Why I Love the Commissary

Before I married a soldier I had no clue what a commissary was. It is a grocery store for military members. It is considered one of our military benefits. For some reason, many military members don't take advantage of this wonderful buying option.

When we lived overseas the commissary was a huge blessing. It allowed us to buy familiar foods for reasonable prices. (I can't tell you how soothing peanut butter and hot dogs and American cheese could be when you are feeling home sick!) Because of the fluctuating exchange rate, food from local stores could be quite expensive at times.

When we returned to the states we naturally continued to use the commissary. I was shocked to hear that many fellow military families shun the commissary completely. I am still baffled.

• The commissary doesn't charge taxes but does charge a 5% surcharge to cover expenses. Depending on the state this is likely cheaper than local sales taxes.

• The prices are almost always lower than non-military stores. At each of our stateside duty stations we have lived closer to a local grocery store than the commissary. We go there sometimes for milk or bread, things we need in a pinch when the commissary is closed. Rarely are the prices better. After our most recent move I actually made lists of food items we commonly buy and noted prices at each store I visited. The list of items that are cheaper at another store is quite short. I can buy a huge container of peanut butter at Sam's Club for a few cents less per unit than the same brand at the commissary. I do it because we eat a lot of peanut butter. Those giant bags of Malt-o-meal cereals are cheaper at Walmart but the commissary only carries the smaller bags. (Notice that these are bulk items!) For most common foods, including milk, eggs, bread, cheese, and meat, the commissary is a great deal.

• There are usually coupons available on the shelf for many items. There have been times when I came with no coupons and ended up saving $15 just from in-store coupons. There is also a rewards card  (which I LOVE!) that allows you to go to the commissary website and add coupons to the card. You can then use these in the store without having to click and sort and print.

• The commissary offer many foreign products that you can't buy elsewhere. We appreciate this because we can buy an occasional treat to remind us of our time in Europe. I imagine for military spouses born in those countries this is a true comfort to have a taste of home.

When I talk to others about the commissary I hear a lot about how busy it is. This varies from place to place but generally Wednesday and Thursday mornings are pretty light. Avoid paydays at all cost! I have had good luck on Saturday afternoons but Saturday mornings are usually a nightmare! But isn't this true of most stores?

I guess what baffles me the most are the people who claim to be so savvy, so skilled at saving money, running all over town with their coupon and sales fliers getting good deals. When they share their "deals" with me they are often the same price as the commissary. If they had used that coupon there they would have actually saved more. I usually get a disgusted response like "Ugh! The commissary gives me a headache! Why would I go there?!" Um, one stop shopping? Less gas usage? Great prices? Tons of coupons on the shelf?

I don't get it.

Normally I wouldn't care what other people did. What concerns me is that if this benefit isn't used it will be taken away. Many commissaries have cut their hours due to budget cuts and a few have been completely closed. If the commissary isn't being used congress just might cut the program all together. At our current commissary I most often see retirees. A few spouses who have been around as long as I have know the value of this wonderful service. But the younger crowd don't bother. I might say "their loss". But it isn't. I know the commissary helps keep those retirees off welfare. Someday that will be us. It would be great to utilize the commissary to continue feeding our large, ravenous family of locusts until they are all grown. And feed ourselves for the rest of our lives.

If you haven't been to the commissary in a while, check it out. Make an effort to take advantage of this valuable resource. It just might surprise you!

I'm Thankful For...#4

I am thankful for good food.

Today I cooked a roast in the crock pot, homemade mashed potatoes with gravy, homemade wheat rolls, and carrots.

*sigh*

It was very satisfying.

The kids and I also tried our hand at homemade butterfingers. They weren't bad either.

As I write this, I can't help but think of those who are not enjoying such delicacies.

There are many in America who are no doubt eating cold food because they are without electricity due to Hurricane Sandy.

There are others in this great nation who simply can't afford to buy enough food to be satisfied.

There are others who couldn't cook such a meal. :)

All joking aside, I know I often take this blessing for granted. Unlike many thousands of mothers in the world, I am able to provide healthy, hearty meals for my children. It might seem like a small thing, or even a little cliche, but it is the truth.

I am very blessed to have good food. And I am grateful for it.

Superpowers 101: Adventurousness

My husband says I'm adventurous because I am not afraid to try new things. Or even old things that I was not great at before.

