"Preserving Food When a Storm Hits Home"

“Random Sampler,” Ensign, Aug 2009, 68–69

Marti Johnson and John Hal Johnson, “Preserving Food When a Storm Hits Home,” Ensign, August 2009, 68–69

When power is out for a few hours or a few days, what can you do to keep cold storage items from spoiling? Here’s what I’ve discovered after extensive research and consulting with my father, a retired professor of food science.

• • Keep the refrigerator or freezer door shut to minimize the loss of cold air. The temperature needs to stay below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). To check the temperature, keep a portable thermometer on the top shelf of each unit. Freezer temperature should maintain ice crystals—that means it should be at or below 5 degrees F (-15 C) to keep quality. Frozen meat that has partially thawed but still has ice crystals can be safely refrozen. Chest freezers keep foods frozen longer.
  
  
• • If the refrigerator is unopened, the food inside should be safe for at least four hours. Most full freezers keep food frozen for two days if the doors remain closed. If the freezer is half full, however, you’ll need to quickly group food together to preserve the cold; still, it may stay frozen for only a day. If thawing does start, meat products that still have ice crystals when the freezer starts working again can be safely refrozen and eaten later.
  
  
• • As a preventive measure, don’t leave the freezer low on food. If it tends to be near empty, fill plastic gallon bottles with water and keep them frozen in the freezer.
  
  
• • Put trays beneath frozen food in case it begins to thaw and leak. If you have to move items to other locations, trays will help you move food faster.
  
  
• • Add bagged or block ice to the refrigerator or freezer if the power isn’t restored quickly or if a technician can’t come immediately.
  
  
• • If the power outage continues and the freezer’s cooling ability is still affected, use camping coolers. Put the most-valued items in the coolers and pack the top with bagged or large block ice. You’ll need about two 10-pound bags per day to chill a loaded 60-quart cooler. Remember to drain the coolers regularly as the ice melts, particularly if your food is not in waterproof containers, or start cooking the food.
  
  
• • If you are worried about the quality of food once the refrigerator and freezer are working again, throw it away. Dealing with food-borne illness isn’t worth the risk.
  
  
• • Store a variety of shelf-stable foods. Many freezer foods, including meat, can also be canned and stored on your pantry shelf.
  
  
• • Keep this information and other handy references in an emergency preparedness binder or folder.

Random Sampler

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program."

Ensign link to a great article by President Spencer W. Kimball

Spencer W. Kimball

"Seven Years of Plenty" - BAKING SODA

A great new source for information- check out this Blog- "Seven Years of Plenty" she has great info.


What would we do without baking soda and baking powder? These two leavening agents play an important role in baking. Baking soda is also so useful in many other ways.


FROM a post on all the useful things you can do with baking soda, besides cook with it. This stuff is really amazing. It is important to use it while it is still fresh. Here are some "fresh tests."


Baking Powder Fresh Test
Add 1 tsp. of baking powder to 1/3 cup hot water
Mixture should bubble immediately


Baking Soda Fresh Test
Add 1 tsp. baking soda to 3 T. vinegar
Mixture should fizz up quickly


Since 1846 Baking Soda has been around to make our lives easier. We all use it in baking. There are many other uses for baking soda that would be useful in food storage. It can keep for 2 years, unopened and about 6 months opened. Here are a few ways to use baking soda.
Shampoo
Baking soda can be used on dry hair. It will absorb the oil. Simply sprinkle on and comb through your hair.
Deodorant
Apply baking soda under arms using a powder puff.
Toothpaste
Dip a damp toothbrush into the baking soda and brush.
Mouthwash
Use 1 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Swish through your mouth and rinse.
Facial cleanser 
 Use 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub on face and then rinse away.
Facial scrub
Follow the above recipe, but add oatmeal. Rub on face and then rinse away.
Water softener 
If you find yourself having to boil water before drinking it, you can add 1 T. of baking soda per gallon of water to soften the water. 


Also, to test the baking soda's freshness, pour a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice over 1/2 tsp. baking soda. If it doesn't bubble, it is to old to use. This really is a valuable food storage product. 


