Buy 2 Glade candles(on sale 2 for $5)
Use $3/2 Glade printable coupon that can be found here.
You should be able to print this coupon two times
a $3 Catalina coupon good on your next purchase will be generated at check out
this means you will have an initial out of pocket cost of $2
use the $3 coupon and the $2 coupon on the next purchase of 2 and buy for only tax (you will then get another $3 to buy something else you may need or want, I would spend this while in store) if you buy something for $3 this will be FREE as well (tax only)
Do this deal twice, you can submit it for the $5 SC Johnson Rebate on 3 products and MAKE $3 cash on the purchase of all 5 items
CLICK HERE to download the special rebate form and get $5 back when you purchase any 3 SC Johnson products.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Online Coupons
Most people are familiar with the coupons available in the Sunday paper. Some people clip them and use them that week, which is the manufacturer's goal. Getting you to buy what the coupons advertise. I tend to go about coupons in a different way. I do clip them each week, but then I file them and wait for the item to go on sale. This maximizes my savings and makes my dollars go further.
In today's market, with everything being online, companies have gone online with their coupons as well. I use a site called Coupons.com a lot. Particularly when I am looking for a coupon for something on sale and I don't have a coupon in my binder. Other coupon forums online will tell you about deals you can make with these online coupons and a sale or even a regularly priced item in a store. While some of the coupons will match what you got in your paper, others will be completely different and offer you unexpected savings on something you wanted. The key to saving the most money is combining the techniques effectively to get deals on what your family needs. As I have said before, it does no good to get a bottle or box of something that no one in your family will ever use.
Another mistake some people make is printing all of the online coupons on the site. This is a costly error. Only print the coupons you need. If nothing you are going to buy this week is on the coupon site, then don't print anything. The coupons you find online will often be there for a while,so unless is something you KNOW you will buy, wait to print until you need it. Also be sure to set your printer to a more economical setting. You can often print in black and white and lower the quality settings and the coupon will still scan and be just as usable a the store while costing you less to print.
In today's market, with everything being online, companies have gone online with their coupons as well. I use a site called Coupons.com a lot. Particularly when I am looking for a coupon for something on sale and I don't have a coupon in my binder. Other coupon forums online will tell you about deals you can make with these online coupons and a sale or even a regularly priced item in a store. While some of the coupons will match what you got in your paper, others will be completely different and offer you unexpected savings on something you wanted. The key to saving the most money is combining the techniques effectively to get deals on what your family needs. As I have said before, it does no good to get a bottle or box of something that no one in your family will ever use.
Another mistake some people make is printing all of the online coupons on the site. This is a costly error. Only print the coupons you need. If nothing you are going to buy this week is on the coupon site, then don't print anything. The coupons you find online will often be there for a while,so unless is something you KNOW you will buy, wait to print until you need it. Also be sure to set your printer to a more economical setting. You can often print in black and white and lower the quality settings and the coupon will still scan and be just as usable a the store while costing you less to print.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Pinto Bean Soup
This recipe is a family favorite and is very easy to make. It is nearly meat free, and can be made so by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable broth. Since beans are so inexpensive, this recipe is very economical.
Another plus is that it can be made several ways. I usually quick-soak the beans and then pressure cook them for 25 minutes in fresh water. At this point they are cooked and ready to be placed in the crock pot. I mash about half of them using a potato masher or immersion blender, then I proceed with the recipe. Another option is to soak the beans overnight, drain the water then start them cooking on low in the morning, adding the other ingredients that morning and letting it cook all day. Both methods work well.
3 cups of dried pintos, rinsed, soaked and cooked
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 med red pepper, cored, chopped*
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 quarts of chicken broth
2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 T chili powder(if its a strong, hot chili powder(like chipotle)-more if it isn’t)
1 T cumin
1 T liquid smoke
2 T hot pepper sauce
Put cooked pintos in the crock pot on low, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash about half of them(I used a potato masher).
In a small pot on the stove, heat the oil and saute the onion, celery and red pepper. When almost tender, add the chopped garlic until lightly browned. Add this mixture to the pintos. Add the chicken broth** to the crock pot along with the apple cider vinegar, chili powder, cumin, liquid smoke and hot pepper sauce. Let it simmer*** for the rest of the day. You can salt this to taste once the beans are tender. Watch it toward the end of the day, adding liquid if it gets too thick or starts to burn. Serve with grated cheddar and tortilla chips.
*You can use 1/2 cup dried chopped red pepper. I dry many peppers in the summer and use them in this recipe. Simply add them to the pintos without sauteing.
