I was in Primary when President Benson issued the challenge to the members of the Church to Flood the Earth with the Book of Mormon. I was probably 9 or 10 when the General Primary set a goal to have all the Primary children read the Book of Mormon in a year. Bookmarks were carefully made and distributed so we could all keep track of what months we were supposed to read which part of the Book of Mormon. I had never read the entire Book of Mormon on my own but thought it would be a good thing to do. The first month was First Nephi--check. The second month was Second Nephi--and I got stuck. Near the end of the month, I knew I had a decision to make. I could just give up and figure that I tried, it was just too hard. Or, I could read almost all of 2 Nephi in about a week, get caught up, and continue reading. I am happy to say that I did finish 2 Nephi that month, and I did finish the Book of Mormon, for the first time, that year.
I did not realize at the time, but making that decision to finish 2 Nephi by the end of the month has had a lasting impression on me. I learned that I can do something hard and succeed. I have thought back to that one decision more times than I can count, and I have been thinking about that decision much these last two months.
Unfortunately, I was not able to watch the Women's Session from this last conference live. I was helping some family members with some drama, and it was quite awhile before I was able to go back and listen to it. By that time, I had heard about President Nelson's challenge to read The Book of Mormon by the end of the year. Part of me wanted to rationalize that "I didn't watch it, I can't be held accountable for that!" But I knew this was not right, and to really follow the prophet, I needed to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year.
And, it's been rough. That 7 pages a day seemed daunting and impossible in the beginning. I felt like I could barely squeeze in a single chapter a day, let along 3 and a half?! Well, I knew what the right thing to do was and some days I got in those 7 pages, and some days I didn't. Shortly after Conference, we learned about our baby's heart defect. I knew I needed Heavenly Father's help, and who was I to ask for help if I couldn't even do what His prophet directed me to do? My efforts to read the Book of Mormon became more mindful and I found I enjoyed it more. After Thanksgiving, I did the math and realized I would need to read a minimum of 15 pages a day in order to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. I thought of my 2 Nephi experience so many years ago and determined that I could do it.
I re-read Presiden't Nelson's challenge recently and was blown away by the myriad of promises he made to us as we make time to read the Book of Mormon. I have felt several of these promises in my own life...and I still have many pages to go.
I challenge you to take on President Nelson's challenge to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year (If you haven't started, it's not too late! Parley P. Pratt read it in one night!), or to continue reading and to FINISH. Review the blessings our prophet promised if we do so. Add to your spiritual preparedness a mountain of 'Book of Mormon storage' as you reflect how this book has changed your life and brought you closer to Jesus Christ. We cannot afford not to.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Thursday, December 13, 2018
THROUGH THE TRIALS COME THE BLESSINGS
I have a new favorite scripture, Psalm 147:3. He healeth the broken heart and bindeth up their wounds.
Ever since our Little Girl's heart diagnosis, I look at references of the heart in scripture as more literal than figurative. I suppose that is inevitable after studying the heart anatomy so much the last several weeks. It is almost funny that when I see a diagram of a healthy heart, it doesn't quite look right as I have studied the diagrams of the hypoplastic left heart so in-depth. I appreciate so much the spiritual references to the heart. Physically, without the heart working properly, life cannot go on. Spiritually, without a change of heart and a proverbial healing, our spirits cannot survive.
Many people ask how I am doing...well, it depends on the day. Most of the time I feel optimistic and confident, but I admit there are days when I feel like I am falling apart at the seams. I keep hoping that some doctor somewhere is going to suggest being pregnant forever as an option, but even that hope is dwindling as time goes on.
I am learning though. I am grateful for the spiritual preparedness I have made previously and am grateful for the preparedness I am currently gaining for the rough days ahead. I am learning that every trial is tailor-made just for each of us. As we go through these challenges, it is helpful that we have promises from the Lord that we can endure. I remember Alma teaching the Zoramites and saying "...may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son" (Alma 33:23). As I think about the miracle of the Atonement and the knowledge that Jesus Christ has born my burden and knows exactly how I am feeling, it helps me think through the times ahead when I have often wondered how I will be able to endure watching my little one go through so much.
As I work through many different feelings, often there are scriptures that run through my head that I haven't thought about in years, like John 9:2-3, "...Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." This scripture came into my mind on a day when I sadly wondered what I had done wrong to bring this condition upon my baby, and it brought so much comfort.
Being prepared does not mean that we will not have to endure trials, but that we can more easily get through them when they come. After all, the rains and the floods came upon those who built on the sand as well as those who built on a rock. I always felt like the wheat, rice, beans, and sugar was easy. It is tangible and you can check it off when you have "enough." Spiritual preparedness is harder to quantify as I am not sure there is ever a "finish." But facing our trials brings opportunity for spiritual preparedness and growth that cannot be achieved any other way. As children of our Heavenly Father, we need these hard times to make us stronger and to be ready for even harder times in the future.
I marvel at the tender mercies that come from the Lord. With President Nelson's invitation to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year has come feelings of joy as I read pages at a time because I want to. I find scriptures and stories that convey a different meaning than they did before that enrich my spiritual stores. I am thankful for wonderful Relief Society lessons that I almost sob through as we discuss topics I didn't even know I needed to face (thanks Jenn, last week's lesson was amazing!). I am an awe at the outpouring of the Holy Ghost when we face moments of doubting we can go another step. Christ has declared that, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (John 14:19). What an amazing promise. He will walk with us and help us. And it is OK to cry and to be sad. It is OK to hurt and pray for that gift of comfort and healing...as well as the revelation to know which steps are next.
I challenge you to face your trials with faith. Seek to understand what you need to learn and how you can use that knowledge in the future, for whatever life may bring.
Ever since our Little Girl's heart diagnosis, I look at references of the heart in scripture as more literal than figurative. I suppose that is inevitable after studying the heart anatomy so much the last several weeks. It is almost funny that when I see a diagram of a healthy heart, it doesn't quite look right as I have studied the diagrams of the hypoplastic left heart so in-depth. I appreciate so much the spiritual references to the heart. Physically, without the heart working properly, life cannot go on. Spiritually, without a change of heart and a proverbial healing, our spirits cannot survive.
Many people ask how I am doing...well, it depends on the day. Most of the time I feel optimistic and confident, but I admit there are days when I feel like I am falling apart at the seams. I keep hoping that some doctor somewhere is going to suggest being pregnant forever as an option, but even that hope is dwindling as time goes on.
I am learning though. I am grateful for the spiritual preparedness I have made previously and am grateful for the preparedness I am currently gaining for the rough days ahead. I am learning that every trial is tailor-made just for each of us. As we go through these challenges, it is helpful that we have promises from the Lord that we can endure. I remember Alma teaching the Zoramites and saying "...may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son" (Alma 33:23). As I think about the miracle of the Atonement and the knowledge that Jesus Christ has born my burden and knows exactly how I am feeling, it helps me think through the times ahead when I have often wondered how I will be able to endure watching my little one go through so much.
As I work through many different feelings, often there are scriptures that run through my head that I haven't thought about in years, like John 9:2-3, "...Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." This scripture came into my mind on a day when I sadly wondered what I had done wrong to bring this condition upon my baby, and it brought so much comfort.
Being prepared does not mean that we will not have to endure trials, but that we can more easily get through them when they come. After all, the rains and the floods came upon those who built on the sand as well as those who built on a rock. I always felt like the wheat, rice, beans, and sugar was easy. It is tangible and you can check it off when you have "enough." Spiritual preparedness is harder to quantify as I am not sure there is ever a "finish." But facing our trials brings opportunity for spiritual preparedness and growth that cannot be achieved any other way. As children of our Heavenly Father, we need these hard times to make us stronger and to be ready for even harder times in the future.
I marvel at the tender mercies that come from the Lord. With President Nelson's invitation to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year has come feelings of joy as I read pages at a time because I want to. I find scriptures and stories that convey a different meaning than they did before that enrich my spiritual stores. I am thankful for wonderful Relief Society lessons that I almost sob through as we discuss topics I didn't even know I needed to face (thanks Jenn, last week's lesson was amazing!). I am an awe at the outpouring of the Holy Ghost when we face moments of doubting we can go another step. Christ has declared that, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (John 14:19). What an amazing promise. He will walk with us and help us. And it is OK to cry and to be sad. It is OK to hurt and pray for that gift of comfort and healing...as well as the revelation to know which steps are next.
I challenge you to face your trials with faith. Seek to understand what you need to learn and how you can use that knowledge in the future, for whatever life may bring.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
PREPARING FOR GIFT GIVING
I'm not sure I will ever get used to these San Diego Decembers. For most of my life, I have lived in areas where it snows for Christmas. I love not having to deal with snow, but Christmas always sneaks up on me. Today we had piano lessons and our piano teacher's home was decked out for Christmas. Her tree was up with presents underneath, lights on the outside of her home, and nativities everywhere you could see. This year, I have not even thought about Christmas. With trying to make decisions about the baby and getting our home on the market, Christmas is about as far from my mind as scraping ice off my windshield! But, ready or not, Christmas always comes.
Last year, I posted "The Gift of Preparedness." I still think these are great ideas for anyone on your list. This year, I will try to give some ideas for gifting long-term food storage ideas.
I remember one year, my mom gave away bags of her favorite hot cereal. She put it in a big cellophane bag and tied a beautiful bow on the front, including a tag of how to cook it. That would work wonderfully for Winco's Granola or Muesli Cereal.
