March 29, 2024

Matt's Money Savers

Making your own brand of nostalgia

Butter Finger BB’s, Doritos 3D and Surge are all products of the 1990’s that have an almost cult like following. Although they are gone, some products can be duplicated.

One of those products is Betty Crocker’s Dunkaroos. This simple product become very popular in the 90s and vanished without a trace, but there is hope. All that is required is a box Funfetti cake mix, 2 cups of Cool Whip and 1 1/2 cups of plain of vanilla yogurt.

Once all three ingredients are gathered, mix them together in a bowl and set to chill for about an hour. Once chilled, it is ready to eat. The homemade Dunkaroo mix can be served with animal crackers or Teddy Grahams to make the feeling of eating the real Dunkaroo snack complete.

Keep in mind that its shelf life is only about three days, but the mix can be frozen.

Surge

As many parents dreaded the soft drink known as Surge, a whole generation became addicted it. Savesurge.org has duplicated the recipe, and although it is not the same, many claim it is the closest.

What the site recommends using is: 10 6.75-oz. units of Orange Tangergreen Hi-C fruit-flavored drink,
1 liter of club soda and 1 cup of sugar.

Mix the ingredients up and enjoy the nostalgia.

Pudding Pops

Back in the 1980s, no one was bigger than Bill Cosby. He had a hit TV show and branched out into the world of food. Out came JELL-O Pudding Pops. These delicious snacks were creamy and rich, but like Bill Cosby’s acting career, production of the treats came to a halt. Not all is lost though, for less than $10 one can make a batch of the tasty treats.

All that is required is: 1 package of JELL-O Chocolate Sugar-Free Pudding, 2 cups of fat-free milk and 1 cup of sugar-free cool whip. Just mix the pudding mix and milk in a bowl for about 3 minutes. Then mix the Cool Whip in and pour into containers. An easy container would be Dixie Cups. Add a wooden stick in and put it in the freezer for about four hours. Run warm water to remove the tasty treat from its container and enjoy.

Play-Doh

While Play-Doh is not a ’90s thing, its play potential is unlimited. There is a reason why it is popular and it lasted through the test of time — it is fun.

Official Play-Doh products can be pricey. Buckets of the product can cost around $10 and it may not seem like a lot up front, but for anyone who has children, they know how it goes. The product can become dry or the child may simply want to keep his or her creation.

Many parents may like to know there is a way to make a version similar to Play-Doh at home. It may not be the same, but at this point in life, get away with what you can. There will be a time where your child’s friend will have a new product that he or she must have. Take advantage of it while you can.

All that is required is 1/4 cup of salt, 1 cup of flour and 1/4 water. Just mix the ingredients up and knead to keep the dough consistent. One can add Kool-Aid for color and scent.

If your child likes being involved in the kitchen, be sure to include him or her.