A slice of heaven

My very first home made bread from the oven! No bread machine involved.

Thanks for the class Sherian with your friend Lindsey and the awesome www.breadmadeeasy.com

Loved it!!!!!!!

Thrifty Thursday... on Friday!

Breadmaking... tomorrow... 12-2pm... my house. Pizza, cinnamon rolls, braids, monkey bread, whole wheat bread.

As far as 'Thrifty Thursday"? I'm avoiding stores at all costs, so I'm not in the loop. I can only share a few things...
After Shepherd's Cake & Candy went out of business, I was distraught in my candy-making, holiday tradition efforts. A friend of mine told me about Gygi's. (3500 south 3rd west) It used to only be open to wholesalers, restaurant owners, etc. They have awesome chocolates, molds, specialty food items, Mexican vanilla, and any kitchen item imaginable! And they teach awesome cooking classes. (They have a Culinary Institute) I'll be looking into some classes next year, but if you're having trouble finding something... it was a jackpot! I went yesterday and wanted to stay for the entire afternoon. They are having a sale Saturday... click here for info. (you may have to call about classes and sales)

I also was told there is a Kiosk in the University Mall that is selling 600-800 thread count sheet for $20 a set... any size! I haven't checked it out, but I thought I'd share.

Happy Holiday craziness!
Sherian

Free Bread Class!

This weekend I got together with a good friend of mine who is here visiting her in-laws for December. She lives in Kansas, and has four girls, and her husband is a big, strong, athletic, computer geek! We couldn't have more in common ;)
Anyways... she is one of the most fantastic cooks I've ever known. More specifically... she can bake like no other! I love cooking... but my baking skills are lacking. She whips out the most delicious homemade food like I can whip out mac n' cheese from a box.
*True story* on Friday... I spent three hours making cinnamon rolls... let them rise too long... and swore I'd never make them again! My neighbor is too nice to be honest, but they sucked!

My friend has some 'tricks' to making bread super fast. LESS THAN 60 MINUTES! I don't know how many of you have used or heard of lecithin? she also has some special yeast? It's nothing pricey, just knowing what to use and how to use it. Amazing! Her methods started from her mother-in-law, where it was in a Bosch... with 10 cups of flour... making 4 loaves of bread. She's tailored her recipes and methods to
1. use her food storage
2. make an amount that fits in her mixer, or a bowl
3. and use recipes of things her kids love for dinner or lunch... like awesome pizza!

So we got talking, and I asked her if she would make bread with me while she's here. I also was mentioning our little 'gathering grub' site, and the posts about bread. I've complained a number of times about not having a bread maker... she doesn't use one! She makes bread faster with her Kitchenaid! and she says it's just as easy in a bowl... no mixer needed!

I told her that some of you may want to come over and join us... so... if you want to come over on learn some economical and easy tricks to making homemade bread in less than 60 minutes. I am welcoming all! She will be at my house Saturday, December 12th from 12-2pm.
So come... watch... and eat! I told her I'd like her to show me her homemade 'stuffed crust' pizza, a braid (with chicken filling), monkey bread, and her AWESOME cinnamon rolls! You can just come to eat lunch ;)

Sherian

Macey's- Turkey Vouchers

I did my last THANKSGIVING grocery trip today. I was running errands, so I stopped by Macey's. I've read about their vouchers on coupon sites (savvy shopper), and got them at checkout. I don't need a turkey this year... but if anyone wants my vouchers, I have $1.50. You can combine as many vouchers as you'd like to use at one time.
Current prices... Norbest fresh turkey $1.29 per lb.... Honeysuckle White Turkey breast (bone-in, frozen) $1.20 per lb.
The cashier suggested I buy small ones and keep them in the freezer for later. I just don't think I'll make it back to Macey's by Thanksgiving (that's when they expire... at 1pm)

I also stopped by the Bread Outlet (down by Target) their Grandma Sycamore bread is 4 for $7 (and they had lots of whole wheat)

Comment or call me if you're interested! ;)

Thrify Thursday... slacker!

I have been a real slacker when it comes to posting. I promise to try harder.
Today will be a random gathering of things...

1. Coupons at Walgreen's- (a season of sickness)
I have to admit that this week is the first time I have used the in-ad and newspaper coupons at my local Walgreen's. I was very impressed with the selection and availability of the items (except the Ziploc bags... but when your planning on buy 12 boxes, you can't complain!)
I got 'register rewards'? They are receipt coupons good for ANYTHING in the store. I got $4 to use on my next visit.
I just think that this time of year, getting cough/cold medicine and children pain relievers never hurts. Buying them when they are super cheap saves me a ton of money in the long run. Those type of things are budget busters for me... I'm never expecting them, and I hate buying things at full price!
*Ricola vitamin C drops are $1, and if you have your BOGO coupons from the newspaper... that's 4 bags of ricola for $2... LOVE IT! Reeeeeeee.Cooooooo.Laaaaaaahhhh!

2. Christmas Gifts-
I wanted to throw out a few ideas for small gifts. I know that things are tighter for just about everyone this year... but there are always the teacher/friend/home & visiting teacher gifts/etc. About a month ago I went up to Tai Pan. This is a dangerous store for me (I can't control myself) but I went to get an early start on Christmas. They have a rack of things that are under $5. I found cute Santa cookie jars and snowflake lanterns. Well...This past week Betty Crocker cookie mixes have been on sale at Smith's (and are cheap at Wal-Mart) with newspaper, loadable, and printable coupons... I got a bunch of Holiday sugar cookie bags for around $1 each.
Santa Cookie Jar ($3.50)... cookie mix ($1)... ribbon (already had)... $4.50
I filled the snowflake lanterns with Lindor chocolates (use coupon at Costco) and some other chocolate.
Lantern ($2.50)... chocolates ($1.00 per lantern)... ribbon (already had)...$3.50
I guess my point is that you can use your grocery coupons to get little gifts as well. Just a thought.

3. Holiday hosting-
I love to have family/friends over... I wish I did it more often. I will admit that one of my many weaknesses is the need to have things perfect when people come to my house. (I'm working on it) Which is why I don't have people over more often. I had Thanksgiving at my house a couple years ago and improvised for many things!
Here's some things I've done... (but don't tell anyone, hee hee)
Festive Tablecloths- buy a pack of sheets and sew them to size. Then the kiddie table cloth matches the big table.
Place mats- scrapbook paper cut with patterned scissors around the edges.
Napkin Rings- ribbon tied to fancy scrapbooking paperclips
Drapes- shower curtain with ribbon loops hot glued to the top and matching ribbon trim glued along the bottom.
Plates- mix and match DI stuff. They have great 70's stuff in mustard yellows, moss greens and browns. Don't be afraid to mix patterns, placing a smaller plate on top of a dinner plate. You're always welcome to borrow some of my DI plate collection! (DI also has great serving platters... many just need some silver polish!)
House scent- in a saucepan...3 cups water, 4 cinnamon sticks, five whole cloves, 2 tsp. nutmeg, and orange slices. Bring to boil then turn down to simmer. Just watch the water and add more every so often. (Looks pretty in the pan too!)

I love to get the shopping out of the way early. I will admit that after trying the Black Friday shopping... I'm not the biggest fan. Sorry. But I would love to get people's take on the deals this year.
Please share any other Holiday tips... have a happy Turkey Day!

