@velvet donkey posted:

Just about sums it up.

Appalling comments Velvet, Jack Monroe is thinking about suing him, I hope she does and when he's broke I hope he can make a substantial, nutritious meal for 30 pence... fecking idiot that he is

Hope you're well, Velvet

I was reading about this. He doubled down saying he has proof from the food bank that this is achievable. Said the bank made a meal for 50 averaging 30p a portion.

So that’s:

1. one food option only, no variety
2. made using bulk quantities, not possible on a budget
3. made using donated / out of date products
4. no drinks or sides

As they say in statistics, small samples give erroneous results.

As my gran used to say, empty barrels make the most noise. 🤬

@Former Member posted:

I was reading about this. He doubled down saying he has proof from the food bank that this is achievable. Said the bank made a meal for 50 averaging 30p a portion.

So that’s:

1. one food option only, no variety
2. made using bulk quantities, not possible on a budget
3. made using donated / out of date products
4. no drinks or sides

As they say in statistics, small samples give erroneous results.

As my gran used to say, empty barrels make the most noise. 🤬

….and my mum used to say that too

@Former Member posted:

I was reading about this. He doubled down saying he has proof from the food bank that this is achievable. Said the bank made a meal for 50 averaging 30p a portion.

So that’s:

1. one food option only, no variety
2. made using bulk quantities, not possible on a budget
3. made using donated / out of date products
4. no drinks or sides

As they say in statistics, small samples give erroneous results.

As my gran used to say, empty barrels make the most noise. 🤬

I'm going to hazard a guess that he didn't factor in the cost of the gas or electric required to cook it either.

Common errors made by those who keep insisting the poor just need to learn  how to cook and budget (and which the like of Jack Monroe keep having to correct) include:

1) Relying on bulk-buying. As you point out, those getting by week-by-week (or even day-by-day) can't afford to do that.

2) Not including the "hidden" costs, such as the gas/electric for cooking.

3) Low nutrition/calorie count. This is a classic of the "Let them eat pasta." brigade that Monroe keeps raging against: dried pasta provides hardly any nutrition and not a lot of calories - you need to add a sauce for that...

4) Freezing meals in advance. Another of the great ideas from that Tory MP, and really a combination of (1) and (2). Why not make a large quantity (say soup, as my Aunt used to do), separate into individual meal bags and freeze them for later in the week? Well, firstly you need to bulk-buy (already a no-no). However then many on budgets won't have a freezer: perhaps at best a fridge with essentially an ice box that won't stock many prepared meals. And then that fridge/freezer requires electricity. And then you need more electricity/gas to reheat the meal.

[/rant]