Living the Pantry Lifestyle - The $50.00 Stockup

Ever the curious kitty, someone had to check out what was on "her" table.

Since I had one of those rare opportunities for stock up a bit this past week, I thought it a good time to share what my priorities are for the pantry.  More of the "Show and Tell" type of Pantry post.

I perused my pantry shelves to find what I needed most and what could use "one extra".

Total cost... $50.00 plus a dollar or two tax.

My $50.00 stock up challenge took me first to Aldi's, where I can always get the most purchase power for my dollars.  Similar... and perhaps even cheaper... prices can be found at stores like Kroger if I had time to wait on a sale.

It's fairly easy to see what my largest stock up item was as one sees two flats of the Aldi's brand stewed tomatoes.  I don't suggest stocking up on anything you haven't tried first (believe me, I speak from experience!) but I knew I liked the Aldi's brand just fine.  My preference is Hunt's or Red Gold but neither was on sale recently.

I had some cans of regular chopped tomatoes and a few large cans of whole tomatoes on my shelves.  But I was completely out of stewed tomatoes and I use them a lot.  Perhaps because my mother always used stewed tomatoes and I like the taste they add to a dish.

My preference for TP is Charmin Basic but we were almost out of TP and this Aldi's brand was very reasonable.  It's not the horrible cheapy stuff that some of the food pantries give out.  Good if not luxurious.  But I have other places I want to spend for luxury.

I bought one bottle of canola oil.  If I had the money, I would always purchase non-GMO oil but it is not possible.  My husband does purchase a small bottle at a time at the health food store's 20% off Senior Citizen Day.  That is used for salads, along with extra virgin olive oil.

One of the things I learned when researching what people experienced in WWII, is that a lot of the dietary related deaths were due to a lack of available fat in the diet.   Not to mention it makes cooking a lot easier.  So we do the best we can, with inexpensive canola oil for cooking... and non-GMO oil as well as extra virgin olive oil for other needs.

Stephanie replaces light olive oil for canola in part of her cooking but she has access through her co-op to getting it at a great price.

I added three cans of mandarin oranges to the pantry shelves.  I keep sources of vitamin C for the weeks when we can't purchase fresh.  Of course, juice would work but that is one food source diabetics need to be careful with.

I bought one jar of German style sauerkraut to add to the pantry, Hubby eats it a couple times a week as part of his health regimen.  I cook with it.  I also added one jar of pickles.  Pickling was a way our great grandparents and generations prior to them added veggies to their winter diet.

I purchased a large box of heavy large trash bags since I am almost out of the box already at home.  One box of tissues was purchased.  When we had colds, they were a multiple box stock up item!

Instead of purchasing an extra container of Maxwell House for the pantry (which at the moment has been our go-to coffee), I bought a box of the Aldi Donut Store Blend K-cups.  They are very reasonably priced and we were completely out of K-cups.

I had been purchasing the Green Mountain apple cider K-cups previously when Kroger had them on a Holiday Season sale.  Alas, they are back to their normal expensive price!  So the inexpensive coffee will do.  :(

But I digress... I hope you see that I do put some thought about what I buy when I don't have much money for a "big" stockup.   Items that give the most nutrition for the money become very important.  If I had children at home, I'd probably not make a priority of sauerkraut or pickles but instead purchase canned fruit.

I should mention that when Kroger has their 10 for $10.00 sale, I stock up on frozen veggies for the freezer!  A great way to get some veggie nutrients for less.

I left Aldi's and moseyed across the highway to the grocery store that usually has meat on sale.  I must admit to sticker shock!  I had enough meat in the freezer that I hadn't shopped for much for a couple months.  I could not believe it when the "inexpensive" chuck roast I use for soup was $15.00.  That used to be organic prices... and this was not even "all natural" meat!

I did end up with one family size package of deboned chicken breast on sale (not a national brand), which I split up at home with two pieces in the frig for use this weekend and the remainder in the freezer.

I also went to that grocery store as it is the only one close to me that sells Barilla orzo.  I bought two boxes for my shelf.  Now, there are some things I don't buy cheap and I've mentioned before that pasta is one of them.  Especially as a diabetic, I need the best pasta I can buy.  Cheap pasta is akin to... glue.

