Millions forced to skip meals as UK cost of living crisis deepens

[Scott]

 

Millions of people were forced to skip meals or go a whole day without eating in recent months, new data shows.

As the UK’s cost of living crisis deepened, nearly one in five families experienced food insecurity in September, meaning more people went hungry than during the chaotic first weeks of the Covid lockdown, the Food Foundation charity said.

Hunger levels have more than doubled since January, according to the foundation’s latest tracker, with nearly 10 million adults and 4 million children unable to eat regular meals last month, prompting calls for stronger measures to protect vulnerable households.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/18/millions-forced-to-skip-meals-as-uk-cost-of-living-crisis-deepens

[OneMoreFarang]

Is that bad news?

 

[thaibeachlovers]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Is that bad news?

 

For sure a lot of people in the UK ( and many other countries ) could do better if they skipped one meal a day.

I only eat twice a day and it's still a battle to keep the blubber off.

Edited January 25, 2023 by thaibeachlovers

[Credo]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

For sure a lot of people in the UK ( and many other countries ) could do better if they skipped one meal a day.

I only eat twice a day and it's still a battle to keep the blubber off.

A big part of the problem is that so many people are relegated to eating very unhealthy food with a very high fat content.   

[puchooay]

29 minutes ago, Credo said:

A big part of the problem is that so many people are relegated to eating very unhealthy food with a very high fat content.   

Due to laziness, yes.

 

Yesterday I made a chicken casserole for 4 people. Total cost £3.80.

 

Chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, spinach and red pepper. Served with jacket potatoes. 10 minutes prep, 50 minutes cooking time. 

 

Cheap, wholesome food with minimal fat content. Just a bit of effort needed.

[Thingamabob]

Eating less would likely be good for most of us Brits.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Credo said:

A big part of the problem is that so many people are relegated to eating very unhealthy food with a very high fat content.   

In my experience the western people most likely to eat unhealthy food are also the ones spending a lot of money on cigarettes and alcohol. Question of priorities, isn't it?

[Mac Mickmanus]

51 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Due to laziness, yes.

 

Yesterday I made a chicken casserole for 4 people. Total cost £3.80.

 

 

Or you could spend £3.20. getting a bus to the food bank and back and get your dinner for free ?

[animalmagic]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

Due to laziness, yes.

 

Yesterday I made a chicken casserole for 4 people. Total cost £3.80.

 

Chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, spinach and red pepper. Served with jacket potatoes. 10 minutes prep, 50 minutes cooking time. 

 

Cheap, wholesome food with minimal fat content. Just a bit of effort needed.

Do you deliver?

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, Credo said:

A big part of the problem is that so many people are relegated to eating very unhealthy food with a very high fat content. 

pretty sure that you could make a tin of beans and half a loaf of wholemeal last for 2 meals - people moaning are probably also the ones covered in tattoos , supping energy drinks and rolling a fag whilst on the ps5 !

[Credo]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

Due to laziness, yes.

 

Yesterday I made a chicken casserole for 4 people. Total cost £3.80.

 

Chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, spinach and red pepper. Served with jacket potatoes. 10 minutes prep, 50 minutes cooking time. 

 

Cheap, wholesome food with minimal fat content. Just a bit of effort needed.

For many people, they are located far from a green grocer or a decent grocery store.  Local convenience stores tend to sell highly refined food, high in salt, sugar and fat and now in nutrition.  

 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, puchooay said:

Due to laziness, yes.

 

Yesterday I made a chicken casserole for 4 people. Total cost £3.80.

 

Chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, spinach and red pepper. Served with jacket potatoes. 10 minutes prep, 50 minutes cooking time. 

 

Cheap, wholesome food with minimal fat content. Just a bit of effort needed.

Thanks for the recipe Gordon.. ????

[Scott]

Troll post and reply removed.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

29 minutes ago, Credo said:

For many people, they are located far from a green grocer or a decent grocery store.  Local convenience stores tend to sell highly refined food, high in salt, sugar and fat and now in nutrition.  

 

Convenience stores charge more for that food, so use the difference to take the bus, OR use a bike and get exercise as well.

[JayClay]

The responses in this thread are absolutely disgusting.

 

A bunch of pompous old out of touch retirees making totally incorrect assumptions about the kind of people that are using these services because they can't be bothered to do the slightest bit of research.

 

No, this is not limited to "people with tattoos", and it's not a case of a few chubbas not being able to afford an ice cream after their McDonalds.

 

We're not talking about uneducated, unskilled workers struggling a bit.

 

We're talking about families of paid professionals; teachers, nurses, police and firefighters. People who have studied hard, invested time and money in their education and career so that they could avoid situations like this. Yet for the last 10 years they've had governments impose real-term pay cuts and now with interest rates rising and inflation raging at double-digit levels they are left without enough money to feed and/or heat themselves and thier families.