Thrify Thursday... it's so meaty!

So it seems that there has been some great sales on meat recently. We eat much more meat in the winter than in the summer. So I thought it fitting for this week.

Due to the overwhelming response to my suggestion of carpooling to BuyLow once a month... (NOT!) I have not ventured down there on my own, so I can't give feedback on what's available through that avenue.
(It seems that my suggestions are lame-o... so I'm not making any more 'group efforts' to support each other)

The thing is, it seems like in order to get the best price, you should by in bulk. I like to freeze meat and use it later. But here are some of MY obstacles in this particular area...

1. Freezer space
Which we were able to solve this issue with an extra freezer I found on KSL.com. I highly recommend looking there before buying new... but I believe that with EVERYTHING! KSL.com is my best friend!

2. Rotating
I get so mad when I find meat at the bottom of my freezer covered in 'freezer burn'. I feel like I'm literally throwing my money in the trash... and I am! What good is saving money if I'm throwing it away in 8-10 months? Argh!

3. I need it when I need it
So I'm not the biggest 'planner'. I really try... and I go through times when I'm better. BUT... sometimes I want to make dinner and there is "no way in hell" the meat in my freezer will thaw in time for me to use it... probably not even for tomorrow. So unless it's Sunday (when I know I'll use a roast) I almost always forget to pull meat out of my freezer. I hate defrosting things in my microwave, I always get nasty edges.

4. Freezer Burn
Now I know that there are ways to avoid it. I use the name brand freezer bags, I even have a vacuum system. I'm just too lazy to open up the meat (which makes me gag) make the little sealed pouches, then re-seal them and label them. I'll be honest... unless I need to divide it up, (hamburger) then I want to throw it in the freezer and be done with it. I'm sure I could fix that if I would just not be lazy.

So those are my gripes about storing meat. Here are my positive thoughts on it...

1. Convenience
It is so nice to have meat on hand for Sunday. I'm married to a 'meat-n-potatoes' man, and he appreciates a roast. If I pull it out of the freezer in time, roasts are easy to throw in a crockpot and not think about. Also, if we go a week without shopping, or times get lean... having meat in the freezer is a nice security blanket.

2. The bigger, the cheaper
Buying meat in bulk significantly lowers the cost of it! Growing up, Mike's family would buy a slaughtered cow every year... someplace in So. Utah... and drive down to pick up the meat. Every night, Mike's Mom would pull a pound or two of hamburger from the freezer and make dinner out of it. Sometimes it was a simple dinner, other times there were more trimmings... but that was dinner.
We bought 1/2 and elk last year (farm-raised, corn fed) and it fed us for months and months. Much longer than I expected.

3. The meat from the co-op is great!
I have been impressed with the quality of meat we have gotten from the food co-op. I can plan on using that each month, and it really supplements our food budget.

So... there's my beef! (hee, hee) Smith's and Albertson's have good specials about once a month. They advertise specials every week, but be careful... they aren't always good sales. Macey's is usually the best place for meat sales.
I personally load up on the drumsticks when they go on sale. I bought two packages last week... they run about 3 dollars a package when they are on sale for $0.99 (or less) a pound. Kraft bbq sauces go on sale for 10/$10 at Albertson's all the time. Here's my recipe for drumsticks... (my kids LOVE these)

Drumsticks!
pkg. of drumsticks, 1 or 2
water
4 cloves garlic, mashed (or garlic powder)
2 Tbsp. salt (or use garlic salt and forget the garlic)
bbq sauce

defrost meat. fill stock pot with water, salt and garlic. put in your meat, and let boil for about 15 minutes. drain and place meat in the crockpot. cover in bbq sauce and turn to low. let them cook for at least 1 hour. they will fall off the bone, and the skins are easy to pull off. (you can pull off the skins before you boil them, but it's harder, and takes more time)

That feeds my family of 6 with leftovers for Mike's lunch the next day. Combine it with some potato pearls and a canned veggie... that's a good meal for about $1 per person.

So what are your thoughts, advise, or questions on freezing and storing meat? Have you got any recipes to share? (If you're Mormon... I know you've at least attempted to make a roast one Sunday!)

I've been meaning to post

I'm here! I've been meaning to post for a while, but it just hasn't happened. Sherian you said you were going to start baking bread all winter . . . so I thought I'd share.

I'm honestly not good at baking the traditional bread-- I love it, I just never get around to doing it. Although I have a recipe I like for french bread. It is really simple and it makes two regular loaves or three small loaves (we usually share with some nice neighbors). See below for the French Bread Recipe.

But, the info I was going to share today is about the bread store. It is located in American Fork. Right off the AF Main street Exit. You turn onto State Street as if you were heading into Lehi and the Sara Lee Bread Store is right there on the corner (across from the Olive Garden). Anyway, I've been buying bread there for atleast a year or so. I buy Sara Lee, but they also have Grandma Sycamore and other kinds (not sure exactly because I always get the same thing). The bread I buy is just $1.00 a loaf, and when you spend $10.00 you get a free item from a special rack (sometimes cookies, buns, or just more bread). So I usually come home with 10-11 loaves of bread and stick all but one in my freezer outside. Some people have wondered if freezing the bread dries it out more. And it might, but we go through bread so fast I never have noticed. I usually have to only buy bread once a month and I love just going to the freezer when in need instead of having to run to the store just for bread.

I also am not good about using the end pieces, my kids don't like them and honestly if I'm going to have a sandwich I would rather use the big pieces too. So, I stick the ends in a large bowl in the cupboard and keep them there till they dry out (a week or so). Then I stick them in a freezer bag and pull them out when I need bread crumbs to top a casserole or something. I then usually stick the bread in the blender with some salt, pepper, onion salt, and whatever else I think it needs . . . and wala . . . homemade bread crumbs.

Anyway, just some thoughts on bread.
Here is the french bread recipe.

French Bread

2 packages dry yeast (or about 4 1/2 tsp yeast)
2-1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp. sugar
6 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
Make sure water temperature is 110 to 115 degrees F. (An oven thermometer is a good investment.) Place water in a large bowl and sprinkle with yeast and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes until yeast dissolves and starts to bubble. Stir in 2 cups flour and salt. Cover and let rise for 1/2 hour.

Then gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. (Knead by pressing on the dough, then folding over and pressing with the heel of your hand.) Then clean the large mixing bowl, grease it with solid shortening, and place the dough in the bowl. Turn it in the bowl so the dough is greased (this prevents the top from cracking as it rises).

Cover the dough and let rise at room temperature for about 2-1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk. With your fist, punch down the dough. Divide in half and place one half on a lightly floured surface.

Using a rolling pin, roll dough to a 12x6" rectangle. Starting with the 12" side, roll up tightly. Seal seams and edges by pinching. Repeat with remaining dough.

Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place loaves on prepared sheet. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray the loaves with a bit of water, then using a blade, made a few slashes across the top of each loaf. Bake at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until loaves are golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on wire rack.

Sharing the methods to our madness

So I just picked up a book at Costco. It is my favorite resource on Food Storage thus far. I got home... read the book... then found out she has a blog. Check it out HERE!! The name of the book is "I can't believe it's Food Storage" Cheesy... I know.

If you notice, I've listed a bunch of more websites and resources in the lists on the right. If you've got a minute, they are worth snooping around.

