I am a food fascist, I'm happy to admit it. Why serve something out of a packet when it's just as easy, and about a gazzilion times more tasty, to make it from scratch? I saw an ad for two-minute noodles today, touting them as the perfect after-school snack... but I reckon this little plateful here is perfect for apres-school munchies. {And two minutes, ha! Boil them, microwave them, stir them, rest them... adds up to more than two minutes in my book}I always keep a pack of wholemeal muffins in the fridge, with a pack on standby in the freezer. Sitting alongside them is the shredded cheese, frozen and always ready for action. In the fridge is the tomato sauce and sliced ham.
Making mini pizzas is as simple as splitting the muffins and toasting the underside. While they're browing, slicing up the ham, then take them out, spreading them with sauce on the soft inside, layering on shards of ham and topping with the cheese. Back under the grill for a tick to brown, and hello, a yummy snack rich with protein, wholegrain, calcium and vitamins and minerals - in around two minutes. Yes, you could pop vegies on them, but ham and cheese have won my gal's heart.
Noodles, schmoodles...
One of my current love/hates is pre-cut veggies and fruits. Our grocers do a great job of having a huge selection of bags/packages of produce that's prewashed, cut, etc for your convenience. But I often compare prices and find it's just hugely more expensive than buying whole veg/fruit and cutting it up yourself.
ReplyDeleteI understand the convenience sake, and believe me, there are some that I've indulged in (like precut up pineapple chunks or kiwis) but I don't make it regularly. When a head of celery is $1, but a bag with some cut up that weighs less is $5? Uhhh.
We make and pack Eva's lunches daily. Her teacher commented about how "weird" it is that we don't send things like snack-packs, lunchables, etc., because all the other parents do. You know, because slicing up a bit of cheese, veg, and fruit, throwing in a few whole wheat crackers, and a bite of chocolate is so hard . . . and because I need my kid to drink sugary "faux" juices all the time. It takes less time to make her lunch than it does to make my coffee, because she's not a big eater.
Her teacher also mentioned that I could "purchase" the schools brown-bag lunch program. At first, my interest was piqued, until I heard it was all prepackaged foods. Sigh. BUT, for some reason, Nolan and Eva do really love those disgusting 2 minute noodles. On nights when I'm too sick and tired with this pregnancy, I just let them eat it and look the other way, because a bit of junk occasionally never hurts them.
Couldn't agree with you more! Chicken Tonight/premix sauces make me want to huuurrrrl. I've gone to the next extreme lately and have been making jam, pickles, pasta, biscuits.. I've gone from-scratch-psycho!
ReplyDeleteMy kids don't ever get the commercial snacks or sweets unless it's a party. I'm mean mummy to boot!