FROZEN SHOPPER

Strolling through the frozen food aisles, it amazed me how many food items could be frozen.

Large industries were created with selling frozen meals as its business models. “Frugal” is old enough to remember the “TV dinner”. Not that mom would ever serve one, which automatically made them more intriguing to me. One purpose was to target the lives of busy consumers and offer a quick and convenient alternative to cooking. This was pre- drive thru concept at fast food restaurants.

These plastic trays of food items consisted of a meat/fish/pasta, a vegetable and a carb. Frozen mashed potatoes or frozen rice? Further down the case were breakfast items and lunch uncrustable PB&J sandwiches. The idea wheel in my mind was now in motion.

Dewey was my search engine before Google and Bing. I’d search recipes to ‘make a mix’ of my own. I didn’t have to look any farther than the back of the Toll House Cookie package. I’d assemble five Ziploc bags of Toll House recipe ingredients. Anytime Mother’s Little Helpers craved cookies, my pre-made mix needed only wet ingredients to convert my dry mix into magical wonders of warm deliciousness.

This concept also extended to waffles. Eggo’s were replaced with my “make a mix” plain, chocolate chip, blueberry or pumpkin waffles. Once cooled, these round or animal shaped waffles were wrapped for the freezer. Other “make a mix” packets included corn bread/muffins and oatmeal/raisin cookies. Then on to sandwiches!

What a savings using what was on my pantry  shelf instead of what was on the grocery store shelf.

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: Make you own mix is a fun and frugal activity with Mother’s Little Helpers to get them involved in food prep and cooking. What Mother’s Little Helper can resist a bowl of flour and a measuring cup!