Fat people at Foodbanks

lainey_d_123 · 13-01-2020 10:13PM

pinkyeye wrote: »

Again, all very easy if you have a house with a cooker.

We're not talking about the homeless here. A lot of people who regularly eat junk food have a house with a cooker. They just don't realise they can use the cooker for things other than heating up frozen junk food.

And I say this as someone from a family where that was the case.

pinkyeye · 13-01-2020 11:30PM

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

We're not talking about the homeless here. A lot of people who regularly eat junk food have a house with a cooker. They just don't realise they can use the cooker for things other than heating up frozen junk food.

And I say this as someone from a family where that was the case.

How do you know the people collecting this food aren't homeless? Were you down there talking to them all?

beggars_bush · 13-01-2020 11:46PM

cannotlogin wrote: »

Fat people can be hungry too!

maybe they need to be hungrier more often?

My mother always said, hunger is good sauce

I'm outta here...

wakka12 · 14-01-2020 12:31AM

It's not Oliver Twist era England, malnourishment doesn't look like how it used to, nobody in the west is 'starving' anymore. Less well off people have to get by on highly processed preserved foods that lack important nutrients for good health and longevity and contribute greatly towards the obesity epidemic and all the accompanying illnesses. Middle class people suffer these issues in much lower proportions because the food they are capable of affording is of higher nutrient density rather than caloric density. Fruit, vegetables, fresh fish , meat, nuts ,seeds, are some of the healthiest foods you can eat and all are relatively expensive for the amount of calories you get out of them, much of it is also perishable which makes it more unaffordable for the lower class.

Minorities in America also suffer much higher rates of obesity related illness due to much less healthy diets as well. Similarly it's because they rely on highly processed calorie dense foods to live on

wakka12 · 14-01-2020 12:50AM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Processed food is hugely more expensive than buying fresh vegetables.

Not it isnt. Fresh vegetables generally contain a tiny amount of calories considering their price. You buy for example two processed pizza for a fiver and it's an entire day's worth of calories, tastes amazing and zero prep time. It's why there are more fat adults in the west than there are slim ones, because processed food is so cheap and tastes so good

andekwarhola · 14-01-2020 09:08AM

Thread title would be a great Fall song title.

I'm humming Fat people, ah, at food banks, ah. in a Mark E Smith voice

YFlyer · 14-01-2020 09:10AM

The Real Ramona wrote: »

I presume, in a good few cases, anyone struggling financially is buying cheap, processed foods and therefore would be prone to being overweight.

Fruit and vegetables are cheaper.

YFlyer · 14-01-2020 09:16AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

While I was typing, we got two.

It is cheaper. What's your gripe?

Kermit.de.frog · 14-01-2020 10:06AM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Processed food is hugely more expensive than buying fresh vegetables.

If it was price veg would be flying off the shelves.

Vegetables have to be prepared and require the motivation to actually use them or cook them as part of a meal.

Maybe this is off putting for some?

ellejay · 14-01-2020 10:15AM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Processed food is hugely more expensive than buying fresh vegetables.

Not quite true.
You can buy a huge pizza in Aldi for less than €1.50.
It would easily feed 2 x adults and 2 kids.

Bag of "chicken" Nuggets less than €1.50.
Fishfingers about a euro.
Bag of oven chips less than €1.50.

All that convenience food is cheap and heavy on salt sugar and who knows what else.

Factor in then, that the cook of the house will have to prepare and cook the vegetables and meat it works out more expensive.

ellejay · 14-01-2020 10:30AM

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

In fairness, you can easily get potatoes and a load of other veg for less than a fiver, to feed a whole family with a homemade stew, for less than a takeaway or a McDonald's for one.

Anyone who can afford to buy 4 takeaways or 4 McDonald's meals can easily afford to buy a few days' worth of healthy food but the issue is they don't know how to cook.

That's a myth.
A stew would cost less than a fiver if meat free.

I made a stew last night for ourselves, so here's the costing for you.
Stewing Beef - Tesco - €6 (part of 3 for €10 deal)
Carrots - .49
Onions .49
Leeks 1.29
celery .79
Garlic .79
5kg of spuds 6.99

Granted the veg will be used in further meals but the initial outlay is not cheap.