 

Show a bit of deleted compassion.

[mrfill]

3 hours ago, Credo said:

A big part of the problem is that so many people are relegated to eating very unhealthy food with a very high fat content.   

Very helpful for the government as the unhealthy die early and saves them paying out pensions. More money for them and their cronies.

Nine Bob notes are straighter than HMG.

[placeholder]

It's a good thing energy costs haven't skyrocketed in the UK. Because in that unlikely event, people might have to choice between death by exposure or death by starvation.

[The Old Bull]

The reward of Brexit. You voted for it so don't complain. Because the EU was threatening to look into offshore bank accounts big money was able to mount an effective campaign aimed at ordinary people.

[topt]

8 minutes ago, The Old Bull said:

The reward of Brexit. You voted for it so don't complain. Because the EU was threatening to look into offshore bank accounts big money was able to mount an effective campaign aimed at ordinary people.

I think you will find that the implementation of CRS transcends the EU so that argument is a complete non starter IMHO.

 

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, puchooay said:

Due to laziness, yes.

 

Yesterday I made a chicken casserole for 4 people. Total cost £3.80.

 

Chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, spinach and red pepper. Served with jacket potatoes. 10 minutes prep, 50 minutes cooking time. 

 

Cheap, wholesome food with minimal fat content. Just a bit of effort needed.

Agree,

Yesterday I made shredded chicken and pasta soup, enough for 10 servings, about 100bht (same ingredients as yours -spinach +pasta).

I'm betting all those people that can't afford meals only buy prepackaged, and can't cook.

Edited January 26, 2023 by BritManToo

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, JayClay said:

We're talking about families of paid professionals; teachers, nurses, police and firefighters. People who have studied hard, invested time and money in their education and career so that they could avoid situations like this. Yet for the last 10 years they've had governments impose real-term pay cuts and now with interest rates rising and inflation raging at double-digit levels they are left without enough money to feed and/or heat themselves and thier families.

Sounds unlikely.

[JayClay]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Sounds unlikely.

Which is why it's so appalling that it's happening.

 

But, of course, blatant denial of the clearly documented situation makes it much easier to live with your decision to not care, I guess.

[BritManToo]

15 minutes ago, JayClay said:

Which is why it's so appalling that it's happening.

 

But, of course, blatant denial of the clearly documented situation makes it much easier to live with your decision to not care, I guess.

I know a few pensioners back in the UK, no income beyond state pension.

They're doing OK, so I can't see how 'professionals' aren't coping.

Probably poor money management skills.

 

Back to the OP,

"Case study: Victoria
Breakfasts are a luxury, weekday lunches largely a thing of the past. There are no food treats any more, no desserts or cake. For Victoria, a single mother on a low income, this denial of her own food needs has one purpose: to ensure her two primary school age children never go hungry."

 

Not much sympathy, she chose to be a single mother with 2 kids.

The UK is full of desperate single guys that would like some company.

Edited January 26, 2023 by BritManToo

[Bundooman]

"Is that bad news"?

 

Fatuous and unnecessary remark - pun intended as well.

Fatuous as the photo looks more American that British. You know, that gluttonous country full of grossly fat people.

Unnecessary, because the USA went through their own crisis of a Depression in the 1930s - so I'm sure you would have sneered at them as you have seen fit to do with the UK.

We have a cr*p government at present - but certainly not as cr*p as the one you've got!

 

A lot of decent, honest people in UK don't deserve your petty comments.

 

[Stargeezr]

If the UK has a carbon tax like Canada, it is time to scrap that tax.

  It is not like the world is running out of food, if you are a millionaire.

If you have a normal wage, then sorry about that. I am in that category. 

[Scott]

Troll comment on moderation reported and removed.

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

It's a good thing energy costs haven't skyrocketed in the UK. Because in that unlikely event, people might have to choice between death by exposure or death by starvation.

The Government has been sending people money to pay the  energy costs and there are also food banks for free food .

  Free heating and free food  

[placeholder]

Just now, Mac Mickmanus said:

The Government has been sending people money to pay the  energy costs and there are also food banks for free food .

  Free heating and free food  

Really? Thanks to the government, In the UK people no longer have to pay for heating? Because that's what "free" means.  

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

Really? Thanks to the government, In the UK people no longer have to pay for heating? Because that's what "free" means.  

Yes, people have been given about 1300 Quid for energy bills this winter , given by the Government 

[placeholder]

Just now, Mac Mickmanus said:

Yes, people have been given about 1300 Quid for energy bills this winter , given by the Government 

You said that heating was "free" in the UK. It was not free. It was subsidized. And even after the subsidies, the cost was still at historically high levels.