Plan B Meals

When I was a kid my Mom worked. In fact, she worked my whole life. A great cook, but seldom home to prepare meals, Mom always had a backup plan. In fact several of them.

In the early years, when money was tight, Plan B was often Kraft Macaroni and Cheese with tiny flecks of tuna. Or we might find ourselves eating chipped beef on toast. And if Mom was really wiped out we'd get to have cold cereal for dinner.

The Mac and Cheese with tuna was my all time least favorite plan. We were living in Ohio, and seafood wasn't something we had often. Salmon patties (complete with eye socket bones) were the usual seafood choice, and were a favorite. So the first time we had the mac and cheese with tuna I did not know what the odd flecks of flavor were. And to be clear, these were not flecks of solid white albacore. Smelly, odd tasting and very tiny; they added an interesting balance to the creamy richness of boxed mac and cheese.

Chipped beef on toast was amazing. Creamy, beefy and crunchy, all at the same time. It was a mouthful of yummy. When I was an adult I tried to figure out how Mom made this dish. Today you can buy the Stouffer version in the freezer case.

Obviously, cold cereal nights were rare, and when we had one we knew Mom was dog tired, so there were never any complaints. But what's to complain about when you've got Cocoa Puff's for dinner?

At my house we've never tried any of these choices. I'm pretty sure my kids would die before they'd eat Mac and Cheese with "dark" tuna OR chipped beef on toast. I go for other options like an easy posole or pasta carbonara.

Another difference for me is that I haven't worked since the kids were little. Some nights I may be worn out but I can't ever claim to be as tired as Mom would've been. And I've got a microwave, fresh food options that didn't exist in the 60's and two kids who love to cook. And the phone number to Papa John's on my speed dial.