Like making loaves of bread. I can make great rolls but I have never managed an acceptable loaf. Until today!  Here is the recipe.

Fresh, homemade Honey-Wheat bread! I can't believe how big it got!

 Last summer we had a bounteous crop of strawberries so I tried making jam for the first time. I tried a few different variations (all from recipes) and found one that I really liked. Today, I tried making mixed berry jam with strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. I was nervous, I admit it. But my adventurousness paid off again! YUM!!!



Fresh, home-made mixed berry jam. It turned out AMAZING!!!

 Here is the recipe I used for the jam. I just crushed all the fruit and measured out 4 cups. I also cooked it for just a few minuted then strained it to remove the seeds and skins. It took a little more time but it is SO good!!!

Superwoman Bakes a Cake

I always make a personalized cake for my kids' birthdays. Here are few of my favorites.

The second birthday is really the best. That is when they actually know what cake is!

Tron Light cycle cake.

Turned out pretty good, huh?

Transformer battle cake



Another version of a Tangled cake.



Gingerbread House/Birthday Cake

This cake is made with just a gingerbread cookie recipe. I used a paper template to cut out the house and cookie cutters for the smaller shapes. I used homemade butter cream frosting for the white and Wilton colored frosting tubes for the red and green. I used sprinkles to decorate as desired.

The windows were made from melted hard candy left over from Halloween. I put crushed candy into the openings cut with cookie cutters and let them melt in the oven for a few minutes. I baked everything on silicone baking sheets and let them cool before removing. It turned out great!

Construction Cake

My mom found these construction truck candles. I created this cake around the candles we already had. I used Kit Kat candy bars for the lettering and the "dirt".



Sunshine Cake



This wasn't my first Sunshine Cake. This one has more details. I used pre-made red for the face. I used red and yellow colored sugar sprinkles for the "rays". I made a paper stencil for the wavy parts. The rays are just sugar cones covered with yellow frosting. I used store-bought frosting with yellow food coloring.

Swimming Pool Cake

This was REALLY tricky! The blue is Jell-o. It leaked through the frosting that was supposed to cover "pool" floor.If you try this make sure you have a very thick layer of frosting with no gaps!

 Everything else is candy of colored frosting. Teddy Grahams for the people, Skittles for the tiles. gum for the chairs and floats. Starburst for the lifeguard chair.



Cheeseburger Cake

I used 2 cake mixes for this. I used white frosting with a little chocolate mixed in for light brown. I used Cocoa Krispies for the texture on the burger. I used other colored frosting for green, red, and yellow. I covered graham crackers for the cheese, covered Ritz crackers for the pickles and rice cakes for the tomatoes. Marshmallows for the eyes.






Avatar; The Last Airbender Cake

 

I thought this would be hard but once I figured out how I could do it this was actually pretty simple. The Fire Nation ships are Graham crackers covered in Wilton black frosting. The Water Tribe ice wall is marshmallows. The other details are teddy grahams and pre-colored frosting. 











Rapunzel/ Tangled Cake

 

This is a layer of several different cakes held together with a large skewer. The roof of the tower is a large sugar cone. I also used graham crackers to make a ledge and a door. (I used toothpicks to hold things up as needed). The rest is Wilton frosting tubes in various colors. I used sugar pearls for the center of each flower.

  










Castle Birthday Cake



I have also made other castles cakes. This one is is less involved than others. I made a square layer cake for the center. The towers are cake cones and large sugar cones. I used store-bought spray frosting and colored frosting for the decoration. I used sugar wafer cookies for stairs and battlements.

Superpowers 101: Trying New Things

Bountiful Baskets is new to my area. I heard about it from the beginning but I didn't try it until last week.

Why?

I was afraid. That's right. I was afraid that I would get a bunch of food my family wouldn't eat and I would have to throw it away. I hate being wasteful. I was afraid this might be a waste of time, money and precious food that someone else might enjoy.

I debated from week to week until I finally siced myself up enough to give it a try.

What the heck? If I didn't like it I wouldn't have to do it again.

I had mixed feelings as I looked a my basket. I saw apples and bananas(YEAH!!!) but I also saw mushrooms, zucchini and sweet potatoes. *chagrin*

Well, we might as well try them out, right?

I made zucchini bread with chocolate chips and pecans. It turned out AWESOME!!! I ate most of it because the kids were convinced there was something wrong with eating green bread.

