Well done you. I lived out of tinned food, pot noodles and crispy pancakes at your age, lived alone and couldn't cook to save myself. All changed now but grateful for the quick fixes around today if I'm in a real hurry, or just want to put my feet up.

I have been known to use AB products now and again. They're so convienient but only roast potatoes and yorkshire puddings as i can't be bothered making those from scratch when i live on my own. The desserts are vile though .

What about people that don't have those stocked in their cupboards? Are they too lazy to buy them as well?


It was the very generous amount of jam in the roly poly that I loved most.

Don't think I've ever had Yorkshires in any shape or form!

If they do buy them, don't use them by the sell by dates and throw them out, they'll be considered 'wasteful people' with money to burn no doubt.

I bought the roly poly on Saturday & found it quite nice for £1.30, I also bought the spotted dick for the same price but will need a sh!tload of custard for that

It's no more lazy than going out to a restaurant for dinner. Which is something I never do. If I want to cut a few corners to save time that's my prerogative!

I like AB's yorkshire puds, I don't think I've tried any others before.

OMG just tried AB's apple pie - it was GOOD! Feel like a pig though

Oh dear, some of the smugness on this thread is unbearable.

I have tried several AB products, as I work long days and have a 3+ hour round trip commute so, much as I love cooking and will spend time at the weekend batch cooking, I simply am not in the house awake for long enough on weekdays. I also find that cooking for one it is not always possible to produce small portions and not everything freezes well or keeps a good texture if chilled and reheated the next day. But enough of appeasing the 'lazy police'.

Products I have tried:

Frozen yorkies - batter; very good, almost as good as home made and easy to just cook one, rather than having to create a whole batch when just one is needed or when I'm low on milk.

Frozen yorkies - pre-cooked; not so good, can be a bit dry and crispy, wouldn't bother again.

Stuffing balls; very tasty. Again, extremely handy to pop one in the oven when cooking a chicken breast. I would never make a whole batch of stuffing, so the alternative isn't 'make from scratch' but 'have no stuffing', and AB's stuffing balls win hands down.

Roast potatoes; not really that keen and if I don't have time to make my own would prefer a different, quicker style of potato.

Mash; excellent and very useful. As others have said, bung a knob of butter in with some milk and you have a very acceptable side dish. However what I tend to use them for is thickening soups and stews/casseroles. Just add a disk of the still frozen mash to the saucepan and let the mash melt in. Oh, and if I'm seized by a sudden urge for fishcakes, I thaw some AB mash in the microwave, add some tinned salmon (don't have time to go fishing and scale and gut a fresh one!), and herbs, egg and breadcrumb and Bob's your uncle. I serve with mushy peas from a tin - a product that I find far better tinned than I could make myself.

Frozen toad-in-the-hole; a massive disappointment, bought once only from the local shop late one night. I was surprised by the poor quality of the sausages used, pink, mushy, unpleasant texture and tasting of a little nutmeg and not much else. Would never buy again.

i don't mind the parsnips but the rest that I have tried all tastes artificial.
No excuse for frozen yorkshires in my opinion.

Having a few giant Yorkshire puds in the freezer is a brilliant stand-by (I honestly don't care if they're AB or supermarket own brand). Simply steam a load of frozen mixed veg, cook up some vege-mince thickened with gvavy (from granules - naturally), then toss it all into the Yorkshire and you have a nutritious and filling meal in a few minutes. Better still - hardly any washing up

If I want potatoes, I either put some very small ones into the steamer with the mixed veg, or else (shock, horror) use instant mashed potato. I always buy Sainsbury's basics brand because it's unbleached and unless you make it too sloppy, I bet nobody could tell it from mashed potato made the traditional way.

Incidentally I never peel potatoes unless they're being roasted. The skin is the most nutritious part.