My nutritionist says pasta is fine as long as it is balanced with protein and veggies.  Also, pasta for anyone with blood sugar issues should be cooked aldente'.  That's the way Italians (who should know) cook it, anyway.   It is less likely to spike your blood sugar that way.  Which is also why, if I know I will have leftovers of chicken noodle or chicken orzo soup, I cook the pasta on the side and add it to the soup when serving.  The longer pasta cooks, the more glycemic it becomes.

The two other items on the table are an Aldi's shopping bag, which Hubby asked me to buy.  He takes them to food pantries instead of using their sacks.  I use them for... Aldi's.  They are only $1.99 and very roomy.

Then there is the thyme plant, which was on sale for $2.99 at the second store.  I've been missing the fresh thyme from my garden so when I saw it on sale, I put back the package of sun dried tomatoes I had in the cart and reached for the thyme.

It also is part of our decision to add more greenery to our home (as in real plants).  We hope to purchase a few ivy and spider plants soon.  A natural way to cleanse the air.

Besides exchanging a couple items for another, I was going to purchase a package of batteries.  But Hubby bought a small package of AAA batteries a few days before with rebate credit at Menard's so I used that money on other items.

Perhaps the most important way we stock the pantry and emergency kits on a fixed income is... one purchase at a time!

For instance, what items would we absolutely need should there be another winter storm and the power goes out?  Those items become our priority for the "add just one item to the grocery cart a week" stock up.  Many times that item is a package of D or AA batteries, those we use the most.

Hubby's purchase recently was one small package of AAA batteries as we only use them for the DVD remote.  So no need for a huge stock up but they are essential if we want to use the DVD player.

I know many people who have no pantry or emergency kit at all because they say they cannot afford it.  But almost everyone I know can make one small purchase a week, or at least a couple times a month.

One package of batteries, or one container of lamp oil (should you have an oil lamp), or one box of "strike anywhere" matches and a few candles, or one package inexpensive paper plates, or one small package of TP to put back for emergencies, or a case or water... it all adds up!

So, I hope this additional show and tell helps you see what goes into my stocking up strategy.  When I do have a larger amount available to do some serious stocking, it is pretty much similar to this.  Of course, I also watch for sales on favorite brands.

LINK
A Nutritional Approach to Food Storage... here.  If you scroll all the way down, there is a very good embedded handout of one family's nutritional priorities in their pantry. There is a link within it to a different page where the list is a little easier to read.

There is a lot of good information here but I do find some of these types of articles overwhelming when they offer suggestions for a very deep pantry.  (Not that a very deep pantry is a bad idea if you have the room and the budget!).

But I found if you peruse through this one, she offers a lot of good information as well as lists to use when making your own stock up list.

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - A little show and tell

Good cookbooks are part of my Pantry Lifestyle!

I'm often asked how I deepen the pantry on a fixed income.  Well, it is not all that deep but what I do have is a combination keeping a list of priorities and watching for bargains.

Here are a few ways I keep a pantry.  Nothing profound, whatsoever... but it may spark some ideas of your own.

I am always on the lookout for items that are 1) pantry friendly, and 2) easy for me to prepare on those days I'm not feeling my best.  I mentioned before that I saw a recommendation for these shelf stable Barilla Tortellini and it sparked my interest.  So I tried the original Three Cheese variety and we loved them.

I have yet to try the Cheese & Spinach since they were a very recent purchase.   And for just the two of us, I can get two to three meals from each package according to the way I use them.

These would also be perfect for your Hospitality Pantry, the package says they serve 4 - 6 and since the first time I made them, I cooked the entire bag at once... I can assure you when cooked there is a lot of pasta goodness there!

This kind of pantry item is a little different than stockpiling regular dried spaghetti, rotini, etc. since it contains a lot of flavor already.  One could cook them and then toss in some butter and herbs and they would be fine... or garlic and butter... or as I did a tomato based sauce.

I'm always trying to find inexpensive ways to add healthy ingredients to my pantry on a budget.  Two new-to-me ingredients I added in the last year were Irish oatmeal (or any steel cut oats) and quinoa.

It can be especially difficult when you have special dietary needs to deepen a pantry on a budget.  Then you add in taste and well... it can be a challenge.  But part of the ways cookbooks (and some cooking shows) help is to provide various ways to use new-to-me ingredients.