Then I pan fried steak and sauteed the mushrooms in the pan with some butter. To my surprise 2 of my kids loved them! I added the leftover mushrooms to beef stroganoff.

Then came the sweet potatoes. I have only ever had them as the sweet syrupy marshmallow covered mash we have every year at Thanksgiving and possible in sweet potato pie. I dislike both dishes. A LOT!!!

I recent;y tried sweet potatoes fries for the first time and they weren't so bad. I decided to experiment.

I peeled, cubed, then roasted the sweet potatoes along side some regular potatoes just in case. I used garlic butter and a little salt and pepper and baked them for about an hour at 400 degrees. The regular potatoes were as good as ever but the sweet potatoes were great! They had kind of turned to mush but they tasted amazing! The kids didn't like those either but I finished off the leftovers the next day. As I right this I am salivating, longing for more. Who knew I would actually crave sweet potatoes!

I keep telling my kids to try new things. "You might like it but you won't know if you don't try it." I guess I need to take my own advice a little more often!

Thank Tank, Day 21

I am thankful for food. All of it. Juicy, seasoned meats and crunchy veggies. Tasty sweets and salty snacks. Fruits and carbs and dairy. I love it all!!!! I am so thankful for the bountious variety that is available to me. Again, I am seriously spoiled!

Here is a current favorite at my house. Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Granola Bars

I got this recipe from Parade Magazine a few months ago. They are super easy and the kids and I love them! I have made them many times. I have used pecans, white chocolate chips, flax seeds, shredded coconut and mixed dried fruit. I like them all! I have made some with all of these ingredients or a few batches with various combinations. I really like the white and semi sweet chips in the same bar. I recently ordered some pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. I look forward to trying this recipe with those add-ins.

I have been mixing this by hand like they show in the video. Since I have a big family I usually double it and that makes for a lot of arm power. This morning I used my fancy Kitchen Aid mixer. It worked great! Fast and easy.

I hope you enjoy this snack as much as we do!

http://threemanycooks.com/recipes/nibbles-and-apps/back-to-school-granola-bars/

The Bad Influence of Good Friends

I was inspired to write this as I sat at my computer eating a bowl of homemade Ganache. I whipped mine so that it was kind of foamy and fluffy. A few days ago I mixed some homemade strawberry jam into a small bowl of Ganache and ate it. I also used this combination on homemade wheat rolls. I even tried to make little candies by melting milk chocolate, making a circle on a piece of waxed paper, topping this with ganache and jam then covering the whole thing with more melted chocolate. They tasted great, although they wouldn't win any "pretty" awards.

The reason I even know about this heavenly and addictive substance is because of my friend, S. She makes the most amazing, most luxurious, rich, decadent desserts I have ever tasted! Like Millionaire's Shortbread. We have had a number of conversations about the importance of real butter, cream, "good" chocolate, etc. We share the ideology that if your going to eat, you might as well eat the good stuff!

My husband also has this philosophy. He prefers to eat expensive cuts of beef like Porterhouse and Tenderloin. With 7 kids, this isn't exactly economical. At the same time, an occasional dinner of bacon-wrapped tenderloins leaves us satisfied for months. It makes such treats special and more highly valued.

These rich and tasty treats are not, however, good for you. During those moments when I am eating Ganache for breakfast, I acknowledge my tight waistband and think "Curse you, S! How dare you expose me to such evil temptations!" Then I eat another bite and think "Wow! I sure am blessed to have friends that bring such sweetness and pleasure into my life!"

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Grilled Cheese


I once saw a show that said every culture on earth has a version of grilled cheese sandwich. The basic recipe is cheese, bread, heat, eat. Here are a few that we like.

Superwoman Lasagna

Superwoman Lasagna


Start by adding a little olive oil to a large (4+ qt.) pot.

Add at least 1 heaping tsp crushed garlic (I use the kind in a jar. You can use fresh if you want).

Add about 1/2 chopped sweet onion (I use Walla Walla sweet onions. I buy them in season, dice them and freeze them to use later)

Cook on low heat until onions and garlic start to brown a little. (If I use fresh ingredients, like a tomato or basil from the garden, I add it at this point.)

Add 2 lbs lean ground beef. (I use 93% lean. The leaner the better so you don't have to drain it.)

Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring often.

When meat is well cooked, add 2, 12oz cans tomato paste and 24 oz water.(I use the cans to measure this) Also add 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 TBSP parsley, dash of oregano if desired. Stir well.

