Food education is necessary
On TV today a member of the public stated what I have heard many times before:
“I have to buy junk food because I can’t afford anything else”.
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Hide AdI felt compelled to test this statement – that junk food is cheaper, so I checked prices on the Sainsbury’s web site today (16th June 2018):
Sainsbury Shepherd’s Pie (41% saturated fat, 34% Reference Intake salt, (72g lamb, 328g potato, carrots, peas etc.) £1.50 (400gms) 1 Serving
Healthy Option – to cook eight portions and freeze for later.
Beef mince (cheaper/less fat than lamb) £3.50 (500gm pack) Serves 8 @ 62.5g/serving, (2.1% saturated fat, 4% Reference Intake salt), Potatoes £1.92 (2.4kg @ 80p/kg) – serves 8
Carrots – 0.48 (0.8kg @ 60p/kg) – serves eight
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Hide AdColmans Shepherds Pie Mix (seasoning) – £1.20 (8 servings) or take the ‘own seasoning’ option
Total (8 servings): £7.10
Total per serving/meal: £0.88 (approx. 400g), 1 serving.
(Why not put more vegetables in and increase the five per day/roughage intake?)
Conclusion: buying a shepherd’s pie from Sainsbury may seem cheap and easy (pop in microwave or oven).
However, making a shepherd’s/cottage pie costs nearly half the price.
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Hide AdIt also contains less saturated fat and little/no extra salt or preservatives.
A family of four could therefore cook two healthy, low fat, low salt shepherd’s pie/cottage pie meals for less than £8, saving perhaps £4 in the process.
Solution: Education
The government should make food education a priority in schools.
This could be done through domestic science/cookery lessons.
However, the above exercise could easily be delivered through biology or maths lessons.