In light of the listeriosis outbreak, I’m sure you are all a little wary of buying any processed meats. Years ago, when I was still a youngster (so that is years ago!), I remember like it was yesterday, my parents saying you shouldn’t eat anything you don’t recognise. So while I was being brought up, unless you could see it was a chicken or a piece of meat, we didn’t eat it. Off the menu was spreads, definitely polony and crumbed food and sausages, which were not bought from a butcher. Now it seems we should maybe go back to that time.
Thankfully I’ve never been a polony or a vienna fan, but I do remember how my children enjoyed viennas when they were small. Let’s be honest, convenience food is exactly that, convenient, and children love food which is crumbed or easy to eat, such as fish fingers and chicken nuggets. Children who love animals often won’t even eat meat if they can see it resembles the animal.
I admit, when it comes to salads I always wash lettuce unless it’s the convenience packets which say “ready to eat, already washed”, which I often prefer to buy because I’m lazy. I wasn’t washing tomatoes, now I am. As a precautionary measure, I’ll now wash all salad ingredients and fruits with skins on which I can eat. For quite a long time I’ve only bought free range chicken and never frozen and I live in hope if it says it’s not been previously frozen, it hasn’t.
I feel sorry for lower-income families because they do buy a certain brand of frozen chicken, polony and viennas and the alternatives will cost far more.
A friend of mine was saying her children love chicken nuggets and she was worried about buying those now too. I suggested she buy chicken mince from a reputable brand or a butcher and make her own chicken meatballs, covering them in breadcrumbs, then fry or bake. Make a batch and store some in a sealed container in the fridge. They can be eaten cold and packed in their lunch box for school.
Time now to be more careful and read all food labels carefully, that’s if you can see them. I tried it the other day when I was purchasing something and in the end, had the product right up by my nose. A man walking past me asked if it smelt good! Oh, well it definitely makes for more interesting shopping if not a more time-consuming exercise.
That’s it for now. Shop till you drop.
Julie
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
