, shopped at church jumble sales and scrounged leftovers from grocery stores and restaurants,” ran the story. When I was researching a book on low-wage Britain, I stumbled across an article in the Daily Mail about a woman who managed to survive on £1 a day. Only democracy provides the accurate feedback that strong political and economic systems depend on.More from this author Can our seaside survive the winter?
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