I also have found yummy substitutions for some foods that I don't care for.  Like the almost empty orzo box above (yes, I need to buy a few boxes again!).  I don't care for white rice unless it has added flavorings which can have a lot of sodium and preservatives.  Although I do love the Zatarain's New Orleans Style Jambalaya mix to use as a side dish and the extras store well in the frig... but I used the last box in my pantry recently.

So it was a happy day when I started seeing various recipes using orzo pasta instead of rice.  I use orzo in my Greek Lemon Chicken soup instead of rice... here.  Orzo also makes a delicious substitute for rotini in lighter pasta salads.  Since it can be eaten with a spoon, it is a great way for young kids to eat pasta.

We are cutting way back on meat consumption, not only for health but because it's getting too expensive for our budget.  While we still eat meat, a lot of my recipe research lately has gone to plant based recipes and I'm finding so many delicious ways to go without meat for the main dishes... neither Hubby nor I feel deprived.

Oh, see that bag of garbanzo beans?  We were given lots of boxes of those dried beans (each holding probably ten packages).   It seems the food pantries couldn't give them away as people around here don't use them often. I admit even I usually use the canned version for hummus.

So I have been busy researching recipes for the garbanzo (aka: chickpeas) beans.  Especially Middle Eastern and Italian recipes where they are used a great deal.  Oh, we kept a couple boxes and gave a couple to our church's food pantry as a lot of students are from countries that use them.  One box is waiting a chance for me to meet with my friend, Linda, who can use a case.  Her family is also adding more plant based recipes to their diet.

All this to say that there are many inexpensive ways to add and stock protein in the pantry.  Far more than what is shown above but it was ten degrees outside (and thus not much more in my garage) when I quickly pulled items off the shelf to show you!

Both of these items represent finding clearances on the after-the-holiday shelves.  The hot chocolate packets were a dollar a box after Christmas so I bought two boxes then.  The Starbucks' VIA (which I have heard is delicious and never tried it) instant coffee went on a clearance price this past week so I bought three boxes.

I broke my own rule of not stocking up on anything I have never tried but hey... how can you go wrong with pumpkin spice?

I don't stock up on candy, anymore, with just a couple exceptions should the budget permit.  I purchase candy either colored red (as in M&Ms) or wrapped in red (Hershey's kisses as an example).  Much like purchasing paper plates and napkins in red after a holiday, they can be used for Christmas, Valentine's Day and any of the patriotic holidays.  :)

Of course there are lots and lots of items often available after Christmas should one have the space and budget.

I have had people laugh at me when I tell them I usually pray before going shopping, whether the grocery store or Goodwill.  But I believe God is a central part of keeping a pantry on a tight budget.

Not too long ago I went into Target for a couple items I can best purchase there.  I decided to peruse the end aisles where they have clearance items and came across these extra large containers of Seventh Generation dish washing liquid.  While the clearance cost was not huge, it was enough to purchase two of them.

Then I noticed just around the corner at the end of the long aisle, there were dozens of bottles of Mrs. Meyer's dish soap in a couple new-to-me seasonal scents.  I didn't care for one of them but the other... this Radish scent... was lovely.  And they were on clearance for $1.99 each.  I bought five.

If you read any of the "How I Stock Up" series, I wrote there how I will use a significant part of my grocery budget for stock up if I find a clearance sale.  That is exactly what happened here.   I used a precious $25.00 for only dish washing liquid but I am now stocked for 4 to 6 months since I had a couple regular size bottles of the Seventh Generation on my shelf.

Believe me, this was a "God thing".  I had no plans on looking any further at Target that day than to see if they had blueberry Bonne Maman and my husband's favorite Amy's soup.  But He knew and drew me to the aisle where I could stock up on organic or "pure" dish washing soap in the loveliest of scents.

Another way I keep a pantry on a budget is to do size comparisons.  Although not all bulk items are the best deal... sometimes they are far better than their smaller counterparts.

For instance, I only use Splenda in my coffee and tea (hot or iced).  But even then using the little packets can add up.  Well, a few years ago I found that I actually like the granulated Splenda better than the packets.  I don't know if there is a difference or it is my imagination but the granulated seems to be less overpoweringly sweet.

Then there is the price.  When I recently purchased the above bag, it was $5.99 and will last me four to six months.  I checked and the smallest box of packets was $6.99 and they would last two to three weeks.  So in this case buying in bulk is a significant savings.

