More stocking up ideas for your food and emergency storage.
I am a great fan of Dollar Stores.
Everything For $1
Family Dollar
Dollar General
Please don't turn your nose up at shopping at these discount stores as you can get really good bargains!
Always, but ALWAYS check expiration dates (that goes for anything you plan to put in long term storage!).
Here is a partial list of some items I have bought at the above named stores and found to be quite good/useful.
Lemon Juice
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Various Canned Meats (including the ever popular DAK hams!)
Soups
Shampoo
Band Aids
Candles
Sterno Fuel
Mini-Flashlights (perfect for tucking into a purse or back-pack)
Soaps
Wash Cloths (have you seen those bundles of 10 or 15 for 5 bucks?)
Olive Oil
Vinegar
Small buckets (milk pails at farm store were $8.99, same sized bucket at dollar store $1.00. My goats do not seem to mind!)
Aspirin
Paper
Pens
Spices
Baking Soda
Salt
The list of useful items goes on and on! A lot of items end up being used daily here, other items end up in my long term storage. I make one trip per month and have a budget of $25.00 for what I will buy.
Check out your local discount/dollar store!
Showing posts with label preps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preps. Show all posts
Friday, January 7, 2011
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Alex and Oil
So, Hurricane Alex is heading towards the Gulf Coast and bringing with it oil from the leak in the Gulf.
I have stored my water and food preps, and added several face masks to my preps.
I am not directly in the path of the storm, but I worry about those who are.
The beaches will be destroyed by the oil. The clean-up will be of gigantic proportions and will take years.
Recovery for the wildlife will take decades, possibly a century or longer.
But right now, Hurricane Alex is pushing more and more of the oil sludge towards the shores of Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Even though the storm itself will not hit the shores in some areas, the increased waves and wind that will reach all those shores, bringing all the crap from the Deepwater Horizon oil leak.
Maybe this is Mother Nature, Gaia--however you want to personify the planet and ecosystem--saying "You want oil, you bastards?!? Here, here is your damn oil! I hope you choke on it!!!"
Anyway...I have my hurricane preps done...how about you?
I have stored my water and food preps, and added several face masks to my preps.
I am not directly in the path of the storm, but I worry about those who are.
The beaches will be destroyed by the oil. The clean-up will be of gigantic proportions and will take years.
Recovery for the wildlife will take decades, possibly a century or longer.
But right now, Hurricane Alex is pushing more and more of the oil sludge towards the shores of Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Even though the storm itself will not hit the shores in some areas, the increased waves and wind that will reach all those shores, bringing all the crap from the Deepwater Horizon oil leak.
Maybe this is Mother Nature, Gaia--however you want to personify the planet and ecosystem--saying "You want oil, you bastards?!? Here, here is your damn oil! I hope you choke on it!!!"
Anyway...I have my hurricane preps done...how about you?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Emergency Drills
Every family out there should do this at least once a month.
Pick a day. Weekday, weekend, doesn't matter.
Now, turn off your power.
That's right, go switch those breakers OFF.
Leave them off for 24 hours.
If it is not possible for you to do this, because of where you live or other reasons, sit down with a pad of paper and imagine your house hold without power.
Better yet, stretch it out and imagine being in that situation for a week...two weeks...a month.
In your location, what are your priorities?
If in a cold climate or season, is heating covered?
Do you have a way to cook?
What about water? For cooking, bathing, etc.?
How long will your food supplies last?
If you have kids, did you stash some games and activities away from them? (Board games, coloring books and crayons, other *low-tech* activities)
Did you stash away some amusements for yourself?
If you are doing your drill *for real*, take notes.
I thought *I* had everything covered until I did this drill last month.
I discovered I had not stashed enough *amusements* for myself.
I had my books, but actual *activities* were not present.
I went to Goodwill and a couple of other thrift stores and added some *fun* things to my preps.
Scrabble game. Monopoly. Yahtzee. I already had a chess board.
I even tossed some coloring books, colored pencils and crayons into the mix!
It may seem frivolous, but boredom is a bad thing!
Other Emergency Drills good for families:
Set your alarm for 3am.
When it goes off, see how long it takes you to get your family outside with your BOBs, your FAK and other essentials ready to go.
