Freezer Meals

Most of the information in this post came from my friend, Rosie Jameson, who regularly does freezer meal cooking and is rarely without a month's supply of ready made meals in her freezer. She suggests the book, ‘Dinner Is Ready’ by Deann Buxton, for those of you that want to really put this principle to work for yourselves. The book or computer software for making 30 meals in one day can be purchased from Deseret Book or at www.dinnerisready.com

Food storage for me is about both long and short term preparedness. A lot of my post will deal with log term preparedness, but today I wanted to talk about short term preparedness. When I was pregnant with Ahsley, I had lots of complications. During my last month, I had some difficulties at work one day. Long story short - I ended up having the nurse at work take me to the hospital where I was told that I would have to be put on bed rest until I could be delivered safely via C-section - in another 3 to 4 weeks! UHHHHGGGGG! I am not a good patient. I like to do things for myself and the thought of the good sisters at my church having to bring me dinner or help with other household duties for 3 to 4 weeks was just too much. At the time, Charolett was 15. Ron was not working on the road at the time, so lucky me - they were my cook and maid. The sisters brought in a few dinners, but Ron told them to take it easy and help others that were in greater need, because he and Charolett could handle it. That was kind of true. My house was very clean. I am very lucky that Ron is a real neat-freak. But... the meals left a little something to be desired. The title of this post is 'freezer meals' but that does not mean frozen burritos, as my lovely well-meaning daughter made me several times during my bed rest. It means a real homemade meal. If you think it sounds like a lot of time and effort - not really. You'd be surprised how fast you can fill a freezer with good quality meals for use on sick days - or days that you just don't have much time and you really don't have the money to go out to eat. Before my pregnancy, I had put a few meals in the freezer simply by doubling the recipe that I was making on a particular night and freezing the extra in a disposable foil pan. I was planning on adding to the few that I already had for after the baby's birth, but I was not counting on bed rest with a month left to go - so all my normal nesting activity was greatly curtailed. Here's some suggestions to help you keep from getting caught unprepared like I was for your life's little emergencies as you embark on your freezer meal adventures.

1. Start out with a smaller number of recipes until you feel comfortable, then work up to your goals. Doubling a recipe takes no more time than a single recipe. If you double recipes for 15 days, you’ll have a month’s supply of food in the freezer for virtually the same time commitment as only a two week’s supply.
2. Don’t do a bunch of complicated recipes at once. The suggestion for 30 meals in a day is to double the following: 2 crock pot recipes, 2 oven recipes, 2 stove top recipes, and 9 assembly recipes.
3. Cook soups and foods minimally. Hot foods take a long time to cool and the heat overworks the freezer. Vegetables work well if they are just barely cooked. Adding frozen vegetables at the end of a recipe is great so it doesn't overcook the vegetables and it cools down the dish faster. The vegetables will finish cooking when you remove the dish from the freezer and cook it later.
4. Start preparing the day before by shopping and cooking meats, chopping onions and other veggies, and grating cheeses.
5. Gallon freezer bags lie flatter in the freezer than quart-sized, even with small amounts of food. Generally you can get more food in the freezer using freezer bags than by using freezer ‘Tupperware’ type containers.
6. Disposable foil pans are great and cheap for lasagnas and other casseroles. Check your local dollar store before purchasing them at the grocery store.
7. Use good quality heavy foil to avoid freezer burn on all your hard work.
8. Write food name, cooking times and temperatures directly on foil and freezer bags with permanent marker so that you don’t have a ‘mystery dish’ if a label comes off.
9. Use reduced fat or no fat ingredients (with cream cheese-Neufchatel is fine but fat free doesn't cook well.) Reduced fat sour cream, cream of mushroom or chicken soup, half and half work well in many recipes, but don't use reduced fat margarine.
10. Freezer meals are great for helping someone sick or in need. They can pop it in the oven on their schedule and if you use disposable foil pans – they don’t have to wash dishes or worry about returns.

11. Most modern ovens have a delayed baking feature. If you know you are coming home too late to cook yourself, you can place the frozen meal in your oven in the morning to thaw and set the delayed bake feature for the appropriate time. Your dinner will thaw and bake by the time you come home. Now that's better than fast food any day!

Here's a few freezer meal recipes for you to try:

Cream Cheese Chicken

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup butter

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

10.75-ounce can cream of chicken soup

8-ounce package cream cheese

Turn crock pot on High. Place butter in bottom of crock pot. When the butter has melted, add one envelope Italian dressing dry mix. Stir into butter until well mixed. Cut chicken breasts into 1" strips. Place in crock pot and stir to coat with butter and dressing mix. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours. Remove chicken to plate to cool. Add cream of chicken soup and cream cheese to crock pot. Stir to melt and mix well until smooth and creamy. Remove sauce from crock pot and allow to cool. Place chicken and sauce into a gallon resealable freezer bag. Label. Freeze.
To serve: Thaw. Heat until piping hot and bubbly. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or hot buttered noodles.

Beef and Broccoli

3/4 cup rice, uncooked

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

1 tsp garlic, minced

10 oz pkg frozen broccoli

10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup beef broth

1 TB Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup French fried onions

Cook rice according to package directions. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Thaw broccoli and squeeze out water. Combine beef and broccoli. Stir in rice, soup, broth, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning and cheese. (Do not add French fried onions until baking.) Place in freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw and bake in greased baking dish, uncovered for 35 minutes at 375º. Top with 1 cup French fried onions. Bake 10 minutes.

Apple Roast Pork

4 lb pork roast

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup apple juice

1/2 tsp salt

Place roast in dish or pan barely larger than roast. Douse roast on all sides with Worcestershire sauce. Press brown sugar on sides and top of roast. Pour apple juice into the baking pan but not over roast. Cover tightly with extra heavy foil and lid. Place roast in preheated 400° oven. Immediately reduce heat to 275°. Bake for 5 hours. Remove and allow to cool enough to handle. Meat should pull apart easily. Shred meat and sprinkle with salt. Place meat and broth in freezer bag or container. For individual servings, spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Fill muffin cups with meat and broth. Cover and place pan in freezer just until frozen. Pop out and place in gallon freezer bag. Label and freeze.
To serve: Thaw and heat. Spoon meat onto warm onion rolls. Serve with sliced apples or applesauce.

