Goods Swap 1/25/09

*HP printer/scanner/copier available.

email Danielle at sunrisemeadows1@live.com if you could use it.

More pasta deals, in Lehi

I know some of you get as crazy excited as I do when I find a great deal somewhere, I won't mention names 'cuz I'll forget someone and don't like to offend.
Anyway, I'm sure most, if not all, of you have seen the sign on Main St. in Lehi about the pasta sale, and thought "oh, I wonder". Well me too, so I went ahead and stopped in. WoW, what a deal they have going there. The people who are selling the pasta (and some spices) will be there until about the middle of Feb. selling all kinds of pasta for .75 lb. If you buy 10 boxes, no matter the poundage, they will sell it to you for .65 lb. You can also just buy it by the pound for a bit higher price. It's fun pasta, not just spaghetti and macaroni. Don't ask me how much I got.
They get the pasta from a well known pasta company, don't ask which one I forget things like that. It is pasta that for one reason or another has been denied from the different food making companies (reasons like it didn't get cut the right size, etc) and the pasta has to do something with it, so sometimes, like in cases like this, they sell it for a good price and someone sells it for a good price. Okay, so you get the idea. If you want to know what kinds they have without actually going in to the store (which is open 1-7 week days, and I can't remember Saturday, sorry, I know I'm lame, but give me a break, please) you can to on to KSL under the classifides under food storage and there is information there, not just about what kind of pasta, but their hours, too. Have fun
Michelle

Informative Site

I stumbled upon this website today http://grandpappy.info/hfood1yr.htm and thought it had some pretty useful info. in it. I always want to know what you think about what I blog, so leave me a message about what you think of it.
Michelle

Sites for recipes

I plan to start a list of sites to use for "food storage" type meals. This means the recipes contain at least one item of food storage items. Please again remember that food storage isn't just wheat, beans and honey. Though I feel these types of items are best to be a starter for a meal, one has to add other things, like sauces, meat and cheese and spices, to make them edible. I will be adding to this particular post as I find good recipe sites, so check back occasionally. And as always, your input is always gladly accepted.
So, here goes. Some of these sites I've mentioned in past posts, but will put them here anyway, to make it easier. Wish me luck
Michelle


everydayfoodstorage.net
providentliving.org
preparednessmatters.blogspot.com
preparednessbringspeace.blogspot.com

Lowering food budgets

Recently I was talking with some sisters in the ward who were telling me that they're having a hard time lowering their food budget and were looking for some suggestions. These are my thoughts. First, make a menu. I've said this before, but I know it really can help. Even if you start out with just a 2 week menu, then you know all the foods you need for the two weeks and can shop the sales for those items, then you don't ever pay full price for anything. SHOP THE SALES. Honestly, I didn't realize what deals I was missing out on for a long time by not even looking at the Smiths and Albertson's ads on a weekly basis. If something is on sale, buy as much extra as you can so you don't run out until it's on sale again. It takes time, but if you stick with it, it works. Again, shop the sales. Let me give you a meal idea I did last year and spent about 5 dollars for a dinner. Macey's had Jenny O 1 lb. ground turkey chubs on sale for 1.25. Then Smiths had canned sloppy joe mix on sale for .50. That's just 1.75 for the meat and the mix. Then even if you bought your buns for 1.50, you could serve a salad and carrot sticks and a glass of milk to cover all the food groups. Or to make it even less expensive, you could just serve either the salad or the carrots and maybe make your own buns with your favorite bread recipe (it's a bit more work than making bread, but not much).
Don't assume that Costco, Sams or Walmart, or any one store, have the cheapest prices. To go along with the last thought, you could go to Walmart and price match, or go to the different stores who have the things on sale you need if you have time and energy. Many times it is really worth going a bit further to shop.
We're having a class on February 3rd about coupon shopping, which should be very helpful also.
Okay, so these are my ideas. What are yours? I know people are looking at this site, because you tell me you are, so leave your comments. You may not know who's life you may change with your small, or big, idea.
Next, I plan to try on a weekly basis to go through the ads and posting some ideas for dinner you can purchase specifically from the ads. If I don't do it every week, sorry, sometimes life gets away from me, but I'll try really hard. Again, you're welcome to give your own thoughts.
Good luck everyone. Don't forget to get Heavenly Fathers help. Yes, he'll help even with grocery shopping. He cares about everything in your life.
Michelle

Great Food Deals

Here are some great deals you can get from a couple of places:

Macey's Grocery- Canned pumpkin .69 a can, for the big cans. Great price
www.alpinefoodstorage.com-is a family run food storage business run out of their home in Highland. They have weekly deals to just pick up or order. Sign up for their email and get at least weekly updates, sometimes multiple times a week. Very nice to work with. Right now they have licorice in different flavors $1.50 per lb. among other things, and are taking orders for pecans, organic coconut and pasta.
Michelle

Carter's Outlet Clearance

This weekend only, take an extra 20% off all clearance at the carter's outlet in Jordan Landing.