If you have family in Utah or Idaho, Walton Feed (Rainy Day Foods) has almost everything under the sun. Shipping to Utah, Idaho, or Wyoming is very reasonable--but gets a little pricey to send it all the way out here. One year, we got Jeff's parents buckets of beans, as they love chili and other bean-soups.
You could easily do buckets for local friends or family. Stopping by Winco (in either Temecula or San Marcos) gives you a one-stop shop. Anything they sell in their bulk bins can be bought by the bag or by the box. They have 2 and 5 gallon buckets, gamma lids, and oxy packs. Some of their items can be ordered through their website, but all items can be ordered in the store. Some of my favorites include: Popcorn, Kidney Beans, Wheat, and Oats. Though their selection seems endless. even including chocolate and gummy worms. Gift food items you know they will use and love.
Giving Food Storage may not be the most exciting Christmas present, but I guarantee that you will be often thought of as your gift is used.
I challenge you to consider food storage or preparedness items for those hand-to-gift people on your Christmas list. Some families even make their whole Christmas a "food storage Christmas" using funds they would have spent on gifts to bulk up their storage.
Last year, I posted "The Gift of Preparedness." I still think these are great ideas for anyone on your list. This year, I will try to give some ideas for gifting long-term food storage ideas.
I remember one year, my mom gave away bags of her favorite hot cereal. She put it in a big cellophane bag and tied a beautiful bow on the front, including a tag of how to cook it. That would work wonderfully for Winco's Granola or Muesli Cereal.
If you have family in Utah or Idaho, Walton Feed (Rainy Day Foods) has almost everything under the sun. Shipping to Utah, Idaho, or Wyoming is very reasonable--but gets a little pricey to send it all the way out here. One year, we got Jeff's parents buckets of beans, as they love chili and other bean-soups.
You could easily do buckets for local friends or family. Stopping by Winco (in either Temecula or San Marcos) gives you a one-stop shop. Anything they sell in their bulk bins can be bought by the bag or by the box. They have 2 and 5 gallon buckets, gamma lids, and oxy packs. Some of their items can be ordered through their website, but all items can be ordered in the store. Some of my favorites include: Popcorn, Kidney Beans, Wheat, and Oats. Though their selection seems endless. even including chocolate and gummy worms. Gift food items you know they will use and love.
Giving Food Storage may not be the most exciting Christmas present, but I guarantee that you will be often thought of as your gift is used.
I challenge you to consider food storage or preparedness items for those hand-to-gift people on your Christmas list. Some families even make their whole Christmas a "food storage Christmas" using funds they would have spent on gifts to bulk up their storage.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
A SUCESSFUL JOURNEY REQUIRES PREPARATION
Our family has just started a new journey, one we did not plan on, and one where we do not know the outcome or the details. I am learning as we go and I am grateful for every ounce of preparation we have made.
Last spring both my husband and I felt like it was time to have another baby. This was not a decision I took lightly...actually I fought it. I took some convincing, but Heavenly Father helped me realize through many profound experiences that this was His will.
Fast forward to October 8, and we excitedly went to our routine 19-week ultrasound. I was very excited, wondering if a boy or a girl would break our tie. During the ultrasound, I noticed that a little more time than usual was spent looking at our little girl's heart. My suspicions were confirmed when I visited with my doctor and he stated that the heart did not look like it was functioning quite right. I was sent to Rady Children's hospital for a follow-up fetal ecocardiogram.
Our Rady's appointment was set for October 26, and after an hour-and-a-half heart ultrasound, and over 160 pictures later, we met with the cardiologist. I was not quite prepared for the diagnosis--Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a very rare and extremely serious congenital heart defect. Basically, the entire left side of the heart is underdeveloped and useless. Without extreme medical intervention the condition is fatal 100% of the time. What they are able to do with these babies is truly a miracle. Over the course of 3 surgeries (one during the first week of life, one at 3-6 months, and one at 18 months to 3 years) the entire heart is rebuilt in a different way that allows the right side of the heart to pump all the blood for the body. The success rate for these procedures are very high and more and more kids are able to live life...though some of it is a little different kind of "normal."
Our family still has a lot of decisions to make and we are trying to wrap our heads around all of this. But, peace has come and I know all will be OK, though I am still trying to figure out exactly what "OK" means.
So, how does this all fit with Provident Living and Preparedness. Well, quite a bit. As I have looked at the last several years and specifically at things we have done to mindfully be prepared, I can point to almost all areas of Provident Living where we have prepared for this, short of pulling out our 72-hour kits. My husband is prepared with his education and employment so that if a location and job change is necessary, it is possible. Our finances are in order and we have good insurance. We have worked hard so that our home is nice and in a sell-able condition. We have relied on our food storage--including fruit and vegetables we have harvested and stored from our yard, enabling us to still eat our regular food even though trips to the store are not as frequent. And, we have spiritually prepared ourselves; including being able to receive personal revelation to know the actions our family should take.
I have always thought that being prepared and self-reliant is they key for us to do whatever we need to do all by ourselves, never asking for a single thing from anyone else. I can tell you from what I have learned these last weeks that this thinking is dead wrong. No matter what we are going through, we cannot do it all ourselves. Relying on our Savior is an essential part of any journey...including this journey called life. I also was reminded of the power of our ward family. As meals have trickled in and as I have received hugs and whispers of, "We are praying for you," I feel the strength and love from all of you that has helped buoy us up during this hard time. I have been humbled as I realize that we can't do everything by ourselves, and it was never intended that we do so.
With this humility, I ask a special request of my dear sisters. If you could include our baby girl in your fast this week, I so would appreciate it. We are praying for healing, that her heart will miraculously be made whole...but if this is not the Lord's will, we are asking for help to know the best place for us to be to give our little one the best chances for her to accomplish her mission here on earth.
Meanwhile, I challenge you to look at the areas of Provident Living: Education, Emergency Preparedness, Spirituality & Testimony, Employment, Finances, Food Storage, and Gardening & Home Production. Realize that none of us really know what challenges are in our future, but preparedness in all of these areas will help us weather whatever storm may come. Pray for insight and help to know where your next preparation focus should be, then act.
Last spring both my husband and I felt like it was time to have another baby. This was not a decision I took lightly...actually I fought it. I took some convincing, but Heavenly Father helped me realize through many profound experiences that this was His will.
Fast forward to October 8, and we excitedly went to our routine 19-week ultrasound. I was very excited, wondering if a boy or a girl would break our tie. During the ultrasound, I noticed that a little more time than usual was spent looking at our little girl's heart. My suspicions were confirmed when I visited with my doctor and he stated that the heart did not look like it was functioning quite right. I was sent to Rady Children's hospital for a follow-up fetal ecocardiogram.
Our Rady's appointment was set for October 26, and after an hour-and-a-half heart ultrasound, and over 160 pictures later, we met with the cardiologist. I was not quite prepared for the diagnosis--Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a very rare and extremely serious congenital heart defect. Basically, the entire left side of the heart is underdeveloped and useless. Without extreme medical intervention the condition is fatal 100% of the time. What they are able to do with these babies is truly a miracle. Over the course of 3 surgeries (one during the first week of life, one at 3-6 months, and one at 18 months to 3 years) the entire heart is rebuilt in a different way that allows the right side of the heart to pump all the blood for the body. The success rate for these procedures are very high and more and more kids are able to live life...though some of it is a little different kind of "normal."
Our family still has a lot of decisions to make and we are trying to wrap our heads around all of this. But, peace has come and I know all will be OK, though I am still trying to figure out exactly what "OK" means.
So, how does this all fit with Provident Living and Preparedness. Well, quite a bit. As I have looked at the last several years and specifically at things we have done to mindfully be prepared, I can point to almost all areas of Provident Living where we have prepared for this, short of pulling out our 72-hour kits. My husband is prepared with his education and employment so that if a location and job change is necessary, it is possible. Our finances are in order and we have good insurance. We have worked hard so that our home is nice and in a sell-able condition. We have relied on our food storage--including fruit and vegetables we have harvested and stored from our yard, enabling us to still eat our regular food even though trips to the store are not as frequent. And, we have spiritually prepared ourselves; including being able to receive personal revelation to know the actions our family should take.
I have always thought that being prepared and self-reliant is they key for us to do whatever we need to do all by ourselves, never asking for a single thing from anyone else. I can tell you from what I have learned these last weeks that this thinking is dead wrong. No matter what we are going through, we cannot do it all ourselves. Relying on our Savior is an essential part of any journey...including this journey called life. I also was reminded of the power of our ward family. As meals have trickled in and as I have received hugs and whispers of, "We are praying for you," I feel the strength and love from all of you that has helped buoy us up during this hard time. I have been humbled as I realize that we can't do everything by ourselves, and it was never intended that we do so.
With this humility, I ask a special request of my dear sisters. If you could include our baby girl in your fast this week, I so would appreciate it. We are praying for healing, that her heart will miraculously be made whole...but if this is not the Lord's will, we are asking for help to know the best place for us to be to give our little one the best chances for her to accomplish her mission here on earth.
Meanwhile, I challenge you to look at the areas of Provident Living: Education, Emergency Preparedness, Spirituality & Testimony, Employment, Finances, Food Storage, and Gardening & Home Production. Realize that none of us really know what challenges are in our future, but preparedness in all of these areas will help us weather whatever storm may come. Pray for insight and help to know where your next preparation focus should be, then act.
