Spaghetti

[AE-NMidlands]

But what bores me since decades is that "tunnel vision" on comparing prices of goods especially food , as it is well known that food products are well under-priced

I wish i had a shop near me where i can pay more , but to a fair price , instead of feeling good that i found the best bargain

Co-ops? (or fairtrade stuff online as suggested above, but I accept you can't control where that comes from.) Farmers markets?
A

[billi]

But what bores me since decades is that "tunnel vision" on comparing prices of goods especially food , as it is well known that food products are well under-priced

I wish i had a shop near me where i can pay more , but to a fair price , instead of feeling good that i found the best bargain

Co-ops? (or fairtrade stuff online as suggested above, but I accept you can't control where that comes from.) Farmers markets?
A

Well , for sure i can shop more soundly and please grant that that i know where , the point is simply down to the fact that we demand everything to be cheap and am not saying that the Spaghetti with double the price that i consume , are more sound . It is not an religious tick or so , but something i share when it comes to praise daily food and how it is produced

[Oldgreybeard]

Both farmers markets and farm shops are a good way of encouraging the use of local produce, but neither work well in the major population centres, where they are miles from producers anyway, and the cost of shifting food into those areas isn't directly proportional to distance travelled, either (much of the cost is for the "last mile" delivery sector).

We get a lot of our food from the local farm shop, which manages to balance locally produced food with a modest quantity of imported food, so they can trade all year around. They have arrangements with local small scale producers, as well as their own produce, with a big PYO setup they've had for years, so they can cater for a fair proportion of a families food needs.

Biggest single problem seems to be younger people not knowing how, or not being willing to learn, to cook meals from raw ingredients. I remember chatting to one of the ladies at the farm shop a couple of years ago and her saying that younger people often asked really basic questions about how to prepare and cook some of the produce they sell. It seems that unless food comes packed in plastic with instructions as to how to set the microwave some are just unable to cope with it.

Although their prices are higher than the supermarket, if I factor in the ~25 mile round trip to the nearest supermarket, compared with the three or four mile round trip to the farm shop, there's not much in it at all cost-wise. Still only really a food miles solution for rural areas, though.

[billi]

Biggest single problem seems to be younger people not knowing how, or not being willing to learn,

I doubt that , never i have seen a younger population like now having a Vegan or vegetarian Diet

I suppose its the older people that fail and try to escape

[Oldgreybeard]

Biggest single problem seems to be younger people not knowing how, or not being willing to learn,

I doubt that , never i have seen a younger population like now having a Vegan or vegetarian Diet

I suppose its the older people that fail and try to escape

Only repeating what I've been told more by someone that has repeatedly been asked some pretty basic questions about cooking. They don't have any reason to make this stuff up, and they are seeing hundreds of people each week coming into their shop.

I'm sure that there are many younger people that are far more aware of the ethics of food production now than there were years ago, but that does not translate into those same people knowing how to prepare meals from basic ingredients. I get the feeling that for some it just translates into knowing which (probably expensive) brand name to buy.

[Moxi]

I think one major problem is people knowing the difference between cooking and simply warming up pre-prepared ingredients and popping them together.

I asked my oldest son some time back if he was eating well to which he replied yes thanks I usually cook myself a couple of roast dinners in the week, and couple of curries. Imagine my face when I happened to call in and see that the roast dinners and the curries were all microwave meals!

Since then he has learnt the difference between cooking and "heating n eating" and I can honestly say he now manages a good diet albeit with the odd case of self inflicted food poisoning but as he says those bouts sharpen his concentration.

As with everything we do there will be good and bad examples, I think without fail everyone on the site tries in their own way to walk lightly upon the earth.

As a Yorkshireman (Billi in case you are not familiar with us, Yorkshiremen are renowned for their long pockets and short arms - ie we hate to spend money!) I am the first to buy bulk, and look for the basics brands (actually do you know most basics food labels are healthier as they contain less additives eg salt and sugar) as they are usually the best value (not always of course) . One of the benefits from this lifetime habit is the ability to drop extra packets and tins in the food bank bins to help people who are less fortunate. Most recently I find myself wishing that there was a way I could "gift" my exported generated power to families who are under the poverty line - I don't see why the fat cat middle men should get it for cheap and sell it at a huge profit ?

Moxi

[billi]

As a Yorkshireman (Billi in case you are not familiar with us, Yorkshiremen are renowned for their long pockets and short arms - ie we hate to spend money!)

Not sure what you try to say , to be frank i give a finger about traditions and location and the privilege of a society to get a cheap food chain like in your beloved countryside of Yorkshire and find the cheapest flight and beeing proud of an Bargain

It does not matter where we are , just needs to be fair

[Joeboy]

As a Yorkshireman (Billi in case you are not familiar with us, Yorkshiremen are renowned for their long pockets and short arms - ie we hate to spend money!)

Not sure what you try to say , to be frank i give a finger about traditions and location and the privilege of a society to get a cheap food chain like in your beloved countryside of Yorkshire and find the cheapest flight and beeing proud of an Bargain

It does not matter where we are , just needs to be fair

Fair? Grow up son, what planet do you live on?

Moxi, you are on the right track, as is OGB & BTB. By this I mean the advantages gained by living an RE lifestyle can be passed on in another form to those in need. By growing tatties due to the munificence of our climate I can then take the time to contribute towards a food bank in tin form. My converted electrons that offset my power bills and the small payments I receive for power sales can be invested in further RE projects some of which are community linked and help.those in power need. No fuss, no grandiose statements, just do what you can when you can. A nice low key form of alchemy.

[billi]

Dad ,

Fair? Grow up son, what planet do you live on?

on this planet Dad and the
thread you started in 2022 about food prices and connect it to war , i am so happy that you found your spaghetti in Turkey so cheap , Best regards

[Joeboy]

Don't bother Billi, you've lost the thread. You have come across as sarcastic and insulting a number of times to multiple members on multiple threads. Fair warning, keep it up and you are gone. I hope you don't keep it up as we value your input but it is entirely your choice. That's the second hint, there will not be a third.