Monday Message

"In Argentina, Relief Society leaders are trying to teach the importance of food storage. They wrote: “Unfortunately, most of the sisters [here] cannot afford to buy an extra kilo of sugar, or flour, or an extra liter of oil. However, they have been encouraged to save, even just a spoonful at a time." (Elaine L. Jack) 

I think this sets a good example for us. Even the littlest amount adds up. However, one thing is required...just do it. If you don't do it, it won't get done.

Make it a habit. Remember rotation.

Try to store basic items that many things can be made from. For example, I store powdered milk because I use that. I don't store evaporated milk and I don't have to worry about recipes that call for cream. I just use the powdered milk in more of a concentrated form.

Evaporated milk - use one and a half cups water to a half cup plus one tablespoon of milk powder and you have what would equal one can of evaporated milk.

A lot of people turn their nose up at powdered milk but it might not be what you are used to.

I use non instant powdered milk as it stores way longer than the instant but I have used plenty of instant as well. 

Either way, use it or lose it and by that I mean use it daily or it goes to waste...

I keep a jar on the counter for easy use.

As you go about fixing food pay attention to how many times a recipe calls for a few tablespoons of milk or a half a cup, even a cup. This is easier to do than you might think to get used to using powdered milk for all cooking. If it is easier, have a quart jar mixed up and in your refrigerator but I find over the years that I just automatically mix it when I need it. Also, you can put the dry milk powder in with the dry ingredients and the water in with the wet ingredients. I don't think you will notice a taste difference so this would be a good place to start.  

Store the basic ingredients, you can make your own items rather then running out to the store... 

I was in the middle of making enchiladas when all of the sudden my sleeve snagged the open can of enchilada sauce and it fell and spilled. What was I to do? Well, I made this recipe - https://www.livingonadime.com/enchilada-sauce/ 

I was worried it would not taste the same but it did and I was so amazed. I did not put the green pepper in as I was in a hurry and it was quite a bit cheaper than the can I usually got and I had everything on hand.

My husband built this spice rack for me based on these jars.

When building your storage add spices.

https://www.budget101.com/recipes/516-complete-mix-recipe-index/ - this site has much we could use.

https://www.budget101.com/recipes/544-taco-seasoning-mix/ - look at the recipe, can you make this without going to the store?

https://www.budget101.com/recipes/448-convenience-mixes-2/ - try recipes, save the ones you like in your binder. Neat thing is you don't need the chemicals.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2016/02/monday-message_29.html - you can see some of the bread mixes I make up here. I don't do them long term, just for ease. I put the water in the bread machine then add the mix. I could also do by hand using this mix...

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/08/monday-message.html  - scroll down till you see the turquoise booklet, Liza's recipes follow. This is the recipe we put in jars. I do mine with regular flour and add one tsp. vital wheat gluten for each cup of flour, this makes bread flour too.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-message.html  this has lots of bread info.

Try to store ingredients for the recipes that you make then you can just fix from scratch what you need.

https://familycorner.blogspot.com/2017/08/homemaker-series-basic-homemaking.html - this is a very good read.

Frugality is different for everyone. I may have had to do frugal because of hardships but if I had not learned I could not have bettered our lives. You may feel like I concentrate a lot on the same things, it is because these things have helped me the most. Try to learn those things now when you are not pressed to by harder times.

I am a huge believer of hard copies. You can learn much from books. I know we live in this age of internet and believe me, I have learned a lot from it too but having books in hard copy has its place too.