Food Storage deals this week

This week would be a great week to stock up on Peanut Butter for your year supply.

Smiths has Kroger peanut butter for $1.00 for 18 oz---you need 3-4 jars per person for a year. I think this is such a great high protein, filling food that is also good for 72 hour kits, and car kits in an emergency. I put a jar with some spoons in my car kit:)

Macey's has Refried beans for $.50 this week---even better than last weeks price. It is Western Family Brand and can be regular, fat free or vegetarian.

Macey's also has great price on Tropical Jam 32 oz bottles for $2.39. I went today and found raspberry, razzleberry, apricot, & strawberry

You can always take in your ad to Walmart and ad match most things. If it is a store brand like Western Family you can get the Walmart store brand instead. I ad match if I only have a few things, so I don't annoy the cashier or people behind me. Maceys has great deals on meat this week, so it was worth the drive to go to Maceys instead of ad matching.

Recipe time

For those of you who bought tons of pasta when they were $.50 a bag a month or so ago, here is a recipe for you. This uses most things you can find in your 3 mth supply. You can omit or add whatever you lie. I have added sugar snap peas and usually omit water chestnuts for my family's preference.

Mandarin Chicken pasta salad
2 breasts chicken, cooked and shredded
3/4 cup Yoshidas marinade( you can find this by other bottled marinades at the grocery store-I have not been able to find it at walmart- also at Cosco for the bulk container that has been worth it for me. It stores for a long time in fridge and can be used for meat as well)
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 can olives, drained and sliced
4 TB sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp accent(optional)
1 tsp pepper
½ cup oil
6 TB vin
1-2 boxes pasta cooked and drained(I think bowties and penne together are the best)

Add Yoshidas marinade to cooked chicken and let sit for at least an hour.
In a large bowl mix all other ingredients together. Add chicken when it is at his desired flavor and mix.

This is great for all of the barbeques coming up!

Earthquake Safety

I forgot to post this last week, so looks like I am behind a week now:) Sorry if I am overwhelming with info lately:)

What do we do BEFORE an Earthquake hits?

PREPARE YOUR HOME:
-Fasten shelves securely to walls.
-Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
-Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches. -Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit.
-Brace overhead light fixtures.
-Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks.
-Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
-Repair any deep cracks in ceilings or foundations. Get expert advice if there are signs of structural defects.
-Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in closed cabinets with latches and on bottom shelves.
-Identify Safe Places indoors and outdoors like under sturdy furniture or against an inside wall away from where glass could shatter around windows, mirrors, pictures or where heavy bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over.

10 item checklist that each family should work on:

Get a printable checklist on the right:)

1) Be part of a functioning Community response plan and CERT training

2) 72 hr kit: Every family member needs a complete kit and it is stored in a convenient place3) Family Emergency plan: Every family has a plan and it is practiced regularly. I have attached some cards in the "pritables" area that can be filled out and given to each family member

4) Extra water:Each family should have at least a 2 week supply of water

5) Food Storage: 3 month supply minimum. Longer supply when possible

6) First Aid kit: Every home and car should have a kit and everyone knows how to use it(CERT training spends 2 weeks in this area)

7) Water and Sanitation kit: You will need water to keep clean and wash as well as drinking water. Also supplies to use for a toilet and to keep things as sanitary as possible. I will focus on sanitation on our blog in the near future as well.

8) Utilities shut off: Know how to shut utilities off and have any necessary tools9) "Grab and go kit": Have a transportable file system of vital records (social security cards, legal papers, birth certificates, etc)

10) Car Emergency kit: 72 hr kit, 1st aid kit, tow rope, & small mechanics kit EXTRA CREDIT: Emergency equipment: pick and shovel, Generator, CERT stuff, smoke detectors/extinguishers, gloves, chain saws, etc, etc, etc

Life Caps for $16

Any one who would like to order Life Caps for your survival kits can order them through me for half price. I will order them in bulk and will be $16 ($14.95 plus tax)

For a bottle of 30 capsules

OR

10 packets with 3 capsules in each

You can buy these same pills at Deseret book or online at www.lifecaps.net for $30.

