A bonus Pantry and Preparedness post with Teri.

A few weeks ago I shared beautiful photos of Teri's pantry and some of her thoughts on preparedness. Her pantry is AMAZING. It is a testimony to hard work and persistence!  Teri has been kind enough to share some tips and I thought these would be a great extra post for the Pantries and Preparedness series.

Please excuse the patchwork of texts and sizes and number issues! I am putting together things Teri has send me and bits and pieces and I am terrible at it! But hopefully Teri's information will not be wrecked by the bad job I have done! 

Firstly an introduction from Teri...

"I have been married for over 40 years and we have always had a pantry full of home canned food.  We freeze, can or dehydrate extras each summer to add to our pantry.  I watched my mom work hard to preserve the summer harvest either canning, freezing or drying extra food.  And I now use a pressure canner to give us more variety. 

We started to add to our pantry by canning jams, fruits and pickled veggies.  We also shopped case lot sales and watched for specials each week so we could have a variety.  From there, I started researching ways to store powdered milk, dry beans and wheat.  As our family grew, I wanted to learn ways to make my own mixes and other "convenience" foods at home.  We rotated and used our food from "our store" on a daily basis, and still do.  Cooking from scratch was normal, much healthier and saved lots of money.  I learned how to substitute ingredients or leave something out altogether.  As a stay-at-home mom, I knew this was important economically, plus I enjoyed it!!

Living in different areas, we felt prompted to prepare our family for weather issues and just simply not having to always run to a shop for one item.  Because of power outages, snow/ice storms and flooding, we are grateful to have a well stocked pantry. Plus, for several years our pantry has been the only way I've put meals on our table and just replacing essentials. I'm always learning and I hope, in some small way, I can help others by showing the ways I use and rotate my food storage.  I've learned so much from Annabel and her readers!!  It's just wonderful having a supportive group of like minded friends to motivate and encourage each other!" 

Teri, early on, also told me this which at the risk of repeating some information I want to include as it contains so great truths...

"I've been a stay at home mom 35 years and can assure you that I was always the "odd one out".  No one understood how much I was saving staying at home, raising our children, cooking from scratch, doing our own yard and housework and growing a garden.  We even had neighbor kids ask us what we were growing.  They had never seen potatoes, peas beans, etc. growing just saw them in a food store.  Now that our children are grown and its just the two of us, we still cook "big", planning leftovers and extras for easy "no cook" meals.  When I bake goodies, I often share with family and co-workers but everything tastes so much better, just like you have said.  :)"

"The kind of food storage and preparedness you and I are doing is to help our families and friends.  I also believe in God's word and following it the best I can. The scriptures tell us to be prepared and that's why we are prompted to work on our pantries.  I don't like to waste and feel sad if I do, that's why I'm always trying new things.  Also, if we have a big snow, ice, wind storm (which I've lived through many) then I don't want to be sliding on the roads with all the other crazy people or going to a shop that's had the shelves cleared.  It just makes more sense to me to stay home and have what we need.  It may not always be what everyone "wants" but that's ok because we will have full tummies!  :)  So this is why we are working so hard to fill our pantries!  Hope that all makes sense.  :)"

Teri's first tips to help us on our pantry missions...

"Firstly these are some tips to make the most of your freezer (an important part of the pantry in normal times)...

