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Cooking on a budget - Thread
Summary: I know nothing and really nor do most people tweeting about it. There is a difference between inaccurately calculated estimates from people who are lucky enough not to worry about their income and experts such as @BootstrapCook
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Summary: I know nothing and really nor do most people tweeting about it. There is a difference between inaccurately calculated estimates from people who are lucky enough not to worry about their income and experts such as @BootstrapCook
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I am exceptionally lucky. I have my health, a good job and I have two wonderful children among other wonderful people in my life. I'm reminded of my luck every time I receive a bill or go to the supermarket. Within reason, I am able to choose what I want to eat each day.
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I love to cook (tried to keep it on the down low but my secret is out, I fear) but I wouldn't for a moment dream of suggesting that I knew how to do it on a budget. I mean a real budget. The sort of budget that comes from living on Universal Income for example
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Why? Because I have no lived experience and while that isn't an absolute bar to commenting on issues, recent tweets demonstrate how not having lived this particular issue leads to the sort of fallacies on here in the last week or so.
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Some examples:
a. Misremembering the cost of raw ingredients
b. Claiming a 1kg chicken yields enough to for two meals for several people
c. Not factoring in the cost of other ingredients (eg oil, salt, spices etc)
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a. Misremembering the cost of raw ingredients
b. Claiming a 1kg chicken yields enough to for two meals for several people
c. Not factoring in the cost of other ingredients (eg oil, salt, spices etc)
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d. Factoring in other ingredients but forgetting you can't buy 1/32nd of a jar at a time
e. Forgetting the other things you put on a plate
f. Forgetting the snacks you eat between meals
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e. Forgetting the other things you put on a plate
f. Forgetting the snacks you eat between meals
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But most importantly, forgetting that while anyone can factor in all of the above, doing it once a week is not the same hardship faced by those who have to do it, day in, day out. A '£2 but not really £2' chicken meal once a week is not the same as living on a tight budget.
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Much to the annoyance of my children I now shout out loud every time I read a response that we 'Can't keep printing money' or 'We didn't feed kids in the holidays before' or 'We can't fund every idea' or 'Why don't footballers just pay'.
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Of course we can't fund every idea. But we can and should decide what is a priority, where our money is spent and whether we protect the vulnerable. If an adult isn't feeding their child properly then we should.
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My politics has always been in the centre/centre-right. I believe the state should be small but should provide for the vulnerable no matter how they go there. If we govern based on the hope that everyone makes the right choice/same choice as us, we are doomed
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Back to my luck. I treasure it every day. I don't do enough to help others but I try. A foodbank donation in my Ocado basket with each order (that they match)& direct debit to this below. If you can, please do. But I know many can't and that's the problem https://twitter.com/DanielJHerman/status/1319266938791489539?s=20
Further explanation on this tweet below:
There are many on Universal Credit through no fault of their own. I was addressing the suggestion anyone on UC doesn’t spend their money wisely. I disagree with the contention but even if it’s right or capable of being right - https://twitter.com/bptc_lecturer/status/1320690387112132608
There are many on Universal Credit through no fault of their own. I was addressing the suggestion anyone on UC doesn’t spend their money wisely. I disagree with the contention but even if it’s right or capable of being right - https://twitter.com/bptc_lecturer/status/1320690387112132608