I should say as an aside... I keep all the extra Splenda packets I get when purchasing "coffee to go" at drive thru windows.  I have a rooster mug on my microwave oven that holds them.  Recently when I ran out of the granulated Splenda, they came in very handy to sweeten my morning coffee!

Some items I purchase in bulk because they would be far too expensive otherwise... like wheat.  Others I buy in bulk because they are more difficult to find in my area... like French lentils.  Then there are the spices I purchase in bulk for far less money... like the sumac from the Asian grocery store.

I do hope this show-and-tell sparks your own ideas about how to deepen the pantry on a budget.  Remembering it goes back to this being a Pantry Lifestyle (always using what is in the pantry) as opposed to stocking for only an emergency.

Okay... so I do keep some cans of Spam on my pantry shelves.  But I like Spam.  Even though my husband despises even the aroma of it cooking.  ;)

LINKS

• I thought this "rant" about needing to be prepared for an emergency by a Pennsylvania news reporter sounded like something I (blush) would do... here.
• Here is my friend Deanna's blog post about that same storm... here.
• This article on setting up a deep pantry area is one I've shared before but is worth repeating... here.

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Simply ponder the priorities

Here is one more Saturday post about prepping for emergency situations as well as everyday living.  I'm sure some of what is written will be a repeat of what is important.

As far as stocking up and preparing for emergencies... gaining knowledge is the least expensive priority.  While I have a few good books on the subject, I often prefer what is available online. 

My favorite resources tend to be those written by homesteaders... for homesteaders follow much more a pantry lifestyle.

When I used to stock up, before switching from an emergency preparedness mindset to one that involves a pantry lifestyle, I would take other people's lists to the store and purchase from them.

Then when we had to use everything in our pantry, I found money had been spent on items we wouldn't use or eat.  And these past few years my budget has been such that I can't afford to put something on the shelves that we cannot use.

Instead I found lists are good for guidelines, kind of a "cheat sheet" from which to remind me of something I may have forgotten that we do need.  But by keeping a running list nearby to write an item when a need comes up, I eventually had my own basic list that is true to my needs... and those have shifted since becoming empty nesters.

Some items in my pantry are still a priority although I don't stock as deeply as I once did, not only due to financial limitations but now there are only two of us.  Well, two and Victoria so kibble is always at the top of any list).  ;)

I think through what I need the most should I be stuck at home unable to get to the grocery store whether it is from a national emergency or as in this very longest of winters... snow, snow, and more snow.  

They include baking essentials (and perhaps a couple loaves of bread in the freezer), milk (and a few boxes of shelf stable milk in the pantry that I use for cooking), eggs (I always try to purchase one or two dozen when I am down to two dozen for they last a long time if kept in their original egg containers), what I need to put together some basic meals, root veggies that store well, canned items like tomatoes and chicken stock and salmon and veggies and fruit and... well you get the idea, ummm... etc.

Of course a priority is given to items like TP, paper plates and cups and plastic utensils (if you have no water you will be very happy you have these), paper towels even if you do not usually use them (ditto with the no water thing), trash or garbage bags, dish washing liquid, etc.

And I will mention again... kitty kibble.  And kitty litter.  And doggy chow.  And gerbil chow.  And lizard chow.  I think you get my drift.

So having said the above, go through the lists and then make your own.  Do not take someone else's list to shop from.  Or to stock up from.  If you do not eat it now, you will probably not want to eat it in an emergency.

Now... as to emergency preps.

Think first of what you need.  Lighting.  Food.  Water.  A way to stay warm in winter.  Food that requires no cooking and/or a way to cook food.  Etc.

Then think of your budget.  For instance, an inexpensive flashlight is better than no flashlight.  So have a few on hand and extra batteries for them.  Then as finances permit, add a better flashlight.  Then perhaps a camping lantern.  I used Amazon credit to purchase a really good LED flashlight (thanks to YOU!).

I do have plenty of candles as well as two glass hurricane covers to place over candle sticks (since there is the whole curious kitty thing).  But I have found through the years that candles are not always the very best way of lighting due to safety concerns.

I will say this, I have two or three bags of inexpensive votive candles for I have found them invaluable when the electricity is off.  You will be surprised at how a little light will help... and they are relatively safe to keep in areas like on a kitchen or bathroom counter.  

There are liquid emergency lights you can use and I have found them very helpful in the past, as shown in the Amazon Associate's Link... here.