**At this point you can add about 2 quarts of chicken broth. If you do not have broth water is fine or the reserved liquid from cooking the pintos can be used. You can also use some chicken bouillon cubes to add flavor if desired.
***In my crock pot, for it to simmer, I use the low setting. In some crock pots, this may require the warm setting.
Another plus is that it can be made several ways. I usually quick-soak the beans and then pressure cook them for 25 minutes in fresh water. At this point they are cooked and ready to be placed in the crock pot. I mash about half of them using a potato masher or immersion blender, then I proceed with the recipe. Another option is to soak the beans overnight, drain the water then start them cooking on low in the morning, adding the other ingredients that morning and letting it cook all day. Both methods work well.
3 cups of dried pintos, rinsed, soaked and cooked
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 med red pepper, cored, chopped*
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 quarts of chicken broth
2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 T chili powder(if its a strong, hot chili powder(like chipotle)-more if it isn’t)
1 T cumin
1 T liquid smoke
2 T hot pepper sauce
Put cooked pintos in the crock pot on low, reserving the cooking liquid. Mash about half of them(I used a potato masher).
In a small pot on the stove, heat the oil and saute the onion, celery and red pepper. When almost tender, add the chopped garlic until lightly browned. Add this mixture to the pintos. Add the chicken broth** to the crock pot along with the apple cider vinegar, chili powder, cumin, liquid smoke and hot pepper sauce. Let it simmer*** for the rest of the day. You can salt this to taste once the beans are tender. Watch it toward the end of the day, adding liquid if it gets too thick or starts to burn. Serve with grated cheddar and tortilla chips.
*You can use 1/2 cup dried chopped red pepper. I dry many peppers in the summer and use them in this recipe. Simply add them to the pintos without sauteing.
**At this point you can add about 2 quarts of chicken broth. If you do not have broth water is fine or the reserved liquid from cooking the pintos can be used. You can also use some chicken bouillon cubes to add flavor if desired.
***In my crock pot, for it to simmer, I use the low setting. In some crock pots, this may require the warm setting.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Ham and Bean Soup
Tonight's dinner was very low cost and really yummy. Bean soup is a staple for anyone on a budget. If you happen to have a ham bone lying around it becomes a deluxe staple.
Ham and Bean Soup
1 meaty ham bone
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups dried navy beans, rinsed and presoaked
8 cups of water
1 T liquid smoke
1 tsp mustard powder
1 T black pepper
1 T sea salt(at end, to taste)
In a large dutch oven I sauteed the ham bone until the drippings in the bottom were substantial. I removed the bone to a plate and sauteed the onions and garlic in it. Once tender I transferred these to a crock pot. I put the ham bone back in and sauteed again getting more drippings and then added water and the pre-soaked beans to the pot. If you do not have pre-soaked dried navy beans, you can use the quick soak method. Making sure the beans were covered with the water, I cooked the beans till they were tender.
Turning my attention to the crock pot, I added the seasonings(except the salt)to the onion/garlic mixture and 1 cup of water and turned the crock pot on low and covered it.
WHen the beans were tender, I removed the bone again and poured the tender beans in the crock pot and allowed everything to cook on high until the flavors melded a bit. I picked the bone some more and added the rest of the ham to the crock pot and added salt to taste.
We served it with rolls, but cornbread might be good too.
The bone was from New Years dinner and the beans were in the house, so this cost me very little and it was really good. Unfortunately there were no leftovers :(
Ham and Bean Soup
1 meaty ham bone
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups dried navy beans, rinsed and presoaked
8 cups of water
1 T liquid smoke
1 tsp mustard powder
1 T black pepper
1 T sea salt(at end, to taste)
In a large dutch oven I sauteed the ham bone until the drippings in the bottom were substantial. I removed the bone to a plate and sauteed the onions and garlic in it. Once tender I transferred these to a crock pot. I put the ham bone back in and sauteed again getting more drippings and then added water and the pre-soaked beans to the pot. If you do not have pre-soaked dried navy beans, you can use the quick soak method. Making sure the beans were covered with the water, I cooked the beans till they were tender.
Turning my attention to the crock pot, I added the seasonings(except the salt)to the onion/garlic mixture and 1 cup of water and turned the crock pot on low and covered it.
WHen the beans were tender, I removed the bone again and poured the tender beans in the crock pot and allowed everything to cook on high until the flavors melded a bit. I picked the bone some more and added the rest of the ham to the crock pot and added salt to taste.
We served it with rolls, but cornbread might be good too.
