Pizzas are Veggies, And 7 other ways to get along with kids.

Not a vegetable.

I'm reading some brouhaha over the frozen food lobbyists declaring pizza is a veggie.  People are missing the point when they focus on whether pizza is a vegetable, I believe.  The shock is not that pizza could count as a veggie.  The shocker is that the frozen food lobbyists have such a hand in our policymaking.  The true shocker is that 90% of the food served at my kids' schools is from a freezer.

There is a reason I never got into "Once a Month Cooking" and "freezer meal preparation."  Because it sucked. Yes, I use my share of frozen food around here.  There are 7 reasons to use frozen food.

Oh wait, you say, I called the post "7 ways to get along with your kids." Stay with me.

1. The first reason to use frozen foods is because some of them taste really good.  The ones that taste really good, however, are extra-chock-full of fats and oils, breadings, corn syrup solids and even chemical excitotoxins that turn on addiction receptors in their neuro system in addition to creating symptoms of ADHD, migraines, and more. Sadly, this is the ditch where the frozen food used in schools lies.

2.  The second reason to use frozen food is because they are very convenient.  If you can neatly pack a freezer and keep that freezer running, and you keep track of what's in there so nothing freezer-burns, then you can make your budget go further with less waste. (Unless you count the waste of the food ending up in the trash because it doesn't taste good.) Studies have been shown to us that indicate not much nutrition is lost in freezing.  Even some have said that frozen food can be more nutritious as foods are picked at ripeness and frozen immediately- unlike "fresh" produce that is picked before it is ripe and then travels hundreds and thousands of miles over hours or days to market.

The convenience factor means, for me, that my kids can have more of my time during the "witching hour." You know, that late afternoon/early evening period when kids' need for attention seems to peak.

3.  It's the only way to get popsicles and ice cream.  (See? I told you it was about getting along with your kids.)

4.  You can get fruits and vegetables that are out of season.  The frozen strawberries at the store are the same price, all year long, and always ripe to perfection.  This is where mom saves the day for the kid who loves strawberries.  I found strawberries this summer for 77 cents a pint, and flash-froze them myself.  This leads me to....

Fried green tomatoes. Not frozen.
Can only eat in September.

5.  Because you can have more control over your food supply when you use the freezer.  I'm sure the schools like this too.  As long as you have the freezer space and electricity, you can control your food supply and even the costs.  Yes, I was able to get hopefully a winter's supply of strawberries flash frozen and put away for half the cost of buying the big bag from Costco.  In addition, I put away 10 quarts of mustard and collard greens. I buy meat in the markdown case and save it in the freezer, so I can provide them the meat they want within our budget.  I even freeze bread when we've gotten more than we can eat at once.

6.  Every single person knows-  with a decent supply of freezer foods, dinner is as easy as freezer-(toaster)oven-table.  There are many days that even a busy family of 10 uses that excuse.  It's honestly still cheaper and healthier than a restaurant meal. And you can't go to a restaurant in your pajamas or if someone is sick.

7.  The proper use of freezer food can give you a more varied, more balanced, more budget friendly, and more convenient food service system.  This is where I think the schools fail.  I freeze ingredients, and use them to make simple homemade dishes for my family.   I use frozen meals sparingly. I keep it in balance.  I can feel ok with feeding them chicken nuggets or even an occasional frozen pizza, because I know that usually they are getting homecooked meals.

School children eating
fresh homecooked meal.

The sad truth is that, particularly in the urban core, kids are never getting homecooked meals.  I have had kids come to my house, and watch me make breakfast tacos with amazement and a proclamation, "Why is everything you make so fancy?"

My go-to fast food should never, ever be perceived by some kid as fancy.  That makes me sad.

I don't care if you call pizza a vegetable. Here is a lesson plan to incorporate it into your school day.  Call it Al. Call it Ray Jay. Even call it Mr. Johnson.  Call it late for dinner, whatever.  I ask only 2 things:   Don't let the frozen food lobbyists set policy for our schools.  Put real commercial kitchens and chefs back in the schools.  Go to Two Angry Moms and Fed Up With Lunch to become informed and find ways to combat this issue.

P.S. On your pizza, try smearing some pesto made with your own garden basil and the local nut you can gather freely, then layer the top with eggplant, fresh tomato and basil and sprinkle with fresh romano and parmesan.  If that ain't a vegetable serving, what is?