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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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
   

LONG TERM STORAGE: MONTH 2

Back in the 90s I worked in a little candy store in the middle of the mall.  I became a pro at making Cotton Candy and Stringing Taffy.  I took the food safety classes (which really only told me not to put meat and produce on the same shelf in the fridge and to rotate food items "first in-first out"), and saved my paychecks for college tuition.  I remember almost all the gummy and sugary candy we got all had the big "Fat Free!" labels.  I realized there was a whole lot of candy that fit right into the fat-free craze.  I thought it was funny that there were people that actually thought that fat free always meant healthy.   Fast forward about 10 years and I was attending Weight Watchers classes.  I loved them and learned a ton about nutrition.  One of the things that stuck out in my mind was that we need fat in our diet.  Now, this is not license to go out and be crazy about French Fries, but the human body does need the right amount of good fats to be at it's peak.

It is suggested to store a minimum of 10 quarts per person of cooking oil for your year's supply.  For my family, that is 95 quarts.  

"Fat" comes in several forms:  Olive oil, Canola oil, Vegetable oil, Coconut oil, Butter, Peanut oil, etc. One thing to remember about fats is that they do have a shorter shelf life and need to be rotated and replaced often.  Because of this, it is important that you choose fats that you know you will use on a regular basis.  Remember that "first in, first out" rule and you will be great.

I challenge you to get enough cooking oil for your family to add to your long-term storage.

If you would like to add a few extras to your storage, I will list some suggestions each month.  Remember the #1 Food Storage Rule:  Store what you Eat and Eat what you Store!

5 lb Peanut Butter and 2 jars of jelly or jam

6 lb pasta for each member of your family

Safety matches, flashlights, batteries

Condiments:  watch for sales and stock up on mustard, ketchup, relish, mayo, salad dressing, soy sauce, etc.

Sleeping Bag or Tent

______________________________________

LONG TERM STORAGE CHALLENGE

Month 1--Salt, 8 lbs per person

LONG-TERM STORAGE: MONTH 1

Are you up to the challenge?

On Sunday I challenged every family in our ward to have a basic year supply of food by May  1, 2019.  I referenced Elder Featherstone from the April 1976 Conference (his talk is the best talk I have heard on food storage EVER--I highly encourage you to read it) and feel strongly that this is something our ward should focus on.

My job (that I love!) is to help you be prepared.  I am available for questions, help, coaching, and whatever you need to help you get your year's supply.  Over the next 12 months, I will be giving monthly guidelines for you to follow.  I promise this is not hard, it just requires a little effort and faith.

As President Hinckley said, “We can begin ever so modestly.  We can begin with a one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months.  I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all.  Begin in a small way…and gradually build toward a reasonable objective.”  

I will give you small, monthly goals that can be met easily. I will give a basic goal, which I hope all will obtain, and also a few suggestions to supplement your storage even more.

May's goal: Salt.

Nutritionists recommend iodized salt when available. I think this is one of the easiest items. It is very inexpensive, requires no extra packaging, and makes everything taste yummy. Any grocery store is a good source to buy salt. Unfortunately, it seems Costco has stopped carrying it, so don't check there.

The minimum suggestion is that you have 8 lbs. of salt for each person. The general rule is that you half the amount for children and plan on 150% for teens. You know your family best, so you can do the math accordingly.

For my family of 10, I will plan for 3 adults, 3, teens, and 4 children; so I multiply amounts by 9.5 for my family. Therefore, I need 76 lbs of salt.

If you would like to add a few extras to your storage, I will list some suggestions each month. Remember the #1 Food Storage Rule: Store what you eat, and eat what you store!

Yeast: 1 lb per person. SAF yeast is the best brand and is vacuum-packed for freshness. I recommend keeping it in the freezer after opening to keep it good. Locally, the places to buy it are WINCO and Costco Business Center (Othello Ave. San Diego).

Dry Soup and Mixes, Crackers

5 lb bag of Popcorn

Garden Seeds and Shovel. If you want "Storage" Seeds, consider an Heirloom pack that can be easily stored in your freezer.

