trail mix

today, august 31st is national trail mix day. who knew? quick explanation: trail mix is a combination of dried fruits, grains, raisins, nuts and sometimes chocolate (like m&m's), a snack food commonly taken along on outdoor hikes.

so what's so great about it? first of all, it's delicious, lightweight, easy-to-store, and nutritious. and with a good nutritional mix, such as the carbohydrates in the fruit and the protein and fats from the nuts, it provides a good quick energy boost.

it's a great item to add to your stash at home, and also for your 72-hour kits. you can buy it pre-made at any grocery store, or google it and you'll find all kinds of variations on recipes for making it yourself at home.

but a quick warning, it's not really appropriate for long-term storage as it will go bad, so use it in your regular rotation. and if it's in your 72-hour kits, don't forget to switch out the food every 6-12 months (many use the idea of rotating every general conference, which is just around the corner).

fruit cocktail

today, may 13th, is national fruit cocktail day.

this is a great item to add to your food storage -- it's in cans, so it's easy to stack and store, and it will last for quite awhile. it's also a bit of a crowd pleaser because it has a little something for everyone. you don't like the pineapple? just pick them out, enjoy the cherries and the peaches... even the pickiest kids should be able to pick out something that they like.

so go ahead, add some to your storage.

how long can i keep ____?

so i came across this great website and just had to share:

http://www.stilltasty.com/: "your ultimate shelf-life guide - save money, eat better, help the environment."

it has like every food you can think of or would want to store listed there and tells you the best way to store them safely and how to get the most out of your groceries. check it out!

how to: make your produce live longer

so if you're like me, you inevitably end up throwing some produce away every time you clean our your fridge. and it hurts my heart... it's like throwing money right into the trash and it makes me feel so wasteful. and i hate waste! there are always a few peaches that i forgot were back there, or a bag of spinach that was hiding underneath everything else. so here is a list of produce and its shelf-life, with tips on how to store it to make it live a little longer.

• apples (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F, separated



• beans (dry): 12 months



• beets (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• cabbage (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• carrots (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• canned fruits: 24 months



• dehydrated fruits: 6-12 months in airtight container



• fruit juice (frozen): 12 month in freezer



• fruit juice (canned): 24 months, keep cool



• fruit juice (dehydrated): 12 months in airtight container



• jam and jelly (unopened): 18-24 months



• jam and jelly (opened): 12 months in refrigerator



• lentils: 12 months in airtight container



• mustard (unopened): 12 months, refrigerate for longer life



• onions (fresh): 6 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• oranges (fresh): 2 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• pears (fresh): 4 months, store at 32 F in mesh bag



• peas (dried): 12 months in airtight container



• pickles (bottled): 12 months



• potatoes (canned white): 30 months



• potatoes (canned sweet): 30 months



• potatoes (dehydrated): 30 months



• potatoes (fresh white): 6 months, store at 40 F in mesh bag



• potatoes (fresh sweet): 6 months, store at 60 F in mesh bag



• potatoes (frozen): 8 months in freezer



• pumpkin (fresh): 6 months, store at 55 F in mesh bag



• spices (ground): 6 months, avoid sunlight



• spices (whole): 12-24 months in airtight container



• squash (fresh): 6 months, store at 55 F in mesh bag



• tomato products (canned): 24 months



• vegetables (canned): 24 months



• vegetables (dehydrated): 6-12 months in airtight container



• vegetables (frozen): 12 months in freezer



• vegetable juice (canned): 12 months

source: food storage for the clueless, by clark & kathryn kidd, p. 277-279

"i just need a simple list!"

photo source

oddly enough, i've had like 3 or 4 people tell me this week that they are wanting to start their food storage, or have put it on hold for a little while and don't know how to get back into it. someone told me that if they just had a "simple list" to get it going, it would be way easier.

so... it's not really a simple answer, but i'll tell you my opinion, for whatever it's worth. the church guidelines at this point are:

(1) store water, 14 gallons per person,

(2) get 3-months of food,

(3) save a "reasonable" amount of money, and

(4) then work on your "longer-term" (year) supply.

so.... the one that's easy to check off your list is water. it's easy to buy the water, count it and know if you have the recommended about. remember babies, elderly and pets will need more.

and for your three-month supply, really the best thing is to store what your family eats. i know that sounds so broad, and this was overwhelming for me when i started, but here is a list of the regular things i stock up on and make sure to include in my 3-month supply (this is totally just to get you brainstorming and thinking of what you and your kids would eat, if it's not helpful for you, ignore it):

• cereal - i personally would be completely content to eat cereal for breakfast lunch and dinner every day, so this is easy to store and i'm always happy to have it


• side note: since we do eat a lot of cereal, i'm also going to stock up on morning moo powdered milk on the next order (probably june or july when we'll do it again)


• canned fruit - we don't normally eat canned fruit, b/c i always buy fresh, but i don't mind it, and i certainly would be happy to eat it if i couldn't get to the store for fresh.


• crackers, fruit snacks goldfish, granola bars, graham crackers, raisins, teddy grahams ("kid snacks") -- these often go on sale and then i stock up b/c my kid eats them every day


• spaghetti sauce


• tomato sauce and paste


• canned tuna


• certain kinds of canned soup that we like


• pasta


• bbq sauce, ketchup, salad dressing


• sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips (i buy at costco in 7 lb bags, it lasts forever, and you never know when you'll have a chocolate emergency!)