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
The Gift of Gratitude
One quote has been swirling in my mind the last few days, "I do not know of any, excepting the unpardonable sin, that is greater than the sin of ingratitude." -Brigham Young
Now, that is pretty straightforward, but it was never in President Young's nature to mince words. I have thought long and hard about this quote and what it means for me. If the sin of ingratitude is so great, then the virtue of gratitude is also great--in the opposite direction!
Having a feeling of gratitude in your Spiritual Preparedness Toolbox is a must! I think that counting our blessings when things gets hard helps us to keep things into perspective and helps us realize that our Heavenly Father loves us and gives us tender mercies to be grateful for, if we only look for them.
Today I am grateful for a beautiful sunset, a happy stack of quilts I picked up from the quilter, kids who love and take care of each other, the opportunity to see a friend participate in his first temple endowment, great advances in medical care, dear ward sisters who love and take care of me, feelings of peace from my Heavenly Father, and much, much more.
I know that this time of the year is the time to be extra-grateful, but I encourage you to use this time to truly develop that "attitude of gratitude" that will be sustaining year-round. No matter how hard life seems, there is always something to be grateful for.
I challenge you to find even little things you are grateful for. Make a habit of thinking of your blessings each and every day and thanking the Lord for the small and simple tender mercies that make our lives even just a bit brighter. Include this gratitude in your prayers and remember to always say "thank you." I promise, it will make things better.
Now, that is pretty straightforward, but it was never in President Young's nature to mince words. I have thought long and hard about this quote and what it means for me. If the sin of ingratitude is so great, then the virtue of gratitude is also great--in the opposite direction!
Having a feeling of gratitude in your Spiritual Preparedness Toolbox is a must! I think that counting our blessings when things gets hard helps us to keep things into perspective and helps us realize that our Heavenly Father loves us and gives us tender mercies to be grateful for, if we only look for them.
Today I am grateful for a beautiful sunset, a happy stack of quilts I picked up from the quilter, kids who love and take care of each other, the opportunity to see a friend participate in his first temple endowment, great advances in medical care, dear ward sisters who love and take care of me, feelings of peace from my Heavenly Father, and much, much more.
I know that this time of the year is the time to be extra-grateful, but I encourage you to use this time to truly develop that "attitude of gratitude" that will be sustaining year-round. No matter how hard life seems, there is always something to be grateful for.
I challenge you to find even little things you are grateful for. Make a habit of thinking of your blessings each and every day and thanking the Lord for the small and simple tender mercies that make our lives even just a bit brighter. Include this gratitude in your prayers and remember to always say "thank you." I promise, it will make things better.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
USING DRIED MILK
When I was 9 years old, my family made the move back to Utah from Colorado. As my mom reorganized after the move, going through the food storage must have been on the list. I remember when she gave me a big bag of powdered milk and told me I could use it to feed the cats. For a really long time, I meticulously stirred that milk up for our cats, a little bit every day, and they drank it. Looking back on that now, I think it is kind of funny that Mom had me do that. I assume it was from the "don't waste" mentality I grew up with. Apparently she did not want to use the milk, but she figured it could be used up by feeding it to our kitties.
I personally have never had a problem using and rotating my dried milk (without feeding it to the pets). It does have a shorter shelf life than other long-term-storage items, but with mindfulness, it can be done. Most of my dried milk use comes with cooking.
When a recipe calls for a cup of milk, I add 1 c of water and 1/4 c dried milk for a 2% milk ratio, or 1/3 c dried milk for a whole milk ratio.
If a recipe calls for evaporated milk, use 1 1/4 c. water and 1 c dried milk to equal a 20 oz can.
Make your own sweetened condensed milk using this recipe:
1 c dry milk
2 c sugar
1/2 c boiling water
1/4 c butter-melted
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 1 full minute. Place in clean jar, cover and refrigerate overnight. Give it a good stir just before use. This is equal to the size of a store-bought can.
A fun Powdered Milk recipe is:
Hot Cocoa Mix
4 c powdered milk (I recommend instant)
21.8 oz box Nestle Nesquik
16 oz instant coffee creamer
1 c powdered sugar
Add all the ingredients to a big bowl and MIX WELL. Pour into a storage jar or canister. To make your Hot Cocoa, add 3-4 heaping tablespoons to 8 oz hot fresh milk or water. Stir and enjoy!
Even a quick google search of how to use powdered milk comes up with so many options. You can make your own Bisquick mix, cream of_____ soup, smoothies, the list is endless.
I challenge you to get some dried milk and learn to use it! It is an essential part of your food storage and you will need to rotate it.
Thursday, November 8, 2018
FOOD STORAGE--LITTLE BY LITTLE
Soon after we were married, Jeff and I signed up to work at the church cannery and were able to purchase our first food storage. I think we bought 4-5 boxes worth of various dry-pack cans. That next summer, I learned how to make jam...and I made jam. Peach Jam, Strawberry Jam, and Blackberry Jam. The few storage shelves we had our little 4-plex apartment soon filled up with food storage. And, as our family grew, so did our food storage. Our budget has always had a line-item for food storage, often we save up for a few months and then use it to buy what we need. This method has worked very well for our family, allowing us to consistently build our storage without feeling like our budget has been stretched.
Section 12 of One for the Money encourages us to appropriately involve ourselves in a food storage and emergency preparedness program. We are counciled not to go into debt to buy these items, but to prepare and gain our stores for a time of need.
I firmly believe in this principle and hope that you can little by little gain your food and emergency stores. If you need help, you can refer to a few of the steps I have outlined to help you.
3 Month Meal Plan: Month1, Month 2, Month 3, Month 4
Long-Term Storage Plan: Salt, Cooking Oil, Containers, Grains, Beans, Sugar and Honey, Milk
Emergency Preparedness: Fire, Earthquake, 3-minutes
I hope that any post I have written over the last year and a half will help you be just a little more prepared in some way. You can find all my posts on my blog. But remember, just reading will not help you be more prepared, you will have to do something too.
I Challenge You: Read section 12 of One for the Money. Make a plan for your family to involve yourselves in food storage and emergency preparedness. I promise you will not regret it.
Section 12 of One for the Money encourages us to appropriately involve ourselves in a food storage and emergency preparedness program. We are counciled not to go into debt to buy these items, but to prepare and gain our stores for a time of need.
I firmly believe in this principle and hope that you can little by little gain your food and emergency stores. If you need help, you can refer to a few of the steps I have outlined to help you.
3 Month Meal Plan: Month1, Month 2, Month 3, Month 4
Long-Term Storage Plan: Salt, Cooking Oil, Containers, Grains, Beans, Sugar and Honey, Milk
Emergency Preparedness: Fire, Earthquake, 3-minutes
I hope that any post I have written over the last year and a half will help you be just a little more prepared in some way. You can find all my posts on my blog. But remember, just reading will not help you be more prepared, you will have to do something too.
I Challenge You: Read section 12 of One for the Money. Make a plan for your family to involve yourselves in food storage and emergency preparedness. I promise you will not regret it.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
LONG TERM STORAGE: MILK
Several years ago, my parents built a house to accommodate my aging grandparents. It included sort of a granny flat where they could have their own separate spots. When they moved in, there was a convergence of so much "stuff" from two households that it filled up the basement and 4-car garage quickly. My mom and my grandma set out to go through it all--my mom hoping to purge as much as possible. As they were organizing, my mom came across a can of powdered milk that had expired 30 years previous. As she went to toss it, my grandma stopped her. "Wait!" that's food storage, you can't throw it away!" My mom tried to explain that it was not any good and just needed to be tossed. "But," continued my grandma, "It might still be good, we could give it to DI." My mom explained that DI could not possibly want it, and they do not take food anyway. "Well, " my grandma thought, "How about the food pantry?" Grandma was not about to let that can of powdered milk go to waste. I think my mom had to end up pretty much sneaking it into the garbage.
I often use this story to help people understand the mentality fallacy of "Once I have my food storage, I've got it forever and I can't use it let go of it." This thinking is not healthy--literally. Food storage needs to be rotated--used and replaced regularly.
But today, we are talking about Milk for your long term storage. The minimum recommendation is 16 lbs per person. For my family, that is 152 lbs.
Dried (or powdered) Milk comes in two forms: Instant and Regular. The main difference is that the Instant dissolves in water, well, instantly. The regular milk needs stirring and chilling before fully reconstituted.
Dried milk can be found online on a number of websites. It can also be purchased in bulk from Winco. You can buy it in a box at the grocery store, but that is usually the most costly way. Watch out for "milk alternatives" that do taste a bit better (as they add whey, high fructose corn syrup, and other ingredients) but does not have the protein and calcium as your basic dried milk has.
I personally do not drink dried milk. If you want to try it straight, I do suggest adding a bit of vanilla and sugar just to help it taste better. My go-to use for dried milk is cooking. If your recipe calls for a cup of milk, use 1/4 c. dried milk and 1 c. water. It is especially good for breads. Dried milk typically costs a bit less than using store-bought milk and can easily store in an air tight container for 3-5 years (Though I try to use and replace mine within 2 years). 30+ years for a can of powdered milk is probably stretching it a bit too far.
I challenge you to add powdered milk to your food storage and discover how to use it on a regular basis.
