December 2015 Newsletter

Emergency Preparedness and Provident Living Newsletter

December 2015

Now that the Holidays are here, it is hard to think about working on your food storage and preparedness.  There are some simple things you can do this month to keep working toward self-sufficiency.  I will list some things below.

1.      Always keep your vehicle’s gas tank at least half full.

2.      Stock up on cough and cold medicines while you are at the store.  Keep things you use the most on hand at all times.  As you use one, buy another to replace it.    Also stock up on facial and toilet tissue when they go on sale.  Extra paper goods for busy days, company, or when the dishwasher breaks down or when there is a power outage are very good to have on hand.  

3.      As you put winter linens on the beds, make sure you have plenty of extra blankets on hand.  If there is a winter storm and the power goes out you will need them.  Blankets and quilts make great gifts.

4.      This is one of the best times of the year to stock up on baking ingredients.  Stores are already having price wars on items like, sugar, flour, salt, powdered sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, corn syrup, flavorings etc.  If you keep basic baking ingredients in stock you can always make something delicious and comforting for less than buying it.

5.    

          Do some of your Christmas shopping with preparedness for your loved ones in mind.  See my Christmas list later in this newsletter.

Information on the LDS Home Storage Centers

You can find your location for the local Home Storage Center by doing a search on lds.org or providentliving.org    https://providentlinving.lds.org/self-reliance/food-storage/home-storage-center-locations.map?lang-eng  There are 101 of these in the US and Canada.  Most of them will only allow patrons to stop buy and purchase foods in bulk or already in #10 cans.  There are only 12 HSC in the country that allow patrons to can their own foods, (if they choose), while there.  Those 12 HSC still have all items already in the cans as well.

To find out the address and operating hours of your HSC look for the phone number of the one nearest you and call them to get the latest information.

You don’t have an LDS Home Storage Center near you?

Remember that stores like Costco and Sam’s Club and Amish grocery stores sell basic food stuffs in bulk every day.  You may also be able to find bulk rice or beans for sale at Ethnic grocery stores as well. Many regular grocery stores do sell larger bags but will place them on the very bottom shelf.

Black Friday Deals on Food Storage Products:

Many of the major food storage companies, especially the ones based in Utah, will have Black Friday deals.  If you do not get a newspaper where you can see these, you can check your favorite dealer’s websites.  You can also “like” your favorite dealers on their Facebook page to get their notifications of sales.

Thrive Life Company has great Black Friday sales every year.  This is when we have bought most of the Thrive shelving that we own.  They usually are knocked down about 40% off.  To check on the Thrive Life Black Friday deals go to http://www.thrivelife.com/picker/index/quickpick/ and click on “Show Black Friday pricing”.  Their Black Friday deals can be seen online now but will not be effective until 8am Nov. 25^th and will run through 11:59pm Nov. 30 MST. You may also be interested in buying a specialty package on occasion throughout the year.  Sometimes those are a better deal.

You do not have to purchase through a Thrive Consultant.  But, if you do…it can help her as well as you can do an on-line party and get products at half price or even free.  In the past I have also just requested to have my item added to someone’s online party, (So I could get the deal), even if I did not know the host.

To take advantage of the Black Friday deals here is what one of the consultants told me to pass along to you.

Make sure you click the Big Black button that says “Show Black Friday Deals”.

You can fill your cart BEFORE the sale and then wait to CHECK OUT during the sale window

Items will not display at the correct sale prices until that sale window and you will need to refresh your cart before checking out. 

Christmas Preparedness Gift Ideas

As in years past I will share a list of some gift ideas for Christmas.  You may also want to look at my blog for past ideas.     The blog is called littleredhenpreps.blogspot.com

Preparedness books, cook books

Foods in #10 cans or 72 hr kits in a bucket or backpack

Teach someone a skill like gardening, canning, sewing, shooting, outdoor cooking etc.

Outdoor cooking equipment or camping tools (too many to list)

Emergency lighting (many options available)

Food preservation equipment like a canner, seed sprouter, dehydrator etc

Build a kit: sanitation kit, emergency lighting kit, car kit, First aid kit, etc.  There are lots of kit ideas available on the internet.  Search for:    DIY __________kit of your choice.

September 2013 Newsletter

Good items to dry-pack in #10 cans:  wheat, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, pastas of all kinds, white rice, (no brown rice), all dry beans, pancake mix, powdered milk, cocoa, and puddings.

Nearly all of the Home Storage Centers in the church are now offering all of the dry goods already in the #10 cans.  You do not need to do the work yourself.  You can buy your foods in bulk, by the can or by the case.  The Sandy Home Storage Center now takes ALL forms of payment.  You can find an order form online at www.providentliving.org to search for it if needed, look under “self-reliance”, then “food storage”, and then “Home Storage Center Order Form”. 

Product Highlight of the month:   Ball Blue Book and Bottled Lemon Juice

                           

If you plan on doing any canning, freezing or dehydrating this fall you will want to have both of these products.  “The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving” not only shows you everything you need to know about canning, it also covers freezing and dehydrating.  It also has hundreds of recipes and great color photos.  This book is usually in stock anywhere canning supplies are sold.  The lemon juice is a great and cheaper alternative to Fruit Fresh.  Use it in cold water to preserve the color of fruits such as peaches, pears and apples before placing in your canning/freezing containers.  You can also add 2 T. to each quart of tomatoes to increase the acidity.  Most stores carry a generic version of this name brand product.

The "must-have-book" for canning

bottled lemon juice can be used in place of Fruit Fresh

What to do with all of those tomatoes:  Tomatoes are one of the most versatile fruits/veggies to grow.  Bottle them whole, make your own bottled tomato juice, make salsa, or make meat-less spaghetti sauce and bottle.

Wendy’s no-measure canned Spaghetti sauce 

Lots of ripe tomatoes, scalded and peeled

Chopped onions and garlic cloves (can use dehydrated onions)

Fresh or dehydrated bell peppers, chopped

Italian seasoning or 1 bay leaf and basil, oregano, salt and pepper

Do not add any meat or cheese products to this at this time!

(Sorry this does not have measurements.  Sometimes I just cook like Grandma did, to taste.)  Simmer for 30 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.  Mash tomatoes with a potato masher too.  Once it reaches the consistency you desire, pour into prepared quart canning jars.  Wipe rims clean and place prepared lids and rings on.  Process in a waterbath or steam canner for 40 mins.  When ready to use, just open jar and add to cooked ground beef if desired. Add in the parmesan cheese before serving. (If you were to put cooked ground beef in it before processing, it would HAVE TO BE PRESSURE CANNED.)