FYI- I let my Deals to Meals subscription expire. I could only go three months without it! I can't believe the difference it makes, just less work for me. I know we all have our own methods, but I would love to hear how people make their shopping lists. Weekly? Monthly? I mean before you go to the store, what do you do?

____________________________________________________________________
My method... I'll just put it all out there!

I budget $100 a week... that includes cleaners, socks, household items, kids needs... everything. I get it in cash (that way I can't overspend... when it's gone it's gone)
I start with the Grocery Guru for my weekly meal planning. I mix in my own standard meals... spaghetti, mac n' cheese... things my kids want to eat, and things to try and rotate our storage.
I have a separate Food Storage budget... it ranges around $300 a month. (I can usually carry over some from the weekly budget... depends on the week.) I know that sounds crazy, but I've been trying to build up my supply of things like laundry and dish washing detergent. Batteries, light bulbs... and cough/cold medicines and pain reliever. It adds up so fast!
The Macey's case lot sale is a separate things too. We spend around $200-$300.

Hopefully that's not too "out there". I really have no idea what other families spend on food, I'm sure it varies quite a bit. I could be high... I could be low... I really don't know. Of course there are those shopping trips that turn into an embarrassing and expensive load of non-essentials, holiday crap, and other fluff. But I try to do my best. (Don't we all?)
My sister is an amazing example to me of frugality. She is really good at "only getting what she needs". I, on the other hand, will admit to a problem with spending. I have gotten better every year, but my shopping trips are sometimes more emotionally driven than they should be.
Giving up my cards and moving to a 'cash only' method has worked wonders. I had to be the one to give up the cards though, if it had be suggested by my husband I would have never done it! When I put the groceries on a card, I don't realize how much I'm spending week-to-week.
I would love to hear what other people do, or how they make it work. I think we can all help each other and give ideas. No judging!

Loves!

Freeze Dried and Powdered Items

I know that Thrifty Thursday wouldn't be until tomorrow... but I was at Wal-Mart in SS last night and saw that some of the freeze-dried food cans were on sale. (#10 cans) Unfortunately not all of them are... but some. They are up to $2.12 off, per can. The only other time I've seen this stuff on sale is at Macey's case lot sale.
I got the apple slices and butter. Did you know you can buy and use butter like that? and they have margarine too!
I know I'll use the apples... apple crisp :) But I'm curious to know what other people use the fruits and vegetables in? I would love some recipes to incorporate these types of things. I have really been hesitant of storing dried fruits and veggies... I'm just not sure how we would use them.
I'm a fan of powdered eggs, and they're pretty easy to rotate, you add them to any baking recipe that calls for eggs. (they're less messy too!) You can also get just egg whites.
So if you need to store butter, eggs (I don't think the eggs are on sale), honey, fruits and veggies, and soups. Check out the Food Storage isle! (oddly located in the back by the painting and automotive stuff... strange!) A little of this stuff goes a really long way... it takes me six months to use my can of eggs.

Happy Gathering, (and fall break)
Sherian

Loadable Coupons

Do you know about loadable coupons??? They are pretty awesome. What you do is go to http://shortcuts.com and/or http://cellfire.com and register your preffered shopping cards for the grocery stores then pick the coupons to load. What I love about this is that you don't have to use ink to print and you can use manufacturer coupons right on top of these so alot of times you have double the amount taken off. It hasn't taken off the coupon every single time but if I had pursued it with shortcuts by sending them a copy of my receipt then I think they would have fixed it. The times that it did work were pretty cool, like the time I had a $2/1 coupon for huggies and I also had a loadable for $2/1. I got $4 off a small pack of diapers. Check it out and let me know if you have any questions about it.

Awesome Deals

I found a new blog that has the best deals. It is called www.myfrugaladventures.blogspot.com and she updates all day long. I still love love love www.savvyshopperdeals.com for my groceries and I look at www.beingfrugalisfabulous.com daily too. I am now pretty much addicted to coupons and deals. I never could have imagined getting this into it but it is exciting to me, shows you how boring my life is I guess. I am not a huge fan of printable coupons because of all the ink they suck up but I do print them sometimes, usually if they are $1 or more. I figure if I was allowed to print dollar bills I am sure I would right? I will try to do better at letting you all know where I find deals. We recently had to move our food storage to a bigger room so I guess these deals I am getting are paying off. Have fun and share your deals here too.

It's what we make of it!

So things have been quiet around here... for all I know I'm the only one reading and posting anymore! (Except for maybe Sally... "hi Sally!")

I wanted to give a shout out to everyone who may follow this blog.... if anyone follows. Don't get me wrong, I know better than anyone how crazy and hectic life gets. Maybe we are all just caught up in the school year, maybe we are having personal or family drama, maybe... well... maybe we just don't have the time or energy to think about food storage and coupon clipping right now.
Regardless, I wanted to challenge everyone to post or contribute in any way over the next week or two. Even something as small as a comment like... "I agree" or maybe "Thanks for the info". I think that a little encouragement can go a long way.
EVERYONE has something to share! I don't want anyone to be afraid of contributing. Or ask a question! When the blog first started, people asked questions on how to store things like flour and brown sugar. I learned a lot and got great ideas! There are no wrong ways to gather food storage or shop for food. And it doesn't even have to be food!
(I like to have all my Christmas shopping done by Halloween, and there are great deals to be had before the mad rush of the holiday shopping begins... I could always share that! But if you are my friend/neighbor... could you forget the bargain and low price of your gift when I bring it over? thanks!)
I know people have been canning... share your bottling triumphs! Inspire us with your achievements! How about some recipes using food storage? (Thanks Mel for yours!) As the days get colder, my potato pearls, rice, noodles and even wheat look more and more appealing! I actually think about making bread from October through March!
(Speaking of bread... my bread maker died :( Does anyone have a type/brand they recommend?)
So I guess I'm saying... BRING IT! Don't be shy. This blog is what we make of it. I can contribute regularly, but nobody wants to hear from me that often... I promise.

In taking on my own challenge, I will commit to what I'll call 'Thrifty Thursday's' Meaning each Thursday I will post something... anything... on my weekly food storage/money saving experiences. And since it's almost midnight... I'm counting my Co-op info for this week. The meat this month is meat I already buy and I know I can easily incorporate into my recipes. I'm excited to see what fruits and vegetables I get. (See what I mean... that was easy!)

Happy Gathering!

Sherian

(PS- If you would like to contribute and have not received an invite, please leave your email address. If you want me to post it for you... send it to gatheringgrub at hotmail dot com.)

Co-op this month

I know it's late notice... but food co-op deadline is tomorrow. The meat this month is:

1lb. lean ground beef
1lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
2lbs. pork loin roast (center cut)
4 (4 oz) cubed steaks

Awesome meat this month! You still get your fruits, veggies, bread, and lentils. For $23... hard to beat that!
You can register and order online {HERE}

Sherian

Case Lot Sales

So, there are a bunch of case lot sales going on right now. Some of you all ready might know about this site. But, a friend of mine shared this link with me, and I thought you all might enjoy too.
Basically she has organized each item into stores/prices so you can figure out where you can get the best deal.
http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com
Happy Case Lotting!

Clipping Coupons and Driving for Cow

I have been wondering how the Alberston's buyout would change the coupon situation... not too much I guess?! Anybody have info that would throw a wrench in our coupon world?

