Dispatches - Ch4 - The Truth About Food Prices

[Shirley]

On Ch4 now (UK) 8pm and Ch 4 +1 at 9pm

[MKG]

Nice program it was - but nothing which couldn't have been written from a couple of day's worth of postings here. The couple who had a binful of perfectly good food are probably more of a danger than any amount of T***o pricing policy or the influx of biofuels, though.

[marshlander]

You're so right MKG, I couldn't believe what they were throwing away!

[Shirley]

Nice program it was - but nothing which couldn't have been written from a couple of day's worth of postings here. The couple who had a binful of perfectly good food are probably more of a danger than any amount of T***o pricing policy or the influx of biofuels, though.

That's exactly what we thought too... though if they'd been reading the posts here the programme would have been much more informative ;-)

[Milims]

The prog was clearly aimed at the same type of people as the ones who bin perfectly good food just because it's on its sell by date - just like the ones shown! The sensible ones, like us, know that that is just a trick by shops to make stoopid people buy more!
I do think that there should be more of a push to encourage people to grow their own rather than just wingeing about the fact that the stuff they want to buy is too expensive and goes off too quickly.

[Shirley]

They were suggesting that we could all save money by changing our shopping habits (dur!) but they appeared to be advocating the cheapest option without any consideration for animal welfare which left a nasty taste in my mouth.

[Helsbells]

I think that bin stuff was a set up so the cookery woman could make lots of nice meals, it was all too convenient for my liking.

[Shirley]

It's actually quite a scary thought - do seemingly intelligent people REALLY do that? Chuck out veggies and stuff that is perfectly edible?

[MKG]

Yes, they do. I clearly remember my mother telling me as a young child that tinned goods could be kept virtually for ever (and she did). But the moment they started putting "best before" dates on them, the larder was cleared. It's a terrible indictment, but I think most people suffer from the "they must know better than me" syndrome.

[hamster]

... It's a terrible indictment, but I think most people suffer from the "they must know better than me" syndrome.

Sadly, I believe a lot of the problems we're facing are down to this. We're so specialised, we don't believe we can do anything outside our little area of expertise, so we place all our faith in experts, for good of for ill, for everything else.

[Jobi1canobi]

It's actually quite a scary thought - do seemingly intelligent people REALLY do that? Chuck out veggies and stuff that is perfectly edible?

Unfortunately - yes. When I first moved in with Jybson - we had a running disagreement about what was still okay to eat and what wasn't. He would throw everything out as soon as it's use by date was up.

I've had to eat stuff that's been over it's use by date and then sit with him watching me for any ill effects. Thankfully, he's coming round to the idea that stuff doesn't immediately go off as soon as midnight on last 'usuable' date comes up! If he does pick up something now that's 'gone over' he still has to ask if I'd eat it - shouldn't be long before I get him to trust his instincts though. *crosses fingers*

Mind you -that's nothing - his mum (who is fantastic, regardless) won't eat anything that has reached the day before it's use by date!

[mrsflibble]

may I just say, heinz treacle sponge in a tin does not keep indefinately. I had one for 3 years past it's sell by, opened it and although not off it had become a little lump of rubber, coated in syrup. no that's not whet they're like normally lol!!

I can't believe what some people throw away, but then I can't believe what my father in law will eat hahaha!!

[marshlander]

may I just say, heinz treacle sponge in a tin does not keep indefinately. I had one for 3 years past it's sell by, opened it and although not off it had become a little lump of rubber, coated in syrup. no that's not whet they're like normally lol!!

Oh yes it is!

I think that bin stuff was a set up so the cookery woman could make lots of nice meals, it was all too convenient for my liking.

Come to think of it, there was a box of eggs in the throw outs and these normally have a very long sell by date - shouldn't have to throw them after a week!

[Super.Niki]

Oh!! I saw that show... and spent ages yelling at the TV.

-Firstly: advocating the cheapest option (as someone's already pointed out in this thread) is NOT the best idea
-secondly: BUDGET... is it REALLY that hard? I don't have that much spare money to chuck things out so much so I budget I know how much free range chicken and organic veg is and budget that into my plans for spending, so can these people. Just becuase you're more affluent, doesn't mean you should just become illy with it.
-Thirdly: if you looked at how the waseful people kept their veg... no-wonder it went off!! I thought it was common knoweledge that if you keep (most) veg in plastic bags in the fridge they sweat (pr breathe or whatever it is) and go rotten really quickly...!!!
-Fourthly: why didn't they interview people who were DOING SOMETHING?!? The thing that REALLY buggs me about Dispatches, and I love watching it, but it's the same as the "Tonight with Trevor McDonald" show, they NEVER interview people who are actually doing something about it like some of the good folks on here! Or, if by some miracle they've found somoen taking control of trying to grow some of thier own food or budgeting correctly... they interview the insane ones who are actually totally barmy about itand then mark them at the "looney hippy" giving alternative living a bad name...

grr... rant over... it just really buggs me that it seems to be half investigated, just another way to keep people stupid and copletley in control "'They' say so I must do" grr...

I'll step down off my podium now!!

PS: I love the fact that I can post in pink!!!!!

[hmk]

I think that bin stuff was a set up so the cookery woman could make lots of nice meals, it was all too convenient for my liking.

It was certainly lucky that they hadn't got lots of other yukky rubbish in the binliner....

But- they weren't embarrassed to admit it as normal behaviour The TV crew obviously went through the fridge and said 'what would you normally throw away at this point?'

Amazing.

I was also wondering why they never produce somebody to show what can be done. It's all so negative, but I guess that's what sells.

HMK