General Discussion

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

15. We really do

Tue May 12, 2015, 07:45 PM

May 2015

It's all well and good to tell people "eat more economical meals" but if they have no idea how to prepare them, it's useless preaching. I wonder if 90% of the people that preach said things could function with them as their food source. My bet is that they couldn't and/or would poison themselves accidentally.

Balancing a checkbook, how to fix a cabinet or other woodworking that has come loose, what to do if you need to change the locks on a front door (6 bucks, 10 minutes and a trip to Lowe's as opposed to 90 dollars and waiting for a locksmith), how to fix a toilet with a bad float (2 bucks while you are in Lowe's, and three minutes vs. a 90 dollar plumber's visit) - it's astonishing the blank looks you will get from people that are even MY age, much less younger people.

These are life skills.

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Giving the Poor Easy Access to Healthy Food Doesn�t Mean They�ll Buy It [View all] brooklynite May 2015 OP

Perhaps these people are already addicted to processed food. Wilms May 2015 #1

I'm not sure about that Aerows May 2015 #62

Maybe they haven't had the opportunity to learn how to prepare meals from scratch? cyberswede May 2015 #2

+1. I volunteer at a food pantry that has its own urban garden. winter is coming May 2015 #18

Exactly right Aerows May 2015 #34

My 85 year old mother lives with me.......... mrmpa May 2015 #68

I thought about this when shopping for groceries to be picked up by my letter carrier in CTyankee May 2015 #90

Maybe the answer is to look at what the target group is eating now and work from there. GreatGazoo May 2015 #91

You make good points cyberswede May 2015 #97

when non-profits and government agencies dabble in capitalism they bring their perspective with them GreatGazoo May 2015 #100

In general, Americans don't cook very much and don't know how cali May 2015 #3

I agree Aerows May 2015 #43

Why isn't cooking and nutrition part of our HS curriculum... oh yeah, too busy taking tests JCMach1 May 2015 #96

It was in the 1960s -- but just for girls - the boys had some kind of shop class karynnj May 2015 #103

Yeah, they used to call it Home Economics... There seriously needs to be a revival JCMach1 May 2015 #105

That doesn't really surprise me. Marr May 2015 #4

Things that are inexpensive to cook Aerows May 2015 #6

I had NO idea about kidney beans and toxicity. DawgHouse May 2015 #7

You have to soak them Aerows May 2015 #8

Oh I immediately went and looked this up online when you mentioned it. DawgHouse May 2015 #9

That's an example of Aerows May 2015 #10

That's a great link, thanks! haikugal May 2015 #49

My secret recipe Aerows May 2015 #52

Celery? Interesting, I'll try it. Thx! haikugal May 2015 #53

You will be regarded as an exceptional chef Aerows May 2015 #54

Well I'm honored! haikugal May 2015 #56

Oh, an P.S. Aerows May 2015 #59

Oh, lol... haikugal May 2015 #64

My mother, bless her Aerows May 2015 #65

Ha! I have similar stories...lol haikugal May 2015 #66

An alternative to soaking them is to give them a 10 minute preliminary boil Major Nikon May 2015 #20

I can't see how that works Aerows May 2015 #21

When cooking kidney beans you boil at first for 10 min then slow cook tammywammy May 2015 #71

Everyone that wants to cook red beans like that Aerows May 2015 #72

They won't. tammywammy May 2015 #73

Uh huh. Aerows May 2015 #74

Iffy results? Did they properly boil the beans for 10 min before low simmer? tammywammy May 2015 #76

Go right ahead Aerows May 2015 #77

I recall taking both thise classes Telcontar May 2015 #11

Absolutely. jwirr May 2015 #14

We really do Aerows May 2015 #15

What's funny is I've done all those things just recently Telcontar May 2015 #46

You aren't alone Aerows May 2015 #51

That is a good idea but not going to happen yeoman6987 May 2015 #69

so THAT is why that cretin in WI is trying to prevent people on food stamps from buying bulk beans- niyad May 2015 #33