You also have to factor in that a lot of families at food banks probably don't know how to cook.
They wouldn't know the ingredients and wouldn't know how to make a stew.
It's only simple if you "know" how to cook.

Also, don't forget they have to go buy the shopping.
A lot of the families don't drive, so the hassle of bussing it to a supermarket with kids and heavy shopping bags is huge.

If they're at Food Banks, I say fair play to them for making sure they eat.

ellejay · 14-01-2020 10:39AM

beggars_bush wrote: »

Food is only cheap if you know what to do with it

You could feed a family of four with €80 for a week.
Easy.
If you know how to cook

The key is in Bold, if you know how to cook.
If you have the tools to cook
If you have the ingredients to cook
If you have the facilities to cook.

Geuze · 14-01-2020 10:45AM

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

In fairness, you can easily get potatoes and a load of other veg for less than a fiver, to feed a whole family with a homemade stew, for less than a takeaway or a McDonald's for one.

Anyone who can afford to buy 4 takeaways or 4 McDonald's meals can easily afford to buy a few days' worth of healthy food but the issue is they don't know how to cook.

Yes, five mins spent in a typical supermarket will show anybody that vegetables are cheap.

There are always 49c and 69c deals.

I often wonder how these farmers can cope with the downward pressure on prices.

Obesity is not due to expensive veg.

Homelander · 14-01-2020 11:06AM

afkasurfjunkie wrote: »

Absolutely. Trying to save a few quid here after Christmas. Friday evening takeaway costs nearly €30. If I put it towards potatoes, bag of carrots, some frozen peas and a few chicken breasts I’d have enough for 3 days dinner and some change left over.

Stupid point. Cheap, processed food is not takeaway. I don't know why people keep bringing this, and things like McDonalds, up in the "it's cheaper to eat healthier" debate.

You can walk into Tesco and get an own-brand frozen pizza and 1kg of wedges for €1.50 that would feed 3 people.

You can walk into Aldi/Lidi and get 24 packs of crisps for €2.50.

That's what people talk about when they talk about cheap processed foods.

pgj2015 · 14-01-2020 11:26AM

What is all this nonsense about poor people not knowing how to cook? neither did I but I had the cop on to goggle a few recipes and look at a few youtube videos. poor or not you can be sure these poor people have internet access. cooking isnt rocket science, it can be very simple. you dont even need a cook book anymore, every recipe anyone ever invented is probably no more than a couple of clicks away. some people really do need a good kick up the arse, and the rest of us need to stop making excuses for them, lots of millionaires came from dirt poor families, if they can drag themselves from poverty to become millionaires im sure other poor people can cook a healthy meal for gods sake.

corner of hells · 14-01-2020 11:31AM

pgj2015 wrote: »

What is all this nonsense about poor people not knowing how to cook? neither did I but I had the cop on to goggle a few recipes and look at a few youtube videos. poor or not you can be sure these poor people have internet access. cooking isnt rocket science, it can be very simple. you dont even need a cook book anymore, every recipe anyone ever invented is probably no more than a couple of clicks away. some people really do need a good kick up the arse, and the rest of us need to stop making excuses for them, lots of millionaires came from dirt poor families, if they can drag themselves from poverty to become millionaires im sure other poor people can cook a healthy meal for gods sake.

Absolutely , I'm intrigued with the comments that people don't know how to cook.Bro Luke's provides dinners along with a few other institutions around the city , Penny Dinners , MQI and the Mendicity .
Bro Luke's also provides a bag of groceries once a week , Crosscare has food banks along with community cafes.
Its food banks provide bulk food residential homeless services, but this comment that people cant cook is a surprise.

14-01-2020 11:36AM

YFlyer wrote: »

It is cheaper. What's your gripe?

Read the thread. It's been pointed out, multiple times, that this is not always the case. It's a lazy trope to just say "home cooked meals are much cheaper" when, in fact, they aren't (not always) and often require utensils and a bit of time, skill and (most importantly) energy to prepare.

