We are a waffle house.
Not like the REAL waffle house. I guess, more like a house of waffles. A house of many waffles. We take our waffling seriously.
No pancakes, either. The kids say that my pancakes smell like grilled cheese waffles, and since they said it, not one of us can deny that the pancakes do smell like grilled cheese. So, they stick to waffles.
The problem is that waffle mix, like so many other things (ramen, cooking spray, cake mixes, certain chicken strips, toilet paper, paper towels, ice cream, frozen pizzas, etc.) are sold out more often than not.
So, if I happen to be at the store when the waffle mix IS there, I grab about five boxes. Three Funfetti’s and two plain.
There was a time when the mix was running low, and the store was out. So, as I have done for so many other things, I turned to Amazon.
When I bought the waffle mix on Amazon, I thought for sure I was purchasing jumbo boxes of waffle mix for $27.99. These things were going to be huge. I wondered where I was going to store them.
I just didn’t read it carefully enough. These were two basic boxes of waffle mix. I felt robbed, pulling these two wrapped boxes out of my mailbox. And a little stupid.
Declan was the most upset about having to be fed grilled cheese pancakes for a few days when my old waffle maker broke. It just wasn’t used to pumping out as many waffles as I was asking of it. We had to wait three days for a new maker to arrive. Another three days of Declan checking the computer and looming by the front door waiting for the new maker to be delivered. This time though, he was sure to add that he was going to starve to death if he couldn’t get a waffle soon.
The kids are particular about how they like their waffles. Besides not smelling or tasting like grilled cheese, they have specific likes. Catelyn and Declan like their waffles with sprinkles inside. Even if I buy the Funfetti mix, I still have to add sprinkles to their mix.
Sprinkles are another item that is continuously sold out. (Who would have thought?) We ran out after I walked into the living room to see Catelyn eating from the sprinkle container with a spoon while drinking a Pepsi (she has a bit of a sugar tooth…and cavities). Since we were out and the store was sold out, I turned to Amazon again. Twenty dollars for two pounds of sprinkles seemed about right. Sold.
Bob and Bobby like their waffles with white chocolate chips. I am happy to report that white chocolate chips never sell out. The only time one of their waffles is missing its delicious center is when Catelyn has snuck into the refrigerator and eaten all the chips (white being the only flavor of chocolate she will eat).
Our experience with waffles keeps taking me back to my economics class and leaves me thinking about supply and demand. The demand is so great now. Personally, I have never spent so much per week on groceries. At least I don’t think I did. I do know that I never went to the store to buy three meals a day for five people. Where we are saving in some areas because of the pandemic, we are spending at the grocery store. It adds up.
I also got an apologetic email from our grocery store, letting us know costs will have to go up. Factories have to practice social distancing, keeping their employees farther apart. The factory is now unable to produce as much as it did before. It is taking them longer to produce the same amount of product. I get it. Good old economics class. Supply, demand, and empty shelves.
It’s the weekend, so waffles are a-flowing here. The mix, the sprinkles, the white chocolate chips are all on high turnover. When I go back to the store, I can only hope these items will be there. If not, I turn to Amazon in hopes that I can get these items reasonably priced. I know I have overpaid on Amazon for specific cat food and Declan’s “GoodSleep” for bed – but I wasn’t messing with either of those things. My need was high, and the supply was very low.
But for waffle mix? Would I pay $28 again for two boxes? I can only hope I don’t have to find out.
This post made me giggle and also go “aww” 🙁 I’ve come across some high prices, too. It’s a bummer.
However, that funfetti looks yum! 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Hope you and the family remain happy and safe 🙂
Thank you so much!! You too!! 🙂
Ooh you do take your waffling seriously! I am impressed. And white chocolate chips? Now you’re talking!
Let me tell you, when the boys take a bite of their white chocolate chip waffles they appear to be in heaven! Must be pretty good!
Younger is/was a waffle fiend but she grew up with frozen toaster waffles. Now pancakes… those have to be home cooked. It’s the first thing she learned to cook on the stove, and she learned well.
Ben will occasionally eat a choco chip toaster waffle. Plain. Just toasted. But he’s not interested in pancakes or any of the stuff to go in or on them.
