As a rule of thumb, or should I say, 'tum', don't go to grandma's house with a full stomach. Na-uh. Make the space, don't waste the taste. I live by this mantra when visiting my grandma or, should I say, nonna. Needless to say, she lives up to the stereotype of an Italian grandma.
It's as if she needs to always feed the masses on short notice. With multiple kitchens, fridges, freezers, pantries and cupboards, she stockpiles food in all sorts of nooks and crannies. A bare shelf is a foreign concept to her.
That's right – even before pandemic stockpiling became a thing, she was prepping for doomsday or Armageddon. Open her freezer doors, and you'll be greeted with all kinds of frozen meals, whether they're on trays, in old ice-cream containers or neatly labelled and zip-locked in IKEA bags.
However, these aren't just any frozen meals; they are Italian delicacies that are stocked for hungry grandkids or the next big family gathering. You'll find different kinds of pasta, meats and dessert treats, oh my! Think of an upmarket food store selling Italian pre-made meals, except nonna's are all made with love, mostly from her second kitchen in the garage.
When it comes to pasta, nonna doesn't just master one shape. Tagliatelle, gnocchi, fettuccine, and ravioli are mainstays. Her neatly crimped, squared ravioli is available in different flavours. Want a meat-free Monday? Have spinach and ricotta ravioli. Want to bolster your iron intake? Have the spinach, ricotta and beef ravioli. See, there's pasta to suit every need.
Think of an upmarket food store selling Italian pre-made meals, except nonna's are all made with love, mostly from her second kitchen in the garage.
Nonna's freezers are also filled with oven trays. These trays hold the supreme dish of them all, in my humble but very biased opinion: . In my other life, I am Garfield, the cat whose lasagne-eating and food comas are ways of life. Alas, lasagne is only served on special occasions, and unfortunately, this is one of the few meals I cannot just raid the freezer for a slice; I must take out the whole slab and share it, gooey bechamel and all. 
Much time and effort go into making these tiered, tasty masterpieces, let alone making the freezer space for them, so you can understand nonna's desire to offload, plus us grandkids' urge to devour them.
Nonna makes one of the best lasagnes around. Source: Julia D'Orazio
After the first course – insert defrosted pasta dish of your choice – comes the second. My favourite second course is . It's a little like a German schnitzel: breaded meat except the meat is thinner and it doesn't take over a dinner plate.
She stocks plenty of beef and chicken cutlets in her freezer. The latter is my kilojoule-inducing kryptonite. Nonna's secret weapon for making her chicken cutlets is tossing the protein in breadcrumbs, parsley flakes and garlic salt. Her version of fast-food fried chicken gives the red-striped Colonel a run for his money.
Unsurprisingly, she also has an array of frozen desserts to choose from. When the occasion calls for it, nonna defrosts her homemade cannoli tubes and makes custard on demand. There are also boxes of , ready to be dusted with sugar for an afternoon dessert with a shot of espresso.
But the freezer is more than just stocked with her tasty handiwork; nonna loves a good bargain. If she sees something on special, it goes into the trolley for the freezer. Save on food, spend on home decor (think Michelangelo-esque statues in the foyer).
There's a lot to learn from my nonna. She has taught me the craft of traditional cuisine, the art of saving time and the pro tip to never shy away from a good discount. Cheap frozen meals? This is not a dirty term in her household.
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