Simple Lasagna

2 cups cottage cheese

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 Tbs dried parsley flakes

2 Tbs Parmesan cheese

1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

3 cups spaghetti sauce12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 green bell pepper, chopped1 onion, chopped

2 - 8 ounce packages mushrooms

Combine cottage cheese, egg, dried parsley flakes and Parmesan cheese. Mix spaghetti sauce with the peppers, onion, and mushrooms. Cover the bottom of a greased foil baking pan with spaghetti sauce. Layer uncooked noodles, sauce, and half the Mozzarella and half the Jack cheeses. Top with another layer of noodles, then all the cottage cheese mixture. Top with another layer of noodles, then the remainder of the Mozzarella and Jack cheeses and cover with a thick layer of spaghetti sauce. Cover with extra heavy foil. Label and freeze.

To Serve: Thaw and cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Cheesy Ham and Potatoes

1- 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

2- 10.75 oz cans cream of celery soup

1/2 cup onion, minced

1 1/2 cups ham, cubed

1 1/2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

1/4 tsp pepper

24 oz bag frozen shredded hash browns

10 ounce bag frozen broccoli (optional)

Directions:
Combine softened cream cheese and soup. Stir in onions, ham, Jack cheese and pepper. Break apart hash browns (do not thaw). Gently stir into cheese mixture. Place in freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw and bake in a greased baking dish, covered, 1 hour at 350º. Uncover, top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake 5 minutes makes: 12 Servings

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 10 3/4 oz cream of chicken soup

2 cups chicken, chopped

1 cup carrots, shredded1 cup celery, chopped

2 - 4 ounce packages long grain and wild rice mix with seasoning

5 cups chicken broth

5 cups water

1 package mixed frozen vegetables.

Combine all ingredients in a greased 4 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 4-6 hours or until rice is done. Do not overcook rice. Cool and pour in to gallon Ziploc bags to freeze.
To serve: Put into a large pan on stovetop and cook until hot.

more tips and tricks

My postings have been absent for a few days because my beloved was home and since he travels so much, I always place him as first priority. But now - I am back in the groove - as it were. So .... on with my thoughts of today.
Let me first start by saying thanks to all of you that are reading this blog and have sent me pictures of your own food storage examples and comments to my email. I really appreciate the encouragement. Here are some pictures from a reader in Montana named Lisa. Lisa tried canning her own cheese and it worked beautifully. Thanks for the pictures Lisa!

Today was 'daycare day' at my nephew's Jr. high school so he 'borrowed' my little one for 45 minutes this morning to take to class with him. It was so nice to have a break and be able to shop for Easter goodies without her in tow. The reason I mentioned my nephew is that when I sent Ashley off to class with him this morning, I started thinking about when he and his family first moved to Utah. My sister-in-law, Becky, and her husband, Troy, moved here from California 6 years ago, when Troy got a chance to transfer here with his job. At that time, they put their stuff in storage and moved in with us for what was supposed to be 2 weeks while they got into a house. The 2 weeks turned into 2 months when they found a floor plan with a local development that they liked and were able to get into a newly built home and pick their own colors. The Reynolds house went from a family of 4 (my nephew was living with us at the time) to a family of 9 for almost an entire summer. Having a family of 5 as house guest for 2 months could be stressful for most people, but Becky and Troy are wonderful, easy-going people. Their 3 boys (2 of whom were teenagers at the time) were also very well behaved. It was during this transition time for their family and ours that, out of necessity, Becky and I discovered a few things about food storage. Here's a few tricks to keeping cost down and storing for large crowds.

1. Storage does not have to be pretty. It does have to be organized. I don't care if you only have scrap wood storage shelves in an unfinished basement (as I do) or beautiful finished melamine cabinets - as long as it is organized, it will work.

2. Break down bulk freezer purchases (meat - cheese - poultry) into meal sized portions before storing. Ex: When block cheese is cheaper - grate your cheese right after you buy it and store it in 1 or 2 cup portions (whatever you usually use for your family size) in sandwich baggies. Then put those baggies into your freezer bag to keep it from getting 'burned'. When a casserole calls for cheese - just pull out a baggie and you are done. I did 40 lbs of cheese (it was on a great sale!!) like this with the meat grinder attachment for my kitchen-aid mixer. It took a few hours on a Saturday afternoon to get it all done - but it was a beautiful thing not to have to grate cheese for a year!!!

3. Buy a kitchen scale and break down packages of chips, Cheetos's, cookies, ect. into proper serving size baggies before putting them into your pantry if they are going to be used for work or school lunches. Then you and your teenagers won't be serving yourselves from a big bag and overeat the junk food. Remember - a serving size of most chips is only 1 once. That's about 1/3 of what you would eat if you just served yourself without the scale.

4. Make your own oatmeal packets! Why pay so much for 10 little packets of pre-packaged oatmeal packets when they are so easy to do yourself. I put each serving into snack sized baggies, and put all the baggies into a 5 gallon bucket. I go to the basement and put 15 or so into a Tupperware in my pantry every week for use. My nephews loved this oatmeal when they lived with me. The recipe for this is at the bottom of this blog.

5. Bisquick and other pre-packaged master mixes are so expensive. Make your own for way cheaper. Check out the video and recipe for 'Master Mix' in my earlier post.

6. Co-cooking is a real blessing! Even if you don't have the opportunity to share a home with another family for a while, you can make this work by sharing the cooking duties with a neighbor. Families of similar size decide on a budget for meals and make a weekly or monthly menu plan. On alternating nights (or alternating weeks if that works for you) each family cooks a double sized meal and brings half to the neighbor. Both families have the same grocery budget as before - but eat more home cooked meals, resulting in fewer nights dining out. This saves on the family budget as well as time and effort for whoever does the cooking in the house. Another plus is that the families will usually shop for the dinner ingredients together. This saves gas money as well as more time.

