Monthly Archives: May 2012

Food Storage Tip: Re-Hydrating Vegetables

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One of my must have Food Storage item is dehydrated vegetables.  Most vegetables need to be reconstituted and cooked prior to eating.  There are a few exceptions like potatoes and zucchini.  The best way to reconstitute most vegetables is to do it in two steps.  The first is to place the vegetables in a container and pour in an equal amount of water or other liquid.  Hot or boiling liquid will shorten the time, but it will begin to cook the food.  Cold liquid works fine but takes longer. The soak time depends on the size and thickness of the pieces.  It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours.  Do not soak vegetables for longer than 2 hours or this can result in the growth of bacteria.

The second step is the cooking process.  While it is possible to do this in one-step, your vegetables will be more flavorful and tender if you do it in two steps.  The exceptions are leafy vegetables like cabbage, lettuce and spinach. These should be cooked and rehydrated in one-step.

The finished rehydrated vegetables should be near their fresh size.

Fruits & Vegetables

FREE SHIPPING!!!

 

Article from: preparednessadvice.com

Food Storage Tip: Buying in Bulk to Ease the Budget

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Sometimes it is hard to know how to incorporate bulk foods from your food storage into your diet if you are not use to cooking them. I remember years ago reading cookbooks and health related books and filling my head with great ideas on how to save money and cook better food for my family.  I found a store way on the other end of town that sold bulk foods in barrels that you scooped out, bagged and labeled yourself.  So I brought home my treasures and then thought.. now what do I do with it. I tried some recipes and a few turned out and some did not but in the end most days I went back to what I knew how to cook and the bulk items sat on my shelf. However, slowly I began to learn more, cook more and figured out how to incorporate these cost saving, nutritious foods into my diet. That began my journey into not only saving money (I admit this was my biggest desire when I started) but also I began to see and understand the health benefits for my family.

Types of Bulk Food?
What type of bulk food am I referring to? They would be mostly grains and beans and a few other miscellaneous types of foods. Here is a list of what I buy in bulk:

Beans:
Red beans
White beans
Pinto beans
Black beans
Split peas
Lentils

Grains:
Oats
Wheat
Brown rice
Corn
Pop corn
Miscellaneous Foods
Seasonings
Powdered milk
Honey
Whole wheat pasta
Cane juice crystals
Sucanat
Baking items such as:
Salt
Baking soda
Baking powder
Nuts
Coconut

It is amazing with the above list and a few items from your freezer and refrigerator what you can create to feed your family.

Article from: thefamilyhomestead.com


Food Storage Tip: Which one is more economical – Dehydrating, Freezing or Canning?

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The costs of energy, equipment, etc. have clearly changed and will vary according to your personal situation, i.e. your energy costs and how good you are at finding bargains on packaging, etc.   Still, I think this is an eye-opening comparison.

Individual situations aside, it’s clear that dehydrating and canning are extremely cost-efficient ways to store food.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that freezing isn’t a great option either.  I mean, if it costs 16.2 cents per pound to freeze something and you can secure the type of deal that I did at a local store about 4 months ago when we got grass fed lamb for about 3.25 / pound, then paying an extra 16 cents per pound still makes the lamb a great deal.  Also, there are just some things that lend themselves better to one form of preservation than to another.  For example, I don’t wish to can or dehydrate meat or chicken broth, but those items both freeze quite well.

FOOD PRESERVATION ECONOMIC COMPARISON

FREEZING:

Estimated cost – 16.2 cents/pound

Equipment Needed: Freezer @ $270 amortized over 20 years* = $13.50/year

Repairs: 2% of purchase price = $5.40/year

Packaging: $25.00

Electricity: To operate freezer at 5 cents/kilowatt hour = $35.28
To blanch 250 pounds of food (4 min/pound) = $1.99

Total to process 500 pounds of food:                                                     $81.17

CANNING:

Estimated cost – 5.5 cents/pound

Equipment Needed: Pressure canner @ $65 amortized over 20 years* =  $3.25
Water bath canner @ $10 amortized over 20 years = $0.50

