The Pantry and Freezer Cleaned Out Continues

I'm doing some basic cooking as the pantry and freezer cleaned out continues.  It's basic by choice because we are working on a couple of projects on the house so creativity is out the door.  So far I've used up the rest of the moose meat, made a lovely meatloaf (ground beef) and quick stew in the pressure cooker.  In addition to the meats from the freezer, I've used up a few jars of home canned foods (stewed tomatoes, green beans, whole kernel corn) as well.   While the meals have been basic and easy to prepare, they have been delicious.  There is no real plan of action as to what to use.  It has been more or less I pull a piece of meat from the freezer look around in the pantry to complete the meal.  Tonight made bacon wrapped scallops and spaghetti squash from the freezer, and steamed fresh spinach and potatoes.  Funny story about the bacon ~ I had $50 worth of coupons for Maple Leaf products that had to be used by the end of December 2014.  Since we had away, I hadn't used them so had no choice but to use them all at once when I did my groceries for New Year's Day.  No Frill had Maple Leaf bacon on sale so that's what I bought.  Even after giving the kids a couple of packages, I still have several in the freezer!

Overall, I have made a slight dent in the pantry and freezers.  There's at least a bit of wiggle room now so if I keep up at this pace, both storage areas will be under better control in no time!   The past week's progress has been encouraging.  Even though there is still a lot to be used up, it is quite doable.  We are hosting games night and a Superbowl party so that will help reduce a few things too.  Next week, I plan to get a bit more creative with both the slow cooker and pressure cooker.  It's time to put a bit of fun into the cleaning out process!

Creamy Turkey Bake

We are in food crisis mode here!  Our pantry is overflowing, both chest freezers are stuffed and things are falling out of the refrigerator freezers.  Part of the problem stems from us being out of country for three months last year so we are using our pantry stores in the manner we were accustomed to.  My husband wants to extend our time at our vacation home to four months this year so for the foreseeable future, we will not be needing a full year's supply of food at home.  The bottom line is, I need to pare down the pantry and freezers so that means meals from both supplemented with fresh produce and dairy combined with reduced stocking.  I have a plan so we'll see how successful it is.

It is quite cold here so extra heat from the oven sounded good.  Last night's dinner used the rest of the milk, turkey and last roll of puff pastry from the freezer, a jar of home canned beans and mushroom soup from the pantry, two potatoes and Old Bay Seasoning to make a simple yet tasty casserole.  The bulk of the meal's ingredients came from the freezers and pantry, not bad for a start.  It doesn't seem like a lot but using something from the freezers and pantry to make a meal should make a difference.  It will be important to do this for every dinner so ideally five days a week since we eat out twice a week.  Some meals will use a bit more from both but others less.

There really isn't a recipe for this casserole.  I used one sheet of the puff pastry and about 2 1/2 c of cooked turkey cut into bite sized pieces, and a can of milk.  I cooked the potatoes in the microwave oven until just tender, then let cool enough to cut into bite sized pieces.  I drained the beans then mixed the turkey, potatoes and beans in a casserole dish.  I mixed the soup, milk and about a teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning in a separate bowl.  I poured the soup mixture over the turkey mixture as pictured then placed the sheet of puff pastry on top.  The puff pastry didn't fully cover the top, leaving about an inch open on each end.  I baked the casserole at 400°F for about 30 minutes until the filling was bubbly and the crust golden brown.

This casserole did not cut into neat, tidy squares.  Cutting through the crust then scooping out with a large spoon worked well.  The yield was 6 generous servings.  The turkey bake topped with the light, flaky crust was rich and creamy, warm and steamy just perfect for a frigid winter dinner.  Overall, I was pleased with the casserole.  It was just a bit higher in sodium than I would like but other than that the nutritional values were good. 

The sodium came from the puff pastry and soup, mainly the soup.  This is a problem with all commercially canned soups, one reason I seldom use them.  However, cream of mushroom soup is a pantry staple I use for quick sauces.  I will have to rethink that plan once I've exhausted my supply.  Thank goodness I only have a couple more cans left!

Nutritional information per serving:  518 cal, 47 g carbs, 17 g fat, 34 g protein, 1,046 mg sodium, 8 g fiber

PB2 vs Peanut Flour

Peanuts are an economical high source of protein.  A few days ago I wrote about a long time staple in our pantry, PB2 (powdered peanut butter).  This product is simply mixed with water to make traditional peanut butter for spreading but because it is made with peanut flour, it is lower in calories due to the lower fat content.  As a result, although PB2 was intended as a high protein food for camping and survival, it has become extremely popular with the weight loss crowd. 

Both PB2 and peanut flour can be difficult to find.  I have yet to find a local source.  I have found PB2 in Michigan but not the peanut flour.  In fairness, I haven't checked a lot of stores there as I can easily order online.  So, which is the better value?

Peanut flour is made from dry roasted peanuts that are partially de-fatted then ground into flour.  It is gluten free and high in protein.  Peanut flour can be used as a thickener for soups, a flavourful and aromatic ingredients for baked goods, a creative coating for meats and fish, a tasty protein boosting addition for smoothies and it can simply be mixed with water for a low calorie spread.  PB2 is made from peanut flour, sugar and salt. 

Peanut flour is slightly higher in calories at 110 cal/4 tbsp verses PB2 that is 90 cal/4 tbsp and it is just slightly higher in fat (35 g vs 26 g).  However, peanut flour is considerably lower in sodium with 0 mg sodium verses the 118 mg sodium in PB2.  It is slightly lower in carbohydrates than PB2 (8 g verses 10 g) and higher in protein at 16 g verses 10 g protein in PB2.  Peanut flour works out to 1¢/g (31¢/oz) while PB2 is double that (2¢/gr [61¢/oz]).  I found the peanut flour in a 907 g (32 oz) package which is a bit more convenient size for baking than the PB2 that comes in a 184 g (6.5 oz) container.  In my opinion, peanut flour is the better choice in terms of value for your food dollar.  It is more versatile without the added sugar and sodium that PB2 has. 

Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Like many families we increased our preparedness in 1999 as the new year drew closer.  We expected some disruptions but not the predicted end of society warnings.  Looking back, it was an amazing year of discovery in many aspects of our lifestyle.  At the same time, I discover many shelf stable products that despite seeming over preparing at the time, have become pantry staples.  I learned to make some of them like powdered fruits and vegetables.  However, I still buy and use powdered cheese, milks, honey and peanut butter.

PB2 is a natural powdered peanut butter that became popular with hikers, campers and survivalists.  I use it in applications where I want the rich flavour of peanut butter without the bulk.  In the last couple of months, I have discovered that PB2 is popular with those trying to lose weight because it has 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter.  A tablespoon of traditional peanut butterhas about 90 calories, 8 g fat and 3 g protein.  Two tablespoons of PB2 has 45 calories, 1.5 g fat and 5 g of protein.  PB2 can be used as a spread by mixing 2 tbsp of PB2 with 1 tbsp of water.  It can also be used in smoothies, shakes, and baking to boost protein while adding that wonderful peanut flavour everyone loves.  PB2 is also available with premium chocolate added.  It has 45 calories, 1 g fat and 4 g protein making the PB2 with chocolate a real calorie bargain.