Spice Up Your Life

So - the mainstays of your spice rack are the salt and pepper shakers. You have a little cinnamon sugar for the kids to sprinkle on their toast. But other than that - your spice rack is pretty much non-existent. Not to worry. Just pay a visit to your local grocery store spice isle and start slowly. You will soon learn that spices are not only flavorful - but good for you. Let's start with trying to cut the salt. Americans use way too much salt. The overuse of this little ingredient helps contribute to the health problems many Americans are already fighting. Salt in and of itself is not bad - but the overuse of it is. But cutting the salt does not mean eating bland diets. It just means that you need to learn how to use the herbs and spices that culinary experts use everyday. It's basically taking the spice in your life from 'McDonald's grade' to gourmet grade. A trip to the spice isle doesn't have to break the bank either. Most common spices can be purchased in a generic version for as little as $1 per jar - and there are even some at my local Walmart that are 2 for $1. The average shelf life for spices is 5 years. So use them to rotate them through your food storage system or toss them after that time period. You can spend less than $30 on the spice isle and have a healthy stock for your food storage. Here's what I suggest to start:

Vanilla: Vanilla is one of the most popular flavorings in the world. It is used in flavoring most desserts, including ice cream, custard, cake, candy, and pudding. Vanilla is also used to enhance the flavor of beverages and sauces. I use a vanilla powder instead of liquid vanilla.

Sesame Seeds: Sesame Seeds are commonly used in stir-fries, Jewish and Chinese confections, and Middle Eastern dishes. It is also used in breads, candies, main dishes, as a garnish on pasta and vegetables, and for its oil content. A simple start in trying sesame seeds is to sprinkle them over green beans. My daughter loves this.

Sage: Sage enhances pork, lamb, meats, and sausages. Chopped leaves flavor salads, pickles, and cheese. It is one of the most popular herbs in the United States. It is a beautiful little soft velvet leafed plant and is a nice accent to your flower beds. Enjoy the looks and aroma in your garden and use it to cook - 2 uses in 1!!

Rosemary: Another great addition to your flower beds! Rosemary is an herb in the mint family. It is a small evergreen shrub whose 1 inch leaves resemble curved pine needles. Rosemary is used primarily in lamb, pork, chicken, and rabbit dishes.

Red Pepper: Some manufacturers use the term Cayenne Pepper to refer to a hotter version of Red Pepper. Red Pepper is used to achieve the characteristically hot flavor of Mexican, Creole, Cajun, Thai, Szechwan, and Indian cooking. It also is used in chili, Spanish rice, and barbecue sauce as well as meats, salads, and casseroles.

Parsley: This is another easy to grow herb for your garden beds. I grow the curly leaf kind because I found it more decorative. Use fresh or dried Parsley as a garnish in soups, salads, meats, vegetables, and sauces. It is also an excellent breath freshener. It is high in vitamins A and C, and contains iron, iodine, and copper.

Paprika: Paprika is the main flavor in Hungarian dishes like Goulash. In the United States, it is often used as a garnish on stuffed eggs, fish, and cheese and vegetable casseroles. Spanish Paprika flavors shellfish, rice, and sausage dishes. In Morocco, Paprika is used in tomato dishes and salads.

Oregano: Since Greek and Roman times it has been used with meats, fish, vegetables, and as a flavoring for wine. Before World War II, Oregano was almost unknown in the United States. However, its popularity skyrocketed with the popularity of pizza. It is also awesome in homemade spaghetti sauces.

Onion: Dry onion is so commonly used at my house that I purchase mine in the big #10 cans instead of the little spice jars. Onions are popular everywhere in the world. Fresh onions are used as both a condiment and a vegetable in almost any savory food. Fresh onions are easy to store for prolonged periods in a cool dry place. Just knot them off in the legs of an old clean pair of pantyhose and hang them from a nail. Cut them off one at a time for use.

Mint: Mint is the dried leaf of a perennial herb. There are two important species, Mentha spicata L. (spearmint) and Mentha piperita L. (peppermint). Fresh mint is easy to grow. Too easy in fact. It will take over your entire garden and is quite a nuisance to get rid of. I suggest growing fresh mint - but do it in a container. Cooking uses include mint jelly served with lamb, sprinkled in peas, or in chocolate desserts. I prefer to use mint for it's medicinal values. Steep 12 -15 fresh mint leaves in a cup of boiling water to make a mint 'tea' for tummy aches. I used this in Ashley's baby bottles when she was fussy with a tummy ache and it worked wonders. For older kids and adults, add a teaspoon of honey to sweeten the mixture. I will also take a fresh spearmint leaf and hold it under my tongue as a natural breath freshener and appetite suppressant. I also use spearmint and peppermint oil in honey cream mint food storage candy recipes. The recipe has been added to the article at the bottom of this blog entitiled 'my food storage favorite recipes'.

Garlic: Garlic is used in cuisines throughout the world. It is indispensable in Chinese, Italian, and Mexican foods. Fresh garlic can be stored the same as onions (ssee above). When purchasing from the spice rack section - be sure to get garlic powder instead of garlic salt - which of corse contains salt and that is what we are trying to cut.

Cumin: Cumin is frequently used in Mexican dishes such as chili con carne and hot tamales.

Cream of Tartar: Cream of Tartar is a natural, pure ingredient left behind after grape juice has fermented to wine. Cream of Tartar is used to stabilize egg white foams. It is also a major ingredient in baking powder.

Cloves: Cloves have been used for thousands of years. One of the earliest references to them says that the Chinese, in order to approach the emperor, had to have a few Cloves in their mouths to sweeten the breath. Cloves are used in spice cookies and cakes.

Cinnamon: Possibly most the common baking spice, Cinnamon is used in cakes, cookies, and desserts throughout the world. Cinnamon is also used in savory chicken and lamb dishes from the Middle East. In American cooking, Cinnamon is often paired with apples and used in other fruit and cereal dishes. Stick Cinnamon is used in pickling and for flavoring hot beverages.

Bay Leaves: Bay Leaves, a staple in American kitchens, are used in soups, stews, meat and vegetable dishes. The leaves also flavor classic French dishes such as bouillabaisse and bouillon.

Basil: Basil is widely used in Italian cuisine and is often paired with tomatoes. It is also used in Thai cooking. The herb complements meat, vegetables, cheese, and egg dishes.

Allspice: It is not a blend of "all spices," but its taste and aroma remind many people of a mix of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Allspice is used in Jamaican jerk seasoning and in Jamaican soups, stews, and curries. It also is used in pickling spice, spiced tea mixes, cakes, cookies, and pies. Food producers use it in ketchup, pickles, and sausages.

So remember - If variety is the spice of life - spices should be the variety in your food storage!!

Tips to Save on Your Grocery Bill

Here's a few handy tips that I have learned over the years:

1. Use a list every time - It is much, faster, easier and cheaper to shop if you have inventoried your pantry before you leave home. Stick to your list! When you shop from a list, you'll make fewer trips to the grocery store and save move in the long run because there are less chances from impulse buying.

