In Our Community

Frugal Family Fun: Preheat to Cozy

Sugar and Spice and a Price that is Nice

By Jennifer Dumke

Baby it’s cold outside and unfortunately, you really must stay in. When the temps take a nosedive, there’s not a lot to do outdoors. But don’t let the winter blues get you down. There are plenty of family-friendly indoor activities that are easy on the wallet and also make tasty memories.

DECLARE A “BAKE IN” PIZZA NIGHT

We all love take-out pizza night but avoid the hassle of picking the place, toppings and of course, the tip by staying in… literally. What’s great about pizza night is that most families can all agree on at least some type of pizza. Go convenient and purchase some ready-made dough for personal pizzas. Create a buffet style of ingredients that you know your family loves so they can create a mozzarella masterpiece of their own. If you have a larger family and oven space is an issue, try to condense the number of pizzas and group together to be more efficient. You can even go one step further and purchase different crusts so “dough-body” will be disappointed.

WHY NOT GO PIDDLY

Most moms know at least one famous family recipe that you’ve tried to master only to be repeatedly disappointed. Not only are your taste buds let down, it’s likely you now have a bevy of unusual ingredients and a big mess in the kitchen. Well there’s no better time than now to wrestle that recipe and come out on top. Whether it’s a pie, dessert or a savory dish, give it your all and have fun on the way. If things begin to go south, try salvaging your creation by adding your own modification for a fun family recipe spin. After all, those classic chocolate chip cookies do taste better when filled with hazelnut spread. Voila-you have now created a new family classic. And don’t forget to give it a new, fun name!

WATCHING THE WASTE LINE

Chocolate and caramel and butter, oh my! Yes, the downfall to baking as a frugal family fun winter activity is all the yummy treats. Teach your children the value of being a good Samaritan and box and pack up all the extra treats and deliver them to others. Whether visiting your grandparents who live in a nursing home or simply walking a few houses down to that elderly neighbor, who doesn’t enjoy a sweet treat and most importantly, your company.

Baking is a great way to bond as a family, save money on spendy treats and learn the values of appreciating others. Just make sure you include clean-up as part of the family activity. n