If you would like to add other items to your food storage:
Wraps & Bags: Aluminum foil, saran wrap, ziploc bags, garbage bags, wax paper
Apples: Pie filling, Applesauce,
Vinegar, powdered eggs, powdered cheese
I often use this story to help people understand the mentality fallacy of "Once I have my food storage, I've got it forever and I can't use it let go of it." This thinking is not healthy--literally. Food storage needs to be rotated--used and replaced regularly.
But today, we are talking about Milk for your long term storage. The minimum recommendation is 16 lbs per person. For my family, that is 152 lbs.
Dried (or powdered) Milk comes in two forms: Instant and Regular. The main difference is that the Instant dissolves in water, well, instantly. The regular milk needs stirring and chilling before fully reconstituted.
Dried milk can be found online on a number of websites. It can also be purchased in bulk from Winco. You can buy it in a box at the grocery store, but that is usually the most costly way. Watch out for "milk alternatives" that do taste a bit better (as they add whey, high fructose corn syrup, and other ingredients) but does not have the protein and calcium as your basic dried milk has.
I personally do not drink dried milk. If you want to try it straight, I do suggest adding a bit of vanilla and sugar just to help it taste better. My go-to use for dried milk is cooking. If your recipe calls for a cup of milk, use 1/4 c. dried milk and 1 c. water. It is especially good for breads. Dried milk typically costs a bit less than using store-bought milk and can easily store in an air tight container for 3-5 years (Though I try to use and replace mine within 2 years). 30+ years for a can of powdered milk is probably stretching it a bit too far.
I challenge you to add powdered milk to your food storage and discover how to use it on a regular basis.
If you would like to add other items to your food storage:
Wraps & Bags: Aluminum foil, saran wrap, ziploc bags, garbage bags, wax paper
Apples: Pie filling, Applesauce,
Vinegar, powdered eggs, powdered cheese
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
THE DEFINITION OF PROVIDENT
One of the things I learned as a Political Science major many years ago was to carefully choose words. Especially knowing the exact meaning of words was crucial to convey meaning.
Often I think about my calling as "Provident Living Supervisor" and pick it apart to understand what it really means.
Provident is defined as (1) making provision for the future: prudent. (2) Frugal, Saving.
So, I see it as living in a way to continually prepare for the future while being frugal and saving resources for a rainy day. And then, not only living this way myself, but helping all of you to live the same way. Living frugally is not always easy. It takes effort, vigilance, and constant watchfulness.
The Church has a Provident Living website that is fantastic. It has resources on so many topics ranging from education to food storage.
This week, take a look at this site, find a topic that interests you or maybe just something you would like to learn more about. Take just 15 minutes or so and read a Conference Talk or look through a pamphlet. I often feel like Church leaders can say things so much better than I can. Prayerfully consider one thing you can do to live more providently to prepare for the future.
Often I think about my calling as "Provident Living Supervisor" and pick it apart to understand what it really means.
Provident is defined as (1) making provision for the future: prudent. (2) Frugal, Saving.
So, I see it as living in a way to continually prepare for the future while being frugal and saving resources for a rainy day. And then, not only living this way myself, but helping all of you to live the same way. Living frugally is not always easy. It takes effort, vigilance, and constant watchfulness.
The Church has a Provident Living website that is fantastic. It has resources on so many topics ranging from education to food storage.
This week, take a look at this site, find a topic that interests you or maybe just something you would like to learn more about. Take just 15 minutes or so and read a Conference Talk or look through a pamphlet. I often feel like Church leaders can say things so much better than I can. Prayerfully consider one thing you can do to live more providently to prepare for the future.
Thursday, October 18, 2018
SUGAR & HONEY
Halloween is right around the corner. I read an article that said that kids, on average, consume 3 cups of sugar on Halloween. That is between trick-or-treating and parties. That is a lot of sugar. For various reasons, our family has gravitated more toward the "fall festival" theme more than Trick-or-Treating and Halloween-y stuff. But trust me, our fall festival has plenty of sugar...caramel for apples, treats for snacking, and pumpkin love. We do love our sugar
Since this month's long term storage goal is sugar and honey, I wondered if candy could count in that 60 lbs per person. One year, we did buy at 25 lb. box of Hershey's Miniatures and kept it in an air-tight bucket. It stayed good for a long time. Well, I leave storing candy up to you. Meanwhile, I will share a couple of my favorite "sweet" recipes to celebrate our month of storing sugar and honey.
Sweet Soy Marinated Chicken
2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken pieces (breasts and/or thighs)
Marinade
1 c honey
3/4 c soy sauce
2 T crushed garlic
1 t ground ginger.
Mix marinade ingredients together. Put chicken in baking dish, pour marinade over chicken and bake for about 1 hour at 350* turning chicken halfway through.
Serve with Rice
Note: This recipe is also great for a crock-pot meal (or InstaPot) or a freezer meal
Pumpkin Spice Bars
4 large eggs
2 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1 c chocolate chips (optional, but I like the mini choc. chips best)
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional)
Cream cheese frosting (below)
1. Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch, lightly with shortening.
2. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cloves. Stir in choc. chips. Spread in pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 min or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle with walnuts. Cut into 2 x 1/ 1/2 inch bars. Refrigerate any remaining bars.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c stick margerine or butter, softened
1 t vanilla
2 c powdered sugar
Mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
Since this month's long term storage goal is sugar and honey, I wondered if candy could count in that 60 lbs per person. One year, we did buy at 25 lb. box of Hershey's Miniatures and kept it in an air-tight bucket. It stayed good for a long time. Well, I leave storing candy up to you. Meanwhile, I will share a couple of my favorite "sweet" recipes to celebrate our month of storing sugar and honey.
Sweet Soy Marinated Chicken
2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken pieces (breasts and/or thighs)
Marinade
1 c honey
3/4 c soy sauce
2 T crushed garlic
1 t ground ginger.
Mix marinade ingredients together. Put chicken in baking dish, pour marinade over chicken and bake for about 1 hour at 350* turning chicken halfway through.
Serve with Rice
Note: This recipe is also great for a crock-pot meal (or InstaPot) or a freezer meal
Pumpkin Spice Bars
4 large eggs
2 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1 c chocolate chips (optional, but I like the mini choc. chips best)
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional)
Cream cheese frosting (below)
1. Heat oven to 350*. Grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch, lightly with shortening.
2. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cloves. Stir in choc. chips. Spread in pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 min or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle with walnuts. Cut into 2 x 1/ 1/2 inch bars. Refrigerate any remaining bars.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c stick margerine or butter, softened
1 t vanilla
2 c powdered sugar
Mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
Thursday, October 11, 2018
MAKING LIFE SWEET
My mom always made homemade bread with honey instead of sugar. It tasted so good all warm out of the oven. We always smothered butter and honey all over the top of it and stuffed ourselves full before the bread cooled all the way down. It was amazing.
This month, our long-term storage goal is sugar or honey. 60 lbs per person. For my family, that is 570 lbs.
I have found that sugar does not like to be stored in air-tight containers. It seems to clump and smell funny if it is packaged in air-tight mylar bags or cans. The best luck I have had is to put it in 5-gallon buckets (available at WinCo). The buckets seem to have a bit of air permeability that keeps the sugar happy. I have always had great luck with Tupperware too. Our family stores White Sugar, Powdered Sugar, and Brown Sugar. The best prices I have found for these are Costco. I typically buy my brown and powdered sugar at the Costco Business Center as they come in 25 lb bags. The white sugar is available at either Costco Business or the regular Costco stores. (And, if you are super fancy, Costco Business even carries Turbinado Sugar).
Honey is a great natural sweetener. I like to buy mine from Cox's Honey. They have about the best online prices for raw honey and usually give free shipping. (Their creamed honey is oh so good, it is worth a try!). Their store is in Shelley, ID, so if you are ever headed to Idaho Falls or Yellowstone, stop by and grab some. You can buy it in 45 lb buckets at their store.
I challenge you to add to your long-term storage by adding sugar, honey, or other sweeteners of your choice. Try to get the 60 lbs per person so you are ready in case of emergency!
This month, our long-term storage goal is sugar or honey. 60 lbs per person. For my family, that is 570 lbs.
I have found that sugar does not like to be stored in air-tight containers. It seems to clump and smell funny if it is packaged in air-tight mylar bags or cans. The best luck I have had is to put it in 5-gallon buckets (available at WinCo). The buckets seem to have a bit of air permeability that keeps the sugar happy. I have always had great luck with Tupperware too. Our family stores White Sugar, Powdered Sugar, and Brown Sugar. The best prices I have found for these are Costco. I typically buy my brown and powdered sugar at the Costco Business Center as they come in 25 lb bags. The white sugar is available at either Costco Business or the regular Costco stores. (And, if you are super fancy, Costco Business even carries Turbinado Sugar).
Honey is a great natural sweetener. I like to buy mine from Cox's Honey. They have about the best online prices for raw honey and usually give free shipping. (Their creamed honey is oh so good, it is worth a try!). Their store is in Shelley, ID, so if you are ever headed to Idaho Falls or Yellowstone, stop by and grab some. You can buy it in 45 lb buckets at their store.
I challenge you to add to your long-term storage by adding sugar, honey, or other sweeteners of your choice. Try to get the 60 lbs per person so you are ready in case of emergency!
Thursday, October 4, 2018
RECHARGE WEEKEND AHEAD!