My first experiment with no bake protein bars was the chocolate protein bars made with whey protein.  The results were promising so I went on to create a peanut butter protein bar.  I used a pea protein powder (Sequel Naturals Ltd., Vega Sport) to make these bars.  Honestly, I am very impressed with the Vega Sport protein powder.  It is only 130 g per 33 g scoop with 25 g protein, a calorie savings over the two whey protein powders I have.  The peanut butter protein bars are tasty but still have a slight stickiness.  I cut them into smaller bars as well so they could be used as a snack. 

Peanut Butter Protein Bars
recipe by:  Garden Gnome

1 c almond milk
2 scoops (66 g) Vega sport protein powder, vanilla
2 tsp Truvia baking blend
4 tbsp PB2
1½ quick cooking oats
1 tbsp coconut flour
1 tbsp peanut butter baking chips
1 tsp chia seeds

Place the oats in food processor bowl.  Process until fine, similar to flour.  Add Truvia, PB2 and coconut flour.  Pulse process to blend.   Pour the dry mixture into mixing bowl.  Pour most of the milk in and stir, adding just enough of the remaining milk to get the mixture to stick together.  Mix to form a ball that cleans the side of the bowl.  Place the ball on parchment paper.  Flatten and shape into a rectangular block.  Place parchment paper with the block on a plate.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Let chill to set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Cut into bars of desired size. Place the peanut butter baking chips in a small bowl.  Melt over another bowl of hot water.  Spread over the top of the bars.  Sprinkle the bars with chia seeds.

Yield: 12 bars

Nutritional value per bar: 78 calories, 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 6 g protein, 63 mg sodium, 2 g fibre

A Bit of a Pantry Update

It is hard to believe we have only been in this house nineteen months!  It is amazing how much the house has changed in such a short time especially when a total of 4 of those months were spent at our vacation home.  For the past month, I was busy preparing for the arrival of our new bedroom furniture.  What this really meant was furniture and things being moved about affecting the master bedroom, guest room, and office.  However, since I had to do a bit of shopping for accessories that spilled into the kitchen, upper bathroom, laundry room and pantry.  It never fails, as soon as you change one thing in the house it snowballs!

My pantry is always evolving to meet the current needs.  When I first starting setting up the pantry, we knew mice were getting in.  I bought four large wheeled totes to store boxed and packaged foods to protect them from any rodents until we had the problem under control.  Thank goodness it took very little time for the exterminator to solve the rodent issue, still I want all food protected just in case.  It did not take long to realize the storage totes while protecting the food, created a couple more problems.

Two of the storage totes (pictured) were stacked beside the industrial shelf unit on the west wall.  One was on a shelf on the industrial shelf unit on the east wall and one was under a serving table in the games room.  I started dismantling the tote setup before remembering to take a picture.  The wire racks on top of the totes hung from hooks on the rack.  Five larger plastic shoe box containers sat along the back of the top tote with a few odds and ends in front and four medium sized plastic containers on top of the shoe boxes.  The immediate problem was having to move everything to get into the lower tote.  The second problem was food easily became hidden ergo the potential for spoilage.  I decided that a one storage locker of some sort would be an excellent solution.

Last Wednesday I went to Jysk which is a bed, bath, and home store similar to IKEA but on a very smaller scale.  They had a one door pantry on sale for $59.99.  I had a couple of specifications I was looking for aside of size.  There had to be a back on pantry and I wanted the door to close in such a manner that there were no gaps a mouse could get through.  I found that the pantry at Jysk would work nicely.

I brought the pantry home and my husband put it together that evening.  The pantry measures 15¾" W x 16" D x 70½ H.  It  has three adjustable shelves plus the bottom shelf.  The door fits inside the frame ensuring no gaps wherIe a mouse could get in.  I may put a snap strap on the door just to be sure there is no give.  The back is smooth so there shouldn't be any leverage for a mouse to chew through either. 

I immediately started organizing the new pantry cabinet that night, surprised at how much the unit held.  All three plastic storage totes were removed from the pantry freeing up a surprising amount of space both physically and visually.  What I really like is I can immediately see what is in the cabinet. 

The new pantry cabinet gives a nice sleek look to that small bit of wall space.  It takes up less floor space than the two totes did plus I gained that storge space on the east wall unit for more filled boxes of home canned foods.  There is now another pail on top of the two pails to the left of the cabinet. 

I spent a bit of time the next couple of days tidying and organizing but there is still more I would like to do.  The window well is about a foot deep so I could gain more storage space by hanging mini blinds in place of the curtains.  It would be a good spot for some items that aren't used a lot.  There is room over the small freezer (south wall from where picture was taken) where a small cabinet or open shelving could hang.  I also need to find a new storage location for the drying and cooling racks but that is minor.  

At this point, all food in the pantry is protected by glass, metal, plastic and now the cabinet.  The exception is one squash and a half bag of potatoes so I need to make a rodent proof storage locker for holding these types of foods.  If a rodent were to get in which is unlikely given the measures we have taken but with our location (farm field behind) still a possibility, I can rest assured it won't get fed!   The pantry is on the lower lever so partially below grade.  Our house is in a location where flooding is possible.  While we have a sump pump and back-up sump pump system (runs on municipal water), I took the extra precaution of storing in glass and plastic as much as possible.  Insects have not been a huge problem other than carpenter ants graciously left behind by the former owner's woodpile but the exterminator took care of that problem as well.  I am rather pleased with this as it is surprisingly more difficult to keep all the foods stored in a pantry protected.   Any food stored in mason jars that could be affected by moisture (humidity) is vacuum sealed.  I am rather pleased I have been able to get the pantry to this stage of preparedness. 

I'm gearing up for the heavy canning season just around the corner.  I've been testing out the 4ever Recap canning lids while getting enough things like stocks and dried beans canned to last until the end of the heavy canning.  I'm also working on emptying one of the freezers for our 2013 beef on the hoof purchase and prepping for our vacation home plans this year which is looking to be over two months total there.  I'm also trying to finish up a bit of the inside decor before turning my attention to outdoor landscaping and gardening.  It's busy times here but all in all very enjoyable!

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Ways to Stock the Pantry Without Breaking the Bank

I have spent the better part of the busiest of the food preservation season (mid-May to mid-October) restocking our depleted pantry stores.  Between our last house being on the market for a little over 18 months, buying our new house (move in date of Sep. 1, 2011) and spending time at our vacation home in the sunny south, my home food preservation took a huge hit.  At the same time, I refused to buy any food product that we didn't absolutely need even if it was an excellent sale.  That meant by the time we moved and started the settling in process after our fall vacation in 2011, we were completely out of or getting low on some of the commercial products we use, root vegetables and squashes I usually for part of the winter and that type of thing.  We had also let the freezers get low, not empty but not adding to them.  Mind you, it served as a means to use up some of our pantry stock and making it easier to move.  With empty jars and containers, you don't have to worry about food spoilage during the move and settling in period.  We started the move process on September 1, signed the papers on September 15 and left for our vacation on September 18.  We usually stay at our vacation home for a period of 3 to 5 weeks so I clean out the fridge as well.  During our fall vacation in October and winter vacation in December there is little point restocking much in the fridge.  So, in January of 2012 we were faced with a depleted pantry, almost bare refrigerator, and dwindling freezer contents.