Let sauce simmer while preparing other steps.



Mix 1 16oz container of cottage cheese with 2 eggs. (Use a blender if you don't like chunky cottage cheese.) Set aside.



Cook 1 lb. Lasagna noodles until soft enough to use ( leave mine very "chewy" at this step in the cooking process. They are easier to handle and don't get overcooked while baking)



By now your sauce should be just right. In a VERY large pan (I use an 11x14 and it is just barely big enough) or 2 medium sized pans, layer sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, noodles, sauce, noodles. If you are careful and do it right, you will use everything you have prepared in these layers. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and 1lb shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese (such as Polly-o).



Bake 350 for 30 minutes, until the edges are browned ant the cheese is bubbly.

Serve with salad and garlic bread.



This can be made ahead and frozen prior to baking. You can also freeze the leftovers. Or bake it in 2 pans and freeze one and eat the other.



WARNING: This is not a recipe to rush through. The more time you take to let things simmer, the better it will be!

A Family History in Cakes

Click here to view these pictures larger

This shows most of the cakes I have made for my family over the past 11 years. The last few are the cakes I have made for Shane. His are the most challenging. He always wants strawberry cake with strawberry frosting. Howcan I make a pink cake look manly?!?!?!?!?

Christmas Favorites

December is here and the countdown to Christmas is quickly winding down. This is the time of year when we embrace traditions. Here are a few of my seasonal favorites.

Food

1. Ginger Cookies. It seems everyone has a recipe similar to this one. I like to add red and green sugar sprinkles when I roll them in sugar. It gives them a festive touch. I only make them around Christmas time.

2. Sugar Cookies. I have a confession: I hate making sugar cookies. We make them once and when they are gone, that's the end. I make a huge batch and spend all day doing it so we have enough to last a while. My Grandma Wilson made sugar cookies every year and I loved eating them. I make them for the kids to help them have memories a wonderful as mine. That is true love!

3. Oyster Stew. This is a Wilson family tradition. I haven't had it in years. When I was growing up, my family would get together every Christmas Eve and eat bowls full of this warm, oyster and butter-flavored milk with pepper and saltines. I don't think the oyster stew was really the important part of the tradition; it was sitting around the table laughing, talking, and just being together.

4. Brach's Peppermint nougat This is my all-time favorite candy. I can easily eat bags of them if I am not careful.

5. Red Velvet Cake. Another of my Grandma's holiday treats. I have carried this tradition to my family. We have a cake with homemade cream cheese frosting every year. As an added touch, I like to color a little frosting and make holly leaves with red-hots for the berries.

Music

1. Amy Grant. I have "Christmas Album", "Home For Christmas", and "A Christmas To Remember". I have always enjoyed her Christmas music. My kids like it too.

2. Bing Crosby. "White Christmas" is the true legacy of this man, although he has some fun Christmas songs like "Christmas in Killarney" and  "Mele Kalikimaka".

3. Jim Reeves. I had not heard of this artist until I got married. My husband had a Christmas CD that I have come to love.

4. The Forgotten Carols. This part of a unique Christmas story. I like that it focuses on non-traditional aspects of the Christmas story like the inn keeper and Anna, the woman at the temple.

Books

1. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. My husband gave me this as a Christmas present the year it was published. I read it right away and loved it. I was thrilled to see it was being made into a movie, "Christmas With The Kranks",  which I also enjoy each Christmas.

2. The Autobiography of Santa Claus  by Jeff Guinn. I read this a few years ago. It is historical fiction about the history of Christmas celebration. I found it so engaging that I forgot Santa wasn't real!!

3. Santa Calls  by William Joyce. This is a children's book about the true spirit of the season. It has a very sweet message.

4. Christmas Alphabet by Robert Sabuda. He is an amazing artist whose books are all pup-ups. I only have this one (which no one is allowed to touch without me!) He has created several Christmas books.

5. The Bible, of course. There would be no Christmas story without it. You can't go wrong with reading the story straight from the source. Try reading the passages listed under "Jesus Christ; Birth of" in the Topical Guide.

Movies

1. White Christmas. I didn't see this until I was grown. It can be a little boring in places (it has some annoying songs and modern dance numbers that I could do without.) The storyline is interesting and sweet. I enjoy movies that remind me of ideals and hope.

