IMPORTANT: I recommend solving these puzzles individually (the first is at https://tinyurl.com/metamini-a) or using the printable pdf (https://tinyurl.com/pfp-115-pdf), not in this combined form, since there's a subtle piece of information important to the final meta step that's more awkward in this format. But if you want to press on: Here are six mini crossword puzzles (labelled A, B, C, D, E, and F on the PDF, top-to-bottom and then left-to-right) which (hopefully) increase gently in difficulty. Clues follow standard New York Times style. Enjoy solving! ...But once you’re done, if your puzzle hunger still needs to be FED, let me FACE you with an extra challenge to BEEF up your puzzle-solving credentials: somehow make connections between the starred entries of crosswords A, B, C, D, E, and F to determine the meta answer of these minis: here, an eight-letter, two-word phrase for something that might be sold at a mediocre cafe. Answers and explanation at https://tinyurl.com/pfp-115-answers.
I make puzzles (of all different kinds, not just crosswords!) at https://puzzlesforprogress.net. If you liked this puzzle, you might like those!
Thanks for the catch about ICEES - sloppy of me! Also, I think I copied the “stage” clue wrong from another version, haha, so thanks for noticing as well!