One of the main parts of Provident Living (that's the real title of my calling) is spiritual preparedness. This may be kind of a different concept to grasp, but as I understand it, it is building your testimony each and every day so that you continually have spiritual stores for those days (weeks, months?) that are just harder than normal. The thing is though, it is not like wheat where you can store away 400 lbs. and figure you are done for 20 years (though you shouldn't technically do that either). Spiritual preparedness is everyday prayer, scripture study, pondering, and building a relationship with our Savior. It is continually working to help our testimony grow and develop. It takes effort and work, but oh is it worth it!
Spiritual experiences come in one of two ways. One is a jolt--something amazing and life-changing. Like an "Alma the Younger" experience. Funny though, these kinds of sudden changes don't always last (remember Laman and Lemuel?). The second spiritual experience comes as we put in time and effort to really know. Just like I said above, it takes everyday, but it sustains us through much. I think this second way is the best and will help us have the results we need.
This weekend is General Conference. I see Conference weekend as a time to (mostly) block everything else out and focus on what Heavenly Father wants me to hear. As sisters, we get to listen to more conference in a 2-day period than we ever have before (5 sessions!). It is going to be great! But, then again, I have seen a direct correlation with my pre-conference preparedness and how awesome my experience with Conference is. As I spend time pondering where I am spiritually, what questions I have, and praying for our general church leadership, I find I am more engaged in Conference and listen more intently when I have done my "spiritual homework" ahead of time.
On lds.org, there is a great article about learning from General Conference. I highly recommend reading it and using some of the suggestions to prepare. It just might help you get through that Sunday afternoon session tired-time. One more suggestion is to pray for our church leaders. I think President Ballard especially could use extra prayers at this time with the recent passing of his wife.
Take advantage of this time with our church leaders. And if this conference is anything like the last one, we won't want to miss a single minute, or we might not know what has changed!
I challenge you to choose one thing to help you be more prepared for Conference. I promise the results will be worth it!
Spiritual experiences come in one of two ways. One is a jolt--something amazing and life-changing. Like an "Alma the Younger" experience. Funny though, these kinds of sudden changes don't always last (remember Laman and Lemuel?). The second spiritual experience comes as we put in time and effort to really know. Just like I said above, it takes everyday, but it sustains us through much. I think this second way is the best and will help us have the results we need.
This weekend is General Conference. I see Conference weekend as a time to (mostly) block everything else out and focus on what Heavenly Father wants me to hear. As sisters, we get to listen to more conference in a 2-day period than we ever have before (5 sessions!). It is going to be great! But, then again, I have seen a direct correlation with my pre-conference preparedness and how awesome my experience with Conference is. As I spend time pondering where I am spiritually, what questions I have, and praying for our general church leadership, I find I am more engaged in Conference and listen more intently when I have done my "spiritual homework" ahead of time.
On lds.org, there is a great article about learning from General Conference. I highly recommend reading it and using some of the suggestions to prepare. It just might help you get through that Sunday afternoon session tired-time. One more suggestion is to pray for our church leaders. I think President Ballard especially could use extra prayers at this time with the recent passing of his wife.
Take advantage of this time with our church leaders. And if this conference is anything like the last one, we won't want to miss a single minute, or we might not know what has changed!
I challenge you to choose one thing to help you be more prepared for Conference. I promise the results will be worth it!
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
WORST BIRTHDAY EVER
My birthday is this week. I welcome birthdays, they are pretty fun. My grandma always said she loved her birthday because it was the special day Heavenly Father gave her to come to earth. I love that perspective.
Not all my birthdays have been great. 16 stands out as probably the worst. I was so excited to turn 16--driving, dating...it was going to be amazing! I had everything in line to get my driver's license that day, and I did. Later that evening, I had to run to the store to get something for school. YES! First time going all legal by myself. All was great until I turned in front of another car and...suddenly my birthday was ruined. Yep, I wrecked my dad's car (thankfully no one was hurt). The cars weren't totaled, but definitely wrecked. And, my dad is an insurance agent. Let's just say it did not go over well. My dad told me that night that he was taking my license away and I wouldn't get it back until I was 19--until that wreck was off my record. I tearfully agreed, convinced that any punishment he gave me was still too light.
The policeman who responded to my accident gave me the best birthday gift ever, no ticket. My dad, meanwhile, was trying to figure out how to get around the system so that accident would not skyrocket the insurance premium. One idea he had for a few days was try to pay for the car repairs out of pocket instead of having the insurance cover it (and have me somehow work it off). I fretted, worried, didn't eat, and was sure my life was over as how could I ever cover those repair costs with my minimum wage job at the mall candy store?
A bit later, my dad shared with me the conversation he had with our insurance company. The gist of the conversation was that the insurance adjuster reminded my dad why we have insurance. It is there to be used when needed, to cover costs that we cannot possibly cover on our own. And this was a case when it was needed. The insurance company repaired the other car, and my parents covered the costs to fix ours.
My dad didn't take away my license, and he gave me that car just after I turned 17. But, I also got to pay the insurance premiums from that time forward. I took that car into our marriage and we had it until we saved enough to buy our minivan...but that's another story.
Elder Ashton in One for the Money talks about the importance of being properly insured. Insurance is there to cover costs that we cannot possibly cover on our own. Just like there was no way I could have paid for all my accident repairs, insurance helped out. I was, however, able to pay the insurance premiums with my candy store wages, so insurance did its job.
One for the Money also talks about the influence outside factors has on your money, and how to wisely prepare for situations that can and will arise.
I challenge you to read sections 10 and 11 of One for the Money and talk with your spouse about these important topics. Make wise decisions and move forward with any changes you may need to make. These are important topics to help the family budget, and therefore the family.
Not all my birthdays have been great. 16 stands out as probably the worst. I was so excited to turn 16--driving, dating...it was going to be amazing! I had everything in line to get my driver's license that day, and I did. Later that evening, I had to run to the store to get something for school. YES! First time going all legal by myself. All was great until I turned in front of another car and...suddenly my birthday was ruined. Yep, I wrecked my dad's car (thankfully no one was hurt). The cars weren't totaled, but definitely wrecked. And, my dad is an insurance agent. Let's just say it did not go over well. My dad told me that night that he was taking my license away and I wouldn't get it back until I was 19--until that wreck was off my record. I tearfully agreed, convinced that any punishment he gave me was still too light.
The policeman who responded to my accident gave me the best birthday gift ever, no ticket. My dad, meanwhile, was trying to figure out how to get around the system so that accident would not skyrocket the insurance premium. One idea he had for a few days was try to pay for the car repairs out of pocket instead of having the insurance cover it (and have me somehow work it off). I fretted, worried, didn't eat, and was sure my life was over as how could I ever cover those repair costs with my minimum wage job at the mall candy store?
A bit later, my dad shared with me the conversation he had with our insurance company. The gist of the conversation was that the insurance adjuster reminded my dad why we have insurance. It is there to be used when needed, to cover costs that we cannot possibly cover on our own. And this was a case when it was needed. The insurance company repaired the other car, and my parents covered the costs to fix ours.
My dad didn't take away my license, and he gave me that car just after I turned 17. But, I also got to pay the insurance premiums from that time forward. I took that car into our marriage and we had it until we saved enough to buy our minivan...but that's another story.
Elder Ashton in One for the Money talks about the importance of being properly insured. Insurance is there to cover costs that we cannot possibly cover on our own. Just like there was no way I could have paid for all my accident repairs, insurance helped out. I was, however, able to pay the insurance premiums with my candy store wages, so insurance did its job.
One for the Money also talks about the influence outside factors has on your money, and how to wisely prepare for situations that can and will arise.
I challenge you to read sections 10 and 11 of One for the Money and talk with your spouse about these important topics. Make wise decisions and move forward with any changes you may need to make. These are important topics to help the family budget, and therefore the family.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
CALM BEFORE THE STORM?
Over the summer, I read a very interesting book that caused me to reflect on many things. Hiroshima by John Hersey chronicles the lives of 6 Japanese survivors during and after the first atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. (As I have said before, being a homeschool mom, I get to learn all kinds of things!). I was also preparing our 72 hour kits while reading this book, and it was hard not to wonder what really would have helped Hiroshima's people the most in the first hours after the bomb as well as long-term.
For about a month, things have been kind of quiet in our little nook of the world. No fires, no earthquake tremors, nothing to really give us much alarm. I have been wondering though, is this the calm before the storm? To be clear, I am not thinking that an atomic bomb is getting ready to land on Southern California. Rather, my mind tends to wander more toward the natural disasters that seems to be so prevalent in our area.
President Benson said, "The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah" (January 1974 Ensign). I have thought about this quote often, I have also heard that "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." The time to prepare for emergencies and hardship is now, when things are calm.
Food Storage is a huge component of preparedness. Having food in your home is always a good idea. Water Storage is a huge deal, you can only live for 3 days without drinkable water. Having emergency kits and preparedness items helps make things easier.
Only you can determine what you really need for you and your family. There are several good resources that can give ideas to help you determine what you need.
The Red Cross has a preparedness site that gives great information to building a kit, planning, and being informed.
San Diego County also has a couple different websites to help inform. SanDiego.gov has an emergency preparedness site that has all kinds of links to different resources. Ready San Diego also has news, ideas, and links to help you be ready. These links also give a good idea of what to maybe expect from the county in case of a disaster. But even then, be prepared in case you need to be on your own for 3 days.
