Cooking skill not cost is key to eating well

I AM intrigued by the letter from James Bond of Sheffield (Yorkshire Post, February 11) when he generalises about obesity being linked to poverty. He states categorically that good nutritious food is more expensive than cheaper processed food. What a disastrous statement that is.

To buy prepared food can be expensive as well but equally it can be as nutritious as fresh food. Conversely fresh food can be cheaper than processed foodstuffs. To my mind, it is the making of the meals that makes the difference not what goes in to those meals.

When I was a lot younger than I am now (about 60 years younger), my mother taught me, and my sister, how to cook. Mum was a good cook even if her meals were basic, but then we had very little money immediately after the war.

Cheap cuts of meat along with whatever fresh vegetables were available were made into filling and nutritious meals. We both grew up fit and healthy. She taught us as much as she could so we were never likely to starve.

As a teenage boy she despaired of me ever finding a girlfriend so she could get rid of me so she made sure I could not only cook but make pickles and preserves as well. In my local pub, I’m known as the “pickle man” and I’m often asked what Eli’s Pickle Factory is currently making (it’s piccalilli today). Tea tonight is cottage pie, mince at £3.50, one onion, one carrot, some frozen peas and five potatoes, vegetable accompaniment of cabbage and broad beans; total cost £5. This will be two portions to eat tonight and sufficient for two portions to freeze. When we were first married I helped my wife to learn the rudiments of cooking, her mother had never allowed her into the kitchen. Now some days she prepares and I cook, on other days it’s the reverse.

So, to go back to Mr Bond’s statement, we had a quick calculation last night, and the meals for two in our house so far this week, four days, have amounted to about £15. This is not exactly expensive, and as my wife is following a health-related eating regime which is checked weekly, she has to adhere very closely to what she is allowed.

I can agree with part of Mr Bond’s letter, however, in that exercise facilities are limited and can be expensive. But walking is cheap! So a good energetic walk could help with obesity as well as stimulating heart beat and blood pressure.

So, to conclude, I believe it is the lack of cooking ability that makes it easier to use prepared junk food than to cook – not the cost.

From: H Marjorie Gill, Clarence Drive, Menston.

IF I were a patient in hospital, I would like to be given the choice of one of the following options:

1. Steak and kidney pie with boiled or mashed potatoes and nicely cooked green vegetables (not undercooked).

2. Chicken and mushroom casserole with ditto vegetables.

3. Braised steak and onions with ditto vegetables.

4. Braised boneless shoulder of pork with ditto vegetables.

Followed by:

1. Rice pudding with dollop of jam.

2. Bread and butter pudding made with egg custard.

3. Fruit pastry with cream or egg custard.

It would be interesting to hear from other older patients about what their favourite dishes would be. What I don’t care for at all is pasta, particularly in salads or sweet with meat dishes, but then I’m funny that way!

Russia’s role in rush to war

From: The Rev Barrie Williams, Chubb Hill Road, Whitby.

ALISON Fell (Yorkshire Post, February 10) identifies British jealousy, French revenge and German ambition as causes 
of the Great War. What about Russia?

Defeated by Japan in 1905 and outwitted in the Balkan crisis of 1908, the Tsarist regime was desperate for a scoop in foreign policy to divert attention from problems at home.

It was Russia’s general mobilisation that precipitated war with the central powers.

When Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, the Russian ambassador, Count Izvolsky, is said to have danced a jig exclaiming: “This is my war.”

Bus facts 
and figures

From: Hon Alderman DH Townsley, Baronscourt, Whitkirk, Leeds.

THE letter from Councillor 
James Lewis (Yorkshire Post, February 17) raised some points of interest, but defending the indefensible is never a rewarding pastime.

His comments are disingenuous.

Neglecting the many reasons why bendy buses are now out of favour, let us study facts. Bus capacity is not dictated 
by whether it is diesel, trolley, hybrid or battery.

Metro’s 18m long trolleybus would have a crush load capacity of 49 seated plus 100 standees. This equates to a road footprint 
of 8.2 passengers/m.

The 11.23 metre long NBfL double decker proposed by First would have 62 seated, 20 standees, a footprint of 7.12 passengers/m.

Two NBfL buses, if needed, would only be 4.52m longer than the bendy bus but with ten more passengers and would have the added advantage of greater manoeuvrability plus 
a separation between the 
two to allow other vehicles to operate.

In accusing First of forsaking the £173m poisoned carrot, 
Coun Lewis forgets the people of Leeds would then no longer need to stump up the £75m (and rising) shortfall on the NGT project.