-These unique capsules can help sustain your life in an emergency, wilderness survival or even when food is not readily available for whatever reason.
-LifeCaps works on a simple principle. When your body receives pure nutrients, it no longer feels hungry and can function as normal. If energy is needed, your body feels free to burn its naturally-stored fuel, or body fat.
-contains no harmful ingredients of any kind, such as stimulants.
-It has a shelf life of 3-5 years and should be rotated along with your other 72 hr food. It can be taken as a vitamin/mineral replacement or meal replacement at that time.

Contact Tiffanie at tiffsterzer@hotmail.com and we can work out payment. I can take cash, check, or even paypal for anyone that is interested:) If you live outside my nieghborhood you can buy them for this price as well. Just email me and we can work it out:)

72 hr kits--hygiene

Each week I look through the list and try to decide what is the next important thing to add. There are different aspects of important, so it is hard to say one is better than another. I remember being told by an emergency preparedness specialist that a lot of the sickness that occured after the Hurricane Katrina disaster was a result of improper hygiene. So this week lets try to gather stuff to keep us clean and prevent sickness.

-Sanitizer for hands

-Toilet paper

-Baby wipes: quick and convenient "bathing"

-Washcloth:some of you may have seen those little washcloths that start as hard circles(size of quarter) and when you add a little water it turns into a full size washcloth. I bought a bag at Walgreens for $4

-Diapers for the baby

-Toilet. You can use your 5 gallon bucket or a portable toilet. Toilets can get pricey, but are also good if you are regualr camper as well.It would be great to get a bucket($4.99 at Harmons this week) and put all of your hygiene items inside. You can also buy a toilet lid for about $10. You can gradually build your supply as you find more items.They have a little bag of enzymes that they sell at Emergency Essentials for $.60 that breaks up the waste for less smell.

-Trash bags. You would need some bags for your toilet for obvious reasons. Also for any soiled clothes, it would nice to have some ziplocs, or regular grocery sacks to maintain any bacteria or smells. I carry these with me now in case of "potty accidents" while visiting grandmas and having soiled clothes to deal with.

-Masks. These are great for filtering out smoke, dust from debri, or passing sickness. Get 12 for $1 at Dollar Tree

-Lysol: they sell those small lysols that fit in your purse.Although they tend to be the same price as a regular size the convenience and easy fit is worth it.

-Bleach. I bought one of the smallest containers to fit in my bucket. Although you should have extra bleach in your 3 mth supply in case of water contamination and cleaning.

-Latex gloves.Good way to prevent touching and spreading bacteria.Whether it is cleaning soiled clothes or helping your neighbor with a cut, gloves are the safest. (In CERT the instructor says that if it is wet and sticky and not yours, then don't touch it:) I bought a pack of 10 at the dollar store)

-Feminine supplies. You are already going to be having a bad week, lets not make it worse:)

-Trial size shampoo, soaps. I am not promising there will be a time or place available for this in a disaster but if the opportunity arises I want to be prepared. You can also include a solar shower in your 72 hr kit if that is a priority. There are basics and then there are comforts. You can also purchase a little privacy tent for about $50 to shower, dress and use the restroom for privacy. I personally plan on adding this to my supply one day, because we always rig a privacy tent out of tarp each year we go camping anyway. If it is just a few days I won't be worrying about a shower. but for others it is a must.

-Baking soda,vinegar for cleaning and nuetralizing smells. I have used these two plenty of times during the potty training phase:) This has done a better job than any store bought cleaner.

-Washing machine: This is not something that is on the basic 72 hour list, but a great extra if you have only one pair of clothes and they are getting gross. I don't know what the chances are for your washing machine to be up and running if the earthquake leveled your house:)For the machine, drill a hole in the lid and insert a plunger through hole. This is used as your agitator when you move it up and down. Inside your bucket you can store your detergent, clothes pins, rope to line dry and other cleaning agents. There is a woman in South Jordan that sells these premade for $25. She also sells toilet kits for $40 if anyone is interested let me know. She can come do a presentation to our neighborhood if there is an interest. She has a lot more great kits as well.

