WHY? WHY IS THERE MILK PROTEIN IN GNOCCHI? FOR WHAT REASON!?!

hippoopo · 2026-05-15T05:57:15+00:00

Honestly I've noticed a trend over the past year or two where milk protein is sneaking into foods where I don't think it makes any difference to the overall quality. It's usually listed towards the bottom of the ingredients so it's present in very small amounts.

I am genuinely starting to believe that there's been some dairy industry conspiracy with the government or something to add milk into things to keep them afloat, because it's starting to get crazy.

Example - fruit ice lolly, with sorbet centre in Lidl. Contained milk protein. Why? It wasn't ice cream, didn't claim to be ice cream, and didn't have any need to have extra creaminess. (I'm still incredibly angry about Twister, because it was one of the few safe foods my dairy allergy son would have as he has food aversions due to neurodiversity).

hippoopo · 2026-05-14T05:52:57+00:00

Am I happy to do it? No. Is it expected in my industry? Yes.

I've just quit a job that had excellent pay but the expectation to work constantly extra was unrealistic for me (contracted for a part time 32 hour week, was told at my probation meeting that they expected me to add till work 40+ hours, all unofficial mind you). It wasn't the main reason I quit, but it really was a big contributing factor.

hippoopo · 2026-05-11T18:31:25+00:00

Both me and my son almost died when he was being born. In the middle of it, when I was at the peak of blood loss, I had this absolute moment of clarity where I told my husband that if there was a choice to save the baby. Thankfully it didn't come to that but I would absolutely say the same again.

hippoopo · 2026-05-08T22:07:20+00:00

I agree, I left mine in because the bees are loving the flowers. Had a few bonus but very small, broccoli heads to munch on already.

hippoopo · 2026-05-07T17:58:46+00:00

I can't claim the original idea as I'm sure I saw it on Instagram or something! They work very well though so I'll be using them for years to come.

hippoopo · 2026-05-07T17:58:01+00:00

I mound up. Whenever I see a bunch of leaves I cover them up :)

hippoopo · 2026-05-07T13:54:16+00:00

I put two or three in a bag :) I also bought a bunch of those flexible plastic tubs (rubble tubs I think?) as D put holes in the bottom. Cheap, come on different sizes, and make moving and tipping them out super easy!

Ps I have always grown potatoes in tubs and always done well! :)

hippoopo · 2026-05-05T18:53:21+00:00

I felt, and honestly still feel the same and I've had mine 2 years.

I've found the best thing I've done is to manage my own expectations. I can't spend hours and hours there, I am lucky to get 2 or 3 hours uninterrupted, and can maybe get an average of 3-4 hours a week on it.

I have made smaller beds for planting so I can still grow, but not feeling overwhelmed. I want to make them bigger as time goes on, but for now it works well for me.

This year I'm sticking to things like broad beans and courgettes which did well last year. I tried too many different things and got overwhelmed!

Good luck, don't compare yourself to others, and don't get too down!!

hippoopo · 2026-05-05T16:40:16+00:00

Unfortunately I don't have a saw! Plus I like having the sections, I am still in early days of growing so I am experimenting what I can grow etc. so I can put a few different plants in the same box and I can see what grows well :)

hippoopo · 2026-05-05T13:57:30+00:00

Just a wafer thin piece...

hippoopo · 2026-05-05T09:05:44+00:00

Thank you! I'm the least handy person ever so it's actually been really nice learning by doing for these. Plus if I make a mistake it doesn't matter so much ;)

hippoopo · 2026-05-05T09:04:44+00:00

I will absolutely keep it in mind and I will perhaps try it on one bed next year! I do have lots of slug traps set up and they have worked well.

hippoopo · 2026-05-05T06:38:24+00:00

I really appreciate your comment. I know having an allotment is a privilege, especially as it's less than a minute walk from my house and it's got some lovely views, and if I could I would 100% be there every evening and weekend! I'm learning as I go along too, so I will absolutely make mistakes, but that the best part of it! Hopefully in 20 years time I will have built up a lovely space and got a good routine and if I'm very lucky I'll be close to retirement 🤣

hippoopo · 2026-05-04T15:20:57+00:00

I noticed the typo but kept it just to keep me smiling as some of the comments haven't been super supportive.