Many of you know about the Redplum coupons... I paid for a year subscription, so it sucks for me I guess!
For those of you who are thinking about getting the newspaper for coupons...
FYI- the Deseret News is no longer carrying Redplum coupons
FYI- the Daily Herald still does.
(I don't want to get in trouble... I'm not saying don't get the Deseret News... just don't expect all the coupons!)

I found another great website (FREE) for anyone who's into the coupon shopping. It is just one store, no running around town. I will keep ya'll posted on how good the info is!

Also... has anyone traveled to our nearest Buy Low? I know of the one in Provo... is there one closer? Rumor has it that their deals on meat are worth the drive! One day a week they have a crazy sale on produce, and one day a week on meat.
I'm kind of picky about my produce... but I figure if I hit the sale once a month, I can freeze the meat and use it whenever. I'm going to check it out. If anybody wants to come with... we can load up the mini-van and save on gas :)

Sherian

**I've had a few questions on the co-op.
The Church will not allow a site, and a little bird told me that the School District won't either. Sooooo... that eliminates those. My only other thought is the businesses right in the entry to HH? If I'm feeling friendly, I'll maybe stop by and see what we've got down there. Pretty much... the business owner would either have to be REALLY into the co-op thing, or just REALLY, REALLY nice about sharing their space with us! Odds are not good for either.
... so there you go!

Gardens and Food Rotation

Okay... summer's over, so I want to see some more action around here ;)

A few things...
How's the garden thing going? Any tips or good info for growing a good garden in our are? I had killer grasshoppers this year! I'm still not sure what I need to grow to supplement feeding my family. And even the things I've tried are hit and miss.
My tomatoes are coming in good now (Good for sandwiches and salads) My onions are getting there.
Does anyone do canning? If so, what do you can/bottle?

Another thing...
I have a constant struggle rotating my food storage. Not the regular stuff so much, specifically the church #10 can stuff.
Does anyone have recipes or tips on using ANY of the following...
potato pearls
regular oats
powdered milk
rice
and of course the dreaded... hard wheat!

I remember some wheat recipes from a few months back, thanks! I just need all the help I can get. (but that's not a surprise to anyone I'm sure!)

Sherian :)

PS- Would anyone be interested in a group canning get-together. I've got some 50 lb. bags of milk and sugar I need to put in #10 cans. We can rent the sealer from the church cannery and have a party! (you can order things to can from the church, just check out the Provident Living website for prices and what's available.)

Update on www.alice.com

Well I tried out www.alice.com and I have to say it was a great deal on your non food items. I bought some Tide laundry detergent and I checked it against Smith's and Walmart and it was atleast between $1-$3 difference plus you get $1 off at Alice. You do have to pay taxes which you would at either stores and you get free shipping. I am impressed with this website and encourage all to take a look at it.

Packing School Lunches

Well, summer break is gone. Things have been so quite around here. It's not that I've stopped trying to pinch pennies... I think my time and my patience have both been lost somewhere in a family reunion or summer vacation.
I thought it might be fitting to post a little sumpin'-sumpin' bout school lunches.
I like to think of myself as an advocate for healthy eating. Unfortunately, healthy and cheap are not often possible. I seem to find myself choosing between one or the other.
I wanted some ideas and feedback on affordable (and somewhat healthy) options to put in my kids' lunches. My kids LOVE those 'lunchable' packs, but I've never had the stomach to pay that much for a tiny lunch. Has anyone ever made their own 'lunchable' pack? I know there are amazing Mom's who pack their kids awesome lunches (I know, I've seen them when I visit the lunchroom)

Here is a list of what I pack, I just chose one from each category:

Drinks- Capri Sun, juice box, $0.35 milk

Snacks-(items bought in bulk or on sale and divided into small ziplocs)- Triscuts, Cheez-it's, almonds, raisins, string cheese

Fruit/Veggie- carrots, apples, grapes, pears

Protein- hard boiled egg (peeled and sprinkled with salt in a small ziploc), meat and cheese sandwich, ham/cheese/olive kabob (chunks of each stuck on a toothpick)

It seems that it takes up such a chunk of our grocery budget, but I'm stuck in a rut. Out of ideas for saving money and lacking creativity.
So what kind of things do you pack? Has anyone found a way to work the weekly ad's into packing lunches?

www.alice.com

I was on vacation this weekend and saw a news story on CNN about www.alice.com. It is a website were you can buy household items on namebrand stuff for discounted pricing and the shipping is free. I guess with the economy people have been buying store brands, which is ok, but it looks like the name brands are wanting to help save you money and the shipping is free. I signed up but haven't bought anything yet but I thought all you coupon shoppers would like it. Again, shipping is free! See what you think and let us all know. I think that the prices look good but I am definately not a veterian in savy coupon shopping. Again, shipping is free!

Thanks, Marianne

We'll give it a try!

We have 6... and I can think of one more I know of. 8 of us could probably manage, it would mean we would probably have to take every-other month. I really think that once we start... there will be much more interest.

I sent the co-op our info, we are good to go. I'm excited to get it pulled together. My only obstacle is the building (which we only need in poor weather) I am working on using a LDS church building, I should hear back soon. I keep you all posted on the progress.

Thanks for supporting our community... we are going to rock this!

Deals

So I went grocery shopping this morning at both Albertsons and Smiths because of the good deals that both are having. I spent a total of 165.13 but get this....it would have cost $338.95. That is over a 50% savings. Most of the things I bought were on sale and I did have about $48 in coupons. I was able to get everything I needed for my weekly menu (should last about 1 1/2 weeks) plus I got a lot of items to put in my food storage that we usually use like snacks, salad dressing, soda, and cereal. I just thought I would share this info. I spent a little time on the Savvy shoppers shopping wizard to come up with my shopping list and menu but I think it paid off.
On a side note, if it isn't too personal, how much does it cost you to feed your families? I have a family of 5 and I am trying to only spend $130 max a week on food, paper goods, diapers, etc. Do you think that is too high, too low, just about right? I am really sticking to a budget lately and I would love any suggestions. I was able to spend $165 this week because I had leftover $ from last week. I am hoping it works. Thanks to all.
I am excited to go get my co-op food on Saturday from EM. If anyone wants to catch a ride with me just let me know.

Co-op...or not to op... That is the question

I have all the information regarding starting our own co-op here in Harvest Hills.

I'm trying to decide if #1-this is a commitment I can take on, and #2 if there are enough people here interested to make it worth having our own site.

I know it's only 2-3 hours once a month, but I don't know why this is difficult. That's 12 times a year. Maybe it's the culture we live in... we already volunteer and commit our time with callings and such. One more commitment may just be a pain in the neck.

I would love for this to serve our community... if people want it. The purpose and message of the co-op is something I very strongly believe in supporting. Eating healthier...and cheaper.
I'm not an 'organic' pusher, but I personally want to try and keep fast food from replacing our family dinners around the table. Not to mention, in these tough economic times... helping each other save some money will lighten some of our financial burdens. These are the things that make me think that 2-3 hours a month is a small price to pay. I dunno...

I think I will be printing and distributing flyers this week. I would appreciate your opinions, and possibly your help in spreading the word to friends and neighbors. (I think it might be helpful to put some info in the church 'RS folders' they pass around) I've added the link to the info flyers.

https://foodco-op.net/get_involved/spread_the_word.html

I may be the only person who feels passionate about involving our community and having our own site...(I can admit that sometimes I get overly-excited about things) and if everyone just wants me to shut my trap and pick-up their food in Eagle Mountain...that's okay too!