2. It's A Wonderful Life. So wonderful and uplifting. It reminds me that every life is important and that you never know what someone else is going through.

3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. This is a guilty pleasure. It is so funny but kind of crude in places. I watch it at least once every year. I can't help it! I just need a good life sometimes!

4. Christmas In Connecticut. Our librarian in Belgium recommended this. It is funny but you have to pay attention. It isn't like modern movies that you can watch while you do other things and not miss much. This movie also reminds me that stress and pressure during the holidays are not new issues.

5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. This is one of the classics. I like this one the best. I like "Jack Frost" too.

6. How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The old, cartoon version is wonderful. The newer, live-action one is dumb. Sometimes, less really is more. I like this because there are many stories that say "we can't have Christmas without Santa and presents". The Grinch says the opposite.

7. The Night They Saved Christmas This was my favorite when I was a child. My kids have already watched it several times this year.

8. The Santa Claus. The first is the best but I like the whole Santa Claus series.

9. An American Christmas Carol. This is one of my husband's favorite Christmas movies. It is a nice adaptation of the classic. We also like this 1984 version of A Christmas Carol.

10. Miracle On 34th Street. I love the older version of this movie. The newer one has some redeeming qualities, too.

Here is the link for the Christmas page on lds.org. It has lots of great ideas, videos, music and stories to help keep the true meaning of Christmas alive in our homes.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Chriatms Celebration!

Superpwers 101: Coupons

I am in no way a coupon queen. For many years I thought it was more trouble than it was worth to clip, sort, file and use coupons in an effective way. My sister-in-law (I'll call her B) is practically an expert. I tried to follow her example for years. It just didn't work for me.

Part of the reason is because I do 90% of my grocery shopping at the military commissary. When we lived overseas, there was really no other option. Now that we are back in the US, I have compared prices and found that most of the time the commissary is cheaper than the local stores. That being the case, I don't see the point in going to 4 different stores to get every little thing that is on sale just to save a few dollars. Besides the hassle of making lists and sorting coupons and driving all over town, I have 3 small children who can barely make it through one store without a melt-down, let alone a different store every day!

In the past few months, my newest sister-in-law (aka J) has been posting all kinds of videos and websites she has found that teach couponing/cost-saving techniques. Her enthusiasm seems to gush off the screen as she talks about how much she saved and what she has learned. I decided to check them out.

One thing I learned is that there are multiple sources for coupons and not every coupon is on every site. This proved to be very helpful to me. I also have realized that I don't have to grab every coupon I see just because I might use it someday. I now make my list first, then see how many coupons I can find to match it.

Here are a few more tips that have proven to be useful for me.

1. Organizing

As I said, I hated all the clipping and sorting and filing. I tried a few different methods, all ending in frustration. I would go to the store with my handful of coupons, only to find that some had expired a few days before. (That was partly due to baby-brain. Some times I didn't have a clue what day it was!) The overseas commissaries usually only carried the basics so coupons for newer products were useless. I felt I was wasting my time.

One of the videos J shared showed how to use a 3-ring binder with baseball card protectors. It was a light-bulb moment. I had a binder that I knew would be perfect. A package of card protectors was only a few dollars. I made tabs for each page, wrote on the pockets with permanent marker, and Voila! Organization! I can easily flip though the pages to see what coupons I have. I make a list on an old envelope, put a star next to items with a coupon and take the whole binder with me. As I collect items from the list, I move the coupons to the envelope. At the register I can easily hand over my stack of coupons.

You might prefer a different method. This works for me. I have only been using this for a few months and I have already doubled my savings!

2. Use Your Brain

The whole point of using a coupon is to save money. But that isn't always the least expensive approach. For example; let's say you need sugar. You have a coupon for $1.00 off the name brand sugar which brings the price to $2.50. But the store brand sugar is only $1.75. What would you do?

Some people are brand loyal. Some foods are better, or at least different, from one brand to another. If you really want to save, be sure you are thinking about this when you shop.

As I mentioned, we do most of our shopping at the military commissary. The biggest drawback is that there is no "store brand" or generic foods there. So the cheapest sugar is still twice as much as the Wal-mart sugar. I try and buy many of the basics, like sugar, salt, spices, etc, at a local store that offers a generic store brand for almost nothing. I really can't tell the difference. (I tried peanut butter but it was really thick and the kids couldn't spread it so we are back to Skippy or Peter Pan. Sometimes you have to pay for a little self-sufficiency!)