Repairs: 2% of purchase price = $1.30

Packaging: 24 dz quart jars @ $4.39/dz amortized over 10 years = $10.53
24 dz lids replaced each year @ $.49/dz = $11.76

Electricity: To pressure can 140 quarts at 5 cents/kilowatt hour = $1.44
To water bath can 140 quarts =  $2.22

Total to process 560 pounds of food in 280 quarts: = $31.00

DEHYDRATING:

Estimated cost – 4.8 cents/pound

Equipment Needed: Electric Dehydrator @ $190 amortized over 20 years* = $9.50/year

Repairs: 2% of purchase price = $3.80

Packaging: $500 one-pound plastic bags = $2.50

Electricity: For drying food = $6.50
For blanching 250 pounds of food (4 minutes/pound)= $1.99

Total to process 500 pounds of food:                                                     $24.29

Click the images below to Preview and Buy these products

Excalibur 3900 Deluxe Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator – Black


Ball Regular Mouth Jars with Lids and Bands, 16-Ounce Pint Size, 12 Count

 

Article from: wholenewmom.com

Use Food Storage Items for Cleaning

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Having a baby on the way made me think of the cleaning chemicals that I use to keep my home clean.  I thought those chemicals that I might be detrimental to my baby’s health so I started looking at more baby friendly solutions that I could use instead.  It is also a great idea to store simple ingredients in your storage that can make a variety of cleaners.

Here’s what I found out:

Floor Cleaner: (courtesy of my mom)

1)      Vinyl Type Floors:

  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 gallon warm water
  • Mix in your cleaning bucket and use this to clean.

2)      Hardwood Floor Cleaner:

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 gallon warm water
  • Mix and mop!

Window cleaner:

  • 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cup warm water
  • Combine everything in a spray bottle, and shake well.

*Shake well before using because the cornstarch will settle at the bottom (and subsequently plug the spray mechanism if it’s not mixed in well).

Disinfectant Spray for Surfaces: 

 1)      Using Herbs:

  • Cinnamon leaf
  • Pine needle
  • Frankincense
  • Bergamot
  • Water.
  • Mix well in a spray bottle

2)      Without Herbs:

  • 2 Tbsp. ammonia
  • 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • Water
  • Mix in a spray bottle

*This works especially well for counter-tops but may also be used to clean showers, toilets and sinks. Great for most cleaning needs.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner:

  • 1 cup borax
  • Diluted white vinegar
  • Pour the borax into the toilet and let it sit for a couple of hours
  • Scrub the inside of the bowl using a toilet brush
  • Spray vinegar onto the toilet rim, seat and top. Scrub the rim. Wipe the seat and top.

Carpet Cleaner:

  • White vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Water
  • Mix well until it forms into a paste like form
  • Scrub it into the carpet stain using a brush and let it dry
  • Vacuum afterwards


Food Storage: Not Just for Natural Disaster

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The number one misconception about Food Storage is that you will only need it when there is some sort of Natrual Disaster.   What happens if you lose your job, or have your hours cut? Stocking up on food now will allow you to prepare meals for your family without needing to buy as much each week at the grocery store. Food storage can help you stretch your emergency fund further as you look to replace your income.

Here is how to get started:

1.)    Start by storing water. Let’s face it, a person’s survival depends on drinking water. We can survive 3 weeks without food but only 3 days without water. Some emergency services recommend that we have at least a two-week emergency water supply on hand at all times. I recommend 1/2 gallon per person per day just for drinking and minimal food preparation purposes. You might not think that you drink that much in a day, but I’ll bet if you added up all the water, juice, milk, soft drinks, broth, and other liquids, you would be close to consuming 1/2 gallon. In an emergency, you may find that you want more liquid than in regular circumstances. Water bottles are cheap and fit perfectly in the trunk of your car to be used for emergencies. Also get  a 55 gallon drum for additional water storage.

2.)    The next step is to start buying additional long term food items that you like and can eat on a regular basis. For example, 10 cans of tuna this week then a sack of rice the next week and a couple bags of pasta the following week and so on until you have a six months’ worth of food.  Great thing to keep in mind is to plan your food storage items around meals that you and your family like to eat. If you have pasta, then make sure you have canned sauces etc…

Getting started can really be simple and easy. Start buying a little extra items this week then a little more next week until you get used to buying a few extra items and the next thing you know, you have a year supply of emergency food storage stored at your house.