• cooking spray


• macaroni and cheese


• canned chicken (which is a total turn-off, but i have found like 3 or 4 recipes where i've tried subbing canned chicken for chicken breast and it's close enough, so i figure it's a good protein to have on hand just in case


• flour


• salsa


• peanut butter


• rice


• ramen noodlesand


• i'm positive there's tons more, but that's what i can think of off the top of my head...

i also recently got a deep freeze and have been able to stock up on bread, meats and frozen vegetables (as i find canned vegetables to be an abomination).

i also personally hate beans, so i don't store them. but i know that these are a good item to store as they are versatile, cheap, easy to store and a good source of protein. ditto for canned chili.

as for your long-term supply - like your grains and stuff (all the "cannery" type things), i don't really know what would be the most important yet. i'm pretty much at the beginning of my food storage learning, so i haven't gotten there yet (i figure it's step 4, so i'm not beating myself up that i haven't quite gotten there yet).

this is a really great and thorough blog and has a spreadsheet of items you would probably want to include in your long-term storage and a calculator of how much inventory you need. here is the link.

what items do you stock up on in your regular rotation?

the swine flu

so by now everyone is probably aware of the swine flu -- if you're not, then you live in a bubble, so turn on the news for 20 seconds and you'll hear it.

Q: what is the swine flu?

A: Influenza is a virus that infects people, birds, pigs and other animals such as ferrets. Swine flu, or swine influenza, is a form of the virus that normally infects pigs. There are many forms of flu, and the different varieties have the ability to exchange genes with one another. The form of flu that originated in Mexico is a genetic mixture of viruses that have been seen in pigs, birds and people. It’s being called a swine flu because the overall structure of the virus is of the type that affects pigs, said Keiji Fukuda, a WHO official.

some are saying that is this is the pandemic that we've been overdue for for a couple years, some are saying it's no big deal.

Q: What’s a flu pandemic?

A: Flu pandemics occur when new influenza viruses emerge that spread quickly and few people have immunity to them. While influenza viruses were only discovered about a century ago, researchers believe flu pandemics hit about
twice or three times each century. Some pandemics are relatively mild, killing
just a few million people globally. The most severe flu pandemic on record was
the 1918 Spanish Flu, and researchers estimate it killed about 50 million people
around the world.

i have no plans to debate whether or not we're all going to be wiped out, but i do know this: our prophets and leader have been counseling us for years and years build our food storage, be self-reliant, save some money for a rainy day and to be prepared so we can take care of our families and each other for when the time comes that it is necessary. this scare with the swine flu is a really great reminder for us to really evaluate or own levels of preparedness for ourselves and our families and to see if there is anything else we can be doing to be better prepared, just in case.

Q: so what should we be doing now?

A: keep working on your 3-month supply. if you had to stay inside for anywhere from a matter of days up until a few months, could you?

remember to think of ALL the things you would need - not just food. remember items like prescription medications, cash, diapers, baby wipes, and on and on. make a list of the things that your family specifically needs.

everyone should stock up on items like bleach, disinfectant wipes, trash bags, laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, alcohol-based hand sanitizer and other items that you would need to keep your home as germ-free as possible.

at this point, the us government has declared this a "public health emergency," but has not yet declared the swine flu a pandemic, although has acknowledged that it could come to that. there is no need to panic, but let's all take extra precautions:

Q: How else can I protect myself from swine flu?

A: Personal hygiene measures, such as avoiding people who are coughing or sneezing and frequent hand-washing, may prevent flu infection. Those who aren’t health professionals should avoid contact with sick people, or those who are coughing or sneezing. People who get sick with flu symptoms should stay home. Studies have suggested that closing schools, theaters, and canceling gatherings in the early stages of a pandemic can limit its spread. Such measures would likely take place if health officials determine that the virus is spreading quickly enough and is deadly enough to cause a pandemic.

but really, this is a good kick in the butt to keep building up your supply and make sure that if this did become the worst case scenario, you and your family would be protected and prepared.

this article has a great q&a about the swine flu and it's symptoms, how it spreads and how to prevent it.

and this is kind of cool, it's a map that tracks confirmed cases of the swine flu. if it's going to freak you out and make you check every 25 minutes to see if it's near you, don't look at it. but if not, you can stay up to date.

mmm... candy.

today is national jelly bean day. although jelly beans (or candy in general) will not really sustain life during times of crisis, it certainly never hurts to add a little sweetness to your stash. you know the mantra, store what you eat and eat what you store -- and if you're using your food storage as your primary source of food for some period of time (likely because of illness or loss of income for a little while - probably a time of stress), it's always good to have a little comfort food in there. plus, it's super annoying to make a midnight run to cvs because your kid needs a treat for school/church/a party/whatever by the morning.


if you're on a tight budget, certainly don't forfeit rice or pasta or some other staple to stock up on candy, but if you've got a little wiggle room, it's nice to toss it into your stash. and after any "candy holiday" (valentine's day, easter, halloween, christmas) stores are generally clearing out the seasonal stuff, so it's a great time to get a good deal!



and as a side note, it's earth day. so do something green today.