And, there's me. I hope I am a good resource! I have learned a lot and would love nothing more than to help you make a plan to be ready for whatever may come.
I challenge you to prayerfully consider what specifically you need to do to be a little more prepared. Do some research and find something you can do, and then DO IT.
For about a month, things have been kind of quiet in our little nook of the world. No fires, no earthquake tremors, nothing to really give us much alarm. I have been wondering though, is this the calm before the storm? To be clear, I am not thinking that an atomic bomb is getting ready to land on Southern California. Rather, my mind tends to wander more toward the natural disasters that seems to be so prevalent in our area.
President Benson said, "The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah" (January 1974 Ensign). I have thought about this quote often, I have also heard that "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." The time to prepare for emergencies and hardship is now, when things are calm.
Food Storage is a huge component of preparedness. Having food in your home is always a good idea. Water Storage is a huge deal, you can only live for 3 days without drinkable water. Having emergency kits and preparedness items helps make things easier.
Only you can determine what you really need for you and your family. There are several good resources that can give ideas to help you determine what you need.
The Red Cross has a preparedness site that gives great information to building a kit, planning, and being informed.
San Diego County also has a couple different websites to help inform. SanDiego.gov has an emergency preparedness site that has all kinds of links to different resources. Ready San Diego also has news, ideas, and links to help you be ready. These links also give a good idea of what to maybe expect from the county in case of a disaster. But even then, be prepared in case you need to be on your own for 3 days.
And, there's me. I hope I am a good resource! I have learned a lot and would love nothing more than to help you make a plan to be ready for whatever may come.
I challenge you to prayerfully consider what specifically you need to do to be a little more prepared. Do some research and find something you can do, and then DO IT.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Using Those Beans
As a kid, we didn't eat beans much...well not ever. My mom wasn't a fan. That's OK, she didn't like bananas either. I remember when I was about 12, my dad took me to Taco Bell and he ordered Pintos N Cheese. I thought I was in heaven, it tasted so good! Not long after, I realized that you could actually buy cans of things called refried beans that were almost like Pintos N Cheese. Who ever knew?! Needless to say, I love beans. They are so awesome--and packed with nutrition!
Over the years, I have learned how to cook with beans and have made some pretty yummy things. A lot of people don't like them because of the gas factor. I have found a few good ways to help with that. (1) Be sure to rinse your beans and discard cooking liquid after cooking them from a dry state. (2) Add a bit of baking soda while cooking dry beans, this especially helps if your beans are a little on the old side. (3) Limit bean intake to one meal every other day or so. Eating beans for back-to-back meals (Or sometimes back to back days) can contribute to an elevated gassy state.
Here are some of my favorite recipes! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! With the Internet, it is easier than it used to be to make some of your favorite restaurant's bean dishes (Rubio's Black Beans, or Panera's Black Bean Soup anyone?). All it takes is a little practice and you'll be a pro. Meanwhile, you can try some of these:
REFREID BEANS
7 c. dry pinto beans
1-2 onions, chopped
6 T Olive Oil
3/4-1 c. Water
2 T Salt
2 T garlic Powder
2 T Chili Powder
2 T Cumin
Cook Dry Beans (My favorite is the crock-pot method: Place beans in slow-cooker. Soak overnight. Turn slow cooker on low or high for at least 4-6 hours until beans are super soft. Rinse cooked beans).
Add other ingredients and mash with a potato masher or hand beaters. Add more water for desired consistency, and more spices to taste.
TACO SOUP
3 cans (or 4 cups) Kidney Beans
2 cans (or 2 cups frozen) Corn
3 cans Diced tomatoes
3 T (1 pkg) taco seasoning
1 lb hamburger
Mix over stove and heat through. Serve with cheese on top. Best with Fritos.
CHILI
7 c. dry beans (Black, Red, Kidney, or a mix)
1-2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 cans green chilis
2 cans tomato Sauce
2-3 cans diced tomatoes
Chili Powder
Red Pepper
Cumin
Salt
Cook dry beans (see crock-pot method above)
In the bottom of a stock pot, cook ground beef with onions and green pepper.
Add other ingredients, using spices to taste.
If you have any awesome bean recipes to share, be sure to include them in the comments of this post! I would love to try them!
Over the years, I have learned how to cook with beans and have made some pretty yummy things. A lot of people don't like them because of the gas factor. I have found a few good ways to help with that. (1) Be sure to rinse your beans and discard cooking liquid after cooking them from a dry state. (2) Add a bit of baking soda while cooking dry beans, this especially helps if your beans are a little on the old side. (3) Limit bean intake to one meal every other day or so. Eating beans for back-to-back meals (Or sometimes back to back days) can contribute to an elevated gassy state.
Here are some of my favorite recipes! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! With the Internet, it is easier than it used to be to make some of your favorite restaurant's bean dishes (Rubio's Black Beans, or Panera's Black Bean Soup anyone?). All it takes is a little practice and you'll be a pro. Meanwhile, you can try some of these:
REFREID BEANS
7 c. dry pinto beans
1-2 onions, chopped
6 T Olive Oil
3/4-1 c. Water
2 T Salt
2 T garlic Powder
2 T Chili Powder
2 T Cumin
Cook Dry Beans (My favorite is the crock-pot method: Place beans in slow-cooker. Soak overnight. Turn slow cooker on low or high for at least 4-6 hours until beans are super soft. Rinse cooked beans).
Add other ingredients and mash with a potato masher or hand beaters. Add more water for desired consistency, and more spices to taste.
TACO SOUP
3 cans (or 4 cups) Kidney Beans
2 cans (or 2 cups frozen) Corn
3 cans Diced tomatoes
3 T (1 pkg) taco seasoning
1 lb hamburger
Mix over stove and heat through. Serve with cheese on top. Best with Fritos.
CHILI
7 c. dry beans (Black, Red, Kidney, or a mix)
1-2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 cans green chilis
2 cans tomato Sauce
2-3 cans diced tomatoes
Chili Powder
Red Pepper
Cumin
Salt
Cook dry beans (see crock-pot method above)
In the bottom of a stock pot, cook ground beef with onions and green pepper.
Add other ingredients, using spices to taste.
If you have any awesome bean recipes to share, be sure to include them in the comments of this post! I would love to try them!
Thursday, September 6, 2018
LONG-TERM STORAGE, MONTH 5: BEANS
Last night I mentioned to my 12-year-old that you can buy refried beans in a can. He made a face that indicated he did not believe me. I cannot even remember the last can of beans I bought. It has been a really long time. Once I learned how to cook dried beans, it has been a great source of nutrition for my family. We eat beans a lot--at least once or twice a week, and my kids do not even know that you can buy beans any other way.
I hope you all are doing the Long Term Food Storage challenge. Remember, the goal is to have a year's supply of food by May 1, 2019.
This month, we will focus on Beans!
Dried beans are cost-effective and easy to store. The health benefits of beans are huge! They provide a great source of protein, are high in folate, and are a great antioxidant. Those who regularly eat beans are less likely to have heart disease and cancer.
The list of beans is long: lima beans, black peans, kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, red beans, soy beans, navy beans, pinto beans...pick a favorite!
The minimum recommendation for storing beans is 60 lbs per person. For my family, that is a total of 570 pounds.
The most-oft question I am asked is "How do I cook dried beans!" My favorite method is to use my crock pot. Let your beans sit in warm water overnight, then in the morning turn on your slow cooker (either low or high is fine, it usually depends how fast I want them cooked). Be sure water is covering the beans at all times. They can take anywhere from 3-4 hours all the way to 8-9 hours. The biggest deciding factor is how old your beans are. I have found that the older my beans, the longer they take to cook. Plan to check them every 2 hours or so to test done-ness. I typically cook an entire crock-pot at a time. I usually do not need that many beans in a single meal, so I freeze the rest. 1 1/3 cups of cooked beans equals a 15 oz can. I typically freeze 3 cups in a quart size freezer bag, so it's about the equivalent of 2 cans per bag. Then, I have beans ready and on hand for the next meal.
I challenge you to use this month to get your bean storage. Store they kinds of beans your family likes to eat and find new recipes to use your beans on a regular basis.
If you would like to add other items to your storage, here are some suggestions for this month:
Medical Supplies: Tylenol, band-aids, antiseptic
Paper Supplies: Toilet paper, Kleenex, Napkins, Paper Plates, Paper Cups, Plastic utensils
Pasta and Rice: Restock!
Previous monthly challenges can be found here:
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
I hope you all are doing the Long Term Food Storage challenge. Remember, the goal is to have a year's supply of food by May 1, 2019.
This month, we will focus on Beans!
Dried beans are cost-effective and easy to store. The health benefits of beans are huge! They provide a great source of protein, are high in folate, and are a great antioxidant. Those who regularly eat beans are less likely to have heart disease and cancer.
The list of beans is long: lima beans, black peans, kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, red beans, soy beans, navy beans, pinto beans...pick a favorite!
The minimum recommendation for storing beans is 60 lbs per person. For my family, that is a total of 570 pounds.
The most-oft question I am asked is "How do I cook dried beans!" My favorite method is to use my crock pot. Let your beans sit in warm water overnight, then in the morning turn on your slow cooker (either low or high is fine, it usually depends how fast I want them cooked). Be sure water is covering the beans at all times. They can take anywhere from 3-4 hours all the way to 8-9 hours. The biggest deciding factor is how old your beans are. I have found that the older my beans, the longer they take to cook. Plan to check them every 2 hours or so to test done-ness. I typically cook an entire crock-pot at a time. I usually do not need that many beans in a single meal, so I freeze the rest. 1 1/3 cups of cooked beans equals a 15 oz can. I typically freeze 3 cups in a quart size freezer bag, so it's about the equivalent of 2 cans per bag. Then, I have beans ready and on hand for the next meal.