The bone was from New Years dinner and the beans were in the house, so this cost me very little and it was really good. Unfortunately there were no leftovers :(
Friday, January 8, 2010
Food Storage on a Budget
Have you ever noticed that bread and milk disappear from grocery shelves at the first hint of a winter storm? I have never really understand this thought process much past the fact that you can subside on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches during a power outage. The milk escapes me, unless its winter and they plan on keeping it cold outside, but this phenomenon occurred prior to hurricanes as well...I've never known a gallon of milk to fare well on the porch at a balmy 70 degrees.
This winter has brought many extreme temperatures and quite a bit of snow our way. One storm resulted in a loss of power several times at our house over a week long period. We were also stuck at home for 6 days and even head a house guest during that time. Thankfully, because I had some food on the shelves for just such an occasion, we had plenty to eat and could enjoy being "stranded" rather than frantic for want of a meal. For some people in our area the inconvenience was merely hours, while others went without electricity for over a week and couldn't get out either. This type of situation can present a problem for a lot of folks who have no alternate source of energy or food in their pantry. Around here, there are fireplaces and woods stoves in many homes, but still, most people go without water when the pumps don't work and the roads are usually impassible during that time so getting supplies during those first few days is rather difficult. I often hear of folks subsisting on the dusty cans of mystery meat and chicken soup from the back of their cabinets.
All emergencies aside, almost daily, I hear how people stop at the store on the way home from work to pick up dinner for that night because they have nothing in their kitchen. To me, this is pretty shortsighted living. I know its the norm, but it costs so much more to live that way, and I know from my own experiences that healthy eating rarely comes into play when the golden arches or the freezer section of the local grocery store is my source for last-minute dinner plans. Being prepared for the unexpected seems pretty practical to me. Perhaps its my age, and I know its not on everyone's list of things to do, but when money gets tight(which it has) you have to be ready for just about anything at the drop of the hat. If you don't have money to fix it on the fly, you have to be prepared.
Preparing for What?
Before you go out and buy an instant food storage solution, it would probably be a good idea to sit down and decide what your goals are in this area. What are the reasons that you can think of to have some food in your pantry? There are many different situations that can prevent you from getting groceries or even one meal. Make a list of anything that you can think of that would cause this. List things that have a significant probability. If you live in Wichita Kansas, an earthquake is unlikely, but an ice storm is probably going to make the list. Once you have your list, indicate the length of time you feel each scenario might last. For instance, a weather related or man-made disaster may last a few days while long-term unemployment, severe economic depression or a gas shortage may last for months.
Now that you have a probable list of scenarios, you can design your plan of attack. Order your list from shortest to longest duration. Set goals to accomplish the first and work through to the longest. For instance a short term set back may only require food and candles while a long-term set back may require fuel, a larger supply of food or some cash on hand. As you check them off, you are steadily preparing for one scenario after another with the ultimate goal of being prepared for the unexpected.
Making a Plan of Attack
The first thing you DO NOT want to do is immediately buy the one-year food storage system for a family of four at your "disasterpreparednessstore.com" This is a costly way to prepare and quite frankly, if you are not used to eating MRE's and unleavened bread, you are unlikely to finish much more than the dried bananas and canned water. You are much better off identifying foods you can live with and setting goals to work them into a current budget. Charging your food pantry to a credit card is not a wise move either. What if your emergency turns out to be job loss? How will you pay that credit card bill? Sit down with your family and figure out what foods you can and will eat, then keep the ones that will store well and do relatively well at keeping you healthy. Rice and beans, while not the most glamorous of foods will provide you with a full tummy, plenty of fiber and nutrients, they store well and they won't break the bank. A year's supply of Pop Tarts won't help you at all, but some sugar or honey will allow for a treat or two when mixed with flour and baked, pan fried or grilled. You have to get creative with foods when its the same thing everyday, but if you can't leave the house anyway, you will have plenty of time to put on your creative hat and experiment.
