No Easy Bake Oven For My Daughter

Recently, my daughter told me that for her birthday she would like to have an easy bake oven. My response was, a simple no. She didn't understand why I told her no, and it broke my heart to see the disappointment in her face. It wasn't that I was trying to be some mean mother who didn't want to fulfill her daughter's one and only birthday wish. I just didn't see the point in buying an easy bake oven. I had one as a kid and its not worth the hype, once the food packages where empty my mother didn't buy anymore and the oven just sat there. Although my daughter didn't understand that, all she knew was that her friends all had one and she herself wanted one so she can bake treats to eat as well. But being a single mom and my income is the only  source we have, I have to make it stretch as much as I can, I just couldn't spend that kind of money on a toy that isn't worth it. 

In my opinion an easy bake oven isn't worth the money and here is why......

spending $44.99 on a toy that barely makes bite size food is totally not worth the the money. I don't care how cute and kid friendly it is, I just do not see myself spending that much money or any money on this toy (even if I found it on sale , clearance, or at a second hand store, I wouldn't spend money on this toy) . this toy is just a money pit waiting to sucked down all your money. Even if my daughter was given this as a gift, I would take it back to the store to return it for something else. Why because after you buy it you must keep continuing to buy the food that goes with it. (and no one is going to spend almost $45 on a toy and not buy the refill packs)  

Are they serious??? $7.99 for a tiny package of food mix that will barely be bite size and look nothing like the picture? Then the food that comes out of the package taste horrible!!!!! Not to mention that once you buy the packages you will also need to buy this crap that is also sold separately

  this stuff is worthless for $19.97 and trust me the pieces will be lost or break forcing you to buy another set. 

I know many of you are thinking, well the easy bake oven is like a teaching tool, a right of passage for a little girl teaching her how to cook. Well My daughter can learn how to cook in the kitchen with me, but I don't want her using the real oven just yet. (she has in the past helped me bake cookies or brownies but I don't want her opening and closing it by herself) So I thought of a solution to this Easy Bake Oven issue we were having. Then while out shopping one Saturday , it hit me on the perfect gift to buy , that is not only affordable but is worth the money and the entire family can still enjoy it and she can bake all the goodies she want. 

For the exact same price as the easy bake oven, I found the Hello Kitty toaster oven in the kitchen appliance section at the store. Although the box says this is not a toy, just like the easy bake oven, adult supervision is required. This was a much better buy because, its a real oven and not a toy, and we both are Hello Kitty Fans so win win. And the treats that we can baked in here can be enjoyed by everyone in our family. With a small cake pan and cookie sheet  ( I already had those at home) we can bake just about anything. Also on the next isle over I found this awesome deal

$10 for 101 cookie cutters. I actually brought two of these, one for use with our play dough and the other for cooking with.  Another win for this momma. 

Even the food that she would be allowed to cook in her new oven was "real food"  not package powder stuff that taste like crap, this food from our grocery store isle is one that would require a teaching and bonding moment between us. and a lot cheaper when you think about that fact that everyone could get a taste of it, not to mention she feels a little bit more responsible about being able to cook her own snacks....Like mini pizza, brownies, cookies , cinnamon rolls, etc. 

these are her favorite snacks to cook in her very on oven and the total that I spent on these two in the grocery store together is about $5 

She was so excited to see this as her birthday gift and I was thrilled knowing that I didn't waste any money on a useless toy. I had a lot of moms come to me and tell me that , that they too wish they had come up with the idea of buying a toaster oven instead of the easy bake oven. This is one birthday gift that get used several times during the day in our house. And she used it just this morning to help me cook breakfast. I had her in charge of making cheese toast and tonight for supper she will be in charge of the garlic bread to go with the lasagna.