Start with a 5 gallon bucket and when you think of hygiene items for you, toss them in. I add more things each month.

*There may be some more items as well, but this is some ideas. Pick a few that are essential for you. Keep in mind you have to have room in your pack as well

Deals this week

There are some good deals this week to add to your storage.

One of the best ways to get your water supply is to get it gradually. It is great to have the 55 gallon barrels of water, or other large containers. It is more convenient however to have some water bottles as well in your storage.

-Maceys has Aquarius water 24 pack for $2.50 which is great. You will see this often throughout the summer so it is prime time to get a few everytime you go to the store. Put them in your 72 hour packs, 3 mth water storage, and in your cars.

-Legumes are a good source of protein that you need in your storage

Albertsons has Taco Bell Refried beans this week for $.60 when you spend $10. There are a few other items that you can buy to reach the $10 total if you wanted more than just refried beans. You need 5 lbs of legumes per person for 1 month

-Kroger salsa is $1 at Smiths and can go towards your supply of vegetables

Food storage recipe

This recipe is taken from www.dealstomeals.blogspot.com. When bananas are on a good deal I usually buy a lot for my fmaily. I am a picky banana eater and love them only when they are barely ripe. When they go brown I throw them in the freezer. When you are in the mood for banana bread just take them out to defrost. Great way to avoid wasting old bananas, and use ingredients from your storage.

It is fabulous as a bread..or you can put the batter in a 9x13 cake pan and frost with homemade cream cheese frosting!

Banana Bread
1 ¼ c. sugar
½ c. margarine
1 c. banana pulp (2 bananas)
4 T. sour cream
2 eggs
1 ½ c. flour (wheat flour tastes great in this recipe! You could also do 1/2 white & 1/2 wheat)
1 t. soda
1 t. vanilla
½ t. salt
Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs and add. Dissolve soda in sour cream and add with flour and rest of batter. Grease bread pan and flour. Cook at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean). Check at 1 hour.

72 hour warmth

A critical part of your 72 hour kits will be some kind of blanket for each member of your family. They provide warmth and give a feel of security. It can also be used as a screen to provide some privacy in a crowded area or evacuation center. Blankets are especially important if you live in a place like Utah where it snows all Spring:)

There is a difference between those Emergency blankets and a real blanket in your kit. The difference is comfort in a time of disaster. Children and adults will be afraid and the warmth and comfort of a blanket could make a hug impact. It is recommended that everyone have an emergency blanket in your kits and use it over your regular blanket for extra warmth. You can buy these for about a dollar at Emergency Essentials or most likely Walmart as well.

Not every blanket is a good choice. You need something that is lightweight and dries quickly. I looked around my house for all of my blankets and found plenty for each member(including the dog:)

-Virgin acrylic blankets: many of these car blankets can be found in discount drug or department stores

-Fleece throws: You can find these blankets at just about any store.

Blankets like wool, polyester, sleeping bag, thermal and comforters are bulky and take a long time to dry. These are good to have in your home in case of a power outage but not practical for a 72 hr kit.

How to Store it? The major problem with blankets is how to fit them in your kit.

- Duffel bag: I put all of my blankets in a large duffel bag with a handle and wheels. We had it around the house from some company giveaway. I put all of my families blankets in here as well as mine, Robs and baby's clothes. I put it in a tash bag first to protect from moisture. It is light and easy to strap around me.

- If your kit is a blanket you can wrap your blanket in plastic and wrap and fasten it around your bucket.

-Backpack with frame: if this is your 72 hour kit you can easily attach a rolled blanket(after covering it with a plastic bag to protect it form water)

-Space saver: My brother in law has one of those food saver machines that sucks the plastic out of the bags provided. All of his clothes, blankets, hygiene items and food are so compact and he can fit a lot more in his kit---this is my next step for my kits.

