BRACING FOR S'MORE

It’s been many years since the Mother’s Little Helpers were pre-teens and teenagers. One of the most challenging experiences being “Old Mother Frugal” was raising teenagers in my frugal world.

It was not only a matter of economics that prevented them all from participating in after-school activities. It was also matter of not being able to be in three places at the same time!

One after-school activity that two of my helpers participated in was that after-school activity known as “going to the orthodontist”.

New food habits had to be formed while eliminating old foods from diets.

One of those food items off the menu were marshmallows. The youngest of Mother’s Little Helpers loved marshmallows as a child. He also loved to prank Old Mother Frugal.

One afternoon after school, little helper was left alone in the kitchen with an after-school snack. Suddenly, an inaudible phrase emitted from his vocal chords. It sounded like….

“Mom, do you think I’m allowed to eat marshmallows”? We were on different levels of the house. Since I wasn’t clear as to what was asked, it was repeated for me, yet again in the most garbled of tones.

“Do you think I’m allowed to eat marshmallows”?

Eating marshmallows? Braces?  Oh, this cannot be happening. Racing into the kitchen expecting to see a mouthful of gooey marshmallow crème affixed to silver braces, what waited for me was my prankster child with a marshmallow-less grin from ear to ear.

Humor can be a very frugal form of entertainment and one that Old Mother Frugal has em-“braced” for many years. To this day, nothing conjures up a smile as quickly as those little square white plumps of sugar and Mother’s Youngest Helper.

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: Be frugal with calories as well as finances. When making S’mores, break or cut the marshmallow in half to reduce the amount of calories consumed when placing them between the graham crackers. The same principle can be used with the chocolate component. Replace solid chocolate candy bar with a few chocolate chips or drizzle chocolate syrup over the marshmallow. You will not miss the reduced flavors or the calories!