--The Shack
--The latest Mitford Book (the one where Father Tim goes back to his hometown...I can't remember the title...)
--Revolutionary Road
--Some scrap booking books that had to do with using color in your layouts...I got them to use for my card making.
--Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer
--Making the Best of Basics - Family Preparedness Handbook
--Frozen Assets
--Pantry Cooking
--And about 5 other books on food storage and preparedness
Do you know how it feels when you have this desire to do something, and you just need to kick yourself in the fanny and get it done? You know...when you look at your garage and think that you need to get it cleaned up. Or you see your closet with all the clothes from the last 20 years and think that you just need to weed and simplify. Those projects that you know would be such a benefit, but seem huge and overwhelming. I'm feeling that way about food. Now that I'm pretty adept at coupon use and the Grocery Game, I've developed quite a stash of some necessities, like shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, chocolate chips, peanut butter, cereal, etc... As I've become a more savvy shopper, I'm feeling a desire to become more organized in my food storage. As I began to do a little research, I've been pleasantly surprised to find that there are lots (and lots!) of blogs out there done by women who already have a great plan in place to help people with food storage. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a gloom and doom sort of gal and am not feeling this way out of fear. But, with prices skyrocketing and our system of food delivery/transportation so delicate, it would be nice to have a few months of food stored up, not only in emergencies, but just because it's so much easier to have food on hand. Plus, it really makes sense to have at least a 72-hour emergency kit. Our illustrious FEMA recommends a 72-hour kit because it usually doesn't take any more than 72 hours to get basic utilities back on after some sort of outage...(unless, of course, if you live in a hurricane prone area...). So, that's what I've been "studyin' up" on. I found a blog,www.funwithfoodstorage.net, that will send out an email that helps me with a plan for building up my storage. If found that website through another blog called everydayfoodstorage.net .
I'm also making plans to use my new freezer and do some bulk cooking. With that in mind, here's a picture of one of the things I did over vacation. I price matched ground beef at Walmart and cooked it up. I had almost 6 lbs. of meat.
I brown it up, then drain it, then put it into sandwich bags. I made the little bags into 1/2 lb. and 1/4 lb. portions. Aren't they cute!
We usually only eat ground beef in chili/soup, spaghetti sauce, and tacos. In the summer we grill quite a bit, but for now I just browned it and then froze it. Now, I just get the amount I need and add it to my recipe.
And, for Christmas I got a handy-dandy ziplock bag sucker (I'm sure it has a really catchy name, but I don't have the gumption to go look at it and see what it is...and I certainly didn't waste any brain cells to remember it's name!) It makes it really air-tight to keep any freezer burn out.
So, that's about it right now. I wonder if you have any food storage ideas? Let me know!
11 comments:
I guess I don't really have any suggestions for food storage. I don't even have a "pantry" so I store my canned goods (that I canned from my garden, etc.) in my closet or under my bed, LOL! However, I would like to know how that vacuum saver thing works out...as in, does it REALLY keep the frost out. Let me know!!!
Someone from CHESS gave me that idea about meat a year or two ago, and I've been doing it ever since. And I have an organized "pantry," which is really just large shelves in the school room. Haha. Hey, it works! :-)
But I'm intrigued by this 72-hour emergency stash idea. Hmmm.... I may be checking out some books soon...
Hey Trish.
I am glad you explained what that thermometer looking thing was. I was about to get grossed out by thinking of an ear therm. sitting there by the sizzling hamburger.
You sure did get in some serious reading over the break! Good luck with your food storage projects!
So, let me clarify....you read all those books in two weeks time? Amazing! I thought I was doing good by STARTING a couple books during break. And I started another one today. The finishing of the books is the challenge!
Trish-I read some really good FICTION over the holidays! (LOL). Sherri has one of those vacuum things and loves it, and now my husband wants one too! The most amazing thing I read in your blog is that you put 1/4 lb. hamberger pkgs. in the freezer???? I've NEVER used 1/4 lb. hamberg for anyting in my life!!! We must be really big meat eaters b/c when I make tacos for 2 of us I use 1 lb. and when I make a (big) batch of chili I use 2 lbs. and when I make spagetti, I use at least 3/4 lb. of hamberger. We love hamberger---and rarely eat any other red meat except for the occasional roast or steak.
Good luck on your emergeny ket. Good idea---although with all the pantry food you have, you probably don't need it. I have a pretty big pantry in my utility room as well. It's always handy!
Ummmmm it might be spelled hamburger...... (sigh)
Ha! Yeah, I thought the same thing Lynn. I usually freeze at least 1 lb bags of meat!
How was Revolutionary Road?? Did you like it? Do you own it or did you get it at the library?
Can I borrow it??
hehe
I love my little vacuum thingie too. Brian wanted one of the expensive ones for years... but got this one not too long ago. Pretty cool.
love ya!
I feel tired just reading your blog. So busy, you are!! I thought I was doing good by getting two books read over the holiday and 3 movies watched!! Yikes!!!!
Kim - OK, let me clarify... I did read those fiction books over the holiday, but the rest were cookbooks... so, do you ever really, technically "read" a cookbook? I perused every one of them, and then decided which ones I would keep and which would send back to the library. Don't be TOO impressed!
Lynn and Wendy - I have been trying to cut back on our red meat, so when I make spaghetti sauce, I just at 1/4 lb. of meat into the sauce...just for a little "umph" to it. I used to add an entire pound of beef, but no one seems to notice the difference. And, I just like being able to do 1 1/2 lbs of meet if I need to...
Elizabeth and Jerri - The Sucky/Thermometer looking thing really works. I've only had it for about a month, but so far, so good. You do have to purchase special bags, but I usually wash them out and just reuse them. I got the little sucker for free with coupons/discounts. The bags cost about the same as regular Ziplock bags...I think... Try it! Less freezer burn! More space!
Sherri - I got Revolutionary Road at the library. It was ok...well, actually, it was depressing. I am just not a fiction reader. It's about 2 people that need the Lord. BUT, it was written in the 50's, so there was hardly any bad language, which was nice.
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