Breaking Your Package Mix Addiction

While wandering the aisles of my grocer’s the other day, I surprised a woman in the packaged mix section. She was out of control, grabbing two of everything they had. Pausing I asked, “Are you OK?”

She fumbled and nearly dropped her armload. “No, no, I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong. I’m just a little low, y’know.”

I could see a cold sweat had broken out on her forehead. “You really need help.”

Before I could say more she blurted out, “You got it all wrong. I can quit anytime. Nothin’ to it. Next month, I’ll do it next month.”

Another sad case of package mix addiction. This woman was main-lining the seasoning in those mixes straight into her family meals. She supplied her habit courtesy of the mega-foods corporations that control American taste.

Sound familiar? Is a kitchen without little plastic bags of pre-seasoned food your idea of a culinary nightmare? If so, try my Four-Step Program for addiction-free meals.

Easy Four-Step Program

Step 1 – Take Control. Stand in the middle of your kitchen and say, “I can cook. This isn’t rocket science.” Ignore the snickering from your family.

Step 2 – Revive Your Spices. Drag out those jars you received as wedding presents and do the look-sniff-taste test. Look to see if the contents are caked or are harboring fugitive insects. Open the jar and sniff the spice. If you can’t detect a flavor, neither will your taste buds. Finally, taste a small amount of the seasoning. If the dust from the stereo cabinet tastes better, toss the jar.                     

Step 3 – Take Small Steps. When making dinner, don’t just rip open a mix, stir, and serve. Think how you can use your newly-revived spices in what you already make. Perhaps that chili mix will taste better with more cumin. Add some parsley and garlic to your potatoes au gratin mix. Little by little, you’ll learn how to use your spices.

Step 4 – Going Solo. Eventually you’ll be able to branch out and create your own seasoning mixes from scratch. Read the ingredients label of your favorite stir-and-serve meal. Use that as a starting point for your own creations.

Developing your own recipe isn’t as hard as it sounds. Here’s one I made for Roasted Potato Wedges just by reading the packet at the store.

With a little practice, you can break the package mix habit. Instead of reaching for a mix that may cost a dollar or more, you’ll be making your own seasoning for just pennies. What’s more, you’ll be able to stroll by the package mix aisle without fear of making a scene.