4 x pizzas
3 x bags of chips
1 x bag of wedges
2 x bag of goujons
2 x bag of nuggets
2 x ice cream rolls

For two adults and 2 kids, that's dinner & dessert sorted for Monday to Saturday. Total spent = €17.50 in Iceland or a total of about €2.90 per day. All Mammy has to do is bang it onto trays and stick it in the oven. 35-45 mins max.

The meat alone in Lidl would cost you that much if you were to buy mince and chicken breasts for 6 days. Factor in veg and potatoes and the time spent preparing it, the cost of other stuff like herbs and spices and all the other stuff you keep in the fridge/press that your average food bank attendees might not have like stock, tomato puree, soup mix, garlic, olive oil etc.

And that's if you know how to prepare shepherds pie or lasagne from scratch. If you grew up in a gaff where dinner consisted of chips and 'something frozen thrown in the oven', you might not have the skills or the taste for it.

Lollipops23 · 14-01-2020 11:36AM

I live opposite the Capuchin Centre in Smithfield. They do absolutely sterling work there, and are always busy.

I have noticed the 'types' of folk showing up for the food parcels; yes, loads of them are just people who appear to have hit a bump in the road. Normal enough types.

However, there's also plenty of Jacintas and Antos with a sizeable brood of feral kids, pushing prams that definitely cost €500 and up. I don't know how the volunteers who work so hard can keep a straight face when dealing with them.

corner of hells · 14-01-2020 11:56AM

Lollipops23 wrote: »

I live opposite the Capuchin Centre in Smithfield. They do absolutely sterling work there, and are always busy.

I have noticed the 'types' of folk showing up for the food parcels; yes, loads of them are just people who appear to have hit a bump in the road. Normal enough types.

However, there's also plenty of Jacintas and Antos with a sizeable brood of feral kids, pushing prams that definitely cost €500 and up. I don't know how the volunteers who work so hard can keep a straight face when dealing with them.

I've a friend working there in management, they know well there's a minority who are taking advantage but they reckon the wider benefit outweighs those abusing their service.
He has theory that you have to look at the mindset of those abusing that foodservice and maybe look deeper and see if theres underlying issues.

KaneToad · 14-01-2020 12:00PM

oceanman wrote: »

bit rich coming from someone who will most likely never need the services of one herself..

Her point is that the service they provide is flawed. The real issue is tackling why these people are using a food bank. The resources should be diverted to dealing with the why reasons. Endless handouts are not helping anyone.

oceanman · 14-01-2020 12:07PM

KaneToad wrote: »

Her point is that the service they provide is flawed. The real issue is tackling why these people are using a food bank. The resources should be diverted to dealing with the why reasons. Endless handouts are not helping anyone.

they are helping those that need help in the here and now.

corner of hells · 14-01-2020 12:08PM

KaneToad wrote: »

Her point is that the service they provide is flawed. The real issue is tackling why these people are using a food bank. The resources should be diverted to dealing with the why reasons. Endless handouts are not helping anyone.

Some of them are not just food banks , they're providing a support service . Theres an automatic assumption they just hand out food.
Mendicity provides advice and support for Eastern European homeless, Bro. Luke's has primary health care etc

circadian · 14-01-2020 12:22PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I've often thought about doing something like this. Just a basic cooking class type thing for those who've never had the privilege of being taught the basics. don't know where you'd start though, maybe tie it in to a Fás course type thing for the long term unemployed?

Also, it is not always the case that processed = more expensive. Have a look at the frozen stuff available in Iceland.

On their homepage alone we have a heap of stuff available for €1.25.
2 pizzas, 2 chips, 1 wedges, 1 goujons, 1 nuggets and 1 dessert would 'feed' a family of four for 3 or 4 nights for about €12.50. The meat alone would cost more than that for 4 x 4 dinners.

Cheap, easy, quick, the kids love it, no need for any other herbs/spices/cooking equipment etc, Iceland is smack bang in the middle of Talbot street / Northside shopping centre........if you're a single mother of three on the labour, who cares if it's not the best for them, nutrition wise?

Iceland was a staple of my shopping at University. Bulk buying frozen food amongst housemates was insanely cheap. Head to the market or tesco for the fresh stuff every few days.