I bought coffee creamer from Amazon back in March. I got a 4pack of boxes of the single cups, like at restaurants or 7-11. I dont even remember how much it was, but I was desperate. My coffee is my one weakness.☕😂💌
When this first started I was buying stuff from Amazon too – it was just easier and the prices seemed about the same. But now they are crazy! I checked on clorox spray and a three pack is $28. I checked for a 12 pack of Ramen and it is $16.50. C’mon, Ramen!?! I think a lot of sellers know what is in demand and are price gouging. Other things are normal – ish. It is so crazy!
It seems every time we go low on something it’s out of stock. When it finally comes in it’s a dollar more.
Same! The stores are saying they aren’t the ones making a profit. They are saying that is just costs that much more to provide the product. The whole thing has definitely caught my eye – I’ll be watching it!
Son is the opposite. Wants pancakes at her than waffles. When stuff sells out or is expensive for us, then we can just stop. But with the kids you end up having to pay for the alternatives. What do you go for with waffles. Have you tried gluten free ones.
I’m sorry! I missed your comment! I don’t eat them, no. When they go for waffles I have scrambled egg whites – with hopefully DF cheese or gluten free bread. Sometimes those are hard to come by though and I have to choose to have either the puffy face or do without. I went with the puffy face option for a bit. Since I realized this is how things are going to be, I have started just skipping those if I can’t eat right.
That sprinkles waffle at the end looks great! I definitely hear ya on the groceries getting expensive part. I feel like my bill had easily gone up about 25% at least for the same amount of things I used to buy. It also feels stressful seeing some of the aisles be empty. On our end it’s usually bread and for a friend, it’s the egg section. Beef had also gotten quite expensive. Hope you can enjoy many more stress free waffles to come!
Thank you! I can’t wait for things to start to normalize again. Going to the store to find what you need at a regular price – hopefully sooner than later!
Just looking at the picture of the funfetti waffle made my teeth tingle. You are right, just today my husband was talking about the food prices, they have certainly gone up 🤦♀️ save on the gas, spend it on food, either way we pay. But much kudos to you for going out of your way to satisfy everyone’s likes. I wasn’t much of an online shopper until now 🤷♀️
Have a wonderful waffle weekend (www) 😂
Haha! WWW is great – I am definitely sharing that with the fam 🙂
The only thing that I haven’t been able to buy is dry active yeast. I have looked at nearly the same price point on Amazon and thought “we’ll just have banana bread again instead.”
Do you have a bakery or brewpub near you? Some of ours are turning into popup grocery stores and I recall seeing yeast on a list.
That’s funny! I saw a friend post on facebook the same thing – that she can’t the active dry yeast either. It’s interesting to me to see what people are buying out and then wonder why that product is such a hit.
Funny… I recall loving my mother’s pancakes but hating her waffles, though I swear the only difference was that she made the waffle batter lumpier (exactly what I hated).
But now? Gimme a big ol’ waffle with vanilla and cinnamon in the batter!
Have you checked for Bisquick when other options are sold out? I know that’s what my mother used to make batter. I’ve never made pancakes or waffles do I don’t know what’s involved.
Bisquick is gone too – but that is not a bad idea when all else fails. If they hate those waffles then at least they may like a good biscuit!
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Thank you so much!
Most welcome
I so sympathise with your waffle plight, Robyn. Nathan is incredibly fussy about food and we’re having the same problem with salt and vinegar square crisps! He won’t eat any other, so we’re having to buy them in bulk – expensively. And it’s the same for his particular brand and flavour of breakfast cereal. and his coconut milk. I live in fear of running out of them. I can only offer you a virtual hug and send you all my best wishes, and hope the shopping situation settles down and regains some semblance of sanity soon. 🙂 <3
Thank you, Alli! It is tough for our kids with very limited palates. I take such careful inventory anymore to see what I have and what I need to get or plan to have shipped and then pay the price. My fingers are crossed for the both of us, that the items we need are going to be there as they always used to be! 🙂
Thanks Robyn, I’ll keep mine crossed for both of us too! 🙂
Funfetti trashes my stomach. Every time my in-law entertain, they make a funfetti cake or cupcakes. And the next day I always regret it. I can’t imagine what the waffles would do to me. At this point, Eli is the only one in our family eating meat, so our purchases are few and far between. I went to buy a pound+ of 80% hamburger earlier in the week and I couldn’t believe the price. It was $10. I’m not one to notice if prices have gone up, but that caught my attention. I’m happy the rest of us have moved away from overpriced meat.