I challenge you to use this month to get your bean storage. Store they kinds of beans your family likes to eat and find new recipes to use your beans on a regular basis.
If you would like to add other items to your storage, here are some suggestions for this month:
Medical Supplies: Tylenol, band-aids, antiseptic
Paper Supplies: Toilet paper, Kleenex, Napkins, Paper Plates, Paper Cups, Plastic utensils
Pasta and Rice: Restock!
Previous monthly challenges can be found here:
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
DO YOU CHANGE YOUR OWN OIL TOO?
While searching for a husband, one of my "requirements" was someone who could fix my car. I drove a 1981 Toyota Celica that my dad bought new when I was 3 years old. That car went forever. My husband did meet the "fix my car" qualification, and I snatched him up quick. My father-in-law drove an 18-wheeler for over 40 years and his boys were his mechanics. He loves to tell the story about the time he had to rebuild the engine in his Kenworth. The oldest 4 boys (my husband included) took a week off of school to help. After the third day, the school superintendent came by to see what was going on at the Stoddard house and why none of the boys were in school. He took one look at what they were doing and told them all to keep going, that "they were receiving a better education at home" that week. Early in our marriage, we moved to the DC Metro area and took the old Toyota Celica with us. One day, Jeff had to work at Bolling Air Force Base and somewhere between the guard station and the parking lot, the muffler fell off. Jeff got out and threw it in the back seat. He discovered that the entire exhaust pipe had rusted through and he needed to replace it. And replace it he did, right in front of our townhouse. Our neighbor came home and really had no idea what he was doing, but noticed it was a big project. She asked, "Wow, do you change your own oil too?" We wondered what she would have thought had she known he was replacing the whole exhaust pipe.
I have (almost) always been grateful that my husband is so handy. He keeps our cars running and is continually doing something around the house--I guess I should include that he built the said house from the ground up. His skills have saved us a lot of money over the years, helping us to meet our financial goals.
Not all these skills need to be home or auto related. Learning to sew, bake bread, or gaining other homemaking abilities can also help to keep money in the family coffers.
Section 8 and 9 in One for the Money by Marvin J. Ashton talk specifically about learning skills, getting an education, and investing in home ownership. I really like the way he talked about education as not only a degree, but skills to learn--making education a continuing process. And, when in doubt, there's You Tube. He also covers beautifying and continually improving our homes, and using our home as an investment instead of a consumption.
I challenge you to read sections 8 and 9 of One for the Money and set a goal to do something mentioned in these sections. Then, follow through!
For previous posts about One for the Money, go here, here, here, and here.
I have (almost) always been grateful that my husband is so handy. He keeps our cars running and is continually doing something around the house--I guess I should include that he built the said house from the ground up. His skills have saved us a lot of money over the years, helping us to meet our financial goals.
Not all these skills need to be home or auto related. Learning to sew, bake bread, or gaining other homemaking abilities can also help to keep money in the family coffers.
Section 8 and 9 in One for the Money by Marvin J. Ashton talk specifically about learning skills, getting an education, and investing in home ownership. I really like the way he talked about education as not only a degree, but skills to learn--making education a continuing process. And, when in doubt, there's You Tube. He also covers beautifying and continually improving our homes, and using our home as an investment instead of a consumption.
I challenge you to read sections 8 and 9 of One for the Money and set a goal to do something mentioned in these sections. Then, follow through!
For previous posts about One for the Money, go here, here, here, and here.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
WORKING TO LEARN
This last weekend, I had an experience I hope to remember all my life. It was one of those "mom moments" when all the worry, heartache, second-guessing, and doubt just melted away and I got a glimpse of my daughter's soul and realized, once again, how amazing she is. Now, I cannot guarantee that some of those doubting feelings will not return from time to time, but I am so grateful for these moments as tender mercies from my Heavenly Father that help me realize that my kids have a mission and a purpose far beyond what I can see--and they are working to fulfill it.
For the last 18 months, Sarah has been working on her play. She had a lot of help along the way, but she wrote the storyline, composed the music, authored the lyrics, held auditions, rehearsed with actors, delegated responsibilities, calmed fears, instilled vision, publicized, and when all was ready to go, she successfully troubleshooted a huge problem that could have derailed the entire production. And that is just the stuff I know about.
Spellbound was performed last Friday and Saturday. She made it happen. And it was exceptional. (Thanks to all of you who came to support her!). But, the process was as important as the end product, and the goal was not just to entertain.
I was talking to someone just before the show on Friday and he asked if Sarah was getting college credit for doing this, because it certainly was a notable amount of work. Well, no--but I do consider it part of her education.
Education is defined as "the knowledge and development resulting from an educational process." I see these processes happening all the time both in and outside the classroom. I think the key is to purposefully channel these processes so that we do gain an education and learn from them. Not all education has to "count" for credit or some other accolade. Many of our educational experiences may seem regular or mundane, but if we consciously work to learn something from everything we do, we can gain so much. I look at my kids from my youngest as he has daily educational experiences learning to eat with a spoon, all the way up to my oldest who is creating her own educational experiences so that she can conquer the world. Both have value, meaning, and importance, and both help each of them to fulfill their individual missions the Lord has for them.
I challenge you to take some quiet time reflecting on the mission(s) Heavenly Father has for you. What can you do to have an educational experience: purposefully learning something to help you, your family, or someone else. Don't forget to write it down!
I realize this type of education is different than probably anything you have ever participated in, but trust me. Trust that the process is as important as the end goal. Seek to purposefully learn along the way so that you become better because of it.
I will give you an example, hopefully to help illustrate this concept. (Feel free to copy, I don't mind!). One of my missions is to be a successful mother. This encompasses so much! One of my current educational goals is learning to become better at laundry, something pretty mundane. So, as part of this laundry education process I will set goals for myself. (1) Do at least 3 loads every day (except Sundays) (2) Do not let wet clothes sit in the washer overnight (3) As I sort/fold I will count my blessings and strive for a happy attitude--focusing on the positive instead of the negative aspects of laundry (I expect to be educated in the positive aspects of laundry as I do this). My desired outcomes are that I (and my family) will have clean clothes every day that do not smell from being left in the washer too long, and I will have a happier, more thankful attitude towards laundry instead of grumbling and putting it off until it is beyond absolutely necessary. I am sure I will learn more along the way that I am not currently aware of. I will pray and ask Heavenly Father to help me in this endeavor and help me to learn what I need to from more purposeful laundry-doing. When I feel like I have received my laundry education--I will apply this learning every day and look for another area in my mission to be educated in.
Make constant education a part of your life. It is one of the principles of Provident Living and something our God wants us actively engaged in. You will be blessed for your efforts.
For the last 18 months, Sarah has been working on her play. She had a lot of help along the way, but she wrote the storyline, composed the music, authored the lyrics, held auditions, rehearsed with actors, delegated responsibilities, calmed fears, instilled vision, publicized, and when all was ready to go, she successfully troubleshooted a huge problem that could have derailed the entire production. And that is just the stuff I know about.
Spellbound was performed last Friday and Saturday. She made it happen. And it was exceptional. (Thanks to all of you who came to support her!). But, the process was as important as the end product, and the goal was not just to entertain.
I was talking to someone just before the show on Friday and he asked if Sarah was getting college credit for doing this, because it certainly was a notable amount of work. Well, no--but I do consider it part of her education.
Education is defined as "the knowledge and development resulting from an educational process." I see these processes happening all the time both in and outside the classroom. I think the key is to purposefully channel these processes so that we do gain an education and learn from them. Not all education has to "count" for credit or some other accolade. Many of our educational experiences may seem regular or mundane, but if we consciously work to learn something from everything we do, we can gain so much. I look at my kids from my youngest as he has daily educational experiences learning to eat with a spoon, all the way up to my oldest who is creating her own educational experiences so that she can conquer the world. Both have value, meaning, and importance, and both help each of them to fulfill their individual missions the Lord has for them.
I challenge you to take some quiet time reflecting on the mission(s) Heavenly Father has for you. What can you do to have an educational experience: purposefully learning something to help you, your family, or someone else. Don't forget to write it down!
I realize this type of education is different than probably anything you have ever participated in, but trust me. Trust that the process is as important as the end goal. Seek to purposefully learn along the way so that you become better because of it.
I will give you an example, hopefully to help illustrate this concept. (Feel free to copy, I don't mind!). One of my missions is to be a successful mother. This encompasses so much! One of my current educational goals is learning to become better at laundry, something pretty mundane. So, as part of this laundry education process I will set goals for myself. (1) Do at least 3 loads every day (except Sundays) (2) Do not let wet clothes sit in the washer overnight (3) As I sort/fold I will count my blessings and strive for a happy attitude--focusing on the positive instead of the negative aspects of laundry (I expect to be educated in the positive aspects of laundry as I do this). My desired outcomes are that I (and my family) will have clean clothes every day that do not smell from being left in the washer too long, and I will have a happier, more thankful attitude towards laundry instead of grumbling and putting it off until it is beyond absolutely necessary. I am sure I will learn more along the way that I am not currently aware of. I will pray and ask Heavenly Father to help me in this endeavor and help me to learn what I need to from more purposeful laundry-doing. When I feel like I have received my laundry education--I will apply this learning every day and look for another area in my mission to be educated in.
