Looking to reduce costs!

[5 Little Monkeys]

For potatoes, I usually boil them and then either mash with a bit of butter and milk and put in containers to freeze or I cool them in the fridge and when they are cold, cut them really small for hash browns. Then I put those in small ziploc bags. I have a cast iron frying pan so I can fry them with very little oil (only enough to make the pan shiny.)

I have found if you boil the potatoes and freeze them in pieces, they end up a gross, soggy mess when reheated in the microwave. Frozen mashed, however, as long as they are heated through and steaming hot are just as good as freshly mashed.

I found the same! The potatoes that I boiled, cut in chunks and froze went brown and mushy but the ones that I mashed and froze stayed white and were fine. I wonder why?? I only did it that once and haven't tried again. I even used my food saver machine and bags so it's not like air got to them.

[kindertime]

I found the same! The potatoes that I boiled, cut in chunks and froze went brown and mushy but the ones that I mashed and froze stayed white and were fine. I wonder why?? I only did it that once and haven't tried again. I even used my food saver machine and bags so it's not like air got to them.

Not sure but I suspect it has to do with the stucture of the starches in the potato. When I mash and don't use milk and butter the result is a mushy mess. I have never tried the frozen pieces in the oven to heat them up, might work. I have also found that for the best results when frying the hash browns, they need to be boiled less than for mashed. Less water absorbed that way.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Wow, I can't even eat 1.5 bananas!! Lol

Honestly, I probably would never even give that much not only due to cost but also because I don't think a toddler needs that much. I guess it would depend though...if the child didn't eat much lunch I might be more inclined to allow it...

It's tough because some kids will continue to eat even if they're full but on the other hand, you don't want a starving child!!

[torontokids]

Yeah, I wasn't consciously giving 1.5 bananas. It was more like I break off a piece of banana, they eat it, eat the rest of snack, ask for more banana, I give it. Then they ask for more banana and I have half of one sitting there in the peel so I give it only to realize after "hey, they just ate 1.5 bananas!" I think the kids aren't eating a ton at home for dinner so I have greatly reduced my end of day as well.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Yeah, I wasn't consciously giving 1.5 bananas. It was more like I break off a piece of banana, they eat it, eat the rest of snack, ask for more banana, I give it. Then they ask for more banana and I have half of one sitting there in the peel so I give it only to realize after "hey, they just ate 1.5 bananas!" I think the kids aren't eating a ton at home for dinner so I have greatly reduced my end of day as well.

Totally understandable!! One of my past big eaters was like that. Mom and I would give him fruit while we were getting lunch or snack ready (he was still in high chair so was younger and we would just put food on the tray for him) and the doctor finally told us to stop that!! Lol. We had to start portioning out his plate and when it was gone, it was gone!

[5 Little Monkeys]

I can't remember if I used milk and butter to mash mine....I do normally so I probably did