"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)
I think making a plan is a good way to start. When I first started I did the basic staples - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, shortening. Then as I learned more, I stored more and kept learning and kept storing. Remember - rotation is essential! If you save food and do not rotate when the time comes and you need it the food will be bad. If you store food and use it everyday like it was a big pantry it just becomes a way of life.
Here are a few ideas on using food storage every day. I so love these gals and all they do:
http://storethisnotthat.com/use-whole-wheat-recipe/ - great ideas for using your wheat.
http://storethisnotthat.com/irresistible-whole-wheat-banana-pancakes/ - I love these pancakes and so will you.
http://storethisnotthat.com/homemade-easy-animal-crackers/ - these look so fun. Can you see making these for family night? Check out your cookie cutters, any shape would work.
http://storethisnotthat.com/circus-animal-popcorn/ - we love popcorn at our house!
Do you store popcorn? Chocolate chips (any flavor)? By the way, my tip here is to store both and to be sure to vacuum seal them.
I just keep my vacuum sealer on the counter ready to go all the time.
Popcorn is a favorite in our storage. I remember reading one of the Little House books. In the books, their friends came to visit, she brought popcorn for them to pop while they were there. It was a surprise. When asked where did she get it out there on the prairie, she said her husband said they did not have room to take it in the wagon and she sat on it all the way there. I thought that was fantastic. So I always keep popcorn in my storage, vacuum sealing extends its life.
http://storethisnotthat.com/no-churn-homemade-cotton-candy-ice-cream/ - yum! Be sure to click the video on storing powdered milk.
Having a well stocked storage makes it possible to do things from scratch.
When we had our kiddos at home still, I did things from scratch and made lots of good yummies. I made cookies so they would come home from school to warm cookies. A friend would come with and she said, "how do you know how to make so many different kinds?"
I remember when I was younger going to my friend's home. Her mom made bread and homemade noodles. I would come home and tell my sister all about these wonderful things. I knew I wanted to do the same and so I have…
I use an electric knife to slice my homemade bread but it's not necessary, any bread knife will work. Then I bag it, freeze it, or gift to someone.
Soon it will be time for rhubarb. I think growing it in your yard is a great thing…
Very frugal to grow your own and sustainable.
This is our favorite recipe and notice it is from one of those church type cookbooks I mentioned last week.
We love this cake, we serve with cool whip but without is great too
I got my rhubarb by asking on freecycle if anyone had a start and this lady said she threw it in her compost but could never get it to die and that I could have it. It is still growing strong today. Ask people you see or know that have a great bunch growing if you could get a clump. More than likely they would love to share with you.
Keep working on your storage, cooking from scratch, learning and working on your skills and being frugal.
I grew up coming home to warm cookies and so did my kids. Nothing better that fresh cookies and a cup of cold milk. Working lots in the garden last week. Hubby fixed some of the wood that rotted out in my large garden with treated cedar that we got when we took down my sister's old swing set. We have used it for several projects and there is still enough would for a few more. Got lots of london broils on sale for $1.99 a pound. Ground some up for ground beef, cubed some for stew and sauce. I'm good on red meat now. The rest of my list is here: https://mcoia.blogspot.com/2018/05/my-frugal-list-week-of-april-30-2018.html
ReplyDeleteYeay you have done great thanks for the ideas for everyone
DeleteLike you, I keep my foodsaver right on my kitchen counter at all times! I found that, because it is so handy, I use it every day! Such a great addition to our pantry and food storage!
ReplyDeleteIt saves sooo much money thanks for your comment
DeleteThe rhubarb cake sounds wonderful! I may have to bookmark this for later., I may even have some in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteYou know haw hard it is to please all the kids at once this recipe was a hit we enjoyed thru their child hood when they come to visit this is top request yes find some in the freezer i make sure to freeze just for this recipe yum you will love it as everyone who has tried it loves it.
DeleteI live in Southern California and so far can't get rhubarb to keep growing. I will give it another try though. I change the location where it is planted and such but still it dies. I know it can be grown though as my husband's Grandmother grew it here. Oh how I do miss her. In the few years I was blessed to know her she taught me so much !
ReplyDeleteWe use our food saver a lot too. When our big one stopped running we bought the basic model. It works great without any bells and whistles. Then we found a brand-new one at Goodwill. it can only use the quart bags but was terribly cheap and so we have it back for 'in case' use. We find new boxes of bags pretty often in the used stores too so keep a good supply of them that way. I had extra walnuts and no room in the freezer just then so put them in jars and used the food saver. They kept very good. If you remember the blogger Granny Miller, she said she put walnuts in jars and at that time they had been in it 2 years and still were very fresh. I sure miss her blog. I do hope she is ok. I missed the notice she put up when she quit her blog the last time..I assume she said why she was abruptly stopping this time.
Granny miller just put out book two on kindle https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Farming-Granny-Miller-2-ebook/dp/B07BLMQGHR/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1 you can get her first one too
DeleteI am sorry I forgot to sign my letter...I am Sarah.
ReplyDeleteSarah thank you for your comment i too have growing issues they buried a barn in the back yard and so nothing doe very well. We drive by a farm on the way to church they are digging up stuff buried in their yard but i noticed their rhubarb is planted right by heir raspberries makes me want rhubarb raspberry jam. I know i love granny miller too she did do a book out of lots she had on the blog i know her health was an issue but i never got what but last i saw they were going to move and do a blog for senior homesteaders but i haven't seen any yet i do the nuts in jars too you never wan to seal powdered stuff unless you put a coffee filter in on tp of product or it will kill the machine but yes they keep fresh in freezer they get that freezer taste and just left they get rancid but not so vac sealed. Like you i hav back up items too.
DeleteFunny that you are now enjoying the "rhubarb that wouldn't die"...lol. That's sort of how I inherited an asparagus bed from my brother. He was getting rid of his and it kept popping up here and there, so we would grab another piece or two. That circus animal popcorn looks so good and so simple. You have quite a collection of cool cookie cutters!
ReplyDeleteI use to pick them u here and there when the kids were little i don't pick them up anymore but hung onto them. I thought i would really like the animal cookies i have made popcorn like that and yum it is good.
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