Seven Years of Plenty 

"If we have grown soft, hard times may be necessary. "

“Settle This in Your Hearts”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Neal A. Maxwell, "“Settle This in Your Hearts”", Ensign, Nov. 1992, 65

---

Neal Maxwell

Getting an Education

We asked Vicki Lytle to share her experience negotiating the community college system and getting into a state university.  She provided us with the following excellent article.  There are undoubtedly those may feel that they are not in a position to use this information, but we ask that you consider passing this along to those in your family who can use this information.  L&K President Gordon B. Hinckley and other church leaders have taught on many occasions that the Latter-day Saints, especially young Latter-day Saints, should get all the education they can get. Beginning or continuing to earn a bachelors degree is an excellent way to be prepared for the future.  It is cost effective to begin at a community college, but eventually you will have to transfer to a four-year university to obtain a bachelors degree.  The first step is to apply at the university you have chosen. Each school has different procedures, so call or e-mail the campus and follow the steps.  After being accepted, look for funding.  There are several avenues to follow. 1.  FAFSA.  Always apply for a federally funded grant at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  It is a clear and easy-to-follow web site that explains why and how to apply.  You will need all your tax information from the previous year.  Even if you do not qualify for or want a grant, many programs require a current FAFSA application on file before they can work with you.  FAFSA is the acronym for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. 2.  Counseling.  Call the university and set up an appointment with a general education counselor.  The counselor will help you map out a course of classes that will meet your educational goals.  They also have pages of financial resources to give you.  Many scholarships are not awarded because no one applied for them.  Every school has grants available also, but you must apply for each grant within a specified time frame. 3.  Avoiding scams.  There are thousands of web sites devoted to helping interested parties get into college, but be careful. Information on getting into college or getting scholarships is always free from the government.  Any site that asks you to pay for information is a scam and there are thousands of them.  A good site to begin at is www.fedmoney.org.  However, even at this site there are schools advertising, so always remember to peruse cautiously. 4.  Tax benefits.  There are some new programs discussed on the IRS web site (www.irs.gov) under the link, Tax Benefits of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Tax deductions that can be taken are also explained. 5.  Help from your employer.  Always ask your employer about tuition reimbursement or other incentives for getting an education.  Many companies set aside funds for the training and education of employees, either as a scholarship or just as a grant.  If your degree is job-related in any way, your company may pay for all or a sizeable portion of your tuition. After choosing a major, set up an appointment with a counselor in your major.  You may have to apply to be accepted into that major program.  The counselor can help you to select the best classes for you and to follow all the correct procedures.  Meet with the counselor every year or even every semester.  You are entitled to that service and have paid for it in your student fees. The most important procedure to remember is to ask whenever you do not understand or need direction. The university wants you to succeed and no question is “stupid” or unnecessary.  Finally, don’t assume you have to have completed a degree to benefit from college.  Often what you learn in a single class enables you to apply for a higher position.  And sometimes you’ll find out about a job from others in your class or are eligible for certain positions simply because you are a student.  Good luck! President Gordon B. Hinckley:  “Be smart. You are all in school. Do not waste your time. This is a time of great opportunity that you will never have again as long as you live. Make the most of it right now. It is wonderfully challenging. It is hard, it is tough, isn’t it? But what a wonderful thing to go and learn of all the accumulated knowledge of all the centuries of time. Go on to college or whatever school, vocational school, whatever your choice is, but take advantage of every opportunity that you have because the Lord has laid upon you a mandate through revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning not only spiritual learning but secular learning. Yours is the responsibility, and you can’t afford to waste your time. There is so much to learn. Be smart. Give it the very best that you have.”  (Emphasis not in the original.) "None of us can assume that he has learned enough. As the door closes on one phase of life, it opens on another, where we must continue to pursue knowledge. Ours ought to be a ceaseless quest for truth. . . . As we go forward with our lives and our search for truth, let us look for the good, the beautiful, the positive." —Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 301 "You belong to a church that teaches the importance of education. You have a mandate from the Lord to educate your minds and your hearts and your hands. . . . There can be no doubt, none whatever, that education pays. Do not short-circuit your lives. If you do so, you will pay for it over and over and over again." —Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer for Youth,” Ensign, Jan. 2001, 4, 7 "Because of our sacred regard for each human intellect, we consider the obtaining of an education to be a religious responsibility. . . . Our Creator expects His children everywhere to educate themselves." —Russell M. Nelson, “Where Is Wisdom?” Ensign, Nov. 1992, 6

Save Money - by "Going Shopping" without Leaving Home

Have you ever run out of something while fixing a meal?  

Don't hop in the car for a quick trip to the store. 

Shop your pantry storage instead!