2. Shop alone and after eating - One simple recipe for avoiding impulse buying: Do your shopping after a light snack or meal and leave the kids at home. If you aren't hungry, it's easier to stick to your list. If your children aren't with you, they won't be begging for all the goodies they see. You will be in a better position to do real comparison shopping.

3. Understand how stores work - A basic understanding of merchandising can help you avoid overspending. These simple habits will go a long way toward keeping your budget in check:
• Walk briskly toward what you came to buy and avoid distractions along the way. For example, have you ever noticed that the diapers and milk are often at the back of the store? You're forced to walk past a lot of temptation to get to the items you need most often.
• Products are displayed at the ends of the aisles in order to catch your eye. They may not actually be on sale - they are just placed there to catch your eye. Many "featured" items are not bargains at all.
• As you peruse the aisles, check the prices on the bottom shelves and compare them to the cost of the items at eye level.
• Avoid buying the items displayed by the register. The magazines at the checkout stand cost much more per issue than they would if you had a subscription, and cookies in little packages cost more than a from a box. Almost everything near the register is there to inspire you to buy on impulse, not to save you money.

4. Buy store brands or generics - The less-costly house brands on many items are often so similar to national brands that you wouldn't be able to tell them apart without the packaging. Read labels to compare nutritional value and you'll quickly see how little difference (if any) there is. Also, keep in mind that meat and dairy products all have to meet government standards, so store brands should be just as wholesome and nutritious as national brands.

5. Check the unit price - As you cruise down the aisles comparing products, take note of the unit price that is listed on the store shelf next to the item price. The unit price tells you what the product costs per ounce or some other consistent unit of measurement. Don't be fooled by packaging — compare per-unit prices, and buy the item that offers more for less instead of the one that looks like more for less.

6. Use store savings cards and coupons - Check your store's weekly ads for coupons on items you buy regularly — but also take advantage of your store's savings card. Keep your clipped coupons organized, perhaps separated according to grocery aisle or section. Whether you choose to hold them in envelopes, in a zip-top bag, with paper clips, or in a specially designed accordion file, store them in your purse or car so they're with you whenever you shop. Then, when you put the item in your cart, put the coupon for it in the checkbook, so that when you get to the checkout, it is all ready to go and you don't make everyone wait in line behind you while you sort out your coupons. This also avoids your forgetting to use it once you get the the register. Also, if a sale item doesn't appear on the shelves, ask for a rain check so you can get it for the reduced price when it's back in stock.

7. Buy in bulk - Buying in bulk is a no-brainer if you're feeding a big family. But you can still benefit from these discounts if yours is a smaller family or you have limited storage space. Here are some ideas for making the most of oversize buys:
• As always, arrive at your bulk-shopping store with a list.
• Buy mostly nonperishable items that you know for sure you'll use eventually — for example, paper products, cleaning supplies, baby wipes, juice boxes, and canned goods.
• If you do purchase perishables, separate large packages into smaller ones as soon as you get home. Divide chicken and steaks, for example, into daily portions and freeze for later use.
• Split the purchases and the bill with another family. Again, a list is a must — agree ahead of time on what you'll buy. If you trade off trips to the store, both families also save time.

8. Buy from the source - Get produce from a local farmer's market and you can avoid the store markup on fresh vegetables and fruit. Get your eggs or milk from a local farmer if you have one nearby. It's not worth driving for an hour to save a dollar or two, but if there's a guy in town, his stuff will be fresher and usually much cheaper.

9. Buy in season - Strawberries can cost $2 a package or $4 a package, depending on whether you buy them in June or January. The price of lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, and other fruits and vegetables also varies by season (and sometimes by the weather, as droughts and other extremes shrink crops and raise prices). Know what's in season & plan your meals around what you'll find at the best price. Then take things a step further and do as our grandmothers did: Get a roast or a ham, serve it on Sunday, then slice it for sandwiches on Monday, and toss in a few veggies to turn the leftovers into a stew or soup on Tuesday.

10. Grow your own - Fresh herbs can cost a pretty penny at the grocery store. Why not grow your own in little pots on your kitchen window ledge? When a recipe calls for it, you can pinch off a bit of basil, dill, thyme, or chives — and in the meantime, the herb plants will decorate your kitchen nicely. Chia herb gardens are a nice way to start. It's all in the box - but the fresh herb starts will soon be available at your local Walmart or other garden center so you can have immediate gratification instead of waiting for them to grow. (One thing to be aware of - I grew mint one year and it tried to take over my entire flowerbed. Even if you grow other herbs in your flower beds - grow mint in pots to avoid having it take over everything else.) Tomatoes and many other fruits and vegetables are also easy to grow in containers. Strawberries have charming flowers and make a good ground cover. I have them in my decorative rock garden. Whether you have a yard, deck, or even just a small balcony, you can turn a little sunshine and water into both a garden oasis and grocery savings.

11. Make your own baby food - I know it sounds daunting to some - but trust me - it's easy and good for your baby. I made most of Ashley's baby food by simply putting my leftover stews, mac & Cheese, meats, fruits and veggies into my 'Magic Bullet' blender. I made her food for the next day every night after dinner, stored it in the fridge in little Tupperware containers, and it was very easy. I just could not see paying for all those tiny jars when it cost me nothing extra to make the food myself.

These are just a few tips. I will discuss one of my favorite things to do in my next blog entry - making freezer meals to save time, money and energy. Until tomorrow - Happy shopping!

I'm back - - -

I took a few days of from publishing to this blog while I spent time with my wonderful husband. He is often away from home with his job so when he is home - I usually won't be writing. We had a great day trip to Little Sahara in Delta Utah. We rode the 4-wheelers in the sand and spent quality family time. The girls love the 4-wheelers - especially my little Ashley. Her first trip out on our boat was when she was 7 weeks old and her first 4-wheeler ride was when she was 9 months old. We have a Rhino with a backseat and we strap her into the car seat and away we go - all over the canyons, trails and sand dunes that are so abundant here in Utah. I guess she will be one of those fearless types when she grows up. So far - she shows no fear at any of our family adventures. Here's a little picture of our girls in the back of the Rhino on our annual Piute trail riding tip last year . But - a travel log is not what you are here for - so on with the food storage stuff....