Closeout Prices

I was just at the Saratoga Springs Smith's and they are closing out many brand of laundry detergent. The closeout price on certain types of Tide, All and generic laundry soap is up to 50% off or more.

What better time to stock up for that year supply? Just head down the detergent isle and look for the purple closeout tags. (They are also closing out various other products, including hair care.)

We Need Your Recipes!

There has been a request for input from you for your favorite food storage meals. It can be anything you make, that you would have items in it that would sit in your pantry. It doesn't even have to have beans or wheat in it at all. I know all of you have a favorite meal you can just make up from stuff in your pantry. We all need them to help us with our meal planning. Thanks! I'm so excited to see your recipes!
Michelle

Ideas for Getting dinner on the table every night

There are some great ideas on www.everydayfoodstorage.net that was posted today to help everyone get dinner on the table everyday. These ideas are simple, but effective. I know many of you don't have a problem making dinner everyday, but some have a harder time, with their schedules, etc. Check this web out either way, maybe you'll get an idea you haven't tried that might make your life easier. It would be great to hear your ideas, and the things you do to help you get dinner on the table more often than not.
Michelle

Goods Swap

We have a 71/2 foot artificial Christmas tree in good condition. Please contact by Saturday January 10th.

Have a winter coat. Boy size 12, gray with orange stripe, in great condition.

PASTA

I know I said I was going to do salt next for our storage item, but I came across this deal for pasta that is time sensitive so needed to do it. As soon as this order is done, we'll do the salt. Some of the specifics of the pasta is that it is coming straight from the producer and isn't produced until ordered. There are several kinds of pasta I've not run across in bulk, including organic and whole wheat organic. If you're interested, email me at crazymama963@msn.com and I'll email the order for to you. The glitch is that the order is due by January 12th.
Michelle

READY, SET,GO!!!

Each week you will be given suggestions to help you (us) get better prepared. I will try to put suggestions for beginners, but also for those who aren't such beginners, to help keep everyone going. If I don't have suggestions for the non-beginners sometimes, sorry, but go ahead and do something that will help you that week. You're also welcome to give suggestions, I cant' think of everything. Try to think of your storage space as a grocery store in your home. Be sure, as you're making up your menu list, to include easy meals for those crazy days, when there just isn't as much time, or energy, as you need to make a meal. You will save so much money and feed your family more healthfully over going by a fast food place with just a little bit of planning.
Okay, so here goes

January:
Week 1-beginner: clear a space for your storage items, get it clean of dirt and make sure it's dry, bug and rodent free. Start a list of meals your family eats on a daily basis. Purchase some bottled water.
-non-beginner: Add to your water storage. Make sure what you have is still good. Rotate any foods needing rotating, or get rid of items not used frequently enough or out of date.

Week 2-beginner: get some shelving, either by buying or building some. Figure out how to have extra mandatory medications in your home for long term emergencies. Continue your meals list. Get more water.
-non-beginner: Figure out how to have extra mandatory medications in your home for long term emergencies. Try a new menu meal you think your family will love.

Week 3-beginner: make a "grocery list" of foods to go in your storage based on your meals list. If you don't have at least 14 days of meals listed, look for some recipes and try them on your family. This list is to help you get a 3 month supply of food. Use items rarely used out of your pantry to clear space for items more frequently used.
-non-beginner: replace items recently purged with up dated items. Add to your grocery list, any new items needed for your new meal.

Week 4-beginner: begin purchasing items from your "grocery list". Purchase in bulk where possible. Purchase a wide of a variety each week as possible with your budget for food. Make dinner at least 6 nights this week.
-non-beginner: start filling in where your may be a bit lacking. Make dinner at least 6 nights this week.

GET IT DONE IN 2009

For quite a while now, I have had people tell me they would like to have more specific suggested items to purchase for storage and emergency prep. items, like what to buy each week. And for quite a while I've been fighting it. Since the Church put out the new suggested guidelines for storage, suggesting more along the lines of store what you eat, and eat what you store, than concentrating on poundage of grains, etc., I've really had a hard time with specific weekly suggestions.
However, I've come to realize and understand, that suggestions can be made which are specific, but not too specific, and if your family doesn't eat what is suggested, you can get something else, or save the money for later. So, if you feel as many others do, that this is the year for your family to get as prepared as possible, and to learn to live a more low cost, more simple life style, then you'll want to keep an eye on this blog. You will be getting not only suggestions on purchases for food storage, be it long or short term, but also emergency preparedness items for your home, car and work. You will also be getting, and hopefully contributing to, recipe ideas to help you use some of the longer term items in everyday eating that your family will love. As well as many other things to help keep us all motivated to get as prepared as we can be, for what ever may come up.
Good luck, don't get discouraged, and remember that your input, large or small, is worth something!
Michelle