This whole 'food poverty' thing

I've found that recently my tendency to go off into political rants has been exacerbated by politicians. No surprise there then.

But one of the things that's making my blood boil, is food poverty. Not that it exists, although that in itself is bad enough. The thing that's making me cross is the middle class attitude to it. And the idea of penalising children for the acts of the parents.

I've lost count of the number of posts about 'if they didn't spend the money on drugs/booze/whatever' then they'd have money for food. Or 'grow your own veg, it's cheap'. Safe in their suburban semi's do people really know what it's like.

There's also the assumption that you've got access to a fully equipped kitchen, which isn't the case if you're in a bedsit, or worse, living in a hostel with only a kettle and no fridge.

I've never been really poor as I've been fortunate enough to have had a job in times of recession, and family who could help. But it's occasionally been a close thing. 

I bought my first flat in 1985, going to the limit of what I could afford on my mortgage, just as interest rates went through the roof. I can't remember the exact figures, but I think it was around 13%.  So I found myself with money to pay bills and very little else. I had a Baby Belling oven/hob thing - most of my former colleagues will remember these as being standard in most Housing offices - not a proper oven, and only 2 rings.

I walked to work every day, about 2.5 miles, to save the bus fare.

Went to Mum's for tea on Sunday, usually a roast, and she generally gave me the carcass from the chicken and some veg.  I then had food for most of the week, supplemented with lentils and rice.

It drains you.  Really drains you. I didn't have the energy to be creative, I just stuck to what was familiar. 

But again, I was lucky. I was single, and only had to think about myself. If it had been 3 years later, I'd have had a small baby to think about too.

I'm a big fan of A girl called Jack who writes about how sometimes its easier to use tinned veg, and tinned meat. It lasts longer. 

Much as I like Nigella, sometimes the ingredients are hard to come by.  Or specialist.