I have posted a video below about how to make really easy wheat bread. Making bread is one of those things that used to scare me. I thought it was only for those pioneer type people. Over the years, I tried various recipes and methods and finally found a few recipes that I like and that my family actually uses. The video is kind of like how my friend and neighbor Cynthia Hart showed me how to make bread. I learned from Cynthia that bread making does not have to be an arduous hand making ordeal. She taught me that it's not about the recipe so much as it is about the process. Everyone should experiment a little to find the recipe that they like best and make bread at least once a month to stay in practice. I think it is one of those 'lost art' type of things. We have gotten so spoiled with going to the store to get everything - that a lot of today's younger homemakers don't know basic cooking and baking skills. The art of cooking from scratch has gone by the wayside in favor of frozen dinners, entrees, and fast food. And yes - I was once one of those frozen entree junkies - but being reformed from my lazy ways gives me the right to talk about it.

I do not pretend to be a fabulous cook. I am far from it, but I can make wholesome and nutritious meals for my family. I like to keep things simple and use common ingredients. I like the idea of learning new methods and recipes for homemade mixes so that I know what is going in my children's bodies. I have researched a lot on the Internet and I have posted the links to many sites that I use on the left of this blog. Check them out and see what you might find to incorporate into your family routine. I know that when I started cooking from scratch more, both my husband and I lost weight. (not because my cooking is lousy - quit with the teasing remarks Charolett - LOL) We feel better because we are not eating a ton of sodium and preservatives. Family is precious and feeding them from scratch may not make me a better wife and mother, but it makes me feel like a better wife and mother. Life is good - savor the flavor and kiss the cook in your life.

Bread Making the easy way

This video is from the site Simply Living Smart. The site is a great resource full of wonderful how-to videos and recipes and forums. Check out their link on the left side of this blog under the "food storage helps" section and sign-up with them. It's free and oh so informative.

Getting Your Food Storage

OK - this video shows an excellent example of a well stocked food storage room - but don't let it get you down if your food storage looks nothing like this. This is done be the owner of the website: myfoodstoragedeals.com
I have not checked out the website yet - but the video had good information so I thought I'd share it.

Self Rotating Can Rack, Food storage ideas

I thought that this was absolutely ingenious!
This is a self-rotating can rack. It is 72 inches long, 15 inches deep and 32 inches high. It holds approximately 500 cans. It has to be decorative because it is in plain sight in a living room.

How Do I Afford My Food Storage?

I will be the first to admit that I am not always as frugal as I should be. I love a good coupon and a good sale, but I am not a 'coupon-a-holic.' At different times during my 21 plus years of marriage, I have couponed more than others. There have even been times that I just shopped without care for price - although those times were few and far between because at heart, I am a frugal person. I have some items for which I will pay full price no matter what other brands may be on sale or have a coupon. (for example - I love JIF peanut butter and will not buy any other brand) There are other items for which I will always buy the store brand. (for example - salt, baking soda & flour) My shopping tactics are not always matter of pure economics. In my times of financial stress, I tend to be more of a bargain hunter. I have always shopped sales, but my coupon use has never been steady.

In my quest for bargains and ways to stretch a dollar, I have come across several good websites. Most of them are listed to the side of this page under the heading 'Money Saving Links'. There is also a button (logo) on the side of this page that links to a web page called 'The Obsessive Shopper'. On this page you will find links to all kinds of couponing and sales strategies as well as a list of sales ads matched with manufacturers coupons. It is awesome. There are also buttons for 3 other websites with that one which are all good resources for food storage recipes, videos, tips and other links.

Using coupons is your first line of attack in gathering your food storage. The money you save on couponing and rebate sales will help you to start funding the rest of your stock pile. As a matter of fact - lots of your non-food items can be found for FREE after rebate at Rite-aid, CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. If you live near one of these pharmacies, make it a point to pick up their new ad every week when you pass by the store. Your local dollar store is also a good place to look for non-food storage. I have found great deals on name-brand and store brand toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorants, cold remedies, aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and other stuff there. Just make sure you check the expiration dates and the price per unit. Some things that seem cheaper at a dollar store are actually cheaper (price per unit) at the grocery store. Another good tip is to ask for free stuff. I don't mean to beg - but if you see things going to waste - see if you can have it for free or a reasonable offer. I have gotten lots of free fruit over the years from noticing a neglected tree or orchard. A lot of people don't take the time to spray their fruit trees or pick them and it just makes me sick to see all that food going to waste. I have bottled, juiced, jammed and frozen apples, peaches, grapes, plums, walnuts, pears and apricots - all for free - just by stopping and knocking on a stranger's door when I noticed their fruit falling unused to the ground. The owners were happy to give it up because they weren't using it and it was littering up their yard. We were both winners. I got free produce and they got their yard cleaned up. Many of your neighbors may have an overabundance of a certain item in their garden. Most of them are probably looking for someone to take the extra 10 pounds of zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes or squash. I know I always take it when offered. Most produce freezes well even if you are not going to use it right away.

The bottom line is that there is no one size fits all - magic bullet - for affording your food storage. However, if you make it a priority, you will find that these few starter tips can help you get what you need. Believe me - when you need it - you will be so thankful you have it. I know I was.

Magic Mix

Magic Mix Ingredients:
2 1/3 C. non-instant Powdered Milk (if using instant - use 4 C.)
1 C. All Purpose Flour (Yes, use All Purpose)
1 C. (2 sticks) Margarine (***HAS TO BE REAL MARGARINE, NOT SPREAD***) or Butter, at room temperature

Mix all ingredients together in a kitchen aid - or by hand with a pastry blender until it is the consistency of cornmeal

Magic Mix White Sauce-makes 1 C.
2/3 C. Magic Mix
1 C. Water
In saucepan combine Magic Mix and water. Stir rapidly (I use a wire whisk) over medium heat until it starts to bubble. (Use Magic Mix White Sauce for all recipes calling for a white or cream sauce.)

Magic Mix Pudding- Makes 4 1/2 C. Servings
Okay, I don’t even like pudding but since my husband does I thought I’d make him some (and what kid doesn’t like pudding?). I was able to make it while my macaroni was boiling and it chilled while we ate. Well I took one bite and was SOLD!!! I’ve never had pudding that tasted so good, was so easy to make, and took such little effort!!
1/2 C. Sugar
1 C. Magic Mix
2-3 T. Cocoa (optional)
2 C. Water
1 t. Vanilla
Combine Magic Mix, sugar and cocoa in saucepan and mix well. Add water, stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles. Add vanilla and beat. Cover and Cool.