I've been restocking ever since.  The big question is how could I afford to do this without breaking the bank?  First, I did have a tidy little stash of money because every time I didn't buy food, I put that money away for restocking after the move.  Here it is almost mid-November and I still have a bit ($145) of that stash left.  Here's how I've manage to restock the pantry, freezers and refrigerators without breaking the bank:

1. shop the sales - It goes without saying that shopping the sales can save considerable money on restocking BUT only if you cherry pick.  What this means is focusing only on the sale items that are on for an above average price then stock up on only those with the realization that sales tend to be cyclic.  If the sale is cyclic, you only need to stock enough to get to the next sale although you may want to stock more if like myself you are aiming for a one to two year supply.  I used this method for rices, pasta, and flours as well as fresh produce like mangoes and mandarin oranges to home can.  The local grocery store here usually puts 10 lb bags of potatoes, onions, carrots and beets on for under $2 in season.  All of these can be preserved plain or used as ingredients in other dishes like casseroles for the freezer.
2. shop the farm stands - Shopping the farm stands can save a lot of money if you are willing to buy a quantity of the produce.  For example, there may not be much of a savings on a 10 lb bag of potatoes but there is if buying a 50 lb bag. In season, a 10 lb bag of potatoes will go for about $2 but a 50 lb bag will go for $4 to $7.  Potatoes as with most produce can be home canned, dried, or froze so buying the larger bag allows you to get more into your pantry and freezer than the smaller bags. 
3. the 10% rule - We certainly do not shop at grocery stores the way most folk do.  It is usually cherry picking the sales or picking up something we really need so we are not doing a weekly shopping.  We have a 10% rule.  If the bill will total $50 and I do keep track when shopping, then $5 of that $50 must go towards stocking the pantry.  It is surprising how much you can buy for $5 if you really want to.  For example, I can get $45 worth of groceries and just under $5 worth of dried pasta (5 x 750 g bags) or 5 tins of tuna (on sale) or two bags of dried beans to stock the pantry.  This really is an almost pain free way to restock the pantry.
4. know our usage - We are fairly good at calculating out usage.  For example, if we have plain pasta sauce once a week, we need 52 jars of home canned pasta sauce for the year but this would be the same amount as if you were buying it.  I add in a bit extra for the just in case times and entertaining which works out to 70 jars for us.  That becomes my target goal of the number of jars I need in the pantry.  There is no point stocking more than that unless there is some indication there may be a problem with supply the following year.  The same is true of anything we stock in the pantry or freezers.
5. home food preservation - If you grow your own produce or have access to inexpensive to moderately priced produce then home food preservation (eg. drying, freezing, canning) is a must for saving when stocking pantries and freezers.  Home dried herbs and herb blends are next to nothing.  Home dried produce especially if you grow it yourself is next to nothing as is home canned or home frozen produce.  Even if you have to buy your produce, home food preservation can still save you a bundle of money while filling those pantry shelves.  
6. homemade mixes - If you like convenience mixes then homemade is for you when stocking your pantry!  There are whole websites dedicated to making your own mixes that are healthier and cheaper than store bought.  For example, a store bought cake mix costs at $1 contains at most 30¢ of ingredients with the rest being packaging plus you still have to add the liquid and/or egg.  I spent less than 15 minutes packaging 10 jars of my favourite white cake mix into mason jars then vacuum sealing at a cost of under $3.  They are ready to use when I want them and they aren't filled with harmful additives.  The same can be said for rice/pasta mixes (eg. rice-a-roni), helper mixes (eg. Hamburg Helper), seasoning mixes (eg. taco, poultry) and dip or salad dressing mixes.  
7. think whole - Whole foods save considerably on the food bill in general.  These are the foods that tend to be on the outer walls of a grocery store (eg. produce, meats, dairy).  All can be preserved in some fashion at home.  Other whole foods are your flours, sugars, whole grains, legumes, dried beans, rices and for convenience dried pastas although homemade pasta is tastier yet less expensive.  Whole foods can be used to make a wide range of dishes without all the nasty packaging or food additives while saving a lot of money.  When restocking a pantry or even just stocking, those listed are ideal with the exception of dairy that does not home can well but some dairy products can be froze.  With the exception of legumes, whole grains and dried beans I can usually find the rest on sale.
8. bulk food store - Our bulk food stores are designed so that you can buy as little or as much as you want of any given food product they carry.  That means I can buy a tsp of a needed ingredient verses a 3 oz bottle or I can buy a lot of an ingredient depending on my need not the size the manufacturers package it in.  This is a great cost saver when buying seasonings like turmeric where you won't use much of in a year or seasonal seasonings like pickling spice.  Again, when shopping for these spices and seasonings think whole.  If you buy 5 kinds of herbs/seasonings you can make upwards of 10 seasoning blends by mixing and matching for a fraction of store bought seasoning blends.

My Somewhat Restocked Pantry

I was beyond excited when we bought this house last year knowing full well the fifth bedroom would be used as a full size pantry.  The room is located on the lower level of a bi-level home.  It is approximately 11' x 10' so has ample storage space.  The pantry is home to all of our home canned foods, dried foods, two chest freezers and specialized kitchen appliances.  I have spent a considerable amount of time restocking and organizing the pantry  over the past few months.

The pantry is located off the large games room (out of camera range) on the lower level, on the north wall of our house, across from the lower bathroom and adjacent to a door leading to the outside.  It does of course have both AC and heating to maintaining a constant temperature is not an issue.  Not only is the room spacious, it is almost square with a nice window that really isn't needed in a pantry but the depth can be used for extra storage.  There is a nice size closet that when cleaned out of the boxes from moving can be used for additional storage.   It is by any accounts one of the nicest and most spacious pantries we have ever had.  Oh, and I did notice the walls in the pictures look purple.  They aren't.  The walls in the hall and games room are almost a chocolate brown and the walls in the pantry are a taupe with a funky black racing stripe.

As you enter the pantry to the left (west wall) there is a large closet ( just barely shown to the left).  It is home to a few boxes we haven't unpacked yet.  I do have a nice over the door rack to hang a few things on the pantry door.  The west wall has large plastic storage totes that are going to be replaced with a storage locker.  An industrial wire mesh shelving unit hold a lot of staples like baking needs, dried pastas, commercially purchased foods and home canning.  Our house backs onto a farm field so everything in the pantry is protected from rodent damage.  Rodents did get in last year when the field was harvested but since hiring an exterminator, we have had no problems.  Still, everything is protected as we spend an average of three months outside of the country.

The north wall has a nice size window that will end up being blacked out with the new deck in 2013.  What I would like to do with that space is turn it into storage as the window well is a good foot deep.  I have pails of dry food in recycled ice cream bins (right) and other recycled rodent proof food grade containers.  There is a smaller wire rack to house recipe books, canning supplies and basically whatever else I can fit on it.  Beside that is our largest chest freezer.  We down sized this freezer when we moved to our last house.  It is just borderline small but will hold a half a beef with a bit of extra room and it is EnergyStar rated.  To the front of the north wall are three boxes of mason jars.  I was in the midst of home canning when I took the picture so that's where they were.  They will be filled with home canned goodies shortly.

The east wall of the wall has a huge, industrial strength shelving unit we got from one of our friends who has a grocery store franchise during their renovation.  It houses a lot of our small kitchen appliances.  Not seen but to the back of the top shelf are two knitting machines and on the bottom adjacent to the freezer are boxes of my candlemaking supplies.  The second to the top shelf has 206 jars of wonderful home canned tomato product.  The bottom shelf is home to home canned products in cases waiting their spot on shelves.

If you look close, I like using painter's tape for labeling.  It comes off cleanly without causing any damage to the cartons or shelving.  I use a Sharpie to write on it.  It's not high tech but it works for us.