In cases of emergency evacuation, you may only have a few minutes to grab and go. (Think Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Katrina, tsunamis, earthquakes., fire, etc.)
It is imperative that you be able to *grab and go* in under 10 minutes. Next time, try for 8 minutes and so on. Cut your time to 5 minutes if possible.
Most evacuation plans will involve you taking your vehicle.
I keep an *Emergency Kit* in my car.
Since I drive a small van, I have a rubbermaid tote in the very back
In it:
Number 10 cans of: wheat, rice, beans, oats, flour. (1 each)
10 baby food jars with spices.
10 baby food jars with my *powders*.
10 baby food jars with teas and herbs.
1 pair sneakers
6 pairs socks
2 pair jeans
4 tee shirts (2 long sleeve, 2 short sleeve)
4 pairs underwear
6 candles
2 lighters, 5 boxes of matches
4 gallons water
Small first Aid Kit
I also have an Emergency Car Kit that includes 2 cans of *Fix a Flat*, a set of jumper cables, and other car necessities.
If you are able, you can put together a kit and store it in your trunk. I suggest putting it in a Rubbermaid tote for organizations sake.
Pick a day. Weekday, weekend, doesn't matter.
Now, turn off your power.
That's right, go switch those breakers OFF.
Leave them off for 24 hours.
If it is not possible for you to do this, because of where you live or other reasons, sit down with a pad of paper and imagine your house hold without power.
Better yet, stretch it out and imagine being in that situation for a week...two weeks...a month.
In your location, what are your priorities?
If in a cold climate or season, is heating covered?
Do you have a way to cook?
What about water? For cooking, bathing, etc.?
How long will your food supplies last?
If you have kids, did you stash some games and activities away from them? (Board games, coloring books and crayons, other *low-tech* activities)
Did you stash away some amusements for yourself?
If you are doing your drill *for real*, take notes.
I thought *I* had everything covered until I did this drill last month.
I discovered I had not stashed enough *amusements* for myself.
I had my books, but actual *activities* were not present.
I went to Goodwill and a couple of other thrift stores and added some *fun* things to my preps.
Scrabble game. Monopoly. Yahtzee. I already had a chess board.
I even tossed some coloring books, colored pencils and crayons into the mix!
It may seem frivolous, but boredom is a bad thing!
Other Emergency Drills good for families:
Set your alarm for 3am.
When it goes off, see how long it takes you to get your family outside with your BOBs, your FAK and other essentials ready to go.
In cases of emergency evacuation, you may only have a few minutes to grab and go. (Think Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Katrina, tsunamis, earthquakes., fire, etc.)
It is imperative that you be able to *grab and go* in under 10 minutes. Next time, try for 8 minutes and so on. Cut your time to 5 minutes if possible.
Most evacuation plans will involve you taking your vehicle.
I keep an *Emergency Kit* in my car.
Since I drive a small van, I have a rubbermaid tote in the very back
In it:
Number 10 cans of: wheat, rice, beans, oats, flour. (1 each)
10 baby food jars with spices.
10 baby food jars with my *powders*.
10 baby food jars with teas and herbs.
1 pair sneakers
6 pairs socks
2 pair jeans
4 tee shirts (2 long sleeve, 2 short sleeve)
4 pairs underwear
6 candles
2 lighters, 5 boxes of matches
4 gallons water
Small first Aid Kit
I also have an Emergency Car Kit that includes 2 cans of *Fix a Flat*, a set of jumper cables, and other car necessities.
If you are able, you can put together a kit and store it in your trunk. I suggest putting it in a Rubbermaid tote for organizations sake.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Cooking With Preps, Part Two
In a post last fall, I posted some simple recipes for cooking with preps out of your food storage...
Now we will get a bit more complicated recipes, but they are really good!
Wheatberry Blender Pancake Mix:
1 cup milk (3 tablespoons powdered milk + 1 cup water)
1 cup Wheat kernels, whole and uncooked
2 eggs (2 tablespoons powdered eggs + 1/4 cup water)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Oil
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.
Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth.
Add all other ingredients to mixture in blender and blend on low.
Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!)
onto hot greased prepared griddle or large frying pan.
Cook, flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.
Serve hot with honey/syrup/jam.