I was reading some news articles yesterday and the meat industry is the one the article pointed to as where we are going to see the biggest hike in prices. They have to socially distance in production and it makes things go much slower. I read another about the price gougers on Amazon who are taking advantage of the low supply situation. Those people suck. $28 for waffle mix – I saw the price and just thought I was getting A LOT. Duh on me.
I almost fell into that trap with Golden Grahams. I saw the price and thought *Wow, that must be a huge box* Then I compared it to what was in the cabinet. Yikes.
I saw buttermilk (same brand as in your pic) and maybe plain at the market. Let me know if you’d like any shipped to you.
I’m on the lookout for funfetti mix!! I saw the cake mix but not pancake.
That is so kind! Thank you for the offer but we are covered right now. I know! That Funfetti mix is cool but sells out quickly!
I’m going to snag a bunch if I ever see it… it sounds yummy!
We really have to carefully check Amazon purchases now. It’s misleading. I hope your waffle maker was full size and not mini!! I’m learning to shop on many sites to get things I like. Target online, Walmart online, as well as Amazon. Sometimes all of them are a bust.
I’ve done a bit of the same. When I had to get the hair clippers (because I knew what I was doing of course 😉 ). I went back and forth between Amazon and Target to see which clippers had the best reviews, which was going to be available first (they were all sold out too) and the best price. Target won. I should do more looking there for items I need instead of just jumping right on Amazon.
It’s time consuming and you have 3 kids.
What a story! I only had one child who’s all grown up now, but she could certainly be picky. We didn’t figure out until much later in her life that she has several food intolerances! Go figure, I felt like a rotten mom.
I seem to have developed some food sensitivities myself as I’ve gotten older. I know what you mean about the eating it anyway and then suffering.
$28! Yeah you got took. I’ve seen the same problem with things like isopropyl alcohol And bleach price gouging. If you can deal with it I encourage you to report any obvious price gouging to Amazon because they have been working to clean that up. However, supply and demand! Prices do go up! It sucks. Sigh.
Waffles… Gosh I haven’t had a waffle in a long time. Wheat is one of the things I’ve been cutting out. My brother had six kids and they did homemade everything. The whole family would make jam together and ice cream in a crank freezer. A favorite occasional dinner was waffles with ice cream. Or peanut butter and jam 🙂 or cinnamon sugar LOL. So many forms of sugar. 🤪😂. We are a sugar loving nation, and unfortunately were paying for it with our health. But when you’ve got kids that are hooked and keeping them peaceful is so important in the daily grind, what do you do? But when you’ve got kids that are hooked and keeping them peaceful is so important in the daily grind, what do you do? You give them what they want and keep the peace.
Mama usually made her waffles and pancakes from scratch, using sourdough. Somehow I have totally slipped away from that. This world of convenience… And somehow it still doesn’t feel all that convenient.
I’ve also gotten into some strange breakfast habits living alone. Lately my kick is turning my coffee into my meal for first thing. I have a mix of powdered cereals made of oat, black sesame seed toasted, Jobe’s tears, peanut powder and cacao. I add that with some honey or agave, And top it off with canned coconut milk. Sometimes I will add a little Chia seeds also. It gets a little thicker towards the bottom but not real thick, and I feel nourished.
I saw that Amazon was getting frustrated with their sellers who were doing this. I may report it because I couldn’t believe someone would sell $4 worth of mix for $28. That is crazy! The kids are on a routine they really like, and you are right if that helps now then so be it. Waffles it is!
I just heard one of my gym trainers say that he had made his own sourdough starter and used some of the excess dough for waffles. He gushed how delicious they were! I may have to try making those as well. I don’t eat waffles, but it would be good to see the family’s response!