Have you ever been in the middle of preparing a certain recipe only to discover that you've run out an item you need, and so you make a quick trip to the store to get it? Or, in the middle of the afternoon, you wonder, "What shall I fix for dinner?" You then run to the store for the ingredients.

It is those "Quick" trips to the store for an item or two that can wreck havoc with the food budget.  First, we pay more for the items we go pick up because they're usually not on sale at that time. Second, we often buy extra items while there.  Have you ever gone to the store for a bottle of milk and returned having spend $25, leaving you without enough money to get through the rest of the month? Don't feel bad. Most shoppers do it at least once a month.

Here's why: if you observe the layout of a grocery store, you'll notice you have to take the "grand tour" of the store to get to the milk.  As you tour along, you pass tempting displays that convince you that you just have to have some of this and a little of than.  before you know it you've succumbed and overspent your budget.  That's why these quick trips can really kill a food budget, to say nothing of the extra gas and car wear, and the time you have wasted.

These "quickie" trips can be done away with by planning ahead and utilizing a food storage cupboard, closet, pantry, area, or food storage room. It is simple if you can follow this plan (or your own adaptation).

First, after reading the ads and before making your shopping trip, plan the week's menus.  In planning menus, try to incorporate the store's "loss leaders" in addition to items you might have on hand in your food storage pantry. (Loss leaders are the items priced low just to get you into the store- they are usually on an end-cap)

Second, make the shopping list and include the items you will need in order to prepare the meals from the planned menu.

Third, in a food record, keep a running list of items your family uses regularly.  Make a note when you start to run low on them so you can watch for sales and replenish before running out completely.

Planning ahead this way prevents having to run to the store for a little of this and that.  Everything you need will be in your pantry or food storage room.  It's like having your own store in your home. Because of this you will be able to go to the pantry storage area and find the shelves well stocked with items you use year in and year out, and items you bought when they were on sale. If you can do it, buy enough to last six months to a year.  

This is better than having to rely on the grocery store every time you need something.  You can be independent - or self-reliant - or shelf-reliant.

Having a fully supplied food resources can also give you peace of mind knowing that you are prepared should a crisis arise.

Storage means Security and Savings

Remember these steps -

1. After checking the ads and your food storage, plan your menus in advance of shopping trips.
2. Make shopping lists including items from your planned menus.
3. Include on your shopping list items from your food record that are running low.
4. Stock your pantry storage with goods purchased in bulk or on sale.

Going Shopping Without Leaving Home is having your own store at home -- a great way to live. 


You may not want an empty pantry like this one, but it might be a good place to start.

 Context for this article

• Kirt and I owned a grocery store for eight years, so we have a pretty good idea of how stores merchandise their wares to entice shoppers to buy them.
• At another time in our lives,we had to live for eight months exclusively on our food storage, and then in the next few months we were able to add about $5 a month for some fresh produce. By having our own storage we were in a position where we didn't need to accept any church or government assistance.

Saving Money while Grocery Shopping

Helpful hints for saving money when you shop for groceries:

1. Make  List
2. Never when hungry
3. Only shop alone 

  1.  Look at the sales, plan your menus {especially the main dish}, make a list.

2. You may have the best shopping plan but if you go shopping on an empty stomach it can upset that plan. When you are hungry while shopping it makes items you would otherwise ignore become suddenly appealing. This is the time when you feel like buying candy bars, soda, potato chips -- the items you don't really need, budget-wise or health-wise.

So, just plan to eat something before your leave home.  I know it sounds too simple, but it is truly a money saver. You will be able to make a much more intelligent effort at deciding what you should buy rather that what looks good to you at the moment.

3.  Taking the family shopping with you can be disastrous to your plan for two reasons: with the family along, your attention is continually distracted from what you're trying to do; that is, shopping wisely and saving money.

Even if you have a great, detailed list and a definite shopping strategy, the kids will usually start asking and whining for this or that until you finally give in and buy it for them. It can be surprising to discover how all those little extras can add several dollars to your bill, not to mention that it is hard to keep your mind on what you're doing.

Taking hubby along can also alter your plans.  Spouses can be notorious for impulsive grocery shopping and can be a deterrent to your shopping plan. They may question your purchases and your plan, and they may also load the cart with unbudgeted "yummies" - items that are neither on your menus or your list.

Make a list, make a plan, don't go hungry and go alone.  With the money you save you can buy some more items for your "3-month supply of foods you normally eat".

3 month supply