Think of your lifestyle.  If you commonly use oil lamps then stock lamp oil, and parts for your oil lamp.   Do not save oil lamps just for an emergency if you have them for they do require a basic skill to use them correctly.

You never want to have to go through a learning curve during a crisis.

Think about a way of getting information should there be no power.  The least expensive way is to have a battery operated radio and go up from there.  One can purchase a solar powered radio with shortwave radio and all the other bells and whistles, too.  But once again... do not let it sit on a shelf until you absolutely have to use it.  Use it now.  You should always have backup batteries for everything which requires them, anyway.

Keep a priority list for items you believe you will need for an emergency and then as funds become available, make the purchase and cross it off your list.

You see, if you have thought ahead of time about possibilities then you are not one of those people standing in line for flashlights, batteries, etc. during a winter storm warning... or items needed to board up your windows in a hurricane.  My dear friend who lives on a coastline stored plywood under their double wide mobile home so if they can store it... you can.

As I've written before, you can make emergency preparations fun for kids when there is no immediate threat.  Prepare a fire drill for your family and see what needs tweaked and practiced.  Have the family prepare where they would go during a tornado warning.

Talk about hurricane preparations and earthquake drills.  Let the kids make a list of what they think should go into a 72 hr. kit.  And then you will know if you have to flee your house for a forest fire or flood that your youngest put their blankie at the top of the list.

For the most part, anything practiced ahead of time helps alleviate fear and failure in the main event.  Oh, the flight or fight genes will set in but preparation will help your brain to stay clearer.

Any advanced preparation and knowledge will help.  Since the pipe in the garage burst, we now know to check the pipes in the crawl space the next time Hubby changes the well filter.  Who me?  I'm so claustrophobic just thinking of the crawl space causes shivers.  But you can see where I am going with the suggestion, even if it will be accomplished by someone less phobic.  There are spiders there, too.

Below are some links I hope provide some good information for you.  I will continue to be on the lookout for information each week I can link to on Saturday.

LINKS

• My How I Stock Up Series gives a lot of advice on what I have learned through the years... here.
• Building and Stocking Your Pantry by Jackie Clay... excellent article!!!!... here.
• 100 Things that Disappear First in a Disaster is a very good list... here.
• I think it was Manuela who mentioned Little House in the Suburbs is having a Prep Along at the moment.  You can find them... here.
• Mary Jane had some excellent suggestions for putting together an emergency kit for your car... here. 

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - The mental aspect of being prepared

Grocery store shelves prior to the recent blizzard conditions

Christopher shared a news story on his Facebook page which went along with my own ponderings recently about being prepared mentally for an emergency.  In the midst of a shooting at a college, texts were sent out to thousands of students and staff warning them there was a shooter on campus, to stay where they were and take cover.

It seems there were many professors and instructors who disregarded the notice, students later said some were joking about it and went on with their lectures instead of locking the doors and turning off the lights as indicated by the emergency text... as a student lay dead on campus and police had no idea if the shooter acted alone.

For you see, the worst thing we can do is to think "it cannot happen here or to us". 

When we walked into the garage to find water shooting into the air from a broken pipe, my husband told me it took at least thirty seconds to mentally evaluate what was going on and how to turn off the water.  Even though he turns off the well pump every six months when he changes the filters in the crawl space.

He told me later it reminded him of the training soldiers are given to prepare for war.  It seems in an immediate crisis situation (such as being ambushed by the North Vietnamese), the brain actually freezes and if your training does does not kick in immediately, you are in deep trouble.

Which is why boot camp is so brutal and soldiers training for special services such as the Navy Seals go through hell-on-earth training before being sent out on missions.  It is why astronauts feel they have been in space before they leave the atmosphere.

I have found through the years there are a couple reasons people do not have even minimum emergency preps in their home. 

The first... that belief that it can never happen to me, us, here, at this time, in America, etc.

The second... that strange reasoning that if we do not prepare for any emergencies then they automatically will not happen to us.

Both ways of thinking kind of explain people who live near an earthquake fault line who have no bottled water, food, or first aid kit tucked away or who commute long distances in winter without an emergency car kit.

I find it easy to think through what type of emergency is most likely in my family.   That would include something as non-threatening (except financially) as a long term job loss that happened to us twice, something we deal with each year such as tornadoes, and even an event like an earthquake which has happened but is far from common (which is why our earthquake insurance is a few dollars a month).