Hand and toe warmers:These can ne nice to have to put in pockets or shoes to keep warm. I found this 4- pack at walmart for about $1.50. Each one has up to 10 hours of heat

Canned heat: can be lit and have up to 10 hours of heat. They are $4.50 at Emergency Essentials

Poncho: It is a great idea to have a poncho in your pack to keep warm and dry. Wish I had one this week...Also about a dollar each.

Do what works best for your family!
(It's time to Plan Not Panic by Barbara Salsbury)

Deals this Week

There aren't any great food storage deals this week. But there is great deals on laundry detergent. Imagine not being able to leave your home for 3 mths. You have electricity to wash your laundry BUT do you have everything you need for it? You should have a supply of items such as laundry and dishwasher detergent(or soap for those amazing people who wash dishes by hand:), body soap, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, bleach (not just for laundry but for cleaning and purifying water) diapers, wipes and other cleaning or hygiene items you use regularly.

Some people are particular about detergent so this weeks deals may not be for you. I am cheap as they come, but my kids have pretty awful excema and I have to use the "clear" kind of detergents that is free of dyes and other additives to make it smell pretty:)

Smiths: Sunburst Laundry Detergent(41-50 loads) for $1.88( liquid or powder)
Albertsons: Shoppers Value Laundry detergent for $1.79 (liquid)
Harmons: Suave naturals shampoo or conditioner for $.79 (works great for me:)

Those of you who have Costco memberships can find the name brands for good prices as well. If you aren't particular about dishwashing soap you can pick up a couple extra boxes at Walmart. It is all the same to me. It shouldn't be too much strain to take $10 a week and focus solely on getting supplies for your 3 mth storage.

Go to the store this week and spend it on soap,detergent or shampoo, or buy a couple deodarants. At least focus on the tp:) It is awesome to have a extra box of diapers so I don't have one of those moments where I have 3 diapers left and shopping day isn't for 2 more days.

We need to rely less on the stores to be down the street and accessible 24/7. If a disaster occurs we will not be able to drive around town on a whim, neither will the stores be stocked with anything. Focus on 3 mths of food and supplies if you couldn't leave your home. Throughout the day write down things that you use on a regular basis and add it to a list of things to stock up on.

Cooking with no power

I didn't know what recipe to post today, but as my husband is outside setting up the dutch oven, I got an idea:) I want everyone to stop and evaluate what source you would have if you had no power to cook. All of the food storage recipes won't be any good if you have no way to cook it. So here are some ideas:

Barbeque: I use my barbeque at least twice a week throughout the winter, and a lot more in the summer. Everything just seems to taste better. *Right now make sure you have enough propane to last you. Also some briquets and matches just in case. Also practice now to cook a variety of different things now instead of when you have to.

Dutch Oven: We have collected quite a bit of dutch oven supplies throughout our marriage and it is really fun to see what you can do. I recently bought a dutch oven bread pan to test it out today. I will add some pictures later -Rob is just barely putting the dutch oven on the coals. We use our barbeque tray to put the briquets in, but have also done it camping or just in a pile of rocks. The trick to the dutch oven is to know how many briquets and where(top or bottom). We are no way near experts, but it is fun to experiment. I found this site that gives great tips and recipes, so we use this as our cheat sheet. Print some off today because if there is no power to cook than there is no power to print them off later:)

Sterno stove or canned heat: I bought a couple of these cells at $4.50 each at Emergency Essentials. The stove unit is $8.00, or 2 cells and stove for $14.95. It is a safe alcohol gel that can cook for 5 hours once lit or provide 10 hours of warmth. You can read more about it at Emergency Essentials. You can buy it online and pay shipping or pick it up locally in South Jordan. Boils 1 cup of water in about 15 minutes. It takes a little longer and you can't expect to cook gourmet meals on it. It burns smoke free and can be used inside.