The south wall of the pantry is short as that is the entrance wall.  It has the smaller freezer, home to poultry, pork and fish.  To the corner, there is enough room to stack two rows of empty jars which was stacked to the ceiling before I started the busiest canning season.  BSo eside the freezer, there is a small wire shelf that is used for plastics, cook books and extras.  I don't have much in the way of plastic storage so don't need a lot of storage space to begin with.

There is a bit of space above the freezer where we are thinking of adding a cabinet.  So there is still a fair amount of potential for increasing the storage in our pantry.  It is still not fully stocked but I'm working on it.  I am pleased that so far the pantry is organized and progressing nicely.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Food Anti-Hoarding Law in Canada

I can long remember my childhood days filled with wonderful food memories.  Part of that was a very well stocked pantry.  I have always carried that tradition with me and it has served us well.  It is so much easier to deal with the uncertainties of life, the curve balls life throws at you and simple day to day living with a full tummy.  During the y2K scare, we increased our preparedness but in all honesty, keeping a well stocked pantry remained a norm.  At that same time, I became involved in a few newsgroups relating to the y2K scare.  Like many on the newsgroups, we keep an 18 month to 2 year food supply in our home.  All of a sudden, folks were warning about anti-hoarding laws where your food stores could be confiscated.  They warned of not letting anyone know about your food stores.  The thing is, in Canada even today a well stocked pantry is a matter of survival in many remote areas and a must unless you live close to a larger urban centre.  A year's supply of food is quite reasonable to get a family from one growing season to the next with a bit extra just in case.  With the growing interest in home canning as a way of self sufficiency and putting a healthier, additive free food on the table, the idea of an anti-hoarding law in Canada was a bit discerning.  So I did a bit of research.

Canada was experiencing a severe shortage of sugar in 1918, specifically can sugar, not corn syrup, honey or maple products.  Only cane sugar that was imported and processed was restricted.  It was illegal to hold more than a 15 day supply of sugar in the city or 45 days if more than two miles from a supplier.  Charges and convictions were against merchants and suppliers that hoarded foods like eggs, butter and cheese then allowed it to spoil when folks were going hungry.  I could find no convictions against householders meaning their stores did not fall under the temporary anti-hoarding laws to begin with.  Food control was in place in Canada during World War I  to reduce the home consumption of certain foods required for feeding the troops but at the same time Canadians were encouraged to have household gardens to help supply some of the food they required.  Any food anti-hoarding laws in Canada were very short lived, ending with World War I.  There has been no food anti-hoarding laws in effect in Canada since 1918.  That means, in Canada we are free to stock whatever foods we deem necessary for our family and lifestyle. 

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Stocking the Pantry for Illnesses

The kids and grandkids visited us on Saturday for a pool party and BBQ.   Two of our grandkids and their parents stayed overnight.  I woke in the early morning hours of Sunday with a horrid sore throat.  By the time brunch was over, my voice was fading quickly.  After the kids left, we had friends over for more swimming and a BBQ but by dinner there was no way I could eat anything solid.  Today, I have no voice period, notta, nothing, not even a squeak and my throat is still quite painful.  While an injury can interrupt cooking via restricted mobility, illness is often worse especially if you are the only cook or primary cook in the household.  The very smell of some foods cooking or even the smell of coffee quite often do not sit well when you are ill and physically you simply may not feeling like doing any cooking at all.  The problem is and as tempting as it may be to no eat, your body needs nutrients to help fight off the illness and heal so it is very important to continue eating even if you don't feel like it.  It is also very important to drink plenty of water to rid your body of toxins while it heals.  The well stocked pantry takes this into account.  Here are a few things I keep on hand to help us get through illness.

• jello -  Jello has a long shelf life and is very easy to prepare even when you are ill.  While it doesn't provide a lot of nutrients, it is an easy source of sugar to prevent your blood sugar from dropping too low and it is generally well tolerated for most illnesses.
• green tea -  Green tea itself does not have much in the way of nutrients but it is high in anti-oxidants and helps your liver eliminate toxins during your illness.  It is soothing for sore throats yet the smell isn't enough to turn your tummy.
• chamomile tea -  Chamomile tea has natural calming properties to help you relax and sleep better.  The body needs extra sleep to help heal during illness.
• honey - Honey has natural anti-bacterial properties.  Not only does it sooth sore throats it helps control harmful bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract while promoting healing.
• instant potatoes - Instant potatoes are an easy way to get a few nutrients and fiber into you without much effort.  Add a light sprinkling of salt especially if you have a a bit of a fever.  This will add needed sodium you have lost through sweating.  Do not add dairy (eg. butter, milk) if the illness is intestinal.  If there is any signs of nausea eliminate all dairy until you are feeling better.
• Lipton chicken noodle soup - This really is a childhood thing because my Mom always made Lipton noodle soup when I was sick.  This boxed soup mix has a long shelf life and is easy to prepare without the longer cook time and smell of homemade chicken soup.  It is fairly nutritious with easily tolerated noodles that provide starch and a small amount of fat from the broth.  Be warned, this soup mix is high in sodium so should not be consumed when ill if there are any signs of dehydration.
• home canned broths - Broth is made using the meat and bones.  Home canned broths are very nutritious containing vitamins, a small amount of fat and protein.  It's easy to warm, soothes sore throats and is fairly well tolerated if suffering from an intestinal upset.
• saltine crackers - Saltine crackers are very effective for calming nausea.  They provide sodium and starch.
• apple cider vinegar (ACV) - ACV has anti-bacterial properties as well as beneficial properties for the gastrointestinal tract.  It helps calm nausea and aids with digestion.  One tsp of ACV in warm water helps to sooth sore throats.  If you don't like the taste of ACV there are ACV tablets available in the dietary supplement section of the drug store.
• cranberry juice - We don't drink much in the way of fruit juice but when ill we drink cranberry juice.  This provides Vitamin C while supporting your urinary tract to help rid your body of toxins.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - A Mouse in the House

We have been happily married for over 30 years and while I did have to deal with mice in my childhood home, I was very fortunate to not have to deal with them until we moved to a rural location.  I have extensive experience with lab mice (they really don't like pap smears!) and pet mice,  I'm sorry but I do not tolerate wild mice in home.  Wild mice are vectors of disease while contaminating foods and surfaces.  I find nothing cute about them so take a very aggressive approach to rodent control.  They are nasty little, destructive critters!  Our second last house had a farmer's field behind and water in the front as did our last house.  This house backs onto a small farmer's field.  When the crops come off the mice come in.  It is a given.  I did the house walk-around, sealing every crack I could find here and when the crops came off though I was in the clear yet when we arrived home from vacation on December 21, there were mouse droppings in the pantry.  There were no signs of it getting into any food but aside from a few packages, all the food in the pantry is protected and when we checked the traps yesterday they were completely clean of the peanut butter!  My husband reset then with cheese, securing it tightly under the bait area.  This morning there was a mouse in one of the traps.