Indian Fry Bread
Mix together:
2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup non-instant powdered milk (read the labels!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
When that is well mixed:
Add:
1 1/2 cups very hot water
Work fast working ingredients together and knead for 5 minutes.
Take golf-ball sized pieces from the dough , pull and stretch with hands into a circle of about 6 to 8 inches. (Oil your hands a bit first with salad oil or shortening so dough doesn't stick to hands)
You can also roll out the dough balls on a counter--oil the counter a touch first--put a piece of waxed paper over the dough ball and roll it out.
Fry in hot oil. I usually fry mine in a cast iron skillet in about an inch of oil.
Drain them on a plate or in a basket lined with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
I top mine with a lot of different things, these are so versatile!
Toppings:
Chili
Re-fried beans and grated cheese
Lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, olives, some cilantro and salsa
Sugar and cinnamon
Chicken or tuna salad
Basic Granola
2 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water
6 Tablespoons Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
10 cups Rolled Oats (uncooked)
In a pan, combine the sugar, water, oil and salt. Heat until sugar is dissolved, but do not boil. Pour syrup over the oats and stir until well coated. Add a little more rolled oats if the texture seems too moist. Place in baking pans or on cookie sheets about 1/2 inch deep. Bake at 425 degrees F, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bake 15 minutes longer if you want it crunchier. Store in an airtight container.
Add-ins (after cooking:)
Slivered almonds
Dried Cranberries
Raisins
Walnuts
Peanuts
Shredded Coconut
Dried (crystallized) Pineapple
Dried diced Apple
Dried Apricots
Just add in whatever appeals to you...Nuts, Dried Fruit, Chocolate Chips...mix together with your add-ins well. I usually let it *rest* after I add in goodies for 3 days in a tightly sealed container.
You can eat Granola *out of hand*, as a cold cereal or as a hot cereal when you add hot milk.
So there's a few good recipes for you!
Now we will get a bit more complicated recipes, but they are really good!
Wheatberry Blender Pancake Mix:
1 cup milk (3 tablespoons powdered milk + 1 cup water)
1 cup Wheat kernels, whole and uncooked
2 eggs (2 tablespoons powdered eggs + 1/4 cup water)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Oil
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
Put milk and wheat kernels in blender.
Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth.
Add all other ingredients to mixture in blender and blend on low.
Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!)
onto hot greased prepared griddle or large frying pan.
Cook, flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.
Serve hot with honey/syrup/jam.
Indian Fry Bread
Mix together:
2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup non-instant powdered milk (read the labels!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
When that is well mixed:
Add:
1 1/2 cups very hot water
Work fast working ingredients together and knead for 5 minutes.
Take golf-ball sized pieces from the dough , pull and stretch with hands into a circle of about 6 to 8 inches. (Oil your hands a bit first with salad oil or shortening so dough doesn't stick to hands)
You can also roll out the dough balls on a counter--oil the counter a touch first--put a piece of waxed paper over the dough ball and roll it out.
Fry in hot oil. I usually fry mine in a cast iron skillet in about an inch of oil.
Drain them on a plate or in a basket lined with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
I top mine with a lot of different things, these are so versatile!
Toppings:
Chili
Re-fried beans and grated cheese
Lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, olives, some cilantro and salsa
Sugar and cinnamon
Chicken or tuna salad
Basic Granola
2 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water
6 Tablespoons Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
10 cups Rolled Oats (uncooked)
In a pan, combine the sugar, water, oil and salt. Heat until sugar is dissolved, but do not boil. Pour syrup over the oats and stir until well coated. Add a little more rolled oats if the texture seems too moist. Place in baking pans or on cookie sheets about 1/2 inch deep. Bake at 425 degrees F, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bake 15 minutes longer if you want it crunchier. Store in an airtight container.
Add-ins (after cooking:)
Slivered almonds
Dried Cranberries
Raisins
Walnuts
Peanuts
Shredded Coconut
Dried (crystallized) Pineapple
Dried diced Apple
Dried Apricots
Just add in whatever appeals to you...Nuts, Dried Fruit, Chocolate Chips...mix together with your add-ins well. I usually let it *rest* after I add in goodies for 3 days in a tightly sealed container.
You can eat Granola *out of hand*, as a cold cereal or as a hot cereal when you add hot milk.
So there's a few good recipes for you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)