Make constant education a part of your life. It is one of the principles of Provident Living and something our God wants us actively engaged in. You will be blessed for your efforts.
STAYING VIGILENT
Last week, we drove to the “motherland” (i.e. Utah and Idaho) to visit family. Jeff’s parents celebrated their 50thanniversary and it was super fun to see the 40 plus cousins together.
We left early in the morning to get through the desert before it got too hot, but as we headed north, I was not prepared for what I saw. As we approached Lake Elsinore, we could see a rim of fire on the mountain. I heard about the Holy Fire that started in Orange County last Monday, but I had no idea that it had traveled into Riverside County or that it could be seen from I-15. As we drove past Lake Elsinore and Corona, I could more easily see the orange glow in the dark. My stomach turned into knots and I mentally started thinking about what I still need to do in case of a fire.
I know we have talked much about fire preparedness since the Lilac Fire in December, but as Brother LeBlanc said, “It is not a matter of if, but when.” I feel like fire preparedness deserves some more discussion.
We listened to the radio as we drove through Riverside County and the main county-wide concern was poor air quality from smoke and ash. Many communities were not in an evacuation threat, but they were still impacted. Health officials recommended that residents stay indoors with the windows closed as much as possible. I thought about how prepared I am to stay home for a week or two at a time if I needed to.
On top of that, while we were in Utah, a massive blaze was burning on the south side of Utah County, sending smoke to settle in the valley. Sophie walked outside and said, "It smells like smores!" I wish that were the case. All we could smell was smoke almost the whole time we were there.
Since our December Fire, I have assembled our 72 hour kits—which was a monumental task and I prepared car kits for each of our vehicles. I still need to take photos of everything in my house, including in my cupboards and closets, for Insurance purposes. I also need to tape that list of what to take if I have to leave quickly for when my brain shuts down and I go into flight or fight mode.
I challenge you to analyze where you are with your fire preparedness. Take note of the good things you have done to prepare and make a plan to accomplish what still needs to happen. If you need help or ideas, you can refer to this post or Brother LeBlanc’s handout from April. Being prepared is never a waste of time. After all, If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.
Thursday, August 2, 2018
LONG TERM STORAGE GOAL MONTH 4--GRAINS
If I try to imagine my life without grains, it might look something like this: No whining from 3 or 5 year olds that we are having oatmeal for breakfast again! But also not excited squeals when I say Lucky Charms and Cheerios are on the breakfast menu. No need to make homemade bread to keep grocery costs low, but no warm fresh-from-the-oven bread to melt butter and honey over. Almost everything we eat has some grain form...and it is important.
"All grain is ordained to be... the staff of life..." (D&C 89:14).
Grains are the most basic part of our everyday diet--or at least it should be. This part of food storage is possibly the most overwhelming. The basic food storage requirement is at least 400 lbs of grains per person. For my family that is a whopping 3,800 lbs. There are several varieties of grains ranging from wheat to wild rice.
I store mostly wheat, rice, and oats as that is what my family eats (and these tend to be the least expensive). If you love quinoa, millet, and barley those are also great grain options. If you are on the gluten-free spectrum, spelt is a great wheat replacement.
The most important rule to follow when deciding what grains to store is the question: "What will me and my family eat?" That should dictate your purchasing. Oldways Whole Grain Council has a wonderful website describing different types of grains, where you can buy them and how to use them.
I have found that flour and white rice are the best price at Costco, while wheat (red or white), oats, and much more is available at Winco. I will say again that Winco is our best local resource for food storage. Anything they carry in their bulk bins is available to buy in a large bag or box. You can order a few things on their website, but most of their stock is in-store. It is worth going by to have a look! Once you order, they will call you to come get it at your local store. Do be aware that they only take cash, check, or debit card.
Hopefully you have decided what containers to use and where to store your food. You are going to need this when you get your grains!
I challenge you to begin your grain storage, and for an extra-added challenge: Finish your grain storage. This month is probably the most difficult, but I promise it can be done!
(Prior Challenges: May, June, July)
"All grain is ordained to be... the staff of life..." (D&C 89:14).
I store mostly wheat, rice, and oats as that is what my family eats (and these tend to be the least expensive). If you love quinoa, millet, and barley those are also great grain options. If you are on the gluten-free spectrum, spelt is a great wheat replacement.
The most important rule to follow when deciding what grains to store is the question: "What will me and my family eat?" That should dictate your purchasing. Oldways Whole Grain Council has a wonderful website describing different types of grains, where you can buy them and how to use them.
I have found that flour and white rice are the best price at Costco, while wheat (red or white), oats, and much more is available at Winco. I will say again that Winco is our best local resource for food storage. Anything they carry in their bulk bins is available to buy in a large bag or box. You can order a few things on their website, but most of their stock is in-store. It is worth going by to have a look! Once you order, they will call you to come get it at your local store. Do be aware that they only take cash, check, or debit card.
Hopefully you have decided what containers to use and where to store your food. You are going to need this when you get your grains!
I challenge you to begin your grain storage, and for an extra-added challenge: Finish your grain storage. This month is probably the most difficult, but I promise it can be done!
(Prior Challenges: May, June, July)
Additional Storage Items
If you would like to add more to your long–term storage and preparedness, consider the following:
- Oral higiene: toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss
- Laundry: Detergent, dryer sheets, bleach, spot removers
- Cleaning: dishwasher detergent, dish soap, soap, ammonia, favorite sprays or cleaning supplies
Friday, June 29, 2018
July Long-Term Storage Goal: Containerizing
Several years ago, my husband took on the job of cleaning
out his parents’ storage room. They had
stored several bags of wheat in this room and thought they were safe…by the
time the cleanup happened, the bags (and a good part of the wheat) had been
chewed by mice. It was disappointing for
my mother-in-law to realize that the food storage she thought she had was no
longer fit for consumption.
Storing your Long-Term Storage is just as, if not more,
important that buying it! Make sure you
are storing your food in a way that keeps rodents, mold and bugs out and
nutrition in! When the time comes that
you need to use your storage, you will want to make sure it is there!
There are several ways and
price points to store your food storage safely!
Tupperware/Rubbermaid
These tight-sealing plastic containers work well for storing
several different food varieties in a small space. They seal wonderfully keeping bugs out and
are easy to rotate the food. The cons
are that they can be pricey and they do not hold a lot of food.
Mylar Bags
These bags are made from a polyester resin laminated with
tin foil, basically creating a flexible tin can. These bags are sealed tight with an oxygen
pack and can easily be stored in boxes or on closet shelves, under beds,
etc. Winco and Amazon both sell Mylar
Bags and oxygen packets. They do need to
be sealed with a bag sealer. Last I
heard, the sealers are available at the church canneries for check out (A
foodsaver appliance will also seal these bags).
They are reusable, but the bag will get smaller each time it is re-used.
The biggest cons are that these bags do
require the extra step of sealing with special equipment. Because they have been specially-sealed the likelihood
of rotation may be low.
#10 Cans
Food can be sealed in #10 cans. These cans and lids can be purchased from the
church cannery and need a can sealer to seal the cans. Like the Mylar bags, they also need oxygen
packs to remove excess oxygen from the can for the food to be sealed
properly. Cans are easily
stackable. Plastic lids can be purchased
separately so that contents of opened cans can be stored safely until food is
used. Cons are the cans cannot be
re-sealed, special equipment must be used, and rotation is a bit more difficult
as with the Mylar bags.
Plastic Buckets
These are by far my favorite food storage option! They are easily obtainable in 2 or 5-gallon
sizes. The best prices I have found are
at Winco (near the bulk section) or Lowes.com (search food-grade buckets). Lids will also need to be purchased; you have
the option of regular plastic lids—don’t forget to buy a bucket opener—or spin-top
gamma lids. Buckets are washable,
stackable, reusable, and store a lot of food.
They make rotating very easy and work well for those continually using
their food storage. If you do not plan
to use your bucketed food for a bit, oxygen packs are recommended. The biggest con is that they can take up more
space and if left in the sun, the buckets will crack. If you are looking for the smaller buckets,
check your local grocery store bakery, some stores will give away frosting
buckets for free or a low cost.
Foodsaver Appliance
& Pouches
I am not terribly familiar
with this appliance, but know a lot of people who really love them. There are several different models that range
in price from about $60 to $300. They
seal many different packages including Mylar bags and plastic. Many use them to store meat for the freezer. If you determine a bag is the best fit for
your family, you may seriously consider this
investment.
I Challenge you...
Determine what type of container works best for your storage
space, your frequency of rotation (remember, store what you eat, and eat what
you store!), and the foods you plan to store.
If you have questions about containing your food storage, please
ask! That is why I am here!
Previous months’ long-term storage goals can be found on my
blog: www.ByesBoos.blogspot.com
Additional Storage Items
If you would like to add more to your long –term storage and
preparedness, consider the following:
·
Jams & Jellies
·
Water Jugs & Bleach
·
Canned Meats: 15 lbs per family member
·
Bath Soap
·
Vinegar
·
Facial Tissue
·
Condiments—Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Mustard, Salad
dressings, etc. (They are often on sale
for the 4th of July!)
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