We would need 6-10 volunteers. We could manage with less, but the more we have...the less often we would need to commit our time. It would be nice if the same people didn't have to volunteer every month. The volunteers would need to:

#1- Pick up the food from the Co-op warehouse on D-day and transport it back to the Team Site. (drive to Salt Lake, pick up the food and drop it off...fairly early on a Saturday morning)
#2-Volunteers are needed at the team site to help distribute the food to members who have ordered and will be picking up at the team site. (be at the site on Saturday morning to help the people coming and clean up empty boxes after...this would be a 2-3 hour gig)
#3- We would need a Team leader or coordinator. This person would be the contact person with the Co-op and would coordinate volunteers at the team site.

We also would need a site. I would love some feedback and/or ideas on this.

So, there you go...feel free to be honest with me. I may just need to let it go, we'll see.

Sherian

Canned Eggs

A friend of mine sent some fabulous information to me last week.

She is interested in trying some canned eggs and there is a price break (with Emergency Essentials) if ordered in bulk. If we can find 12+ ladies who might be interested...we can try this out! I have heard that they are great for storage and for baking.

Here is the link to emergency essentials with more info. She would be willing to pick the order up once we have 12 or more people.

The original price is $27.95 and the bulk price for 12+ cans is $16.00 (before tax I'm sure).

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_FS%20D120_A_name_E_Whole%20Eggs

I am definitely interested in trying these out! Please comment with the number of cans you want...

Happy Food Storing! Thanks Becca!

Cucumber help???

Does anyone have any tips for growing cucumbers in Harvest Hills? Ours have never done very well. The plant is still pretty small and doesn't seem to be thriving.
Deena

Slacker!...Family Activity?

Okay... sorry I have been such a slacker!
I didn't get any response to the new date (this Saturday) for assembling the kids 72-hour kits... so I'll give it another try...

Saturday, June 13th...72-hour Kit Family Activity!

I thought we could meet at the grass space on the Sweet Corn/Winter Wheat/Barley junction. I figure 7pm or so, after dinner. It stays light so late, I thought it would be nice to enjoy those long summer evenings.
I have some tables I can set-up, and if the weather is bad... we can do it at my house. So bring your family...visit...and put together 72-hour kits!

If we want to combine our efforts...I have added a list of food from the kits I have. It think I will just replenish it, and keep it the same. I have to make 6 full kits either way, so I can give a cost per kit. (If you are interested in particular items, I can pick up some of the things at Costco, and divide the cost per item. I will price things out at Costco and Wal-mart this week, and post the prices.)

oatmeal packet, orange juice
cheese crackers, meat stick, fruit snacks
beef ravioli cup

protein bar, orange juice (powder packet)
Vienna sausages, granola bar
salmon, mayo, wheat crackers

Pop-tarts, orange Juice
meat stick, fruit cup, raisins, lemonade (powder packet)
Beans & Wieners, M&M's

I can print out the meal plans, and also get the Ziploc's

We can also include any other areas of our kits if people are interested. I need to rotate my kids clothes, but if people have any ideas of things we could do as a group, that would be fun. (personal hygiene items, survival/emergency items, carrying/tote ideas, etc.)

I will bring drinks, so if your interested...post your RSVP and a snack you can bring, then we will know how many drinks/snacks to have. I welcome anyone that's interested! (and any ideas of additional assembly items or activities)

Let me know if there are any questions. I'm excited to get together.

-Sherian



*On a side note... the food co-op always needs volunteers in the warehouse. If anyone is interested, I would love to carpool up and take a shift. I'm not sure about tomorrow, but I would love to plan on a month soon.

I am still working on a local distribution site here in Harvest Hills... I will keep everyone posted. We are close to having the numbers, I just need to know how many could help at the site each month. If we all can take turns, it will be less work. My older girls (8 and 9) are interested in volunteering as well, so keep in mind 'the more the merrier'.. thanks!

Free samples

It sure has been quiet around here.
go to this website for all kinds of free samples http://instoresnow.walmart.com/In-Stores-Now-Free-Samples-And-Trials.aspx I have been signing up for everything for the last few weeks I am getting something new everyday in the mail. I am putting all the fun FREE stuff in our 72 hour kits. Tooth paste, deodorant, baby wipes ex,,, they have something different every week.
Also on this site http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ she put links to all kinds of free samples. Even has a free Friday. check it out.

Annette

72-hour kit Family Activity?

I know I set the date... but could we change it to the day before that? Saturday, May 30th?

72-hour kit Family Activity?

Based on the interest in the 'kid friendly 72-hour kits'...I thought I'd pick a date and time to rotate my items, and replace the food in my kits.

Sunday, May 31st

I know it's a Sunday...but I think it's a 'worthy cause'? It will just be assembly, more visiting than anything. If you live nearby, I would love to have a get-together. If you are interested... please comment, email (gathringgrub@hotmail.com), or contact me. If enough people are interested, I will put together a little family gathering. If you don't live nearby, well...you can still participate with your ideas and advise!

-Sherian

Tis' the Season

So I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me with my garden this year?!

I would like to plant the following:
tomatoes
squash
zucchini squash
lettuce
spinach
broccoli

I would love any advise, tips, ideas on my garden. I know that at least one of Mel's thumbs are green...possibly both of them! (hee, hee)
I grew tomatoes last year, but only half of the plants I planted survived. (bought some at Costco, those were the ones that died) I had only two squash plants last year...but they didn't produce much at all.
I'm wondering when to plant in this crazy Utah spring? I'm afraid to plant my tomatoes...but I do have wall-o-waters) Has anyone started lettuce, spinach, zucchini, or squash with seeds? Do I start my seeds inside? Is it too late for broccoli? Should I buy my seeds/plants from a Nursery vs. Home Depot? Any tips on what to do with my soil? (besides completely change it!) Can I add the sq. foot gardening mixture (vermiculite/peet moss/compost) to my soil...or does it have to stand alone? I'd rather not build the actual gardening boxes...because I'm not sure of a permanent spot for them. Any advise???
Really...I'll take any help I can get!

SALE! (revised)

(I got a revised email today with prices. I'm not sure about the deals...nothing initially looked fantastic, but I
haven't had time to look anything up...there you go!)

I got this email from the Community Food Co-op today...didn't know if anyone would be interested.
Considering how affordable their food is, I would image that a 'sale' would be incredible!

If you do go...please comment or post, I would love to hear about it!

Inventory sale!
---------------

We'll be holding an inventory sale on Wednesday, April 29th,
between 2PM and 4PM. The sale will be at the warehouse,
at 1469 S 700 W, in Salt Lake City. Come on down!

What's for sale
---------------

* 260 whole chickens (4 lbs.) $5.75
* 516 lbs. ground beef (1 lb.) $2.25
* 140 top sirloin steaks (two 8oz. steaks per package) $4.55
* 52 chicken legs (2 lbs. per package $2.15
* 100 loaves of bread (wheat, rye, sourdough) $2.00
* 150 lbs. various Nutty Guys stuff (varies)

Other items available in more limited quantities.
First come, first served. Absolutely nothing will
be sold before 2PM on Wednesday.