If you have children, any preparations given will make it far easier should there be a crisis situation.  I wouldn't tell a five year old there is a threat of a terrorist exploding a dirty bomb if you live in New York City.  The thought of that would scare the bajeebies out of most adults.  But you can get on their level and teach with possibilities they are familiar with.

For instance, in my State the schools provide mandatory fire as well as tornado drills.  Even the children who do not attend school know when the sirens go off on the first Saturday of each month, they are testing to make certain they work correctly.  That Saturday morning provides an excellent time to go over family plans in case of an emergency.

What kind of questions should you ask yourself and/or your family?
I can't cover them all but here are a few to get your started.  Pull out a notebook and write as questions come to mind specific to your situation.

If the kids are separated from the parents when an emergency occurs (such as the tornado that hit Oklahoma last Spring), is there a plan in place to communicate? Is there a central location away from home that has been a planned meeting place for older kids and spouses?  Has a third person outside of the immediate family been assigned as a contact person for the family to communicate with?

Is there a flashlight stored where each member of the family can reach one?  Many people I know keep a flashlight in each bedroom and a couple heavy duty flashlights (or battery operated lanterns) in a central location.  Is there emergency lighting in a basement or garage should one be there when the electricity goes out.  These are often pitch black at that time and even a small flashlight will offer safety.  How about your car?

Should your house be hit by lightening (like what happened to us two years ago), do the adults know how to shut off the gas lines coming to your house?  Children should be taught to flee the house immediately, of course.

Does everyone old enough know how to shut off the water coming into the house?  My husband had to show me again how to shut the water pump off at the main electrical switch and to run the water in all faucets to reduce water pressure on the broken pipe.

If you own a cat (umm... or you are owned by a cat) or another small animal, do you know where your pet carrier is located?  I received some claw marks the first time we had to call the fire department after the lightening strike.  A few days later when we had to call them to come again for the gas leak (caused by the original lightening strike)... I had that kitty carrier in the garage instead of the garden shed!

Do you know where emergency supplies are located and are they easy to access?  I have found some items I've needed were not easily accessible, especially in a power outage.   This is one of my projects I plan on doing as soon as it gets warmer in the garage (you can freeze your giblets out there now!).

Has anyone in the family gone through basic first aid training?  Quite often it is free or at least at a nominal cost.

Have you put together a 72-hour emergency kit?  This would be a fun activity for kids to do if the adults in the house have prepared ahead.  A list can be brainstormed by the entire family, purchases made where necessary, and assembled together in an appropriate container for your area (shatterproof for earthquake zones, waterproof if you live in a flood zone, perhaps in one or more backpacks if your emergency may require leaving quickly such as a fire zone, etc.).

If you are empty nesters like us or you live alone... do you neglect putting together an emergency kit because after all... it is just you?  Slap yourself on the hand with a wet noodle right now and make out your list!  Look at what you have already and then add item/s as the budget permits.

Continue to deepen your pantry as possible with food your family actually eats.  Think about it.  Write it down.  Do you need more of the menu basics like canned tomatoes and pasta?  Is there food that can be eaten without cooking?   Think beyond the basics... you may always store plenty of peanut butter but would something like Nutella add to the pantry, too?

Read. Study. Listen. Be aware.  You cannot do it all but you can do something.  Even the smallest preparation can make a huge difference.

And always remember... the safest place to be is in the will of God.

Links:
Prepping on a Budget (this site is one of the oldest and most well known survivalist prepper websites)... here.

Putting together a 72 Hour Kit... here.  I'm not familiar with this website but when I googled "putting together a 72 hour kit" (hey, why reinvent the wheel so to speak?) this guy had a recent article with good information.

What a crisis might look like... here.  Food, gold, and weapons site but the kind that gives really good information that does not "beat around the bush".

Warning about 9V batteries... Everyone should watch this video... here.  It is not long.  It may save your life.  My husband told me he knew about this but now he will be certain to put duct tape over any battery we throw away or recycle.  HT:  Sallie at A Quiet Simple Life.

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - It doesn't cost much to learn

The tea kettle is getting a lot of use this winter!

We continue to feel the affects of the Polar Vortex and the blizzard conditions of a couple weeks ago.  Although Hubby was able to fix the plumbing, we are still considering options with the van between selling for scrap and seeing if a charity wants it like they did with our former van.  We had already decided, after expensive repairs last year, that any major repair would not be worth the cost.