This is the problem though, people who are none the wiser about how cheap and nutritious it can be to batch cook, even just supplementing meals with frozen food would make a big difference to the heath of many in the country.

It's so easy to walk into Iceland for your shopping and to throw on some birds eye chicken, chips/waffles, baked beans and maybe some peas or other frozen veg. Frosties and cheap white bread for breakfast and tons of cheap soft drinks in there too.

Hamsterchops · 14-01-2020 12:31PM

Maybe have two lines at food banks?
One line for "normall size" people, and another line for fat people. In this 2nd line, fatties would be made to do press ups, sit ups, front lunges, sideways bends and jogging on the spot (before any food is handed out).

I guess that's a little non PC

the beer revolu · 14-01-2020 12:56PM

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Maybe have two lines at food banks?
One line for "normall size" people, and another line for fat people. In this 2nd line, fatties would be made to do press ups, sit ups, front lunges, sideways bends and jogging on the spot (before any food is handed out).

I guess that's a little non PC

Not around these part's it isn't.

Kivaro · 14-01-2020 01:28PM

corner of hells wrote: »

He has theory that you have to look at the mindset of those abusing that foodservice and maybe look deeper and see if theres underlying issues.

Yes. Greed, entitlement, and a complete lack of morality and values.

corner of hells · 14-01-2020 01:29PM

Kivaro wrote: »

Yes. Greed, entitlement, and a complete lack of morality and values.

Addiction, pro longed untreated trauma , severe untreated mental health.

ellejay · 14-01-2020 01:49PM

circadian wrote: »

Iceland was a staple of my shopping at University. Bulk buying frozen food amongst housemates was insanely cheap. Head to the market or tesco for the fresh stuff every few days.

This is the problem though, people who are none the wiser about how cheap and nutritious it can be to batch cook, even just supplementing meals with frozen food would make a big difference to the heath of many in the country.

It's so easy to walk into Iceland for your shopping and to throw on some birds eye chicken, chips/waffles, baked beans and maybe some peas or other frozen veg. Frosties and cheap white bread for breakfast and tons of cheap soft drinks in there too.

You went to University - a lot of people that use the food banks are lucky to finish secondary school never mind college!

Most family's shopping budget comes from the one pot / purse, they don't chip in with the neighbours. anywhere would be "insanely cheap" if there were a umber of contributors to the cost.

Of course it's easier to walk into Iceland or anywhere and buy frozen convenience food.
I've done it myself in Aldi, bought the weeks veg, salad and fruit then on the way out saw the pizza's for 1.50 and ended up eating pizza for lunch instead.
But the difference is that now and then is fine, not as a daily source of nutrition.

corner of hells · 14-01-2020 01:57PM

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Maybe have two lines at food banks?
One line for "normall size" people, and another line for fat people. In this 2nd line, fatties would be made to do press ups, sit ups, front lunges, sideways bends and jogging on the spot (before any food is handed out).

I guess that's a little non PC

Are you thinking what I'm thinking ?

There could be a bloke with a big net to catch the fatties.... some nice stew .

JohnCleary · 14-01-2020 02:20PM

Went to Aldi last night....

Big lump of Angus Beef - didn't even check the weight 25 euro
Spuds - 2 euro
Carrots - 1 euro
Garlic / Mix / Onion - Lets say 3 euro
Egg Noodles - 1 euro
Pepper - Lets say 1 euro
Misc - 1 euro

Out of this, I made....
6 Portions of Beef Stew
2 Portions of Stir Fry
A huge lump of meat leftover that i'll roast this evening, for beef sandwiches / munching on while cold (let's say 8 sandwiches)

So, 34 euro for all of the above.... 8 dinners and about 8 sandwiches.

Leaving the cost aside, it was EASY to make everything, but time consuming. A post above mentioned all Iceland Frozen Chips / Nuggets etc. for a week for €15. The thought of that food almost made me puke. I guess, like people mention above about getting a taste for processed / sh1te food, you also get an anti-taste for same. I can understand how someone growing up on that sh1te would retch at the thought of eating my above beef stew / stir-fry

I don't know why I even posted this... i'm bored in work.

Fat people at Foodbanks

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