The power of a community!

So I went and picked up my food from the co-op this morning. I was such an awesome bunch of food. (Thanks so much Sally for enlightening me)
This is what I got...

1 pkg. Salisbury Steaks
1 pkg. Lean Pork cubes
1 5lb. bag of potatoes
4 oranges
1 head of broccoli
1 head Red Leaf Lettuce
6 Bananas
4 Tomatoes
1 1lb. box of strawberries
1 loaf Stone Ground's Artisian Wheat Bread
16 oz. rice

As you can see, the quality of the produce is fantastic! Everything is really, really good...and was $14! That's right $14!
Keep in mind this is only a 1/2 share. I have a friend who says a full share is great for her family of four. I'm so very impressed...and I will be ordering a full share for next month. I also found out that you can order multiple shares.

Just to give you an idea...for my service this week, I logged the hours I read and did math with Cori's and Lexi's class. I was also able to attend a field trip this month with my preschoolers, and help them tour the Alpine School District Transportation facility.

I know that everyone does not have the time during the day to put in some service hours. Anyone who is involved in scouting, or youth groups can log service hours. Anything you do for people outside of your family!


So here's my idea...
If we get enough of our community involved, we can have our own location here in Harvest Hills. I think it would be an amazing opportunity to serve our community, get our children and neighbors involved, while helping families in this time of financial hardship. Helping provide healthy, good quality food, while saving 30%-50% of the price.

They do ask that you volunteer at least once a year with the co-op, and if we are able to set up our own distribution site... we can serve our friends and neighbors every month on the pick-up day. I know that if we can get enough people involved, we can work together to find ways to better our area and community.

I am going to be printing and sending out info this week to some of our neighbors. If anyone would like to help me, just comment or let me know. The more people, the greater the savings. The co-op is encouraging a simple exchange...giving and receiving. Share a part of yourself!

"Working together with friends and neighbors for a common good!"

check it out...www.foodco-op.net

-Sherian

Grocery Guru

I attended a class at the expo center last Saturday. The grocery guru was there, explaining his system, and how to implement weekly ads and specials to save time and money. His system claims that you can feed a family of 4 on $35 to 40$ a week. He also say that you will be in and out of the grocery store in thirty minutes or less. It all sounded good to me!
I had been using coupons, and shopping the ads... but there was a ton of information I thought I would share. In my opinion, there are things I have to tailor to my own family...starting with the fact that I feed four girls who eat more like teenage boys, and a husband much larger than the average man...in fact, I am the size of an average man... so there you go! Quantity is a concern of mine.
I also want to incorporate different foods into my diet, and my kids can be a bit picky. But regardless... the system is a great way to find cheap food, and build up a food storage.
Here are some tips he suggests:

1. Don't clip the coupons...keep them in a binder, only clipping the ones you need right before you shop.
2. Only go to one store. Pick the one you like, according to their ad that week. Going to multiple stores isn't worth your time, or money on gas.
3. Receive two newspapers for coupons. No more, no less.
4. Plan your weekly menu around the ad from the store of your choice.

If people are interested, you can call to actually go shopping with him. It does cost $10...but that includes your prepared meal list, your corresponding shopping list and ALL the coupons you need! Considering you won't spend more than $40 and walk away with a week's worth of groceries...it's not too shabby!
I think I will give it a fair shot. I want to go shopping with him, and try the system for at least one month. I will keep everyone updated on how it goes. (If you want to check it out...his link is on the right, under grocery deals)

(ps- If you signed up for the food co-op...pick up is this Saturday! I'll take pics of what I get and post them.)

Sherian

Double Coupons

Albertson's Double Coupon Event: Double up to $1.00, Limit 3 per family per shopping trip - (Coupons found in the Sunday Daily Herald). Expires tomorrow.

Awesome Deals!

I'm a coupon girl - rookie, but in training. I've decided to combine all the info I've gathered from all the "coupon girls" I know to help me on our families food storage - if you're gunna buy, buy big when it's on sale & has coupons. (I use www.savvyshopperdeals.com & pinchingyourpennies.com)

A couple of good deals at Smith's right now - expiring next week.

McCormick's Montreal Steak/Chicken/Hamburger seasonings are on sale for $1. (They are normally $2.99) There are $1 off & .75 cent off coupons right now (I got my from the Sunday paper, not sure if you can print on line or not). Buy now, going quick.

Also, some Kellogg's cereals are on sale for $2.18 right now (down from $3.50+)...coupons for $1.50 off, making each box .68 cents. Not bad.

My Smiths Load/Bill
1 box Pops
1 box Fruit Loops
2 boxs Special K Vanilla w/ Almonds
1 box Raisin Bran
3 Montreal Steak Seasonings
3 Montreal Chicken Seasonings
2 Lemon Pepper

Total: $5.32

Every little bit helps & when the price is low, makes me feel better - especially nowadays.

Hope you guys can share your good deals toooooooo!

-Mel

Coupons

Does anyone know if Thursday newspapers have coupons too? On www.savvyshopperdeals.com she has a special newspaper subscription through the Daily Herald that includes Thursday and Sunday papers. Just curious if I was missing anything. Thanks, Maelynn

Flour

I just bought flour at Smith's case lot sale. I believe it was a 6 or 8 pack. Ben gave me a funny face but I just reminded him that it was a long term thing. Anyways, I was wondering should I open them all and put in a bucket or just put the packs in a plastic bin? I am leaning on the plastic bin but thought I'd ask.
Thanks, Marianne

Another 72-hour kit idea

So, here is another 72-hour kit idea. Pretty much like Sherian's. This is just the food part. Don't forget the other stuff. And put some childrens and adult motrin in there (if you are like us, you go through that stuff too often). My mother-in-law made some for my older children a few years ago and put in some crayons and coloring books . . . I thought this was a great idea too.

72-Hour Emergency Food Kit

This 72-hour pack is designed to sustain life and energy for up to 3 days, when used as listed:

• 4 granola bars
• 2 fruit snacks
• 1 breadsticks & cheese
• 1 can vienna sausages
• 2 hot chocolate packs
• 2 pkg. saltine crackers
• 2 soup mixes
• 2 apple cider packs
• 9 pieces hard candy
• 2 oatmeal packs
• 1 apple juice
• 10 pieces of gum
• 2 beef jerky sticks

What to eat:

Day 1:
Breakfast: 2 granola bars, 1 hot chocolate drink
Lunch: 1 beef jerky stick, 1 apple cider
Dinner: 1 can vienna sausages, 1 pkg crackers
Snack: 3 pieces of candy, 3 sticks of gum

Day 2:
Breakfast: 1 oatmeal packet, 1 hot chocolate drink
Lunch: 1 beef jerky stick, 1 fruit snack, 1 apple cider
Dinner: 1 pkg instant soup, 1 pkg breadsticks and cheese
Snack: 3 pieces of candy, 3 sticks of gum

Day 3:
Breakfast: 1 can apple juice, 1 oatmeal packet
Lunch: 1 pkg. instant soup, 1 pkg crackers
Dinner: 2 granola bars, 1 pkg fruit snack
Snack: 3 pieces of candy, 4 sticks of gum

**You must also have 2 liters of water to prepare the dry mix items
***Don't forget to document when you put it together so you can rotate at least every two years.

