Keep it real

This post is not entirely diet related in the sense that it isn't so much about Slimming World as our diet more generally.

Nobody in the UK can have possibly missed the recent furory surrounding the discovery of horse meat in our processed foods. In case you have managed to avoid this (or are an international reader) in a nutshell certain major supermarkets and fast food chains have been found to be selling products claiming to be beef but which actually contain a certain amount of horse meat. Today a major UK frozen foods brand revealed that up to 100% of the meat in its BEEF lasagne is not actually beef... it's horse. A further suggested piece of EU legislation (which apparently the UK is trying to get an exemption from, should it become law) would see mince only have to contain 50% meat, the other 50% being (I assume) fat, water and unmentionables.

Really? Is this how far removed we have become from the food we eat? Do we really care so little about what we eat that these companies can substitute meats like this? Because the reality is that people will still buy frozen ready meals. I know that in other parts of the world horse is an accepted meat, but not here in the UK. Loads of people are aghast that "trusted" brands could lie to us like this. Many won't care that much. As a nation we have become massively detached from our food, unaware of where anything comes from, unable to cook on any level at all or even really want to. "Why stand and make a lasagne when *insert food producer here* will sell me a frozen one for my whole family for £3?" It's a good question - I can't make a lasagne for 4 people for £3, but then mine contains beef... and vegetables... and not an -ism or -ate to keep it fresh for months on end.

I know I go further into making my own food than most - I don't know many people who occasionally make their own butter, for example. I know I am slightly unhinged and a bit obsessive about fresh ingredients, and I'm not asking or expecting anyone to go to the lengths I do to feed my family. There isn't anything wrong with buying carefully selected jars and packets but what I would like to see in the UK is for us to give more of a toss where our food comes from. Let's get Home Economics (my missed vocation) back in schools. Let's make fresh foods cheaper than bulked out ready meals. Let's stop our supermarkets taking all of our money and bring back proper markets. In honesty, it's this household food policy which has helped me to lose almost 6.5st this year.

And here endeth the lesson. Next time, more diety goodness. I've attached a recent salad picture to keep you going.

Ciao!