Show me the Money
If you think its impossible to create a stockpile of food because you are eating week to week, its not. If you have $10 a week to spend on your storage system, you can begin today. That's all you need. As you expand your system, your grocery bill will begin to decrease because these foods will enter into your weekly meal plans since they are so basic. The items in your start-up food storage list are very basic. Once you have them, you can survive for as long as the food lasts and stay healthy. Once you have them, you can move toward increasing the amounts that you have and then introducing more variety. Remember to take into account all the likes and dislikes of your family. It certainly won't be helpful to you to have 50lbs of black eyed peas if no one in the house will eat them. As you create your food storage plan, and start to build up the list of basics in your home, you will find that it is not necessary to run to the store multiple times in a week because you can come home and make a meal with what is there. Use these savings to make home cooking more convenient. For instance, if you have a pressure cooker dried beans can become a meal in under two hours. If you thought to soak them before you left for work, you can do it in under 25 minutes. Dried beans (per serving) are FAR less than the frozen microwave variety and just as tasty. Buying in bulk is also a money saver. The ten pounds of rice you purchase in the first week will feed you and your family for weeks for the same price as a box of the instant variety that serves your family once. The flour you buy in week three will be great to have for baking cookies on the weekend or making a batch of pancakes for breakfasts during the week. The idea is to get what you need to get by and then work from there. Its much easier to get through a difficult time when you have the basics on hand and it doesn't require an arm and a leg to do it.
Start Up List
Here's the basic list. Its really this simple.
Week one: Rice (brown or white)
If you like brown rice, its going to be healthier for your family, but don't get it if they are not going to eat it. Rice stores well in a cool, dry environment and it will last for at least 6 months. You can purchase it in anything from a 8 oz box up to 25lb bag in most stores. Do not get the precooked quick rice. Buy a large bag (at least 2 lbs) and pour into air tight containers. Mark the date purchased on each one and put them on the shelf. As you purchase more, put it behind the original ones so that you use the one up the older food first. If you purchase a 10lb bag it will cost you approximately $8.00 and will make about 93 one-cup servings. Use any leftover change for the next week's purchase.
Week two: Beans, Tang & Lard
Two pounds of beans will balance out last week's rice purchase nicely. At a ratio of 5:1 Rice and beans create a "complete protein" which means that even without meat, you are getting the protein you need. But dont worry, we will add meat in a few weeks. Two 2lb bags will cost you about $3.50
Tang, while not my first pick for healthy eating (don't even get me started on the food coloring, etc), is shelf stable and an 8oz glass gets you 100% of your daily Vitamin C requirement. It also has small amounts of other required nutrients and the sugary sweetness each day will almost seem like desert! If you don't like Tang, be careful of what you choose as a substitute; finding shelf stable drink mixes with some nutritional value is a challenge at best. Pick up your first 20 oz container at about $4 and you will have 24 servings to get you started.
Lard (yes real lard) is hard to find and is actually probably better for you than the Tang! I make my own from pig fat that I purchase about once every two years, but you can find it. Avoid hydrogenated oils. Try to find organic lard as it is usually free of those types of nasties. Fat is a necessary component in your diet and when you are in "survival" mode you need the extra calories and staying-power of fats. Besides, it can't be beat if you want biscuits, or refried beans, or fried rice, or any kind of pan-fried breads and when you don't have refrigeration, lard doesn't spoil. Pick up 5 lbs or make your first batch using my directions for way less money. This will use up the last of your $10 and probably the change from last week.
Week Three: Flour, Sugar and Vegetables
Pick up a 20lb sack of flour. I prefer wheat berries because they store indefinitely but if you have no way of grinding it, you are better off with plain white flour since it won't go rancid. Unbleached white flour is better if you can get it but may be more expensive. Now, with the previous weeks items, you have what you need to make biscuits or tortillas and if you have store bought yeast you can make bread. If you don't have yeast you can learn how to make sourdough starter to leaven it.
5lbs of sugar is next on this weeks list. With sugar you can make sweet breads, some rice pudding or muffins when used with the ingredients you already have. This will make your family smile and add some much-needed variety to your diet if a crisis comes your way.
Canned veggies are your last requirement this week. The darker and greener or oranger you can get, the better. Collards and other greens, Spinach, Carrots, pumpkin, and squashes all have lots of vitamin A and calcium. Get as many cans as you can with the rest of your $10 for this week.
Week Four: Dried Milk and salt
Purchase one tub of iodized salt, a small container of baking powder(if you don't have any) and then get the largest box of non-fat dry milk you can find for this weeks ten dollars. Milk is a great source of essential amino acids, calcium and vitamin D. Dried milk is shelf stable and can be stored for up to a year. It can be used in your breads and muffins, for making yogurt and a creamy gravy or pudding. During the year, you can use it instead of real milk in your cooking to save money and to get used to using it. Try to have at least 1 large box on your shelf for emergencies.
Week Five: Tuna and Vegetables
Take this week's ten spot and get some Tuna. If you happen to find tuna on sale, buy some more dark green vegetables as well. Tuna is a shelf-stable source of lean meat. 10 cans is a good start up goal as you increase your storage in the coming months. They last for years and as long as your family likes it, you can always have them in the pantry for sandwiches, rotating in new cans each year so your stock is fresh.