Boil Water In A Cabbage Leaf

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Did you know that you can use a cabbage leaf like a pot in which to boil water?

One of the wonderful properties of water is that it holds a steady temperature at 212 degrees Fahrenheit which is lower than the combustion point of it’s container. This amazing property has the effect of protecting the vessel that contains it so fire will not burn through the barrier that holds it. In modern terms, it acts like a heat-sink that draws heat away.

While being heated, containers like a cabbage leaf or a paper cup may burn down to the level of the water so it becomes a one-use container. A tougher container like a bamboo node or coconut shell can be used to boil water as well and may be used more than once.

There are some guidelines that should be observed: the vessel should not leak fluids that would extinguish the flame or coal: if the vessel is flexible or fragile, it will need to be supported in the process. The best way to support the cabbage leaf is to place it on live coals that you have prepared in a cup-shaped mound. Immediately fill it with water to protect the leaf and and hold it in place. Once the water comes to a boil, the challenge will be to extract it from the vessel. In this case a smaller vessel like a spoon or small cup can be used to draw out the hot water for use.

An alternate method of boiling water would be to put dry rocks into a fire and heat them until very hot, then using a pair of tongs, transfer them into the water to heat it. It may take several rocks, but eventually it can be made to boil.

So, whether to heat from the outside, or from the inside, you now know how to boil water in a cabbage leaf. Have fun!

Article from: http://survivaltek.com/?p=2060

Water Storage Guidelines

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Commercially bottled water in PETE (or PET) plastic containers may be purchased. Follow the container’s “best if used by” dates as a rotation guideline. Avoid plastic containers that are not PETE plastic.

If you choose to package water yourself, consider the following guidelines:

Containers

  • Use only food-grade containers. Smaller containers made of PETE plastic or heavier plastic buckets or drums work well.
  • Clean, sanitize, and thoroughly rinse all containers prior to use. A sanitizing solution can be prepared by adding 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) to one quart (1 liter) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
  • Do not use plastic milk jugs, because they do not seal well and tend to become brittle over time.
  • Do not use containers previously used to store non-food products.

Water Pretreatment

  • Water from a chlorinated municipal water supply does not need further treatment when stored in clean, food-grade containers.
  • Non-chlorinated water should be treated with bleach. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon (8 drops) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) for every gallon (4 liters) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.

Storage

  • Containers should be emptied and refilled regularly.
  • Store water only where potential leakage would not damage your home or apartment.
  • Protect stored water from light and heat. Some containers may also require protection from freezing.
  • The taste of stored water can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two containers before use.

Buy a Container Now!!!

(Click the images below)

Article from: http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7534-1-4065-1,00.html

Food Storage Tip: Wheat

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Wheat is the most common cereal available all over the world and today is even more in demand for its abundant health benefits.  It is also a great idea to include wheat as part of our food storage because it last for a long time and it also has a lot of health benefits.

Wheat contains mineral salts, catalytic elements, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur, silicon, zinc, manganese, cobalt, copper, iodide, arsenic, vitamins A, B, E, K, D, PP, and ferments. Thus, wheat is the base for nourishment.

Red Wheat vs. White Wheat

Red wheat is dark brown in color, and very high in protein.  It has a bitter taste and works best in rustic artesian or other hard breads while white wheat is golden in color.  It is also very high in protein, though slightly less than the red variety because it is missing the bran color that is found in red wheat it is sweeter and less bitter.  It works best in pan loaves, rolls and other soft breads.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancake Recipe

OR

You Can Buy One Here

(Click the images below)

                      

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes Recipe

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Great recipe for the whole wheat that you have stored in your food storage.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk, plus more if necessary
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon artificial sweetener
  • 1/2 cup blueberries

Directions

  1. Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat together the egg, milk, salt and artificial sweetener in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries, and stir to incorporate.
  2. Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking until golden brown.