Fudgesicles

1 recipe pudding (see above) + 1/2 cup milk

Prepare pudding as directed above. Stir in additional milk and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into Popsicle molds or use ice cube trays or small 'Dixie' cups. Cover trays or cups with foil and insert plastic spoons for handles through the foil to hold them in place while freezing.

Macaroni and Cheese

1 C. white sauce from Magic Mix

1 C. uncooked macaroni

1 C. grated cheese (I like sharp Cheddar best)

1/2 tsp salt or garlic salt (optional)

Cook macaroni in boiling water until tender. Drain and return to pot. Add white sauce, cheese, and salt. Heat to melt cheese. Serves 4

Cream Soup variations

4 C. water

2C. Magic Mix

1 tsp. (or 1 cube) bullion

Mix-in(s) of your choice: 3 cooked mashed carrots -or - 3 cooked and chopped potatoes with 1 tsp. chopped onion -or- 1 can chopped clams -or- 1 package chopped cooked spinach -or- 1 can cream style corn with 1 tsp. chopped onion

Combine water, magic mix, and bullion. Stir over medium heat until slightly thick. Add desired vegetables from list and heat thoroughly.

Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup
1 C. Magic Mix

3/4 C. Chicken Broth (either from a can, bouillion, or liquid from canned chicken)

1 t. Dry Parsley

Dash of Onion Salt
Mix together with wire whisk over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 C. Magic Mix

1 4.5 oz. can Mushroom pieces and stems (SAVE THE WATER!)

1/4 C. WaterDash of Onion Salt

1-2 drops Kitchen Bouqet,optional

Combine all ingredients over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from heat immediately.

Why desserts are so important to your storage

CHOCOLATE is a staple in almost every woman's diet. I personally don't want to live in a world devoid of Snickers, M&Ms and Hershey's kisses. I also would not want to be without brownies, cookies, puddings and Jell-O. I know my weaknesses and when I am stressed, I go straight for that 5 gallon bucket full of Hershey's kisses in my basement. That's right - I said a 5 gallon bucket full! Did you know that 'desserts' is 'stressed' spelled backwards? That is why so many depressed people are overweight. They pig out to feel better and then the vicious cycle starts when they become overweight from pigging out - but that's a whole other story.....

Having a variety of treats in our food storage is important. I personally keep a year supply of pudding, Jell-O, candy, baking chips, cake and brownie mixes. I know that when times get tough, it will make my family feel much less stressed if our food regimes can stay the same. Did you know that when there is no variety in daily diets, many will just stop eating, become sick and die. This is especially true with young children and the elderly. Wheat bread, rice and beans for weeks on end will not cut it. When the mind is already stressed because of what is going on around you, it affects the body. When the body is stressed already, good nutrition is important. Variety in the nutrition is even more important if the stressful situation is going to be long term.

There are many ways to get variety in you storage and you can figure that out as you plan your food storage tactics. I just want to make sure that in your quest to get the most bang for your buck - you don't neglect life's sweet little pleasures. Here are a few suggestions to add sweets to your storage:

1. Hard Candy - it stores well for long periods in 5 gallon buckets or even on your shelf in it's original bags. Mints and old fashioned ribbon candies can usually be purchased for 1/2 price after Christmas.

2. Chocolate Candies - I get my chocolates on sale after Valentines for 1/2 off. I don't care what color the wrapper is on the hershy's kiss and pink M&Ms taste the same as any other color. $50 buys a years supply of chocolates for my whole family after the holidays and I have fun little treats for last minute birthday gift bags and such. Store them in a cool basement or freeze if storing more than 6 to 9 months. You can also Vacuum seal chocolate for long term shelf storage. Again - store vacuum sealed chocolates in a cool basement so they don't melt. (see Wendy DeWitt's booklet - 'Everything Under The Sun')

3. Prepackaged mixes - Make sure to check the expiration dates and keep these items rotated. Also make sure to store enough extra oil, and eggs (or egg substitutes) as called for on the box.

4. Puddings and Jell-O - Make sure that you increase your powdered milk storage so you have enough to make the puddings.

5. Chocolate Chips & Raisins - These items are essential to most of my favorite cookie recipes and can also be vacuum sealed for longer term storage. (see Wendy DeWitt's booklet - 'Everything Under The Sun')

Just remember - Life is meant to be SWEET

no matter what your temporary situation may be.

Food storage is a huge task. How do I start?

Good question - just how does one begin to tackle a whole year's supply of food? I would suggest that you start by making a plan. There are several schools of thought on how to store - but the simplest one that I have found is to store only those things that my family actually eats, make a list of favorite meals and then figure the amounts you need. It is a system created by a dear sister in the LDS church named Wendy DeWitt.

Here is a link to a youtube video where Wendy DeWitt explains just how to do this in great detail. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4woLOnURFiw. This is part 3 of 9 video sections of a class she did in Salem Utah in November 2008. In parts of the video series she mentions a booklet with all the instructions.

Here is the link to the downloadable PDF of the booklet http://www.theideadoor.com/PDF%20Files/RS/EverythingUnderTheSun.pdf.

Here is a link to Wendy's personal blog site. http://everythingunderthesunblog.blogspot.com/

Following is an excerpt from Sister DeWitt's booklet that deals with the system. It is much easier than trying to put into my own words.