1. As you prepare food for your freezer, be sure to use a sharpie to label and date each item.  (I also label each can, box, bag, etc. we buy to make rotating our food storage much easier).  Making a list to help you remember what you put in your freezer helps but keep updating it!
2. Plastic freezer containers (which come in several sizes) are a good way to store food.  You can also recycle plastic food containers or use zip top freezer bags.  I’ve used all three and I like the square containers the best (they stack easier).  If you use freezer bags, lay those flat until they are frozen, then stack them in an up-right position to better use freezer space.  (If you lay them flat, they tend to slide around, so sometimes you have to layer them “jigsaw puzzle” styleJ)! 
3. And if you have a vacuum seal machine, food stays fresher longer in your freezer plus you can also use this method for dried goods too.
4. Tomatoes can be frozen.  I peel and core them, then put them in a freezer container raw and use them in sauces, soups, etc.  Sometimes, I cook them first to use the same way or cook, season and then stir into cooked pasta!  YUM!
5. Bananas can be mashed and frozen to make bread, cookies or cake.  (They turn dark even if you add a tablespoon of lemon juice but this does not hurt them.)  I’ve done this with extra bananas for several years now and they are a handy item to have in the freezer!
6. Winter squash can be cooked, mashed and frozen to use in baked goods.(try Streusel Squash Dessert in this newsletter)!  I also use my squash as a quick veggie for dinner.  Summer squash (zucchini, yellow, etc.) can be grated and frozen also.  Use in breads, cakes or soups (Faith makes a cream style soup with her cubed, frozen zucchini).  Also, frozen winter squash works fine in baked breads, pies and cookies in place of pumpkin.  ( I still like to cook pumpkin and freeze it too)! 
7. Pre-measure grated squash, buttermilk, grated cheese, mashed bananas, etc. and put the amount on your label.  That way, they will be ready for specific recipes.  And when I freeze eggs (whites and whole), I put the amount on the label so I can easily unthaw the right amount. Be sure to unthaw all your food in the refrigerator.  Planning helps you get items out of the freezer a day or two ahead but the microwave defrost button works very well!  
8. Saving some space in your freezer for bread, hamburger & hotdog buns, muffins and baked quick breads will save you trips to the grocery store and have goodies ready to eat.  Be sure you use your frozen bread & buns within a couple months.  Otherwise, they make good croutons or homemade bread crumbs! Frozen quick breads last longer.  (It’s nice to get a package of English muffins out of the freezer and make individual “pizzas” for a quick weekend lunch).
9. A freezer is a great way to put extra garden veggies away for winter meals.  We have blanched cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, cabbage, corn, carrots and cooked beets (almost done) and plan to enjoy them all winter long.  Plus, we bottle and dehydrate all these vegetables.  Frozen green peppers, sautéed onions and celery are also nice to have in your freezer.  (Remember, most frozen vegetables don’t require much cooking, work great in soups, stews and sauces and are convenient).   Keep in mind, when you grocery shop and look in the frozen isle, that the food you “put by” will be tastier, fresher and won’t be filled with preservatives!

Remember to use your freezer to stock up on extra meals so when you have a hectic day, you can still enjoy a home cooked meal.  (Double recipes so you have one for dinner and one for the freezer).  A slow cooker also helps get a meal on the table fast, when you have had a busy day!  These ideas can also help you plan your party meals, giving you more time to enjoy your guests!"

Recently we started talking about eggs, how long to keep them etc., so these next few tips are about – yes, eggs!!! 

"1.   If you want to know if an egg is fresh, fill a bowl with cold water, gently put the egg(s) in ---- if the egg turns horizontal, it is very fresh; if it “bobs” on its tip, it’s older BUT still good; and if the egg floats to the top, toss it!  (This experiment only works with RAW eggs)!

2.   Most of the time eggs can be used past the expiration on the carton, if they have always been properly stored.

3.   Eggs should always be kept in the cartons instead of being put in an “egg holder” on the refrigerator door.  This will keep them fresher longer and unexposed to air plus any item stored on the refrigerator door gets more warm air than on a shelf.  (This is why new refrigerators don’t have an “egg holder” on the door). 

4.   As mentioned above, eggs can be frozen.  But there is a certain way to do this.  Whole eggs need to be “scrambled” a bit and have a small amount of salt added to them before freezing.  When I use an egg yolk in a recipe and don’t need the white, I freeze the white(s) in a small container, label the amount and freeze until I want to make meringues.  Always date your container and include the number of eggs on your container and thaw them in the refrigerator.

5.  Use frozen whole eggs for scrambled eggs, omelets, making pancake batter or baking a cake.  (Whole yolks are not recommended for the freezer,  as they turn rubbery)."

Something I have noticed about Teri's writing, also Glenda's and others is that in the US many of the ladies see pantries, preparedness and the learning and teaching in regard to this as a form of Ministry. I certainly have always thought that how we run our homes is a ministry and that the older women teaching the younger women is too. So it makes sense! It is a building up your home exercise. We need skills to do that. The more we learn the more capable we are. Then Teri wrote this to me....

     " I found a little note (in my scriptures) that I wrote years ago.  We were asked in a Sunday school class to write what we thought our gift(s) from God was.  And I wrote "helping and teaching people about food storage"!  I feel like you are helping me spread the word about preparedness/food storage and in such a loving way with your wonderful posts!  :)  So, thank you.  I have missed teaching classes on food storage and helping others set goals."  

Teri I really think you are correct, this is your gift and it is a great help to people!  And now you are doing that again.

Apart from teaching this is also inspiring and encouraging.  None of this is done in a day, it is all from things that are added to over time. In my small way I have shown that starting is the biggest step, it is amazing how your pantry will grow when you keep at it, take every chance to add something and add to your skills. 

I know many of you already follow A Prudent Homemaker. I don't think I ever knew someone so level headed and sensible (and prudent) as Brandy. Please go and read her current post "July's shopping plans" and then read the comments on the first page. Read every word and read carefully. Brandy is the latest in a series of people I really respect to come out and say such things. 

Teri this would make your teaching gift more important than ever! Thank you so much for this post and all your encouragement! 

xxx