I totally get that lunchables are the devil. They are pre-packaged boxes of sugar, sodium, fat and lots of calories. However, we're still friends. We have an understanding. I occasionally buy the small ones (sans drink) with meat, crackers and cheese. Paired with a vegetable, fruit and water, they're not so evil. Or that's what I tell myself. So back off. The convenience is lovely.
I like convenient, easy to do/use things. I'm all about the pre-chopped vegetables for party trays; just add _____ mixes for cakes, muffins, brownies, whatever; and frozen desserts are terribly useful to keep on hand for those last minute get-togethers. Ready-to-cook and other prepared food-stuffs are so nice to have around the house.
I'm not ashamed to admit it either (not really, anyway). They're helpful. What so wrong with 'helpful'? (no, don't really answer that - I could list a lot of reasons.) Time-savers are so important to today's housekeepers*. Mainly because today's housekeepers are also parents, job-holders, church-goers, hobbiests and, thing-doers. People have more things to do than just cook (not always more important -just more). Why should quality* suffer just because there's a lack of time?
What time savers to you use?
*Yes, there are a lot of foods that are WAY better when made from scratch and are well worth the time. Let us not argue about that.*
**I'm sure yesterday's housekeepers had "things" do or would have like to have other things to be busy with. Let us be clear; I'm not slamming yesterday's housekeepers.**
6 comments:
Great topic Kitti!
So a while ago I bought a crap load of boxed foods, side dish type stuff. I thought, wow I will save so much time with this stuff. Well the weeks have gone by and now the unused boxes will be going to the boy scouts food drive.
So those types of short cuts don't work for me, but there are others I love. I totally give the kids fruit snacks every day after nap time because I am usually too tired at that point to think of one more food to give them and they love it.
I am a big prepared frozen food person (if I let myself be), I love frozen veggies, potatoes, pizza ect., it all works for me. Though in resent weeks we have been trying to scale down on those things because they are so high in fat and the quality (think pizza) is fairly low.
Mostly we have been eating out, cafe rio is our favorite because we are cheap and can practically feed our whole family with one salad. They make them so freakin' big, hooray for us. Anyway we need to start moving away from that too, because we don't just go to cafe rio we like smokehouse pizza and other unmentionables.
It's funny though, sometimes those things aren't the most convenient if, say you are leaving your house to got get them and not just picking then up on the way home.
I think some times I would rather eat out just to avoid getting my kitchen dirty. I know it sounds sad and crazy but how many dishes do I really want to do in this life time. I guess there is another reason for not eating out, the waste, the containers, utensils, napkins, cups, lids, straws and what nots that they give you.
Oh and that is the other thing I want to work on, not feeling guilty about every little thing. Blah!
Really, really well written.
Okay, so while I don't buy lunchables my kids won't eat them. There are lots of other things that I do buy to try and make my life easier. I buy the frozen french fires, cake mixes, caprisuns, bagels, frozen meatballs, frozen (though i love fresh) pastas, etc. I really like to get totinos pizzas for the kids, they love it and I'm a good mom because I'm giving them a treat. Though there are some things that I make that I wish the kids would eat. Like mac n cheese Miss Magoo loves mine but PJ won't touch mine but loves the stuff in the blue box.
But I think the main thing that I do for convenience is with my cleaning. I love to have clorox wipes on hand, have to have them. And I like to use those swiffer things.
Love the clorox wipes and the magic erasers. Also love the wet cloth on the floor instead of the mop (yeah -just a little bit ghetto).
yes, cleaning sees the main lazy action, and I mean lazy in a good way. I used to use vinager wipes like crazy, crazy I tell you. But now I use paper towels and a spray bottle of vinager. The reason for the switch is three fold, a) my hands stay dryer w/ paper towels 2) I can always have the spray bottle out because it's not toxic and d) paper towels can be recycled. I heart vinegar, tell you what
Oooh, vinegar. I always forget about that but way good idea. I'll have to try that. I like the non-toxic part.
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