Rodents (eg. mice, rats, squirrels) can be a potential problem in any dwelling regardless of the age, style or location of the home.  They can create an health and safety hazard as well a fire hazard if they chew on the electrical wiring.  However, some locations such as those within a close proximity to crop fields are more prone to rodents getting indoors.  Older homes may be more prone as quite often they are not sealed as well.  If you live in a location where there is an existing higher rodent population (eg. inner city) there is a greater likelihood of a rodent getting into your house.  If one or more rodents get into your house there are four steps that must be followed:

• clean-up and removal - A mouse in the living area of the house is easier to deal with than one in the attic or walls.  Mice and rats are nocturnal so turn off the lights and television then listen for the pitter patter of little feet.  That will give you an idea what area of the house the rodent is in.  If you see the tell tale signs of rodent droppings, mark the location then vacuum them up and set traps in that area near the perimeter of the room which is the normal path mice take.  Do not sweep up rodent droppings as that can cause virii or bacteria to become airborne.  If the infestation is bad, call in an exterminator especially if dealing with mice in the walls or larger infestations.
• seal rodents out - Seal all holes or other sources of entry for mice.  Pay particular attention to where wires and pipes enter or exit your house, under the eaves and where the house sits on the foundation.  Caulk all cracks, crevices and holes.  If the hole is larger, patch it with the appropriate material then seal well. 
• remove all food sources 
• All food should be stored in glass, metal or heavy plastic containers.  Be aware that plastic can allow food odours to escape attracting rodents and rodents can chew through plastic.  All boxed or packaged foods can be stored in non-food grade plastic as the food itself will not come into direct contact with the plastic.  There are several styles of plastic totes and bins with lids that will help protect your food.  Be sure the lid snaps on tightly though.  An alternative to bins is to use a metal storage locker that rodents cannot get into.  Use a metal breadbox to protect breads and rolls or put them into the microwave for storage.  Use food grade plastic to store foods that will come into direct contact with the plastic.  Heavy plastic pails can be found at doughnut shops and restaurants, usually free for the asking.  This is a good source for large glass pickle jars suitable for dry storage as well. 
• Floors and countertops must be kept squeaky clean, free of any crumbs as should your stove surface even under the burners where crumbs can accumulate.  The best tools to ensure no crumbs is the vacuum cleaner, electric broom or hand held mini vac.  
• Maintain a food in the kitchen only policy.  That will keep any crumbs confined to one area of the house making it easier to clean.  During an active infestation, put away all foods including your candy dish and fruit bowl.  Once the potential for infestation has been eliminated, they can be brought out again.
• Protect root vegetables, squashes and apples in your pantry by placing in a mesh box.  This is a box constructed using a wood frame and solid bottom with finer weave carpenter's cloth for the sides and lid.  The food smells may attract any rodents in the house but they will not be able to get to the food.  This box is best set up after eliminating any infestation and sealing your house.
• Remove any garbage and food unneeded leftovers from the kitchen and place in secure garbage bin until garbage collection day.  Use a bungie cord if necessary to keep rodents out of your garbage bins.

• prevention - I tend to declare a rodent infestation over once all signs of the rodent are gone.  However, once a rodent has got into your house it pays to continue with a good prevention plan.  Here are a few tips to help you keep mice out of your house:
• habitat removal - Remove any tall grasses including ornamental grasses and English Ivy from garden beds around your house.  Both provide nesting areas for rodents.
• feeding the birds - Feeding birds using any type of seed will attract rodents who are happy to help with the ground clean-up.  Any bird feeders should be kept well away from the house and seed droppings should be kept cleaned up.
• bait - In some locations, the regular use of poisonous rodent bait will help control the rodent population.  However, this is not a method I recommend on an ongoing basis.  It presents a danger to children and pets, as well as hawks and owls that feed on the rodents.  Instead, use the laws of nature to attract rodent predators that will keep the rodent population in check reducing the risk of them getting indoors without using poison.
• electronic rodent deterrents - These are electronic devices that emit a sound frequency and/or use your household wiring to create a vibration that mice do not like.  There has been some debate as to their efficacy but I have had excellent luck with them.  I use six indoor (Weitech, Victor, Global Instruments) electronic devices all sonic with one sonic/vibration.  Simply plug in the device where it will not be obstructed to keep rodents out of the protected zone.  I plug them in on the first signs of mice in the house and leave them plugged in until I am sure the mice are gone and I've done a complete perimeter check for any entry points.  I also plug them in a few days before the crops come off and leave them on for a couple of weeks.  These devices use the same amount of electricity as a night light which isn't much but we don't really need them on year round.  In some locations though, leaving the electronic devices on year round may be wise.
• the Scarecrow - The Scarecrow is a motion activated device that sprays a stream of water while making a startling noise to drive away pests including the two legged kind in the garden or other protected area.  From experience they are very effective against cats, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, dogs and meter readers snitching tomatoes.  I would think they would be effective against rats as well but can't say for certain as I have no experience with deterring rats.
• attract natural predators - Cats are good predators for mice but not all cats are hunters.  You really need a cat with inborn hunting tendencies.  Snakes, owls and hawks are all good predators to attract into your garden to keep the local mice population at bay.
• don't let your guard down - Even if you have sealed your house to prevent rodents from getting it, remember rodents tend to chew their way indoors if there is no easy point of entry.  Keep an eye out for any signs that a rodent has been trying to get into your house and block that point of entry as well.  If you get snowfall, watch for any rodent tracks near your house and take immediate preventative measures if you see any tracks.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - The Pantry in 2011

I have often spoken of the benefits of a well stocked pantry on this blog.  Here it is 2012 almost seven years after I started this blog and I am still tooting that same horn.  The holiday season is now past us and within a few days life will be getting back to normal.  I actually spent a couple of canning sessions restocking my pantry between Christmas and New Years.  You see, our house had been on the market for 18 months before it finally sold and being rather frugal I decided moving empty jars and emptier freezers would not put my food stock at risk so for that period of time we did a lot of eating from the pantry.  Trust me as a food blogger it made things a bit more challenging to find foodie blog fodder but in the end we had a lot less food to move.  Just think of the logistics of moving a one to two year supply of food and how much extra work it is, not to consider the weather and damages during the move that would result in food spoilage.  Ok, so back to the well stocked pantry.


During the 18 months our house was on the market, the gardens were at a minimum so I had to actually buy some produce that I normally would grow.  What produce growing when we moved September 1 was left to the new owner although we could have added a clause so we could have it.   In the spring of 2011, I greatly reduced my canning taking a calculated risk that the house would sell.  Money that I would have spent in 2010 on buying produce as well as those needed to keep the pantry well stocked in food went into my food savings fund. 

When we moved here in September we already knew we would be a our vacation home for a total of six weeks before the end of the year so I made no real effort to start restocking.  Instead the focus was on organizing my new pantry.  In short, our well stocked pantry saved us an awful lot of money in 2010.  Yes, I do need to do a bit of restocking especially the home canned foods of which I have already started but essentially we at from our pantry supplies for most of the year supplementing with fresh produce and dairy as needed. 


A well stocked pantry serves as a hedge against unemployment, lean times, inflation and times such as ours when life is simply changing.  It gives you the peace of mind that if nothing else you can still eat.  I cannot stress enough the importance of a well stocked pantry.  Make having a well stocked pantry your goal for 2012!  Take one step closer to your food security in 2012.  You do not need a large expenditure to get a well stocked pantry and this blog is full of ideas for stocking your pantry on the frugal side.  Check the archives.  If you are not growing some of your own food now, this is a good time to start if only growing sprouts indoors along with a few herbs.  Remember, a well stocked pantry is frugal and it helps to keep you on the frugal pathway!

Come Take a Walk Through My Pantry

I grew up in a small two-story house with an unfinished, unheated, dirt floor walk-out basement leading to the river's edge.  My Mom kept home canned foods on a large homemade shelf unit at the bottom of the stairs.  Apples, potatoes, and squash were kept in old fashioned wood bushel baskets sitting on wood planks.  My job was to retrieve any food needed from that horrible dungeon.  Many a time a mouse would scurry over my hands!  We even encountered muskrats and snapping turtles but thankfully the snakes stayed in the rock crevices that formed retaining walls for the yard.  That in itself is another story!  I swore when I got married my panty was always going to be large, organize, rodent free and finished.  Unfortunately our last two pantries met all the requirements except being rodent free so I quickly learned to seal the house, be on the look-out as soon as the fields were harvested and to protect our food storage by using glass and metal containers.