3. Don't Stress Out

One problem I had in the past was going to the store and seeing an item was marked down, knowing I had a coupon at home. I found myself in a panic sometimes. I hated paying more than I had to. Finally, I adopted the "Who cares" attitude. Now, if I save a little, great. If I don't, WHO CARES!!!! This has magically made coupons fun again. It is like a game to see what you can get for a good price. I feel like I am in a friendly competition to find a good deal. If I don't feel like playing today, it's no big deal.

Don't buy stuff just because it is a good price. This is one of my pet peeves. If you buy 10 bottles of conditioner that you hate because it only cost $.25 each, that wasn't a bargain. It was wasteful. Same goes for cheap diapers. Sometimes they aren't worth the crap that's in them!


4. Know Thyself
Know your habits. Know your weaknesses. Know what works for you and what doesn't. Be honest when you make your lists. If you know you will buy cookies or ice cream, go ahead and put it on your list, especially if you have a coupon for it. Don't buy things you hate because they are cheaper. You will just resent it later...and so will your family!


Here are a few of the pages that I have found useful. I hope you do too!

Southern Savers This site is focused on the south-eastern US but has very clear-cut information and links that are useful anywhere. I found the information to be extremely useful.

Hip2Save This one is a little more cluttered to me but has lots of good information.

Smart Source A reliable source for online coupons.

Red Plum Another coupon site

Coupons.com Another coupon site.

Superpowers 101: Provident Living; Part 2

I have a booklet, printed by the church in the early 1970's, that gives a fairly good outline about food storage. It has information about what to store and why. There is a section about gardening and several pages of recipes. It really isn't much different from the information now available on the Provident Living pages. So why do I get a headache every time I go near that book?

Food storage has always been a difficult subject for me. In the past, counsel has been to start with "the basics"...like several hundred pounds of wheat, powdered milk, beans, sugar and water. Sorry, but that never sounded "basic" to me. Even storing those simple items requires and understanding of how to properly store and use them. Where do you keep all that wheat? Should you use it or let it sit for 30 years? What about "real food", like canned goods and pasta? They don't last as long so that requires more diligence and knowledge.

Even as I am writing this I can feel my shoulders sagging, my spirit sinking, my head reaching out for a nearby ache. Seriously, the idea of FOOD STORAGE triggers physical symptoms of dread and disgust.

That being said, I know that it is a very important principle. In fact, I have a certain amount of passion about having things on hand to help you and your family in times of need. It is just good common sense. I am always shocked when people literally have NOTHING in their cabinets.

During the depression, my great-grandfather owned land, animals, and a cotton gin which allowed him to provide for his family during the depression. My grandmother often speaks about how hard she had to work but they did not suffer as so many others did. I can remember, so many years later, going to visit my grandparents. They still had chickens, a garden, fruit trees, and shelves full of home-canned food. That was just a part of life for them.

There is a school of thought among the LDS people that one day, there will be a great catastrophe that will last for one year and that is why we need a year's supply of food. Maybe that is true, but I am not holding my breath for that. There are much more present and simple reasons to be prepared for whatever may come. Natural disasters, economic downturn, health problems, war, the list goes on. It may be that we need to rely on our own resources when others do not.

Here is an example. Several years ago, there was a lot of hype about the Y2K virus. There were horror stories about how as the year changed from 1999 to 2000 the lights would go out around the world and we would be plunged into a world of devastation. Nothing that was remotely connected to computers would function. We would be hurtled back at least a hundred years, forced to rely on our own preparation. There would be looting, chaos, bloodshed, disease, the list went on. Of course none of that actually happened.

One family I knew was passionate about the need to be prepared for this dark event. They were very forceful about having not a one year supply of food but 3 years supply. Their passion was unsettling. At the same time, I did not feel the weight of anxiety that this family and others seemed to feel.When the world kept spinning after midnight, I wondered about this family. They were so sure that they needed that large supply of food. Were they deceived?

Shortly after the new year, the husband lost his job. Although they had some income, he did not find an adequate job for, you guessed it, 3 years. During that time they had to rely on their food storage to ease the burden of their lower income. Although the reason may have been wrong, they still needed the food storage they had been inspired to collect.