BUILDING AND USING FOOD STORAGE, SAVING MONEY

This food storage thing has been a passion of mine for awhile now.  Over the years, many friends have asked  my advice on things from what to store to how to use it.  All of it is important.  One day, I got a frantic email from my best friend from college looking for a homemade bread recipe.  She and her husband had just decided to get out of debt and had set their budget accordingly.  She was out of grocery money for the month with several days to go...and no more bread.  I typed up my bread recipe and emailed it off.  A day or two later, she wrote back expressing her many thanks, she made the bread with ingredients she had already and it saved their budget!

This same friend a few months earlier had also asked me how to stretch her grocery budget.  I told her to get her basic food storage.  She was very trusting and bought what I told her to:  flour, wheat, rice, oatmeal, dry beans, powdered milk, pasta, cooking oil, and salt.  She started out buying a little of each item and made sure she always had some on hand.  I then told her to use these items on a regular basis.   A month or two later, she called me in awe.  Just by having these items on hand she spent significantly less every month on her groceries.

The list of basic long-term storage items is not long or expensive, and I didn't make it up.  We have been told by the church to "Consider first, what are the basics?—wheat (or grain...), sugar or honey, dried milk, salt, and water. Most of us can afford such basics"  (Vaughn J. Featherstone).  These simple items store well and sustain life.  Having them is good, learning to use them is even better.

I challenge you to have these basic storage items in your home and learn to use them on a regular basis.  If you also find yourself saving money on groceries, use the extra funds to buy more of these basics.  (WinCo and Costco are the best local resource for these items).

USING BASIC FOOD STORAGE

•  Powdered Milk:  If a recipe calls for milk, use powdered milk instead.  1/3 c. powdered milk + 1 c. water =1 c. milk.
• Dried Beans:  soak beans overnight, cook beans in crock pot and they are ready by dinnertime.  1 1/3 c. beans=one can...and they freeze well too!
• Oatmeal:  Eat it for Breakfast, or see below for yummy oatmeal pancakes!
• Wheat:  Grind it into flour.  If you don't have a grinder, find a friend who does and grind a couple months' supply.  Use in bread, muffins, waffles, etc.  or see below for my favorite Blender Wheat Pancakes.

Oatmeal Pancakes

Makes 8-10 pancakes

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. powdered milk

1 c. water

1 c. rolled oats

2 tsp. baking powder

2 T. sugar

2 eggs, divided

3 T Vegetable oil

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and powdered milk; stir until well blended.  In small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; set aside.  In large mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, water, oil, and oats; beat slightly and allow to stand 5 minutes, then beat until blended.  Mix in dry ingredients, then fold in beaten egg whites.  For small pancakes, drop 2 tablespoons batter onto griddle, or pour 1/4 measuring cup full, if larger pancakes are desired.

Bake until cakes are full of bubbles on top and undersides are lightly browned.  turn with spatula and brown other side.  Serve with applesauce or jam, or butter and maple syrup.

Blender Wheat Pancakes

Makes 6-8 pancakes

1 c. milk (or 1/3 c. powdered milk and 1 c. water)

2 eggs

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. uncooked whole wheat

2 T. oil

2 T. honey or sugar.

Put milk and wheat in blender.  Blend on highest speed for four or five minutes, or until batteries smooth.  Add and blend on low, eggs, oil, baking, powder, honey, and salt.  Bake on a hot griddle.  (These are especially yummy with honey on top!)

LONG TERM STORAGE SUGGESTIONS

On January 20, 2002, The First Presidency sent a letter urging the importance of home storage. As part of this letter, suggested amounts of certain storage items were given as basic foods that would "be required to keep [members] alive if they did not have anything else to eat." The letter also states that "When member have stored enough of these essentials to meet the needs of their family for one year, they may decide to add other items that they are accustomed to using day to day." These food and amounts are per person:

•  Grains 400 lbs. 
•  Legumes (dry beans, split peas, lentils, etc.) 60 lbs. 
•  Powdered milk 16 lbs. 
•  Cooking Oil 10 qts. 
•  Sugar or honey 60 lbs Salt 8 lbs. 
•  Water (2 weeks) 14 gal. 

 As a general rule, half these amounts for children and 1 1/2 times the amount for teens. This week's challenge is to calculate how much food storage you need for your family. In coming weeks, I will share where to buy and how to use these basics.