You've Done it!
If you finished the first 5 weeks, you are now set for an emergency of the short-term variety. This should feel pretty good! In the coming weeks, repeat this cycle and add to what you have and fine tune your purchases to suit your family. Maybe get pepper instead of salt, or a block of yeast for making bread or some honey instead of sugar. Making small investments as the weeks pass will have long-term benefits without debt or regret. If you have never tried canning your own foods, don't be afraid to try that in the coming months. This allows you to diversify what you have in the house and you can take advantage of low prices when produce is in abundance or your corner market has a huge sale on meat. You can can just about anything and your local extension office usually offers classes if you have never tried.
As you continue on this new path of preparedness, don't forget to rotate and use your new-found pantry and don't allow your stash to decrease as you use it; simply replenish it with your weekly shopping trips and use the money you budgeting to increase what you have. Learn to keep your shelves stocked with the basics so that when something upsets the apple cart, you can still get around. And lastly, don't forget to enjoy the fact that you don't always have to run to the store and get bread and milk just because snow is predicted for tomorrow night!
This winter has brought many extreme temperatures and quite a bit of snow our way. One storm resulted in a loss of power several times at our house over a week long period. We were also stuck at home for 6 days and even head a house guest during that time. Thankfully, because I had some food on the shelves for just such an occasion, we had plenty to eat and could enjoy being "stranded" rather than frantic for want of a meal. For some people in our area the inconvenience was merely hours, while others went without electricity for over a week and couldn't get out either. This type of situation can present a problem for a lot of folks who have no alternate source of energy or food in their pantry. Around here, there are fireplaces and woods stoves in many homes, but still, most people go without water when the pumps don't work and the roads are usually impassible during that time so getting supplies during those first few days is rather difficult. I often hear of folks subsisting on the dusty cans of mystery meat and chicken soup from the back of their cabinets.
All emergencies aside, almost daily, I hear how people stop at the store on the way home from work to pick up dinner for that night because they have nothing in their kitchen. To me, this is pretty shortsighted living. I know its the norm, but it costs so much more to live that way, and I know from my own experiences that healthy eating rarely comes into play when the golden arches or the freezer section of the local grocery store is my source for last-minute dinner plans. Being prepared for the unexpected seems pretty practical to me. Perhaps its my age, and I know its not on everyone's list of things to do, but when money gets tight(which it has) you have to be ready for just about anything at the drop of the hat. If you don't have money to fix it on the fly, you have to be prepared.
Preparing for What?
Before you go out and buy an instant food storage solution, it would probably be a good idea to sit down and decide what your goals are in this area. What are the reasons that you can think of to have some food in your pantry? There are many different situations that can prevent you from getting groceries or even one meal. Make a list of anything that you can think of that would cause this. List things that have a significant probability. If you live in Wichita Kansas, an earthquake is unlikely, but an ice storm is probably going to make the list. Once you have your list, indicate the length of time you feel each scenario might last. For instance, a weather related or man-made disaster may last a few days while long-term unemployment, severe economic depression or a gas shortage may last for months.
Now that you have a probable list of scenarios, you can design your plan of attack. Order your list from shortest to longest duration. Set goals to accomplish the first and work through to the longest. For instance a short term set back may only require food and candles while a long-term set back may require fuel, a larger supply of food or some cash on hand. As you check them off, you are steadily preparing for one scenario after another with the ultimate goal of being prepared for the unexpected.
Making a Plan of Attack
The first thing you DO NOT want to do is immediately buy the one-year food storage system for a family of four at your "disasterpreparednessstore.com" This is a costly way to prepare and quite frankly, if you are not used to eating MRE's and unleavened bread, you are unlikely to finish much more than the dried bananas and canned water. You are much better off identifying foods you can live with and setting goals to work them into a current budget. Charging your food pantry to a credit card is not a wise move either. What if your emergency turns out to be job loss? How will you pay that credit card bill? Sit down with your family and figure out what foods you can and will eat, then keep the ones that will store well and do relatively well at keeping you healthy. Rice and beans, while not the most glamorous of foods will provide you with a full tummy, plenty of fiber and nutrients, they store well and they won't break the bank. A year's supply of Pop Tarts won't help you at all, but some sugar or honey will allow for a treat or two when mixed with flour and baked, pan fried or grilled. You have to get creative with foods when its the same thing everyday, but if you can't leave the house anyway, you will have plenty of time to put on your creative hat and experiment.
