There’s been a couple of articles circulating the news and various sites recently which have captured my interest both carrying the 20 year theme; “How the contents of our fridges have changed over 20 years” and the end of an era as we say goodbye to Tesco Value.

Now I haven’t had my own fridge for 20 years so can I really comment? But of course I do remember what my mum used to stock up with at home. How the contents of our fridges have changed was an interesting read and worthy of some sort of comment!

Items from 20 years ago (with my comments in italics)
Cheese still current, full fat milk replaced with semi or skimmed, iceberg lettuce yes to salad items, lard you’ll find Flora White in my fridge a healthy alternative great for roasting, pastry and baking, marmalade & preserves sometimes, fish/sandwich paste yuck!, bread in the fridge really?, pickled onions again the fridge, dripping well I always drain meat juices and keep in fridge if not used instantly so yes still found in mine, black pudding I do like this so yes occasionally, pâté still occasionally found in my fridge. Other items included long life milk, sardines, beef brisket, liver, kidneys, brawn, cockles, eels.

Popular items currently in our fridge
Cheese at least cheddar and stilton in mine, eggs local farm eggs,  mayonnaise a must, butter yes, margarine dairy free soya spread, skimmed milk semi for me!, tomato ketchup of course, salad cream sometimes, peppers yes, tomato puree essential, mineral water no, what’s wrong with water from the tap, olives and sun-dried tomatoes, natural/Greek yoghurt always, ready prepared salad no, in the summer usually lettuce my mum has grown or just individual salad items, sweet chilli sauce most of the time, Parmesan no, hummus I like caramelised onion, pitta bread normally in the bread bin, pro-biotic drinks no, I have natural yoghurt!, curry paste authentic Thai variety.

And my additional essentials are: crème fraîche and a chilled bottle of wine (how was this left off the list?!)

And yes my fridge contents has altered over the years but are these changes just because trends have changed? I would say not totally but mainly because my interest and experience in food has grown. And regarding all the meat and fish items from 20 bygone years ago… there are now more cuts and varieties available which are probably more likely to be found in the freezer these days.

And now a word on Tesco Value…
The first I heard that Tesco Value was being axed after 20 years was when a uni friend posted on Facebook RIP Tesco Value. And for many like me it is an end of an era, the iconic blue stripes a memory of student days where every kitchen cupboard was filled with the brand. It was always a challenge to try to buy just Tesco Value, it was amazing how little you could spend on the everyday basics. I even remember my first ever uni Rag Week, the theme and merchandise was based on these blue strips; I still have the t-shirt! So here’s in memory to those blue stripes may they rest in peace but never be forgotten.

Oh and thankfully just as I haven’t had my own fridge for 20 years, it’s not quite 20 years since I was at uni but it’s getting dangerously close!

Credits:
BBC News – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17622856
Mail Online – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2127717/How-contents-fridges-changed-20-years-swapping-lard-dripping-mineral-water-olives.html