Portable stove: These are $25 at Emergency Essentials and you would need some extra butane canisters as well. I don't have one personally but I am tempted:) My barbeque as the stove on the side so it has that same effect. Yet, this is portable and could be taken with me if needed. If you plan on using it inside make sure you have one that is approved to be used indoors.Fireplace: This is a great way to keep warm while the rest of us are without heat. We had a gas fireplace before and I can't see how that would be possible to cook in. Many builders don't even allow them anymore--we asked:) If you have a wood burning one you could place a dutch oven in it or use the roasting stick technique. I did read that you should never burn charcoal in the fireplace, because it can create lethal carbon monoxide that will not be removed completely by the chimney. If this is your option practice up!

Let me know if there are any more cooking ideas that you can think of!

Dinner for 72 hours

You can use a lot of the breakfast ideas and lunch ideas for your dinner meals so this is a bit of a repeat. Go for lightweight, tasty, convenient and familiar food. It is not as important to have balanced meals as it is to have high calories and nutrition.
When it comes to food for your kits it is completely up to what your family prefers and what you can carry.
Here are some ideas:
-Granola bars
-cereal bars
-pop tarts
-dried fruit
-fruit cups
-oatmeal to go
-fruit leather
-Energy bars
-cup of noodles+ water+ cooking equipment+ utensils
-tuna fish
-tuna to go pack
-pb and jam sandwich
-instant soups+ water+ cooking equipment
-vienna sausages
-MRE (meals ready to eat) found at Emergency Essentials
-freeze dried meals+ water+ cooking equipment+ dishes

Keep in mind if you choose things such as freeze dried meals, you will need to include the water and any dishes and cooking equipment needed.


Here is my dinner meal plan:

Day 1:
Tuna-to-Go and Applesauce cup:


Tuna-to-go is convenient and includes a mini tuna can, mayonnaise packet, and crackers. They are about $2.00. Applesauce cups come in 6 packs for $2 as well.

Day 2:

Crackers with Peanut butter and Dried Fruit: You can buy these MRE style crackers for $.75 each at Emergency Essentials- they taste just like saltines with less salt. They are vaccum packed and least likely to break in your kit. The peanut butter packs are excellent protein source and cost $.50 each. You can find the dried fruit at Walmart for $3-$4


Day 3:


Crackers with Tuna and Cheese Spread with Pineapple- I bought a box of saltines for $1 and these tupperware at the dollar store for a pack of 2. This will keep them from getting squished and has room for my mayo packets(from a fast food restaurant:) as well. You can get cheese spread packets for $.75 at Emergency Essentials and pineapple MRE for $1.25. I bought the can of tuna for $.50 (make sure to pack the can opener)

Deals for food storage this week

Smiths is still having some great case lot sales this week so check out last weeks post here for those deals to add to your food storage.


Another great deal is at Albertsons if you need to stock up on your fruit storage for your family. One family would need 85 lbs of fruit a year. That is 15 lbs for 1 month for your entire family.


Albertsons has Del Monte 20 oz pineapple and canned fruit for $.70. It hasn't been that low in years apparently. You can get this price if you buy 10 in a transaction.

Earthquake Safety

I thought each week in April we could focus on earthquake safety. This week to start us off, I wanted to give you all of the info you need to know about earthquakes and Utah. Not meant to scare you entirely, just prepare you. First of all, if you are curious about why Utah is overdue for an earthquake, check out this video on Utube done by geology.utah.gov. It shows an arial view of the valley explaining the fault lines across the wasatch front. Here is the info we were taught in CERT training. Also found at at Deseret News archive. If Utah was to have a 7.0 earthquake this is what we could expect:

-90,000 people injured
-up to 6,200 people dead
-42% of local buildings moderately damaged
-older bridges on I-15 will collapse
-280,000 homes will be without utilities
-East and west corridors for travel distrupted by damage
-$40 billion dollars in economic losses

There are a lot of things we need to prepare for not only for the quake itself but our economy afterwards. If our families survive we will have to plan on surviving in a community that has literally been ripped apart. This month I will focus on different aspects of earthquakes and hopefully get all of us to feel a bit more prepared. We can't live in fear of bad things happening, but we can prepare ourselves to be ready when they do happen!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

This is one of my favorite recipes! I didn't know if I would like some of the ingredients combined but it was perfect. I took this recipe from my http://www.myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com/

Southwestern Egg Rolls (like the ones at Chilis). Another added bonus is that almost ALL of the ingredients are staples in your food storage, or items I recommend having a 3 month supply of in your freezer (these items have a * next to them). It makes for a quick meal in a hurry

Southwestern Egg Rolls

1 chicken breast fillet, diced

*½ red bell pepper, minced

*2 T. green onion, minced

¼ c. white onion, minced

1 can corn (or frozen about 1 c.)

