Should I Eat Chicken ?
After Watching Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Chicken Run I’m Wondering Whether I Want to eat Chicken !
I must admit to being a little surprised after watching the stalwart of River Cottage in his latest programme-campaign - not so much at the plight of the chickens, which is much as I imagined it to be, but at my reaction to it - I’m left wondering …
Should I Eat Chicken ?
Initially, the whole thing was brought to my attention by this excellent article on a blog written by my brother Miles Collins which subsequently lead me to watching it on TV, concluding part tonight by the way, check it out if you’ve missed the first 2 parts.
What affected me most was the fact that, apart from a bit more room and being let out in a small space, there was no difference between free range and battery raised.
I have literally been eating crap !
Why am I putting stuff inside me that I would not even want to touch with my hands ?
I guess I kidded myself that because I only buy food in ‘quality’ supermarkets and that I pay more money for my chicken than perhaps I might need to I am getting decent food.
The reality is I’m not - we’re all being hoodwinked !
I’m not a huge fan of red meat so I do eat a lot of poultry, also eggs and that’s something else I need to look at, reason being it’s high protein, low fat and yes … tasty.
Removing it from my diet will leave quite a gap and one I’m not sure how to practically fill.
Is this something I share alone or do others feel similar issues ?
What are the alternatives ?
I’ve got this far in life now so should I really care ?
I’d be interested to hear any opinions and if you’ve watched it yourself
Eat Well !
Rod
Little Brother said,
January 9, 2008 @ 5:15 pm
Rod,
Glad to hear it’s made you think about it. I’ve turned my attention to cheaper fish alternatives, sweet potatoes, cous cous, vegetables etc. All you need is a bit of imagination (or chilli sauce to mask the taste!) and you will soon be wondering why you ever bothered.
Good Luck!
Rod said,
January 9, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
LB
I suspect the episode tonight may be the final nail
Thanks for the tips
Witches of Eastwick said,
January 9, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
Rod,
We don’t believe there’s anything left that hasn’t been touched by the poisonous hand of man (in this instance we don’t mean dear old Mr Damon!)…. tuna full of dodgy metal, pesticides on tea and coffee crops etc etc. It’s up to everyone to find out where their food comes from, in other words read the labels and consider fair trade as well.
Have you ruled out keeping your own chickens? Reckon you’d be good at that and think of the quality eggs.
WoE
Rod said,
January 10, 2008 @ 8:58 am
WoE
I think you’re pretty much right on this one. This year I hope to expand the Goldeneye River Cottage and grow as much of my own food as possible.
The idea of keeping chickens appeals though the practicalities …
RC
Jordan said,
January 10, 2008 @ 9:48 am
RC
Think of all the cats the chickens will attract! Shame you can’t eat the cats?
Jordan
Rod said,
January 10, 2008 @ 12:35 pm
Jordan
never mind the cats what about the fox !
I have a regular visitor - a fox that behaves like a cat - imagine coming home to find a foc sat on your garage roof !
RC
Rod said,
January 10, 2008 @ 12:41 pm
Update:
OK so I’ve been shopping.
Marks & Spencer (the best supermarket available to me for those abroad) had no free range chicken at all nor any organic ones - no spaces on the shelves for them either.
Sainsbury’s had an organic free range chicken at just over £10 - the same in ’standard’ was £3.50.
I’ve decided not to bother with free range but go all the way and go organic as well.
All the veg I bought was organic as were the wholemeal pitta breads etc.
The eggs cost almost twice what the cheapest were available at - though only 50p more than the ones I normally get - less than 10p per egg.
From now on I shall only be buying organic !
Tonight’s meal will also consist of my home grown carrots and broccoli
Cheers
Rod
Jordan said,
January 10, 2008 @ 12:59 pm
RC
Its all well and good wanting to eat, free range / organic / Fair Trade. But the price like you have quoted is huge.
I for one would love to be able to buy all the above, but it’s priced well out of my shopping budget, like so many others i am sure.
Jordan
Rod said,
January 10, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
Jordan
this is of course an issue - it was the main problem on Hugh’s programme last night.
What I found interesting was those that actually raised chickens themselves all decided to spend a bit extra (about £2 per chicken) apart from one.
She was a single mother who said she could not afford it - fair comment.
I couldn’t help noticing though she was by far the fattest woman on the show so perhaps if she cut out the garbage and amount she could afford an extra £2 on a family sized chicken ?
Obviously being single makes a difference when shopping but looking at people in the aisles and the queue today showed trolleys full of crisps, biscuits, chocolate bars, fizzy drinks and pizzas etc - their daily food bill per head will be much higher than mine so the economic argument does not always wash and is often too easy to hide behind
The extra going to organic (chicken wise) is far more than just going to free range granted.
I am sure that if demand grows prices will come down, after all a few years ago organic veg was prohibitive - now the difference far less
Best
Rod
Witches of Eastwick said,
January 10, 2008 @ 9:10 pm
Rod,
Amen to that… and you’re quite right, most of the people we see in any food shop are buying bag loads of expensive rubbish. In Jordan’s defence this obviously doesn’t mean everyone. Having said all that you should have seen my trolley today…. nestled among the fruit and veg and free range guinea fowl was a fabulous bucket…. no one could possibly own a more splendid specimen, couldn’t resist.
The astonishing total would be too much to stomach for a bachelor of modest means but did include a Co2 detector, money well spent for the Coven.
For those of you out there with tight budgets and loose jeans, may we suggest LB’s recipe for bubble & squeak available on the ‘other channel’.
WoE
Rod said,
January 11, 2008 @ 8:36 am
WoE
I don’t pretend for one moment that everyone has money to spare and I understand how difficult it can be - it’s the hypocrisy that annoys me !
Just tell the truth - say no I’m not prepared to pay the difference
I was struck when watching the last epsode by the men in the pub all slating Hugh:
“It’s alright for him he can afford it - I can’t I’ve got a family to feed” etc etc
His argument was lost to me as he was sat there with a pint of beer which equates to the difference cost wise between the two birds !
He also had a packet of cigarettes, one beer and a packet of 20 would cover the extra cost of free range for a month of Sunday dinners for his family !
I’ll stop - I’m ranting !
Jordan said,
January 11, 2008 @ 9:04 am
RC & WoE
I can safely say that i do not eat rubbish food, my trolley will have all the veg and meat and salad. I am not over weight. I just can not afford the prices of the, Free Range / Organic or Fair Trade unfortunatley, unless they are in reduced section. I work full time and own my own house too.
I don’t drink to excess or smoke. So am i on my own??
Jordan
Rod said,
January 11, 2008 @ 9:38 am
Jordan,
obviously my comments do not apply to everyone - they were based on the 2 things I saw on the programme mainly.
Those people were clearly hypocrits. I’d have no problem in them saying “I’m not paying that”
Fair comment - why should they if they’re not bothered.
But that fat woman (who they could not even find a boiler suit to fit) is claiming she cannot afford an extra £2 for a chicken on a Sunday … “she really wants to” and she “really would if she could” …
Spare me ! - go half a day without chocolate !
There are also plenty of people who cannot afford it I accept that unconditionally.
What I will not accept though is a man sitting in a pub getting pi***d up and smoking cigarettes at £5.50 a packet and claiming only to be able to afford chicken dippers for his children !
best
Rod