Welcome to my new pantry!  It is on the lower level of a bi-level house on the northeast corner.  The room is a former bedroom so is completely finished complete with a decorative paint stripe.  The window faces north so it gets good but not direct sunlight.  The window well is 12" deep to the edge of the window leaving ample room to install shelving for part of my continuous harvest indoor garden.

Pictured is the pantry looking from the hallway towards the north wall of the pantry.  Please keep in mind that I am still in the process of organizing the pantry so it is not quite as neat as I would like it to be and there will likely be a few changes yet as the need arises.  Also please keep in mind we just moved so prior to that I was focusing on reducing our pantry supplies and I did not do the volume of canning I normally do.

On the south wall of the pantry to the right of the door, there is a small wire industrial shelf unit, small chest freezer and two large stacks of empty canning jars.  I would love to say that was it for empty canning jars but there are a few more boxes in the garage.

There are cases of filled jars on the bottom shelf of the commercial shelf unit.  I label each box with the contents, date and number of jars since some cases have a mixture of contents.  The easiest system I came up with for labeling the cases was green painter's tape and a Sharpie.  It is easy, inexpensive and doesn't damage the cases so they can easily be relabeled when refilled.

The commercial metal shelf unit came from a grocery store.  We have three of them where they were originally in the garages of our last three houses.  This garage is a bit smaller and already has built-in shelving on one side so my husband brought one of the shelf units in for my pantry.  This is extra heavy duty shelving so I don't need to worry about what I put on it.  It is home to most of my kitchen small appliances, all necessary kitchen overflow, canning equipment, entertaining supplies and a bit of food in the plastic bins on the right (blue lids).

I want the bottom shelf for filled cases of home canned foods.  I can stack the 1L cases three high, the 500 ml cases four high and the 250 ml cases five or six high depending on the shape of the jar.  So that shelf will hold a lot of home canned food waiting to be moved to the food shelves.  Just past the stack of white and green boxes, I have an old freezer basket used for snacks like potato chips.  Next to that is my candle making supplies; the carton beside the wall is a 75 lb box of beeswax sheets.  I'll move these supplies when I need the space for cases of filled food. 

The north wall has the larger chest freezer and a lighter duty industrial metal shelving unit.  The shelving unit from top to bottom contains: cookbooks, canning supplies/specialty flours, coffees/teas/caramels/marshmallows, boxed crackers/cornmeal, and a variety of dried beans.  A few containers of dried foods sit on the floor next to the shelf unit awaiting a home.

In front of the freezer there is a box and grey bin that do not belong in the pantry but we don't have another spot for them yet.  On top of both are items awaiting a home as is the box of hot sauce in front of the grey box.

The bucket in front of the box was a source of much frustration.  The movers, without our knowledge, dismantled all of our metal shelving.  Both the light and heavy duty industrial shelving units we have require special plastic locking clips to secure the shelves.  The bucket went missing meaning we could not put the shelf units together.  We bought a new heavy duty unit just to get the pantry organized then the bucket was found a couple of days later so we could get some of the light duty units put together as well.

The heavy duty industrial wire shelving is on the west wall of the pantry.  As you can see it is quite full!  The food is organized according to type of food similar to what you would find in a grocery store.  From top to bottom: boxes of packaged dried pastas/tortilla chips/cheese sauce/canned chili, large container seasonings/commercial sauces/commercial condiments/commercial canned, home canned foods/commercial canned, ois/vinegars/homemade mixes/grains/legumes, and flours/pastas/rices.  Larger 5 gal pails of flour and pasta sit on the floor beside the unit.  My ever trusty Rubbermaid step stool sits in front of the full sized closet that will be used for food and beverage storage as the need arises.  It is currently housing several boxes that we need to organize as well as beverages.  There are wire wall units on top of the step stool that will be used on the walls for smaller items.  I use removable 3M hangers and C-hooks on the walls as needed as well as S-hooks on the shelf units to extend the storage.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Pantry Organization

My pantry at the house we just sold was about 8' x 10' with rather low, (about 5')  open beamed ceilings.  It was home to two freezers as well as copious amounts of food.  The pantry in our new home was formerly a bedroom on the lower level.  It is about 10' x 11' with a full 9' ceiling.  There is a window that is really not desirable in a pantry but that is easily dealt with.  The pantry has a full sized bedroom closet for additional storage and will be home to two freezers, two industrial shelve units (one came from a grocery store) and a couple of smaller knock off metal industrial shelving units.  It will house an eighteen to twenty-four month supply of food as well as small kitchen appliances and equipment.  This week's Frugal Kitchens 101 focuses on how I am organizing my new pantry [pictures later this week].

A well stocked pantry is one of the best safety nets in today's poor economy but it rather useless if it is not well organized.  The reasons being are, first you have to be able to find what you are looking for to eliminate duplicate purchases and, second you have to have a good rotation of food to prevent your carefully accumulated food stock from spoiling before it can be used.  Here are a few ways I organize my pantry:

• metal industrial shelving - This type of heavy duty wire shelving (eg. Alera available through Sam's Club or Home Depot) can hold 600 lb per shelf which means I can load the entire shelf unit with pretty much anything I want.  I also have a heavy duty, metal shelving unit that came from a grocery store that can hold a lot more weight per shelf.  The smaller, knock-off Alera units hold less but are great for dry goods.  I use S-hooks to hang pots, pans, utensils and food items as needed to extend the storage capacity of the shelving.
• like with like - Some home organizers recommend organizing a pantry with foods you cook together (eg. everything to make a pasta meal) but I don't like that method.  Instead, I organize according to similarity, much the same way a grocery store is organized.  For example, all rices together...all flours together...all baking needs together.  It makes a bit more sense to me.  
• labels - Labels become extremely important with a larger food pantry.  At any given time I have several boxes of home canned foods waiting to be moved onto shelves as they become available.  I label the front of each box with the contents, year made and number of jars using green painter's tape and a Sharpie then stack two to three cases high on the bottom shelf of my heavy duty industrial shelving.  I label each jar of home canned food with the contents, month and year it was canned.  I do the same for anything I freeze or dry or any container holding food. 
• systematic - I am very systematic about pantry storage, keeping a running list of what I need as items are used, buying when on sale then stocking enough to get to the next sale.  Home canned foods are stocked in the quantity to get from one growing season to the next.  The list is created by noting when I'm down to the last two or three items of that particular food so as to not run out entirely. This is a good way of determining how many jars of a certain food I need to can as well.
• rotation - It is very important that the food stored in the pantry is constantly rotated.  I put newly acquired food whether purchased or home canned/dried to the back so older food gets used first. 
• the floor - My pantry room floor is laminate wood and while the danger of flooding is low, anything stored on floors is in plastic pails or bins.  Floor space is ideal for stacking empty canning jars and bulk dried food purchases.  Everything is stored around the perimeter of the room leaving the centre of the room with ample space for unloading newly acquired foods as well as easy access to the stored foods.
• the walls - I use a variety of organizing baskets and hooks on the walls to utilize what would be otherwise wasted storage space.  The 3M removable hooks work well as do the screw in C-hooks.  
• the ceiling - Unlike my former pantry with a beam ceiling, my new pantry has a finished ceiling.  I plan on hanging a dowel for drying herbs from the garden.
• the window - Windows are not recommended in any pantry as light can cause certain foods to deteriorate faster.  If a window is present it is recommended that it be blacked out but I have a bit more interesting plan.  The window is above one of the freezers.  My husband is going to build a wood frame with shelves around the window where I can grow potted herbs and start seeds.  On the room side he is putting a room darkening shade so the window side that gets good light will be producing food while the pantry side is protected from the light.  The shade allows for easy access to water my mini indoor garden. 