Food co-op

Here is another idea . . . join the food co-op of Utah. Here is the website. All the info can be found here http://foodco-op.net/index.html I've been buying a Standard Share each month since last Sept. and I love it.

Each month I pay $23.00 and have to record 2 service hours. This is what I got last month.

1 pkg 2/8 oz Top Sirloin Steaks

1 pkg 4/5 oz Pork Chops

1 pkg 2-lbs chicken legs/thighs

1 pkg lean ground beef

1 3-lb bag yellow onions

6 lemons

8 apples

1 cantaloupe

3 red bell peppers

1 head romaine lettuce

2 avocados

6 tomatoes

1 loaf stone ground's artisan wheat bread

16 oz rice

You usually have to call or fax and pay by the first Friday of the month. And then you pick up your food on the last Saturday of the month. Simple, easy, and I love the bread. I actually love everything. The chicken usually comes bone-in, but I'm learning to get creative (i.e. chicken wings, fried chicken, or boil it and make chicken noodle soup or anything).

-Sally

**************************************************
(I posted this for Sally, then signed up about 20 minutes later)

This is awesome! Everyone has to check it out! I had no idea it existed...
You only have to record 2 hours of community service time each month. (I found out that if your LDS, the time you spend serving in your calling is considered attributing to serving the community. But probably better the time you serve during the week)
I think this is fantastic!
The more people that join, the cheaper the food gets. I'm starting with a 'half share' which is...

4 Lean Salisbury Steaks (4 oz)
1 lb. Lean Pork Cubes (90/10)
Fresh Fruits (3 varieties)
Fresh Vegetables (4 varieties)
Stone Ground Artisan Wheat Bread
16oz. rice

It is $14...that's right $14.00! The food comes from the same distributor as our local grocery store. There are other options...a Harvest Share (mostly fruits and veggies).
There are also add-on's to your order:
a Nutty Guys sampler, Extra meat, tamales, sourdough bread, Colossimo brawts, and all-natural peanut butter.

If you are interested, the last day to place your order for April is this Friday. I just phoned it in this morning. Pick-up is April 25th, in Eagle Mountain or Lehi.

I would love to spread the word in this area...if enough people are interested...we could even start our own pick-up site right here in Harvest Hills. What a great opportunity to serve each other in our community and help put good food on the table in these tough economic times!

-Sherian

(for those outside of Utah...I read that most States have a food co-op! Check it out!)

Tips on Starting Food Storage

People have expressed the "where to start?" questions. These are some tips from a good source, and I think #2 is a great place to start. However, I can admit that I started with #2 then jumped into my food storage with #3 then #6, I'm just getting to #1, and I need help with #5. But I guess that's why I'm so glad I now have more help :) Thanks everyone!

1. Obtain at least a two week supply of water for each member of your family. There are many different theories on safe water storage containers. An inexpensive idea is to put water in emptied, clear, plastic 2 liter pop bottles. Small water bottles are convenient in case you need to take them and go. Fifty gallon drums are good for drinking water and/or cleaning water. It is essential to have enough water—a person can only survive a few days without water. Look on the LDS website for information and safety tips for storing water. You need at least one gallon of water per person per day.

2. Put together a 72 hour kit of water, food, clothing and essentials for each person in your family. Make it portable in case you need to leave your home in a disaster. Tips: Buy 72 hr. backpacks at D.I. or Salvation Army really inexpensive. You can get backpacks with handles and wheels for the children to carry themselves, maybe put kids' 72 hr. backpacks under their beds for quick access, we like to hang the adult ones in the garage, where we can grab them on our way out. I have whistles attached to each pack, in case someone gets lost. I basically thought about what my kids (heaven forbid) would need to survive a night or two without me. I know for every child that is different. Mike and I also have some cash, small bills, set aside to grab and bring with us as well.

You should also put together a small car emergency kit. Put water and some basic essentials in a backpack in your car in case an emergency happens, and you (and your children) need to walk to somewhere safe. Items that might be important include water, snack food (granola bars, hard candy, dried fruit or jerky, etc.), a flashlight, poncho/umbrella, and a sweater or jacket in case of cold weather.

I think at some point I would love to get lists of what people have in their 72-hour packs, I love getting ideas from other families. I'm sure there are things I should add, and anyone who has actually had to USE a 72-hour pack will know what items are essential.

3. Make a list of the food items your family eats most often. (i.e.- macaroni & cheese, chili, tuna, peanut butter & jam, pasta & spaghetti sauce, etc.) Start building your food storage around those items. Start by getting a three month supply of these commonly eaten foods. One thing to remember is to buy all the components of each meal you eat on a regular basis. For example, oatmeal for breakfast wouldn’t be good without brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon & milk (powdered milk). Keep in mind that in a disaster, you won’t be able to run to the store to buy the “extras” for meals. You will need all items on hand to put together meals for your family. Once you have created a supply of these items, you can begin accumulating more long term food items. These items include grains, legumes, sugar, vegetables, fruit, salt, oil and powdered milk, etc.

4. How to store your food? The main concern is keeping insects and rodents out of your food. There are a few ways to store paper packaged food items. The first is to dry pack items at the cannery. Another is to put food items in plastic containers (Rubbermaid totes, empty plastic buckets, large plastic garbage cans, etc. ) Anything will work as long as it can be shut out from surrounding bugs and damp air. Keep food in a cool place—like a cold storage room under the porch.

5. Keep track and rotate your food items. Keep track of how much of each item you have to properly rotate your food. Tip: When you buy the food, put the month and date you purchased it on the container with a permanent marker. This way, you will know which items to use first. Put the newer food on the back of the shelf and move the older items forward. Keep a running total of each item so that at any moment you can look at your food storage sheet and see what you are running low on. (Creating a shelving system makes storing food easier to organize and rotate. This can be done inexpensively with metal shelves, commercial food storage racks, or homemade wood shelves. You will feel so good when you begin to see your own “store” growing in the basement.)

6. When items are on sale—STOCK UP! It may seem like you are spending a lot of money at once, but you will actually save money in the long run. If you buy a year supply of items, you will not need to run to the store and buy it when it’s not on sale. Think BIG—for example, a year supply of sugar for one adult is 100 lbs., times that by 3-4 people in your family & that’s 300/400 lbs. of sugar. Even if you don’t use it all in one year, don’t worry---sugar will last 30 + years. That’s why it is so important to buy items when they are at their cheapest price. Watch the ads and compare prices. Doing this will save time and money!

Lucky Me!

I bought a case of cake mixes at the Smith's caselot sale on Wednesday and as I was putting them away tonight, each box had a coupon for 50 cents off of icing! I may have had the luck of the draw, but if you are in the market for cake mixes, try your hand! So now I have 12 coupons for 50 cents off of icing and they don't expire until January 2010...so I will wait for a great sale and stock up on icing!

(I bought the yellow Betty Crocker cake mixes).

Tami

'kid friendly' food for 72 hour kits

I have a pack of food in our 72-hour kits that my kids love. Granted, it would sustain Mike for 72 hours, but he would still be a bit hungry! I thought it was rather tasty for a preparedness kit. Better than MRE's for my kids.

There was a scout putting these together and selling them...his project to get his eagle. It helped most of the people in his area either have a 72 hour kit, or think about getting one. He didn't mention anything about rotating, but I would probably re-do these every year. (probably...because I'm going on 3 years with mine...ooops) Maybe if people are interested, we can do it as a group, some items are cheaper in bulk (costco) like fruit snacks, crackers, etc.

