Hugh's Chicken Run

[jstallan]

after watching the second episode last night, my wife advises me that in future we will be buying 'Free-Range' chicken meat - I took this as a positive move as I feared the announcement might lean towards becoming vegitarian..

The downside is increased food bills, which will result in less cash available for a match ticket at RH.

Anyone else seen this program and declared changes ???

 

[Holy Joe]

I have been watching, we already eat free range - initially not because of animal welfare - but because it tastes better.

 

[Pubey]

i ate chicken whist watching it... am i going to hell?!

i can understand his point, whilst i can also understand the arguements of people who really can't afford to spend more on their shopping. i think he is preaching to the converted a bit, we all know that chickens are raised in horrific conditions... but the pressure should be on the governments to force the supermarkets into changing their pricing policies and advertising. he is dead right that chicken is used as a commodity between supermarkets and the price wars have driven prices down, meaning the farmers get less and less. it's a massively complicated issue and not as simple as Hugh fernley-watsit seems to think.. although at least it's getting discussed

 

[MK Shrimper]

It's not a massive amount to buy free range...we're talking £1 at most...but if more people choose free range, the price will come down, much like organic fruit & veg.

 

[Pubey]

It's not a massive amount to buy free range...we're talking £1 at most...but if more people choose free range, the price will come down, much like organic fruit & veg.

and again i'm not sure that buying actual 'whole' chickens would have a massive impact.. most people probably buy chicken breasts and processed stuff, along with all the chicken that is supplied to fast food, curry houses etc... this is where the really cheap and nasty stuff is going and again it's down to government pressure, not people buying free-range

 

[SARF]

Good old Hugh with his fantastic self sufficient small holding in Dorset.. well self sufficient if you include the huge t.v. budget and all his 'friends' falling over themselves to help him, just like they do with all the other newcomers who arnt..er on t.v.
the likes of Hugh and Jamie are all well and good, great t.v. i loved the River Cottage series.. but once they find fame and FORTUNE the pontificating can get a bit much.. yes cheap factory farmed chickens are ****.. but they are not **** if your on 6 quid and hour with 2 kids to feed and you dont get to take a month off when ever you fancy to grow your pigs or something..

 

[Pubey]

Good old Hugh with his fantastic self sufficient small holding in Dorset.. well self sufficient if you include the huge t.v. budget and all his 'friends' falling over themselves to help him, just like they do with all the other newcomers who arnt..er on t.v.
the likes of Hugh and Jamie are all well and good, great t.v. i loved the River Cottage series.. but once they find fame and FORTUNE the pontificating can get a bit much.. yes cheap factory farmed chickens are ****.. but they are not **** if your on 6 quid and hour with 2 kids to feed and you dont get to take a month off when ever you fancy to grow your pigs or something..

agree with this in principle.. i think Hugh fernley-watsit really does his best to not come across as trite and offensive, but i think it's always inevitable when a multi-millionaire tries to tell joe bloggs what to spend their hard earnt cash on. in the end however is the multi-millionaires running tescos/asda etc who are also doing this in a much more sinister and self-interested way

 

[MK Shrimper]

Good old Hugh with his fantastic self sufficient small holding in Dorset.. well self sufficient if you include the huge t.v. budget and all his 'friends' falling over themselves to help him, just like they do with all the other newcomers who arnt..er on t.v.
the likes of Hugh and Jamie are all well and good, great t.v. i loved the River Cottage series.. but once they find fame and FORTUNE the pontificating can get a bit much.. yes cheap factory farmed chickens are ****.. but they are not **** if your on 6 quid and hour with 2 kids to feed and you dont get to take a month off when ever you fancy to grow your pigs or something..

But surely if you've got kids you'd sacrifice something to make sure they get decent food and not crap food that is stuffed full of antibiotics and has little nutritional value?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

If you are teetering on being put off chicken but don't want to be, DON'T watch the Jamie Oliver thing that's on (Friday night I think). It covers how food manufacturers process 99% of the chicken into such tasty treats as Chicken Nuggets/Burgers etc.

Also, how many stupid people were conned by C4's trailers for this season of shows by their triumverate of chefs? My Mrs for one (plus loads of people who texted into R1) obviously thought it was going to be a season of shows with them on an Outward Bound style team-building wilderness class!

 

[Mad Cyril]

I object to a wealthy ex-Etonian making low income families feel guilty for feeding their families.

Shame, because I have enjoyed his programs up to now.

 

[Bob Cratchitt]

Meat used to always be the crown jewels of a meal, and due to it's cost the dinner was bulked up with vegetables and starch products.

Only since the 80s with the cost of meat being pushed down by supermarkets trying maximise sales but keep their profit margins. Farmers have had to go to extremes to keep their heads above water. All the recent food scares have been mainly caused by the shortcuts being taken to ensure the highest yield.

So if meat does cost a little more, why not bulk it up with the stuff that helps you keep healthy, i.e. veg.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Has anyone noticed that fried chicken takeway places (Chickstop, Dixie fried chicken, Southern fried chicken, Tasty fried chicken etc.) invariably have a picture of a cartoon chicken giving the thumbs up?

It can't be that bad for them then can it Hugh?

 

[DTS]

The fat bird at work has declared she is no longer eating chicken. Looking at the size of her I fear for the British poultry industry as a whole.......

That said it hasnt effected the six million afro-carribean's that are currently queuing outside of Southern Fried Chicken on Borough High Street for a £2.99 mega deal.

 

[Cricko]

I have always found Chicken Fowl myself...

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

I have always found Chicken Fowl myself...

Is that the breast response you could come up with...?

 

[Cricko]

Is that the breast response you could come up with...?

Not Eggsackerley......I may have to spread my wings

 

[callan]

But surely if you've got kids you'd sacrifice something to make sure they get decent food and not crap food that is stuffed full of antibiotics and has little nutritional value?

Preferably yes.
However if your budget doesnt allow for it feed your kids on burgers and sausages, if they are stupid like mine tell them it's chicken and they will believe you.
Also I recommend the Little Tyke range of microwave dinners available in most supermarkets (well Lidl and Aldi), they are cheap and you only have to hang around the microwave for two minutes, not sure what the actual nutritional value of these dinners are, but until they are old enough to provide for themselves who cares.

 

[Cricko]

Preferably yes.
However if your budget doesnt allow for it feed your kids on burgers and sausages, if they are stupid like mine tell them it's chicken and they will believe you.
Also I recommend the Little Tyke range of microwave dinners available in most supermarkets (well Lidl and Aldi), they are cheap and you only have to hang around the microwave for two minutes, not sure what the actual nutritional value of these dinners are, but until they are old enough to provide for themselves who cares.

Cooking for the wife again then Steve.....There are no bounds to your culinary delights..:rolleyes:

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Not Eggsackerley......I may have to spread my wings

Well if you do, please pass me the KFC Bargain Bucket to vomit into! :p

 

[OldBlueLady]

It's not a massive amount to buy free range...we're talking £1 at most...but if more people choose free range, the price will come down, much like organic fruit & veg.

Tell me where you shop then as it's a lot bigger price difference in my Tescos! I do tend to buy free range already for ethical reasons, but tbh haven't noticed a huge difference in taste. Usually buy a large whole one for Sunday dinner and then curry the left overs.