Muffin Tin Lunch

I hate throwing away food. Maybe it's the hours I spend clipping coupons and planning my shopping list. Or maybe it has something to do with pushing a cart that weighs twice as much as I do 'round and 'round the grocery store every week. Could be. But most likely, it's because I'm...um...cheap. Every spoon of corn or handful of salad dropping into the garbage disposal feels like money going down the drain. So, whatever my fourteen-year-old son doesn't eat, gets saved. And although I usually schedule leftovers into our meal plans, sometimes I end up with an unusual assortment of odds-and-ends littering the refrigerator shelves. These are the days that I get out the muffin tins at lunchtime and wait for the squeals of delight. My two younger kids LOVE muffin tin lunches. For some reason, an odd assortment of small amounts of food brings joy to my children's hearts.

First, I line the cups with muffin papers (only because my husband brought home hundreds of them from his work since they stuck to the muffins. Bad for muffins. Great for lunches!). Then, I start cleaning out the pantry and fridge. I trim the brown off the half-eaten apple, chop up the last three bites of chicken, and divide up that baggie of elbow macaroni from dinner two nights ago. I'll search the pantry, too. Why is it that there always seems to be a package of crackers with only four broken pieces left and a box of cereal with just half a handful in the bottom?!? Well, instead of dumping them into the trash (an unbearable thought), I'll throw them in the muffin tins. I usually finish off the combo with some ranch dressing and a spoon of peanut butter, both for dipping.

By the time lunch is over, I have two smiling kiddos and a clean fridge, with no food (or money!) being tossed in the trash. A win-win situation!

For more frugal ideas head over to Frugal Friday on Life as Mom.

 

Photo credit: j.figment

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Related posts:

1. A Frugal Fridge
2. The Great Pumpkin Muffins
3. Trash Talk