THE SYSTEM
"I’ve based this system on a “worst case scenario,” meaning, if there were no stores, gardens, city water or electricity, I could still feed my family. This scenario also assumes that each family will be on their own, that we won’t be “banding together” at churches or schools. There are dozens of scenarios that would require isolation from other people. Please don’t put your family at risk by assuming that you will be eating someone else’s food! No one else is storing food for your family. Your neighbors aren’t, the government isn’t and the church isn’t.
How much food is a year’s supply? This system answers that question right down to the last teaspoon of salt. You choose 7 breakfasts and 7 dinners that you would want to have once a week for one year. There are 52 weeks in the year, you’re having this meal once a week, so you’ll have it 52 times. Make these meals things that you eat all the time, things that you like! You are going to multiply everything (including the amount of water) in each of your recipes by 52. An example would be if you used 1 jar of Ragu and 1 pound of spaghetti to feed your family, you’d
buy 52 jars of Ragu, 52 pounds of spaghetti and include the water to cook the noodles. My personal food storage has 14 dinners (multiplied by 26) 7 breakfasts (x 52) and a variety of breads and desserts. If we’re in a “worst case scenario” your big meal of the day is going to be in the afternoon before the sun goes down. So, you would have breakfast, a big dinner and maybe a sandwich or a snack in the evening. This is a very simple system that saves time and money because you only store what you really need and will eat. Another plus is the individuality you can give your food storage. I like Malt-o-meal, my husband likes oatmeal, so I store according to our likes.
Once you’ve made up your menus and have multiplied everything in them by 52 or 26 (or whatever you decide you want) make up a chart or table that alphabetically lists all the foods in your recipes....almonds to yeast, and keep this in a notebook. It might look like this: under “rice” you list all the meals that have rice in them and how many cups you need for each meal. Mine says “salmon & rice = 35 cups, Sweet & sour = 35 cups, rice pudding = 70 cups.” A little further over on the page have a column for “Need” which is how much rice you’ll need for the year, 140 cups. The next column will say “Have” which is what you already have in your home and the last column is “Buy” which is what you need to buy. The item, the meals, need, have and buy. I also list on this page when the food was purchased and what room it’s in. Carry this folder whenever you go shopping and shop the sales.
The equivalencies page of this book gives you most of the information you’ll need to do your own menus. Things like “a #10 can will hold 12 cups of rice, there are 59 tablespoons in one pound of baking powder and 1 cup of uncooked rice makes 3 cups cooked.”
COST The cost of using this system depends on your menus. Using the least expensive menus, if you shop wisely and bottle your own meats, it can cost as little as $350 per person per year. This would include 2 cups of breakfast, 2 cups of dinner and ½ loaf of bread daily.
STORAGE One person’s year supply will usually fit into 10 cannery boxes. (The kind that 6 #10 cans fit into.) This will fit under a regular twin size bed. In desert areas you must store your food in the house. Heat will destroy your food storage. Water can be stored in the garage or on the north side of the house.
ROTATION Most people have a hard time with rotation because it’s difficult to keep track of all that food. I purchase my meals all at once, meaning within a reasonable amount of time. Everything is logged in my notebook; how much food I have, when it was purchased, what room it’s stored in. Since I’m all about long shelf life, the shortest shelf life I have is 3 years...the powdered milk. Once a year I check my notebook to see if anything is expiring that year. I check my vacuum sealed foods at the same time to make sure they’re still sealed. If anything is close to expiration, I take it out, put it in my kitchen pantry for daily use and immediately replace it with fresh food. With this system, food storage is a once a year event and I always have a full year’s supply on hand. Have a food storage slush fund. If you put even $10 a month away, after those 3 years you’ll have $360 to purchase your new food. And the food that goes into your pantry is going to cut your grocery bill because it’s food that you like and use. "

This system may sound overwhelming at first - but it is really easy. It is just a matter of organization. I did not have this system when I started my food storage in earnest but I did something similar. I started by having a good bread recipe that I knew how to make and then I got my basic year's supply of wheat, sugar, white flour, yeast and oil for that particular bread making recipe. (let me interject here - that if you have a year's supply of wheat and don't have a grinder - you are kind of up a creek in an emergency. You can get a simple hand grinder for under $100. I see them on sale around my neck of the woods for $69 and $79 all the time. If you choose to get an electric one - ask your friends and neighbors for their recommendations of what they have and like best.) After I had my year supply of bread making items, I started getting a year's supply of breakfast foods. I already had lots of jams and jellies because I have fruit trees and hate to see anything go to waste, so I can jellies like a mad woman every fall. I figured with the bread and breakfast, I would get a supply of peanut butter next and at least my family would have sandwiches and breakfast for a year. Of course after that I began to hodge-podge together a bunch of pasta, and canned goods like spaghetti sauce, tuna and soups, but I had no real plan. I love Sister DeWitt's system, because it really fit well with what I was already doing and made the organization of it much easier. These are just the basics - I will write more about storing other items later.
Remember - Start today. Don't wait another minute. Even if all you have is $5 you can start your food storage. Get a good bread recipe first and start assembling your ingredients with that first $5. You never know when a situation will arise that you will need it.

What a Year's Supply Looks like

Note: I got this information in an email from a friend - though I would like to take credit for it - it is not my work.

Exactly What Does a Basic 1 Year Food Storage for 1 Person Look Like? These are the MINIMUM Basic Amounts of Food Needed for Survival for ONE PERSON for ONE YEAR:


Grain - 400 lbs
Legumes - 60 lbs
Powdered Milk - 16 lbs
Cooking Oil - 10 Quarts
Sugar - 60 lbs
Salt - 8 lbs
Water - 14 Gallons (2 week supply)






Top shelf: cooking oil
2nd shelf down: 3 bags of beans
3rd shelf down: 4 cans powdered milk
6 10-lb. bags sugar
4th and 5th shelves each hold 200 lbs. wheat

This isn’t much to eat for a year!

(Note: You could only do the bread if you had stored yeast, which isn’t on the list.)

Food Storage COST for ONE PERSON for ONE YEAR: (Approximate)
Grains $200
Legumes $75
Instant Milk $94
Cooking Oil $44
Sugar $120
Salt $3
TOTAL APPROX. COST = $523
PLUS $70 shelf = $600

NOTE: There are LOTS of places you can buy food and supplies. This list is intended as a basic outline to show general prices of food. The important thing is to DO SOMETHING. Food Storage Prices as of 1/7/09 - all prices are approximate.

The following quotes come from talks on the LDS Church’s website http://providentliving.org/
“Encourage our members to regularly put into their home storage a few wholesome, basic food items and some water that is safe to drink. They should save some money, if only a few coins each week. This modest approach will soon enable them to have several months’ reserve. Over time they can expand these modest efforts into a longer-term supply by adding such essentials as grains, legumes, and other staples that will keep them alive in case they do not have anything else to eat. As we do our very best, we can be confident that ‘the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail.’ We shall enjoy greater wisdom, security, peace of mind, and personal well-being. We shall be prepared, and because we are prepared, we shall not fear.”
Bishop Keith McMullin, Lay up in Store, General Conference, April 2007

“As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time of need...I do not wish to sound negative, but I wish to remind you of the warnings of scripture and the teachings of the prophets which we have had constantly before us. I cannot forget the great lesson of Pharaoh’s dream of the fat and lean kine and of the full and withered stalks of corn.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley, The Times in Which We Live, General Conference, October 2001

“ As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness.”
Elder L. Tom Perry, If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear, General Conference, October 1995

“Recent surveys of Church members have shown a serious erosion in the number of families who have a years supply of life’s necessities. Most members plan to do it. Too few have begun.”
Thomas S. Monson, Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare, Ensign, September 1986

“The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.”
Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, November 1980, p. 33

Start today - it is not too late!