*1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

*2 T. spinach, sliced very thinly (optional)

1 small can green chilies

*½ T. parsley

*½ t. cumin

*½ t. chili powder

*¼ t. salt

*dash cayenne pepper

*1 c. Ceddar Cheese, shredded

*Flour Tortillas

*Avocado-ranch dipping sauce:

1 c. ranch (any style)

*1 whole avocado, mashed (Or more if you like it!)

1 tsp. minced onion

*Salt & Pepper

*Blend together with blender.

Cook chicken and dice. In large bowl mix all ingredients together.Sauté all ingredients (including chicken) until warm. Remove from heat and add shredded cheese. Mix well. Warm tortillas. Place ½ c. or so of mixture inside a tortilla. Fold completely together so mixture can not escape. Place inside a panni grill or George Forman to grill and melt cheese. You can also make like a grilled cheese sandwich, just put something heavy on top of burrito to grill. Serve with dipping sauce.

72 Hr water

***Pack at least 3 - 16.9 oz bottles in your pack for each person.

If you have a pet make sure he has some too. I have a Chihuahua so I won't have to carry much:)

If you are feeling good about getting plenty of water for your packs, toss a bottle in your car for each person as well for a future car kit:)

Extra water info----
My favorite preparedness book "It's Time to Plan Not Panic" by Barbara Salsbury(check it out at the library!) says this: "When deciding how much water to take with you, the question may not be how much should you carry, but how much can you carry"

Water is confusing because everyone seems to say different requirements. We should all have 2 weeks of water stored for 2 weeks that is seperate than this amount. The purpose of the 72 hr kit would be to take it with you in an evacuation situation. I can not take 55 gallon drum on my back:)

You can get those little 8 oz packets of water where emergency prep stuff is sold. On the back of those it says it is recommended that you drink at least 8 oz a day to survive. But your body would need more to be in good health. If nothing else is in your kits, water is a must so carry as much as you can.

For my oldest 2 kids I put in 2 water bottles in their pack....that is simply all they can carry without falling over. Since I want each kid to have 3 bottles at least I will carry the bulk of the water in my pack.


They say that when people are in an emergency they drink more because of the stress, although I think I would freak out and ration myself. I put water bottles in the fridge and gave each of my kids one of the 16.9 oz bottles to carry around for the day. By the end of the day, they hadn't even finished one. They were playing pretty rough all day and were in great shape at the end of the day. Of course this wasn't in the hot summer day either. But I felt comfortable knowing that my kids would be comfortable on one 16.9 oz bottle of water per day. I made sure each one of us had at least 3 bottles in our kit, and then I put in more bottles until it was pretty heavy but manageable. I know we should drink 8 glasses a day of water and eat all of our veggies, but the focus here is too stay hydrated.

Cleaning water is another thing. I don't think I have packed that much for cleaning personally. I have my 2 week water of I had access to my home. I think that I would put off washing the laundry if I knew I needed that water to drink. (That is why you have a extra pair of clothes) Don't get me wrong hygiene is very important in a situation like this to avoid sickness. Along with water I have a lot of wipes, sanitizer, bleach, disinfectant, these cool washclothes that go from the size of a quarter until dropped in a little water and they turn into a full size washcloth. We will get into all of that stuff later. Boy this was supposed to be a short, simple post "get some water" :)
Yes, the national guard, Red cross and other federal help will bring water in, but not immediately. We can't go without water for more than 3 days. After Katrina hit some residents did not recieve water assistance for over a week! It is not the governments job to provide for our families!