Show me the Money
If you think its impossible to create a stockpile of food because you are eating week to week, its not. If you have $10 a week to spend on your storage system, you can begin today. That's all you need. As you expand your system, your grocery bill will begin to decrease because these foods will enter into your weekly meal plans since they are so basic. The items in your start-up food storage list are very basic. Once you have them, you can survive for as long as the food lasts and stay healthy. Once you have them, you can move toward increasing the amounts that you have and then introducing more variety. Remember to take into account all the likes and dislikes of your family. It certainly won't be helpful to you to have 50lbs of black eyed peas if no one in the house will eat them. As you create your food storage plan, and start to build up the list of basics in your home, you will find that it is not necessary to run to the store multiple times in a week because you can come home and make a meal with what is there. Use these savings to make home cooking more convenient. For instance, if you have a pressure cooker dried beans can become a meal in under two hours. If you thought to soak them before you left for work, you can do it in under 25 minutes. Dried beans (per serving) are FAR less than the frozen microwave variety and just as tasty. Buying in bulk is also a money saver. The ten pounds of rice you purchase in the first week will feed you and your family for weeks for the same price as a box of the instant variety that serves your family once. The flour you buy in week three will be great to have for baking cookies on the weekend or making a batch of pancakes for breakfasts during the week. The idea is to get what you need to get by and then work from there. Its much easier to get through a difficult time when you have the basics on hand and it doesn't require an arm and a leg to do it.
Start Up List
Here's the basic list. Its really this simple.
Week one: Rice (brown or white)
If you like brown rice, its going to be healthier for your family, but don't get it if they are not going to eat it. Rice stores well in a cool, dry environment and it will last for at least 6 months. You can purchase it in anything from a 8 oz box up to 25lb bag in most stores. Do not get the precooked quick rice. Buy a large bag (at least 2 lbs) and pour into air tight containers. Mark the date purchased on each one and put them on the shelf. As you purchase more, put it behind the original ones so that you use the one up the older food first. If you purchase a 10lb bag it will cost you approximately $8.00 and will make about 93 one-cup servings. Use any leftover change for the next week's purchase.
Week two: Beans, Tang & Lard
Two pounds of beans will balance out last week's rice purchase nicely. At a ratio of 5:1 Rice and beans create a "complete protein" which means that even without meat, you are getting the protein you need. But dont worry, we will add meat in a few weeks. Two 2lb bags will cost you about $3.50
Tang, while not my first pick for healthy eating (don't even get me started on the food coloring, etc), is shelf stable and an 8oz glass gets you 100% of your daily Vitamin C requirement. It also has small amounts of other required nutrients and the sugary sweetness each day will almost seem like desert! If you don't like Tang, be careful of what you choose as a substitute; finding shelf stable drink mixes with some nutritional value is a challenge at best. Pick up your first 20 oz container at about $4 and you will have 24 servings to get you started.
Lard (yes real lard) is hard to find and is actually probably better for you than the Tang! I make my own from pig fat that I purchase about once every two years, but you can find it. Avoid hydrogenated oils. Try to find organic lard as it is usually free of those types of nasties. Fat is a necessary component in your diet and when you are in "survival" mode you need the extra calories and staying-power of fats. Besides, it can't be beat if you want biscuits, or refried beans, or fried rice, or any kind of pan-fried breads and when you don't have refrigeration, lard doesn't spoil. Pick up 5 lbs or make your first batch using my directions for way less money. This will use up the last of your $10 and probably the change from last week.
Week Three: Flour, Sugar and Vegetables
Pick up a 20lb sack of flour. I prefer wheat berries because they store indefinitely but if you have no way of grinding it, you are better off with plain white flour since it won't go rancid. Unbleached white flour is better if you can get it but may be more expensive. Now, with the previous weeks items, you have what you need to make biscuits or tortillas and if you have store bought yeast you can make bread. If you don't have yeast you can learn how to make sourdough starter to leaven it.
5lbs of sugar is next on this weeks list. With sugar you can make sweet breads, some rice pudding or muffins when used with the ingredients you already have. This will make your family smile and add some much-needed variety to your diet if a crisis comes your way.
Canned veggies are your last requirement this week. The darker and greener or oranger you can get, the better. Collards and other greens, Spinach, Carrots, pumpkin, and squashes all have lots of vitamin A and calcium. Get as many cans as you can with the rest of your $10 for this week.
Week Four: Dried Milk and salt
Purchase one tub of iodized salt, a small container of baking powder(if you don't have any) and then get the largest box of non-fat dry milk you can find for this weeks ten dollars. Milk is a great source of essential amino acids, calcium and vitamin D. Dried milk is shelf stable and can be stored for up to a year. It can be used in your breads and muffins, for making yogurt and a creamy gravy or pudding. During the year, you can use it instead of real milk in your cooking to save money and to get used to using it. Try to have at least 1 large box on your shelf for emergencies.