Remember that you need to add water to this kit. It is suggested that you have 1 gallon per person, per day. So my family would need 18 gallons! There is no way we could carry all that water in 16.9oz bottles. I don't want my kids backpacks to be too heavy, so I put4 bottles in their packs. (which is still heavy) This is where those 5 gallon jugs come in handy. Somehow I don't see everyone rolling their big blue drums into the wilderness, but it's something to think about.

Back to the food...All the food should fit in a gallon Ziploc. This is just the food part of a 72 hour kit, but it's a good place to start. I found my kids backpacks at VF factory outlet in September (after school started) They are nice packs, and they cost $5 each.

Day 1:
Breakfast-oatmeal, orange juice
Lunch- cheese crackers, meat stick, fruit snacks
Dinner- beef ravioli

Day 2:
Breakfast-protein bar, orange juice
Lunch- Vienna sausages, granola bar
Dinner- salmon, mayo, wheat crackers
Day 3:
Breakfast- Pop-tarts, orange Juice
Lunch- meat stick, fruit cup, raisins, lemonade
Dinner- Beans & Wieners, M&M's

I'm not sure if Sally's is the same as this one...but it's good to have options, so please share any of yours.

Update: I have Sally's and I'll post it Monday! She suggested maybe getting together for a FHE night and making them as a group...sound great to me.

any one have a good pizza crust recipe. for kitchen aid? ( of course using all that good food storage)
we do pizza every friday night. I realy want to start making it.

Yummy Whole Wheat Bread

For all of you that were like me and didn't know what to do with all the wheat in your storage, have I got a recipe for you. It is super easy and very yummy. I found it on one of the blogs on the Deals to meals website. I highly recommend you try it because it isn't one of those recipes that takes all day to make and let rise then punch down and let rise again. It is so not like that. Everything in the recipe can be stored in your food storage. I did half the recipe because I don't need 4 loaves of bread at once. Have fun! Click on link below for the recipe.

http://myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-new-favorite-whole-wheat-bread.html

Brown Sugar?

Do any of you store brown sugar in bulk? And how do you store it and keep it from getting hard? I really don't want to take a chisel to the thing.......

Question on Storage

So I have some questions for all you food storage pro's:

I have been working on getting my food storage really organized and useful the last year, but I am still reluctant to store certain items.

So how long does Flour (all purpose) really last and how do you store it? Do you use the 5-gallon bucket or what? I know sugar is good for life so that is an easy one (not that I have stored a lot of it yet). Do you just load up a big tote with 5 lb bags? What about Bread Flour - any difference?

So what about Pasta? Is it okay to leave it in the plastic packaging it comes in or do I need to store it special?

I think part of my reluctance is that I don't bake a lot and find myself not using these items as often as I should and they go bad....

I really don't have a lot of "long-term" storage items, more just stuff I eat everyday. One other thing I haven't stored much of is dry milk, cause even if I had a recipe I probably wouldn't use it just because I don't have tons of time or energy to try out tons of new things. I guess I need some motivation...

I have also NEVER been to the cannery, I would love someone to "mentor" me and take me on a trip there if they are ever going!

Tami

Just a little more on Smith's

I have compared some of the prices between the case lot sale that just past at Macey's and the current case lot sale at Smith's. Smith's actually has some really great deals. A lot of items are even cheaper than what Macey's had them for last month so take advantage of this sale, especially if you missed the sale at Macey's.

examples:
Smiths vs. Macey's
Top Ramen 7 for $1 vs. 6 for $1
Chili Hormel .75 vs. no brand for .88
canned veggies = .50 vs. .59

That is just a few. Sherian is right about the peanut butter, it is an awesome deal especially for Skippy. You may need jam if you get all that PB and they have their jam on sale too. We have tried it and it is pretty good. Have fun shopping!!

Maelynn

Some deals April 1 - 7

Alrighty...Smith's case lot sale!

18oz. Skippy Peanut Butter...$1.25
(shelf life 2 years, should store 4 jars per person)

20oz. Geisha Pineapple...$0.99
(shelf life 2 years, should store 36-52 cans per family)

10oz. VF chunk canned chicken...$1.89
(shelf life 2 years, should store 5+ cans per person)

these are a few at Smith's, but there are many more. Depending on what your family likes to eat. These are just some of the Food Storage items I find an easier priority. Peanut Butter is a great storage item...especially for kiddos. The canned chicken is good because it seems hard to get enough protein stored. My kids eat it better than tuna. (and it seems like canned chicken can be used in many meals)

Albertson's has...

18oz. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce...10/$10

4lbs. SV sugar...$1.39
(and the shelf life of sugar is indefinite, should store 65 lbs. per person...cowsers!)

1 lb. Imperial margarine...$.049 (you can freeze butter for a year!)

this BBQ sauce is just tasty, and most people agree. Sugar is a great thing to start storing. Even starting one $1.39 bag at a time...it will start adding up!

Macey's has meat on a great sale...

B/S less chicken breasts... $1.59 per lb.

B/S less pork chops... $1.99 per lb.

Whole boneless ham... $1.49 per lb.

Jennie-O (bone-in) turkey breasts... $1.39 per lb.

I rarely make it to three stores in one week, so remember Wal-Mart will match all these prices (except the Smith's case lot items, Kroger brands)

These prices are all good until April 7th...and remember to get 'rain checks' if they run out :)
Good luck!

Sherian

To get us going...

Alrighty...it looks like enough people are interested in doing this...yeah!

I will send an invite to anyone who expressed interest. The invite comes from Blogger, so look for it in your junk mail if you don't see it. It should walk you through anything you need to become an author on this blog. If I don't have your email address, notify me at...gatheringgrub.hotmail.com...then I will send you an invite.

For those of you who are not fans of blogging, or don't want to become a blogger...email me anything you want posted. I set up an email account...gatheringgrub@hotmail.com...(that's 2 g's) I'll post what you send, and put your name at the bottom. Just be patient, it may take a day or two. Sound good?

The invites are only if you want to be an author. It will be a public site, so you will not need an invite to read posts and snoop around. But, please think about posting :)

So for example, a post could be as little as...


Hey all you locals! Smith's is starting their case lot sale April 1st!

Maelynn

Simple enough. Regardless of food storage, we can share bargains and sale items to stretch our dollars a bit further.

I would love if everyone would contribute, it doesn't have to be anything fantastic, or even anything you've done yourself! It can be something you've heard from someone, or your relatives do, etc.

Also, don't be afraid to ask any questions. I will not be the one to know all the answers, but between ALL of us, someone may know, or be able to find out. No contribution or question is too insignificant.

I, for one, would love to get some recipes so I can better rotate some of the things I have. I am struggling to get water storage, and I also need ideas on storing food in small spaces. I'd love to know about great grocery sales, so I can buy extra things to put into storage.

I would love to see pictures and stories of everyone's struggles and accomplishments. None of us are perfect at this. So if you've started gathering food storage, or if you haven't been able to start yet...please don't hesitate to share!

Thanks to all, I'm excited to get more ideas! I think we can help and support each other in this struggling economy and the overwhelming project of Food Storage!

Sherian

What do you think?

How 'bout it? Do ya wanna? huh...huh?