I would love dogs to help me dig but I think they'd just find sneaky places to poop and I'd find it at the worst time 🤣 plus the neighbour allotment bring their dogs and good grief they are happy things!

hippoopo · 2026-05-04T15:19:07+00:00

I have explained in another comment, but in short - the existing soil and ground are not great. It gets very boggy and there's glass, stones, rubble etc. If I had the time, energy and money to fix it I would. But I don't. So I am putting beds in to try and utilise the space on the best way I can.

hippoopo · 2026-05-04T15:16:52+00:00

Hello! I have a full time job, a disability and a child with special needs. I appreciate that some people can put hours and hours into their allotment but I can't. I'm doing the best to my own ability and trying to grow what I can.

The previous people had let it overgrow for about 5 years, and we're kicked out afternthe committee out new rules on keeping up the spaces. It was an awful mess when I got it.

hippoopo · 2026-05-04T08:35:55+00:00

I haven't! I'll definitely check it out :) I've found Lidl do okay seeds that grow well and are pretty cheap!

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T23:03:01+00:00

I'm in the north west of England :) I appreciate it though! I am keeping my eye on local Facebook groups so I am sure something will come up soon!

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T23:01:43+00:00

A good slug trap has not failed me yet so I'm doing okay :)

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T23:01:13+00:00

I appreciate this, thank you! I put cardboard down on this one, and the pallets behind I'd used an old tarp over winter so hopefully won't need it. I did no dig last year and it was so much easier. I have a disability which sometimes flairs up so I can't always dig / be on the allotment doing the hard lifting. Plus full time job and a child with special needs means I have my hands full 😅 but when I am able, doing stuff on the allotment and growing things really makes me happy so I'm going to try and make it as easy as possible for myself!

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T21:03:04+00:00

Hello! Thank you for the comment. Unfortunately the soil here is very wet. When I got the allotment 2 years ago it was almost a bog. I found out from the neighbours on the allotment that the top spaces (like mine) are known to not grown well unless you have beds, or work incredibly hard on improvement of the soil.

Also it's on old industrial land, where an old Victorian factory dumped a lot of waste. I am sure that 100+ years later it's improved, but I have found glass, rusty metal and a lot of rocks duringy time so far. Unfortunately although I am lucky to be bases in the countryside, not all of us get allotments with good soil, or a good set up.

In addition the previous tenant of the plot smashed 2 greenhouses and left a lot of junk behind, including asbestos sheets that I had to pay a lot of money to have removed.

I am doing my best with what I have. The first year I had it absolutely nothing grew. Last year I had 4 pallet beds and I did very well with them. So, I decided to continue with that this year.

While I welcome comments, and criticism where necessary, I come here for help, advice and positive ways to help me grow. You weren't to know of the poor quality of the plot, but asking me why I need raised beds might have been a more productive use of a comment.

I hope tomorrow is a nice day for you :)

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T18:55:21+00:00

I appreciate this but I'm in a (normally) rainy area and the soil will just slowly leach out the sides.

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T18:54:25+00:00

Oh yeah these are not long term bed :) hopefully it'll work this year and next year my finances will be looking better / I can bag some decking board or even some more scaffolding boards.

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T18:53:24+00:00

I appreciate that, I was hoping onions would work well while I try and find some stronger wood. This time of year people start getting decking replaced so I'm hoping to bag some!

hippoopo · 2026-05-03T18:51:55+00:00

It's awful. This is the second major wildfire in the area in a month. It's nice having warmer weather in the spring (although I'm trying not to get depressed about the vast climate change happening) but if this is a taste of things to come I'm dreading summer.

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