From time to time I have been asked about food storage. What do you do? What do you suggest? How can I get started? My first thought is "What on earth makes you think I know anything about food storage?" But when I take the time to think about it, I realize that I have some knowledge of this subject...and plenty of opinions!

So, here are a few ideas I will pass on today about food storage. I find them all to be practical and steps in the right direction. It is my firm belief that we are blessed for our efforts, even if they fall short of the perfect goal. I hope you can find something useful in this list.

1. Buy a little extra. When I go to the store, I try and buy things I know I will use. If the Mac & Cheese is on sale, I will buy at least a dozen boxes. I always buy several jars of spaghetti sauce and pasta. These are things we eat on a regular basis so there is no reason I can't have extra on hand for whatever might come up...like feeding extra people on a moments notice! I do this just to save time and effort but if you are more methodical, you can build a substantial stock of food in a fairly short time.

Just be careful that you don't buy too much and end up throwing it away before you can eat it! Once I bought several cases of hamburger helper, which we didn't eat very often. I noticed that it was passed the "Best if used by" date but I tried it anyway. It was AWFUL!!! I threw away a whole case of it! In short; Buy what you eat and eat what you buy.

2. Buy non-perishable items. When visiting my Sister-in-law, I noticed about 2 dozen sticks of deodorant under her sink. I thought "She has teenagers but isn't that a little overkill?" She explained that she bought them on sale, with coupons, for almost nothing and stocked up. I realized that there are plenty of things that don't go bad and can be stored indefinitely. Soap, paper goods, toothbrushes, cleaning products, etc. If you can get into a routine of buying them on sale, with coupons, in bulk, you can have quite a supply for almost nothing. And lets face it, no one wants to be stuck in a crisis without diapers and toilet paper!

3. WATER!!!! If I have learned anything from Hurricane Katrina and the recent earthquake in Haiti, it is that we don't last long without clean water. For long term use, it probably isn't practical to store water. Purification tablets or bleach would be better. But the first thing I did when me moved this summer was begin to store water in juice bottles. We have quite a supply now, enough to survive for several days if we couldn't get clean water. That alone had given me tremendous peace of mind. And all it cost me was a little effort.

4. Learn more. I don't know how else to say it. Learn how to cook over a fire or camp stove. Learn how to grow things. Learn to make things from scratch. Learn to can food. Learn new recipes. Experiment now, when you are not stressed out by a crisis. If your homemade bread is like eating rocks, oh, well. Try again another day. If your garden is eaten by animals and bugs, learn how to protect it. Whatever learning we do can only be beneficial to us later. Maybe we will never have to use that knowledge. Isn't it better to know it and never use it than need it and not have a clue?

My sister-in-law has a "food storage night" once a week. They prepare an entire meal from items in their food storage. I think this is a great idea. They have been able to try different products, like dehydrated cheese, and see if they want to buy more or not. They are also learning what they can and can't do with their food storage. They are learning that they can drink powdered milk if they have to. Basically, they are acquiring a taste for the things they have stored.

5. Don't forget the money! I think I have mentioned this before but you would be amazed at the number of people who think money is just for spending. It isn't. It is a tool just like anything else in our society. The more we learn about it and how to use it effectively, the better off we will be. Money may not solve all of our problems but having a little saved is better than a bunch of useless junk when disaster strikes.

6. Don't forget the fun. A friend of mine who is a food storage fanatic said she always made sure there were ingredients for cookies in her food storage. Her philosophy was that during a crisis you need a little comfort food. I agree. Not that we should go overboard, but having some candy or chocolate chips tucked away can do a lot to ease the emotional side of a crisis.

Along the same line, it wouldn't hurt to have "fun" things in a 72-hour kit like books, card games, crayons. We always think of "basics" as what we need to survive. If you have little kids, having ways to entertain them can be a matter of survival! Even if you don't have physical things on hand, have a list of games, songs and stories you can use to entertain yourselves if need be.

Now, you might be thinking "Where do I put it?" The favorite suggestion is under the bed. It seems everyone says that! Under tables, dressers, in the back of a closet, under the grand piano. I have heard all of these. My guess is that most of us have much more space than we realize. It is just a matter of using it well. Even as I sit here, there is enough space on either side of our computer desk to stack several cases of food... if we had them. It also depends on what you are willing to give up. Will you give up the neat, magazine look your home has to store some extra cases of green beans? What?! You don't live in a catalog? Then what's the problem?