I love cooking during the holidays. I enjoy all the baking, the making, the taking … it makes my heart happy.
I also love seeing all the yummy items that come out in the delis and bakeries of the stores. They look delicious and are garnished beautifully.
They just seem so expensive.
That may be true … but there are two very different sides to this story and you need to decide which chapter you are reading.
Chapter One: I’m making this to create family memories.
If that’s the case, spend the money and make whatever your heart desires from scratch. You’ll spend $8 on a spice when you only need 1 teaspoon. Go for it. Memories are worth the cost.
Chapter Two: I’m making this just because it’s Thanksgiving and you’re supposed to have flour smeared on your apron.
Absolutely not the case. Don’t feel guilty if this is you … I fall into this trap a lot myself! I catch myself boiling 5 pounds of potatoes to make “from scratch” mashed potatoes when the Country Crock potatoes in the tub taste just the same … for about $2 less than my “from scratch” ones. The cake in the bakery costs $20 already completed and beautifully decorated, compared to the one that I’m making from scratch that causes me to stay up late, get hives trying to ice the sucker, and be disappointed when it’s not as pretty as what I wanted. Only to find out that it cost me $40 for all the ingredients and I could have bought the $20 one and been DONE. FINISHED. COMPLETED.
Which chapter are you reading? Check yourself this holiday season. Create your memories, but pick your “battles”.
* This post is part of a weekly segment on KSBJ Christian Radio. For more on segments featuring Stephanie Click, the Texas Money Mom, click here.
I have learned over the many Thanksgiving, Christmas’s and other holidays that there are some short cuts that no one knows are shortcuts and using some ready made foods that look great sitting along those special dishes that my family seems to think that only I can do. I do plan ahead so I can sit down with the Grandkids and play and encourage my children to do the same because there were times I did too much stuff and should have just played with my family. Involving them in the kitchen is a definite plus, creating memories is really what it is all about. It warms my heart when my children remember stringing popcorn for the tree, moving Baby Jesus from room to room until finally on Christmas he is in the manger. Whether it is cooking, baking, planting a tree, or flowers together,or taking a walk in the woods, these are the times that matter. thanks so much stephanie for your words of practicality, good common sense.
LOL, yes I’ve given myself hives over cakes!! Than you for standing up for our children 🙂
True as it may be that we should pick our battles, I am still a little old fashioned and LOVE spending time in my kitchen with my mom, sisters, and kiddos making things together from scratch! ALthough I will always like the box dressing lol 🙂 TO each their own, just remember the true meaning of holiday’s are spending quality time with family and friends and thanking God for every minute of it!
But what about healthy — the extra effort is very beneficial to keeping those processed foods with various unknown ingredients out of your system.  Scratch not only is usually less expensive but you can control the fat, calories and other unknowns out of it.  By the Way Penzies spice sells the little jars of FRESH spices for around $2.00 for those ones you don’t use often.  I never purchase  spices in the grocery store after all — what are those unpronouncable things in the “can” and just how fresh are they?  Not to mention what is the “can” lined with? BPA anyone?