You've got to be kidding me Aerows May 2015 #36

I wish I were kidding. the jerk's name is robert brooks, and the list of foods he wants to niyad May 2015 #37

The foaming at the mouth idiocy of Republican Aerows May 2015 #38

I am just thankful for unlimited minutes on my phone. niyad May 2015 #40

here is just one of the threads on that cretin. niyad May 2015 #39

"The poor aren't punished enough!" Aerows May 2015 #41

Just look in the freezer.. haikugal May 2015 #35

Right on the money Aerows May 2015 #42

Neither study apparently controlled for affordability factors. Gormy Cuss May 2015 #5

I honestly believe Aerows May 2015 #16

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #84

Saw this here in SF -- Hell Hath No Fury May 2015 #12

But Fresh & Easy also closed in more affluent East Bay areas. Gormy Cuss May 2015 #17

The Bay View/Hunters Point store -- Hell Hath No Fury May 2015 #47

Fresh & Easy was doomed from the beginning Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2015 #60

This does not surprise me. Many people have been eating junk food and "poverty" foods for jwirr May 2015 #13

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #85

Oh, by the way Aerows May 2015 #19

You are exactly right Aerows LeftOfWest May 2015 #22

No need to be delicate for my sake... brooklynite May 2015 #24

I see...an article that identifies an unresolved problem in urban society is "tacky"... brooklynite May 2015 #23

It was a tacky post. n/t Aerows May 2015 #25

Don't be shy...tell everyone why an analytical piece by the New York Times is tacky... brooklynite May 2015 #27

I don't need the New York Times Aerows May 2015 #28

Where's the self-righteousness? brooklynite May 2015 #29

Uh Aerows May 2015 #31

In many of the OP's posts CreekDog May 2015 #70

The NYT LOVES scolding the poor, otherwise David Brooks would have nothing to write. LeftyMom May 2015 #50

It would be mind-numbing Aerows May 2015 #61

+10000000 n/t Jamastiene May 2015 #81

wtf? treestar May 2015 #92

if I am hungry and I have the choice between chili and fruit Skittles May 2015 #26

And fruit is mostly water. n/t Jamastiene May 2015 #79

absolutely correct Skittles May 2015 #80

Exactly... Jamastiene May 2015 #82

No.... sendero May 2015 #30

It's so strange Aerows May 2015 #32

Aerows, when I read things along the lines of what is described in the OP, I'm bullwinkle428 May 2015 #44

My thoughts Aerows May 2015 #45

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #86

It's not about access, it's about the difficulty of altering the poverty culture. Psephos May 2015 #48

Excellent point. Aerows May 2015 #63

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #87

Good point. treestar May 2015 #94

There's a time factor. Chellee May 2015 #55

I think there is also Aerows May 2015 #67

Lack of cooking utensils is another issue. greatlaurel May 2015 #57

I really think this is a time and living arragements issue Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2015 #58

There's a few reasons that it didn't change tammywammy May 2015 #75

On Monday I didn't accept a bag of fresh vegetables daredtowork May 2015 #78

Tired get the red out May 2015 #83

This message was self-deleted by its author greatlaurel May 2015 #88

You also need access to gollygee May 2015 #89

Maybe they could put some money into education or cooking classes treestar May 2015 #93

We don't come from the womb knowing how to cook lentils. Nor are utensils free. KittyWampus May 2015 #95

Honestly, I don't think I could cut up vegetables and meat and sauce and put it in a crock pot first CTyankee May 2015 #99

Hence, the small food processor. Removes need for knives and knife-work. KittyWampus May 2015 #101

A crockpot Aerows May 2015 #104

Yes, because poor people are actually people kcr May 2015 #98

I wonder if they considered the cost of a family transitioning to making fresh food karynnj May 2015 #102