Kitchen Quick Tips - Keep a Well Stocked Pantry

Our weather on a global basis has been greatly affecting the price of food.  One way to offset the rising cost of food is to keep a well stocked pantry that will allow you to ride out the temporary high cost due to food shortages resulting from adverse weather conditions.  I recommend a 6 month to one year supply of food for a well stocked pantry.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Special Sales

A well stocked pantry will result in being able to cherry pick the sales. While most grocery stores offer weekly sales but from time to time grocery stores offer special sales with even greater savings to help stretch your food dollars. Special sales include anniversary sales, dollar sales, case lot sales and special event sales such as grand openings or going out of business. For example twice a year one grocery store chain here holds a 'one dollar sale' with many items on sale for $1. Another grocery store chain holds a '$1, $2, $3 sale' with many items on sale for those prices. Today's Frugal Kitchens 101 will give a few tips for shopping the special sales.

• Don't get caught up in the hype. Check the unit prices. Some foods on for a $1 may be more expensive per unit than non-sale items.
• Shop only the sale items and be picky. An item on sale even if only for $1 is not a good value if it is something you aren't sure you will use.
  
• Avoid the snack type lunch kits and that type of convenience food as they are not a good value even when on sale.
• Focus on those foods that give you the best nutritional value such as fruits, vegetables, meats, lunchmeats and breads. One trick is to take only $40 cash and get the highest nutritional value you can for that money.
  
• If beef or pork cuts are on sale for $1 per pound put the focus of your sale dollars towards it. Be sure to check the meat aisle for other bargains. There may only be a couple of select cuts of meats on sale for $1 per lb but nearby there might unadvertised in-store meat specials.
• Quite often a few dairy items will be included in the special sale prices. Unless they can be frozen then buy only what you can use before they spoil. If the sale runs for 2 weeks then it is better to make a couple of stops to stock up rather than one depending on your needs.
• Some sundry items such as toothpaste, fabric softener and bath soap may be on sale at the special prices. Here you really do need to know your prices! A 90 ml tube of toothpaste may be on sale for $1 but the same brand only a 130 ml tube may $1 regular price at the dollar store.
  

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Thinking Ahead

If you have been following this blog you will already know that I make a lot of basic ingredients that are then used as is or as ingredients for other dishes. This includes a variety of spice and seasoning blends, flavoured oils and vinegars, sweet butter, yogurt, buttermilk, ricotta cheese, yogurt cheese, bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, sourdough starter, home cured meats as well as sweet and savory fresh sauces. Clearly if I want yogurt and it takes 24 hours to make or cured meat that takes 5 days to cure I have to do a bit of planning ahead. This is very important because I am relying on my homemade versions rather than stopping at a grocery store. This weeks Frugal Kitchens 101 focuses on how I think ahead to keep a steady supply of these foods ready to use as desired.

The first consideration is having the raw ingredients on hand to make the ingredients mentioned above on hand. That means I need a variety of milks, heavy cream, oils, vinegars, herbs, spices, dried beans and alfalfa seeds on hand at all times. With the exception of milks and creams I keep everything else on hand in the pantry as part of normal pantry stocking. If I notice an ingredient getting low it goes on the grocery list for our next grocery trip. Milks and creams are generally bought once every 10 days depending on our need and how many additional products I need to make.

I am on somewhat of a schedule when it comes to making these ingredients. I normally make milk based products and sweet butter on Mondays. I tend to make more of these foods during the winter months but they are always on the go. Bean and alfalfa sprouts are started mainly on the basis of need. I'll get an idea of something I would like to make then start the sprouts. Alfalfa sprouts are started weekly during the summer months because I love them in salads and sandwiches. Flavoured oils and vinegars are usually started throughout the growing season when fresh herbs are available. Seasoning and herb blends are made prior to being needed. For example during the holiday season I use a lot more poultry seasoning so will make up a fresh batch just to have the extra. The holiday season also sees me making seasoning blends for gift baskets so any extra goes into the pantry for my use. It also means I use more things like buttermilk for cooking. Now sourdough starter presents a bit of a challenge because it cannot be sitting on the counter waiting to be used if yogurt is being made. The active bacteria in the yogurt is an antagonist to the yeast in the sourdough starter so it ends up being a one or the other type thing otherwise both may fail. This becomes even more critical when I'm drying down sourdough starter to use as a culture at some point in the future.

In short, formulating a schedule to keep these homemade products consistently in my pantry and refrigerator is not as much work as it seems. Most of it stems from me knowing how much of each product I will go through in a week then adjusting based on the season. With a bit of tracking it was fairly easy to come up with a schedule that worked for me to ensure these are products we always have on hand ready to use as needed.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Using Your Pantry Stores

The past few Frugal Kitchens 101 have focused on stocking your pantry. This is the time of year when many of us are re-stocking the pantry with as much as a year's supply of fruits and vegetables to get us to the next growing season. At the same time we may be trying to use up some of last year's canning goods while taking advantage from the odd excellent sale. Continuing with the pantry theme this week's Frugal Kitchens 101 will discuss using your pantry stores.

The purpose of your pantry is to keep you prepared, keep you out of the grocery stores, greatly reduce eating out and is aimed at saving you money. One big mistake that some make is to continuously add to their pantry stores without using them. In extreme cases this is known as hoarding. What happens is the food doesn't get used within a 2 year period and quite often you hear about these cases when family or friends are forced to clean out a relative's home through illness or death. The sad thing is hundreds of dollars of stocked up food ends up being tossed if this happens. Don't get into this trap. Think of your pantry as constantly evolving to meet your current needs. Foods should constantly be revolving using the oldest foods first with no one food item being older that a year to 18 months old. Once your pantry is stocked it becomes a matter of constantly revolving the food. Armed with your pantry inventory list and personal use list you are now ready to use your pantry stores. Here are a few of my tips.

• plan to use - If you menu plan and even if you don't plan to use a certain portion of your pantry stocks each week. If you menu plan it is quite easy to know that you are going to use for example 2 jars (cans) of green beans, 2 packages of pasta, 2 tins of tuna as part of that particular week's menu plan. Obviously this is not a full menu but you get the idea. I am not a huge menu planner aside of special events and that is because when I walk into my pantry I'll spot something that ends up being the focus of that night's meal.
  
