Hot Pockets, and Nuggets, and Chimichangas, Oh My!
In anticipation of the stressful week that we just survived, Howard and I purchased frozen food. We bough frozen lasagnas, chicken nuggets, hot pockets, and chimichangas. These are all items that we haven’t had for nigh two years because they’re too expensive. BUT this purchasing decision was actually the frugal decision, because while Hot Pockets are more expensive than home cooking, they are far cheaper than fast food or delivered pizza. We knew we would not have time, energy, or brainspace to cook. Also we didn’t want to have the added stress of having to negotiate the eating of food with children who’d rather do something else.
Sure enough, the kids wolfed down these food items with relish. Patches is young enough that he doesn’t remember the days when this was standard fare, but he’s definitely found a new favorite food group called “chicken nuggets.” Kiki rejoiced at the return of her beloved Hot Pockets. Link felt the same way about the chicken nuggets. Gleek actually sat still to eat these foods rather than bouncing around the room between bites. All of this forced me to remember why I served them so often during the Novell years. They were so convenient and argument free. Unfortunately convenience is expensive. With home cooked meals I can usually feed the whole family for $2 or less. Chimichangas cost $.90 each and our family will eat 8 or more during one meal. Fast food runs us $15 or more for one meal. We saved money by planning ahead for stressful times. (I would have saved even more by planning further ahead and freezing home cooked meals, but that just didn’t happen this time around.)
Today we ate up the last of the frozen pre-prepared food. All along we’ve been telling our kids that we bought these foods as treats for during “book week.” I fully expect to hear requests for more of them in the near future. I won’t be buying them. The point of a treat is that it is rare and special. If kids get chicken nuggets every day, then chicken nuggets stop being a treat. If kids get candy every day, then it stops being a treat. “daily treat” is something of an oxymoron, or at least it should be. I thought about keeping a stock of chicken nuggets in the freezer for “emergencies,” but when I KNOW there are nuggets in the freezer “emergency” gets redefined to mean “I don’t feel like cooking today.” If I don’t have convenient foods in the freezer I muddle through on cheaper options despite being tired. We’ll get more of these frozen foods when next we have a “book week.” Hopefully that will be within the next 6 months.