Being a Mom is a beautiful, life-changing experience, and one that brings out feelings we never knew we had. Yes, we’ll agree wholeheartedly that motherhood is lovely, but you can’t deny the fact that it’s also extremely taxing! And since most Moms manage their homes along with childcare, they can feel burdened at times, especially when their babies turn into picky eaters!

Finding out new recipes for fussy eaters and preparing them from scratch can all get too overwhelming for a Mom, especially if she lives in a nuclear family and doesn’t have much help. In such a situation, any help is appreciated! Moms are often made aware of the benefits of making food 100% from scratch, to avoid preservatives and the like. But speaking practically, it isn’t possible to leave out packaged food altogether, especially on one of those days when the maid has cancelled, Dad’s working late, the baby’s got colic and there’s a cranky preschooler to feed!

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So what’s the solution? Well, as Moms, intelligent improvisation is one of our superpowers, and we can do this with packaged food products as well! The trick is to opt for kid-friendly products that have zero trans fat and more whole grain. You can then turn these into wholesome healthy meals and snacks that’ll have your fussy eater licking her lips!

7 Ways to Use Packaged Food Creatively

Here are some options to use packaged food creatively in your home:

1. Instant Noodles – Skip the seasoning and add lots of veggies and scrambled eggs for a full meal
2. Honey – Use instead of sugar in milkshakes, cakes and over pancakes, dosas or rotis
3. Breakfast Cereal – Add chopped fresh fruit and berries or an assortment of dry fruit
4. Namkeen – Make a chaat with puffed rice, chopped onions, cucumber and tomatoes, and sprinkle some namkeen over
5. Peanut butter – This is great to spread on sandwiches or pancakes, to blend into smoothies or to stir into oatmeal
6. Masala Oats – Turn it into masala upma or add scrambled eggs and spring onions for a more filling meal. You can also grind it and use with regular flour for parathas.
7. Roasted Vermicelli – Make payasam or kheer with milk and nuts. Also try making vermicelli upma for breakfast or vermicelli pulao for dinner with an assortment of ingredients – eggs, vegetables, chicken etc.

These are just a few ideas; we’re sure you can think of many more! And to make life even easier for you, skip the parking woes and save fuel by getting your packaged foodonline. Yes, with just a few taps of your keyboard, you can get anything you like delivered to your doorstep in the shortest time. To avoid getting overwhelmed by the choices available, prepare a meal plan first, so you can shop accordingly.  So the next time you find yourself buying packaged food, don’t feel guilty; you have all the tips and tricks to turn it into a healthy meal!