• use what you have - In general if you have stocked to allow for example 1 jar (can) of green beans per week you should be averaging that amount. Don't worry about restocking that particular item until you are down to the quarter mark. So if you started with 52 jars (cans) of green beans when you get down to 13 jars then start watching the sales if buying commercially canned green beans. If you are using home canned green beans this will be the time to assess whether or not you need to put up more jars the following year. If you are home canning and have reached the half year mark without reaching the halfway mark that is likely a good indication you could reduce the amount you put up the following year.
• be flexible - Your food preferences and consumption changes over time so that may result in you finding you having an excess of a particular pantry item. If you know this is an item you will not consume donate it to a food bank or give it to someone who will use it.
• be creative - Open your pantry and quickly pick one item. Use that item as the inspiration for that meal. It's surprising how effective this method can be. Use your pantry inventory list as the basis for planning your weekly menu as well.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - List of Pantry Items That Seldom Go On Sale

Throughout much of August I have focused on pantry stocking as the theme for Frugal Kitchens 101. Ideally by now you have been working on your personal usage list as the first step to setting up your well stocked pantry. When you are stocking your pantry two factors become critical and those are unit price and sale price. Any food bought for the purposes of stocking your pantry should have the lowest unit price and if possible combined with some type of sale discount. That being said when you are stocking your pantry there are some food items that very seldom if ever go on sale. This week's Frugal Kitchens 101 focuses on these pantry items.

When it comes to pantry items that seldom if ever go on sale is to buy at the lowest price if possible. For example if I consider 3 larger grocery stores in my area - nofrills®, Sobey's® and Real Canadian Super Store® (RCSS), nofrills® is consistently the cheapest on the pantry items that do not go on sale. Buying these same items at Sobey's® can add as much as 50% to the cost while RCSS will cost anywhere from 20-35% more. So with that in mind for me nofrills® is the best choice when stocking up on these items. However, we also have a couple of Bulk Barn® stores that I frequent when necessary because of the distance from home. Some but not all of these pantry items are cheaper bought in bulk there than from nofrills®. What this really means is you have to know your prices and know where you can get that pantry item the cheapest. The way to deal with these items is to stock up for a 1 year supply then re-stock per item once your supply gets down to the quarter mark for that item. In some cases especially just before the Christmas holiday season some baking ingredients may go on sale briefly and usually not by much so stock up enough to get you to the next sale. It also pays to check online for cheaper sources as sometimes even with shipping you can save a fair amount on these items.

Here is the list of pantry items that I have found seldom if ever goes on sale. Your list likely will differ based on your location.

• dried beans/legumes
• instant milk
• instant potatoes
• some powdered cheeses especially cheddar
  
• cocoa
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt(s)
• dried herbs, spices, seasonings, seasoning blends
• flavourings (eg. vanilla extract) and colourants (eg. food colouring, gravy browning)
  
• some sweeteners - honey, maple syrup, fructose, sugar substitutes
• popcorn (not microwave packages)
• loose leaf teas
• most vinegars
• rices
  
• specialty items such as just about anything gourmet
• some flours mainly the specialty flours (eg. spelt, seminola, dark rye) and whole wheat
  

Enjoy!

Frugal Kitchens 101 - Almost Painless Stocking-up

In the past couple of Frugal Kitchens 101 I have discussed ways to stock up the pantry along with a few tips for organizing and protecting your food supply. In previous posts I have spoke of larger bulk food purchases especially with respect for beef and pork. The problem with larger bulk purchases is they require a bigger outlay of money. While larger bulk purchases are quite necessary for creating a well stocked pantry including freezers it is surprising at how easily it is to stock up both with a little bit of creativity and just a few dollars per grocery shopping trip. So this week the topic for Frugal Kitchens 101 is almost painless stocking-up.

Have you ever heard the phrase take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves? Well the same principle holds true for stocking your pantry. Don't try to establish a one year food supply all at once! Do it in small, painless steps by constantly adding small amounts to your pantry while working from your personal usage list and keeping in mind never to stock something your family may not/will not use.

1. use a percentage of your food budget - If your food budget is $100 use 5 - 10% strictly for stocking up. That is if you have budgeted $100 for that grocery shopping trip, use $5 - 10 for stock-up items preferably bought on sale. It is surprising at how much you can buy for the pantry using only $5. This amount is enough to buy 4 - 5 lb dried beans or 6+ tins of tuna or 5+ bags dried pasta or 3 bags of sugar or even 10 cans of canned vegetables. If you do this every grocery shopping trip and you will find your pantry filling up in no time without you even missing that $5 per grocery shopping trip.
2. bank those coupon savings - I'm not a big coupon user because we seldom get coupons for what we use and there is no such thing as doubling them. However, if you use coupons set up a bulk food fund jar or envelope. If you save $5 on your grocery bill buy using coupons put the savings into your bulk food fund. It won't be long before you have a tidy little sum saved up that can be used towards a bulk meat purchase or a pantry shopping spree.
3. bank your actual vs budget difference - If you budgeted $100 for a grocery shopping trip but the total came to $97 take the $3 difference and put that in your bulk food fund. You had planned on spending it anyway so this is just saving it for spending at a later date.
4. bank your garden savings - Home gardens can save quite a bit of money. For example we eat salad greens almost daily. Growing them saves me anywhere from $5 - $10 per week. The savings are fair game for the bulk food fund.
   
5. be prepared to take advantage of sales - This really goes without saying however taking advantage of sales is an excellent way to help stock-up. You really need to be flexible. The real sales quite often are unadvertised in store specials. So with you 5 - 10% of your grocery budget destined for pantry stock-up look for these in store specials. Quite often I will leave the house figuring I am going to stock-up on item A but when I get to the store there is a great deal on item B so I buy item B instead.
   
6. invest some time - There are several commercially made convenience mixes available and on the surface they seem like a good deal especially when on sale for 99¢. The reality is you are paying upwards of 60¢ per mix just for the convenience of the factory putting it together for you plus you have the packaging to deal with. Invest a bit of time to make your own mixes. For example in less than 15 minutes you can assemble 10 cake mixes in mason jars ready to use just as commercial mixes for a fraction of the cost and just as convenient. You now have 10 cake mixes in your pantry at an approximate cost of $3 vs $9.90 and less than 15 minutes of time. Do the same thing for any mix you would normally buy. There are a lot of online sites with home made mix recipes. Virtually all of these mixes will come in at a third or less than the cost of commercial mixes.
   
7. home canning - I can't stress enough how much money this can save you even if you have to buy the produce. If you have a pressure canner which I highly recommend as it will pay for itself in food savings in less than 3 months you can take advantage of most produce and meat/poultry/fish in store sales. I picked up pork shoulder roast for $1/lb and canned up several jars for a very convenient, low cost pantry shelf product. Store bought canned chicken or ham usually goes for about 99¢ per 4 oz can. Chicken often goes on sale here for 69¢ per lb so I can that at a cost to me of 17¢ per 4 oz yet it is the same product only I've saved 82¢ per 4 oz.
8. once stocked - Once fully stocked at a year to 18 month supply you will find yourself not doing a lot of grocery shopping. Shop only when necessary which will save on impulse buying. The exception to this rule is cherry picking the good sales but again only if it something you will use. In order for your pantry to run smoothly you need to rotate the food but now you have a focus of maintaining your supply. For example, when you get to the half way mark of any food item in your pantry make note of that. Now start watching the sales so that by the time you get to the quarter mark you will have with any luck replenished your supplies. The focus becomes that particular food item. For example your supply of home canned or home frozen chicken is getting low. Chicken is going on sale next week so wait until it goes on sale then buy 30 lb which at my price would be $20.70. In the same grocery trip I would likely pick-up milk, eggs, produce and any cheese we needed so my shopping trip would come in at less than $40 total for that week. That night chicken would be on the menu then the rest divided in half with part going towards canning and the other half into the freezer. Now the following week I really don't need anything so don't do a grocery shopping. And so it goes with the food in the pantry being constantly rotated and yet remaining at a year to 18 month supply.