Week Five: Tuna and Vegetables
Take this week's ten spot and get some Tuna. If you happen to find tuna on sale, buy some more dark green vegetables as well. Tuna is a shelf-stable source of lean meat. 10 cans is a good start up goal as you increase your storage in the coming months. They last for years and as long as your family likes it, you can always have them in the pantry for sandwiches, rotating in new cans each year so your stock is fresh.
You've Done it!
If you finished the first 5 weeks, you are now set for an emergency of the short-term variety. This should feel pretty good! In the coming weeks, repeat this cycle and add to what you have and fine tune your purchases to suit your family. Maybe get pepper instead of salt, or a block of yeast for making bread or some honey instead of sugar. Making small investments as the weeks pass will have long-term benefits without debt or regret. If you have never tried canning your own foods, don't be afraid to try that in the coming months. This allows you to diversify what you have in the house and you can take advantage of low prices when produce is in abundance or your corner market has a huge sale on meat. You can can just about anything and your local extension office usually offers classes if you have never tried.
As you continue on this new path of preparedness, don't forget to rotate and use your new-found pantry and don't allow your stash to decrease as you use it; simply replenish it with your weekly shopping trips and use the money you budgeting to increase what you have. Learn to keep your shelves stocked with the basics so that when something upsets the apple cart, you can still get around. And lastly, don't forget to enjoy the fact that you don't always have to run to the store and get bread and milk just because snow is predicted for tomorrow night!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New year, new foods
I have become more and more aware this year of the chemicals used in traditional farming and food processing. The growing number of ailments associated with these types of foods has caused me to make dramatic changes in my food choices. I have to thank my little guy for making me aware of these problems as we weeded out the foods that cause him so much digestive and mental turmoil. The more I look at foods and how they get to our stores, the more I am concerned with the entire system. From the drive to do things as quickly and efficiently as possible, to the notable connection between the FDA's approval/disapproval of products that help/hinder our health and the financial benefits they are associated with, there is cause for concern. Then there are the drug companies benefiting from our illnesses and the complications their drugs cause. Its all intertwined and it makes me pause for thought.
Just last week a dear friend discovered he had a mass in his chest. In order to do the PET scan they have him drink a sugar solution to excite the cancer cells. Then they can see them better. So sugar excites cancer?! Why is it that I don't hear that in mainstream media? Maybe because sugar is in everything...it could damage the sugar industry... what about the poor beet farmers, dont forget the corn industry and their coveted corn syrup(which is just like sugar by the way...). Lets all feed our cancer cells so then the cancer treatments, drugs, and detection machines can be sold. And don't forget that sugar reduces your immune system, so those extra colds you get are surely going to help someone as well; they need to make money too you know. If you think about it long enough, you can get pretty frustrated...but I digress...I didn't start this entry to complain about all of that. I am going to talk about my New Year, New Food resolution. Its really something I have been doing all along, but now I plan to be more resolute about it :)
MY BANNED FOOD LIST
1. Canned Tomatoes
Just last week a dear friend discovered he had a mass in his chest. In order to do the PET scan they have him drink a sugar solution to excite the cancer cells. Then they can see them better. So sugar excites cancer?! Why is it that I don't hear that in mainstream media? Maybe because sugar is in everything...it could damage the sugar industry... what about the poor beet farmers, dont forget the corn industry and their coveted corn syrup(which is just like sugar by the way...). Lets all feed our cancer cells so then the cancer treatments, drugs, and detection machines can be sold. And don't forget that sugar reduces your immune system, so those extra colds you get are surely going to help someone as well; they need to make money too you know. If you think about it long enough, you can get pretty frustrated...but I digress...I didn't start this entry to complain about all of that. I am going to talk about my New Year, New Food resolution. Its really something I have been doing all along, but now I plan to be more resolute about it :)
MY BANNED FOOD LIST
1. Canned Tomatoes
I can tomatoes, so normally this wouldn't be an issue, but since I coupon as well and will buy a can of tomatoes when its nearly free and cheaper than it is to can them myself, this needed to be decided.
Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A notes the dangers of canned tomatoes. Have you ever noticed that some of your canned products have a white lining? This resin lining contains bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Acidity -- a prominent characteristic of tomatoes -- causes BPA to leach into your food. So in addition to the canned tomatoes, I will probably avoid canned(not jarred) spaghetti sauce as well...even when its free...2. Corn-Fed Beef
The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of books on sustainable farming notes a particularly obvious but overlooked point: Cattle were designed to eat grass, not grains(or candy wrappers or chicken feathers or scrap meat...but I digress again). Farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. It also allows them to keep the animals in a more confined area. You need a lot of pasture to feed a lot of cows. More animals in less space for less time equals profit. A recent comprehensive study found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium. So meat can also be good for you?!? We have bought our meat for years from a local beef farmer. I know his cows are out on pasture and I know I can trust his products. I usually buy his meat in bulk to save some money but I have been known to take a coupon and buy a package of beef at the local grocery that came from who knows where and has who knows what in it. All for the sake of a dollar. I am resolute in thinking more about the safety of the meat and not the savings and if I can't get the safe meat, I will resolve to eat something else.3. Microwave Popcorn
Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group4. Non-organic Potatoes
says chemicals including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize -- and migrate into your popcorn. I had switched to microwaving it in a special microwave bowl, but I know there are many other reasons to avoid the microwave altogether...I am not necessarily there yet. I will stop buying (or should I say getting free) microwave popcorn. We still have a microwave. These days it primarily heats my mother's cup of coffee and while I do heat my rugrat's foods on the stove whenever possible, I still see it used for convenience. However I will share that I secretly hope it breaks because we can't afford a new one and we would probably get used to not having it after a while. Is that wrong?
The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board5. Soda
Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. That's a lot of chemicals. Organic potatoes are way more expensive and a lot of times, I can't find fresh ones...however, I learned that you can grow them fairly easily and they make bags you can use to grow them on your patio or deck, so I intend to grow my own whenever possible and stock up on organic potatoes when they are on sale and fresh. They store well in a cool basement or root cellar and I dehydrated quite a few this year for hashbrowns and stews. Of all my new resolutions, this one seems like the most-likely-to-succeed.
Okay, I admit it, I drink soda. I even go so far as to drink diet soda. Pretty bad huh? I can't help it. I have quit before and then I start up again. Its a bad addiction that I can't seem to shake. I know its bad for me. I know it ruins your teeth and in my case causes my arthritis to flair up and yet I drink it. I know it aggravates stomach linings and literally sucks calcium from your body. All bad...and so I attempt again to kick the habit...right after I finish the bottle of Diet Coke on my counter from the New Years Eve party... :P6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones
Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. Since the milk is then heated at high temperatures, they can leave all that in and just keep milking those poor cows. rBGH also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Kudos to Ingles for taking a step toward safer foods and using rBGH FREE milk. Despite the fact that the FDA makes them say its no safer than regular milk on their ads, I applaud them for making that decision. I hope that many other companies follow suit in the new year. For more on milk, see the Real Milk site or google rBGH milk for a real eyeful. Did I mention that the rBGH comes from Monsanto? Must I go there??7. Conventional Apples
If fall fruits held a "highest exposure to deadly chemicals contest," apples would win. And increasing numbers of studies are linking a higher body burden of pesticides with Parkinson's disease. Anybody want that for the new year? I intend to go completely organic here. We eat a lot of apples and so I would like to think making this small change would have big benefits. Organic apples are readily available and taste fantastic. Why not give them a try? Consumer Reports investigated organically grown foods in its February 2006 issue and concluded that you should by Apples and 11 other produce items organic as often as possible. They listed these 12 items as the most pesticide-laden crops on the market. Apples were number two on the list! Other list-makers were bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries.
This list of fruits and vegetables was developed by researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The full up-to-date list of 43 fruits and vegetables is available here. You can download a pdf wallet guide of the most and least pesticide-laden produce at this site. Washing all vegetables/fruits is a good idea to get rid of other nasties that are always possible on both organic and non-organic produce, but you cannot wash off pesticides, so the safest bet is always organic.
So, that's my resolution. What's yours?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Green Pastures Gummy Fish
Green Pastures Gummy fish will be available this month for shipping. If you have trouble getting your little rugrat to take his Cod Liver oil, this is great news. If you havent been taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil, read more about it here. You have probably seen various gummies in the store for vitamins, Echinacea and fish oil but no one has Fermented Cod Liver Oil gummies and none have this kind of power-packed nutrition! Green Pastures Gummies will have 600mg of FCLO in each of the 45 gummies in a jar. They will be using the Cinnamon Tingle flavor, which is my son's favorite. The fish are about the size of a swedish fish. Jars will retail for $35. Our price will be $30 per tub. Contact us by hitting the email link if you want to order.
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