Why food storage and why now more than ever

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I have heard all my life that we need to have a food storage supply and be prepared. When I was a young girl, in the age of Reagan's 'bear in the woods' camping, I assumed that this supply was something that my family would live off of in the event of a nuclear attack. I pictured my dad with his pistol protecting us from attacks of unprepared and radiation burned mobs. Frankly, I was not sure that I wanted to live through something like that and rebuild the earth.

After I got married, I was overwhelmed with the idea of starting with nothing. My parents always had a garden and canned their own food. They had purchased a prepackaged year supply survival kit for the family with all the basics like canned wheat, sugar, flour, beans and honey. They spent a lot of money on these items. Now I lived 2000 miles away from mom and dad and had no-one to turn too in the event of that impending nuclear event. As a new bride, I lived in a very small apartment with no garden and no idea how to can. If Ron and I could scrape together an extra $5 at the end of the month we were lucky. Our monthly date was to go down the hill to the local McDonald's and get a value meal and maybe an ice cream cone. (Notice I said monthly dates - we had no money for weekly dates. We always just spent free time on hikes or other things that did not cost us any money) I had no clue how I was going to get a years supply and so I literally gave up. I did not even try to get food storage for the first 4 years of our marriage. I always tried to make sure we had at least a weeks worth of groceries in the cupboard, but there was not much more than that.

After the birth of our first daughter, we were even more broke. Ron was determined that I would be a stay-at-home mother since that was what I had always wanted. As we budgeted anew for this seemingly impossible feat, I also began to think about food storage again. To save money we used cloth diapers. We also shared rent on a larger house with Ron's sister, who was recently divorced. We got a better place to live, with more storage, for less rent. Ron's sister was an inspiration to me. She knew how to make jams and jellies. She canned fruit. She made applesauce and had a stockpile of all sorts of store bought goods. We rented a couple of houses together with Debi. The first one had fruit trees and she and I worked side by side picking and canning what we could. I watched and learned as much as I could from my sister-in-law. Free education is the best. I wish I had paid closer attention to my mother when I was a kid - but hindsight is always 20/20.

The first major storage purchase I made was our daughter's first Christmas. It was 1991 and the Gulf War was on. Ron's brother was serving in Iraq, in Operation Desert Storm. Terrorism was just starting to emerge in my brain as another reason for being prepared. We had no money for frivolous presents. I was holding back a few dollars from our weekly grocery allotment every week to save for Christmas. (I have always tried to save a little each week for Christmas to avoid using the credit card for the holiday.) I purchased a few toys for our new baby daughter at a local thrift store and then sat and thought long and hard about how to get a meaningful Christmas for Ron and I on our limited funds. I decided that I should be heeding Church counsel and getting prepared. Since long-term storage seemed too daunting, I decided to get our 72 hour kits. We already had sleeping bags and a pup tent. (it leaked - but it was better than nothing) I went to a sale at a local emergency preparedness store and got a duffel bag full of MREs. I also got all the other basics - waterproof matches, emergency reflective blankets, wing stove, etc. I was so proud. Ron was so surprised when he opened that big box on Christmas morning. That night when we were in bed and the house was quiet, I asked him if he was disappointed in the present. He said 'no'. He was happy that we were getting prepared. So - from then on out I decided that I was going to get a food supply.

I have tried a lot of different methods over the years. I have thrown out a lot of unused food storage. I have learned a lot of valuable and expensive lessons. That is why I have started this blog. I really want to save those of you reading - the frustration and money that I wasted. I now have a system and it is simple. I do not waste food. I rotate it and use it. I store only what we eat. I do not waste time and money on the latest and costliest food storage prepackaged menus. I plan and store from my own grocery store. There are a few things that I pick up at specialty places - but we use them on a regular basis. I use a 50lb bag of oats every year. I use powdered milk almost exclusively. I have found a brand my family likes and that is what I store. I have learned to make my own yogurt, and granola cereals for breakfast. It is easy, cheap and wonderful. My baby girl will not grow up on sugar, dye and preservative filled cereals. I make my own bread and roll dough. Again - it is easy, cheap and preservative free.

There are lots of reasons for making my own foods, but the reason I first did it was necessity. When we were young and broke, I had to cut the grocery budget somehow. So - I learned to do a few things. It was hard and I have never been one to collect cookbooks. With the advent of the Internet, I found a new resource. I liked being able to look up a certain food item and get a hundred different recipes for it . I also loved the detailed picture instructions and sometimes even instructional videos that came up with certain foods. When Ron was out of work for short spells earlier in our marriage due to accidents and unpaid vacation time at his jobs, we fell back on our pantry supply to save money for the week or two. This past fall, however, we faced our toughest times. The economy has not been kind as we all know. Ron's job is particularly susceptible to fluctuations in the economy. In July, our paychecks started getting smaller and we found ourselves supplementing our monthly budget with our savings. In early November, Ron found himself out of work. It lasted until the middle of February. 3 1/2 months without a single paycheck. It was a very difficult time for us. It would have been tempting to refinance the house - but the housing market was down and we already had a mortgage payment that was more than we could bear without a paycheck. Besides - how could we refinance without a job to show. I am glad to say that we have survived that momentary financial crisis and Ron now has a good paying job again - but it was very scary for a while. I am convinced my friends - that this current economic downturn is the reason most of us will be using our food storage in the near future.

Don't let the thoughts of a basement full of empty shelving and the piles of cash that it would cost to fill them all at once get you down. Just start small and keep building. Use you tax refund if you have one to get a good jump start. Set aside all or part of your found monies for food storage. 'Found money' is anything that is not part of your regular budget. IE: birthday cash, rebate checks, bonuses from work - you get the idea. The thing is - you can do it. It will take time - but starting is the only way you can even think about finishing. In this blog I will endeavor to share positive messages and do-able ways that you can start and expand your food storage. I have posted links to recipe sites and money saving blogs. I want to help you to help yourselves.

Please post a comment if you like and let me know if there are any sites, ideas or other things that I can include here to help others. I can be reached via email at kayreynolds3@gmail.com