I wasn't sure where to begin my post-storm writings this week.  I told my daughter I was "waiting for the spirit to move" and all I could come up with was a title.  Even then I changed it when I actually decided this morning (Saturday) what I wanted to run on about share.  Talk about "whistling Dixie!".

I have been interested in the subject of emergency preparedness since the 1980s and written about it online since the 1990s.  But even then I was surprised at how unprepared we were for the extreme cold weather.  It gets very very cold here in winter but -20 actual temps are not common at all.  For instance, we didn't know severe cold could affect an automobile as it did (other than the usual gas line freeze-up protection and antifreeze).

So I decided I need to go back to school... so to speak.  I've probably forgotten more than half of what I learned through the years about emergency prepping.  When I first got started, there was little information available other than Survivalist and Mormon websites (and both would agree the info was limited at that time).

The possibility of a Y2k crash changed all that with excellent information becoming available.  Some of the best was found from homesteading sources (those old enough may remember the "back to the land" movement of the 1970s and early 1980s).  I was able to accumulate a file drawer full of printouts as well as a shelf of books.

Those who scoff at Y2k are not the people I came to know through the event.  For information was learned and deep friendships were developed.  Many of my friends called 1999 the best dress rehearsal they've known for emergency preparedness and for some... simpler living.

And while I am on my Y2k soapbox (so you know never to scoff in the comments, hehehe)... it was a nonevent only because there were a few years to put repairs in place where necessary.  Do you know who made those repairs for the most part?  Computer scientists who were at least middle aged and many brought in from retirement. 

Because they were the only people who knew the computer language and had the necessary skills to work with old code.

Perhaps that is the biggest lesson learned a couple of weeks ago.  One could be stocked up as much they can afford.  One can own the latest and greatest preparedness equipment.  But without knowledge... in a real crisis one can be doomed.

And the good thing about gaining knowledge is this... it can be found free on the Internet.  I'm in the midst of doing more research on the subject again and I promise to share the good stuff I have found here.

I also highly suggest putting together a Pantry Lifestyle library.  That is different from my old preparedness library for the very reason I call these Saturday posts Living the Pantry Lifestyle and not something like Extreme Prepping.  It is not about preparing for an emergency, it is a lifestyle of learning and doing.

Below is a suggestion of a few books to begin with, and if you notice only one is about actual prepping.  I included it because I love how it takes on the subject of "stocking up" in a humorous way while teaching a lot of good ideas.  It is one of those books where I would love to sit down with the author and chat.

A couple are urban gardening idea books which contain lots and lots of great information.  One of the best preparedness things we have ever done is to grow a small garden (and all these years later we are still learning!).

You see, a lot of people commented that it was a good thing my husband knew how to fix the plumbing.  Well, ever since I've known him he has been insistent on learning household maintenance skills.  Sometimes they worked out like on the old Tim Allen show, when one had to call an expert (at greater expense) to fix his "fix".  But most of the time he grumbled through the learning curve and gained one small skill at a time.

He knows a lot about carpentry since that was his hobby even before getting a Master's Degree in Wood Science.  He stays away from electrical after seeing his electrician father end up in the hospital recovering from a very bad shock... and my father-in-law was an expert electrical troubleshooter.  Hubby doesn't know a whole lot about modern cars but enough to know we need a good mechanic since we choose to purchase used cars.  ;)

So... here's what I am doing right now that doesn't cost much... or anything at all.

1) Continuing adding to my list of what (in a perfect world with plenty of income), I would want on my pantry shelves.  It's surprising what was not on the list before I started adding items as I ran out.

2) Typing out a copy of my "topping off" list to put in my purse, those things that are a priority on a last minute run to the grocery store (hopefully before the shelves are cleared).

3) Looking through my pantry to see where the Mother Hubbard syndrome has set in.  Being on a fixed income, I don't have a lot of extra funds for the pantry so when I do make a purchase... it needs to fill an important space on the shelves. As an example - I seem to always run out of canned tomatoes.  I was able to stock up a little on baking items as they went on sale over the Holidays.

4) Purchasing a heavy duty flashlight with Amazon credit and researching other items to add eventually.  I learned I need to buy an LED flashlight.  My very favorite sturdy old flashlight was dropped on the cement floor of the garage (we won't say who but his initials are H.U.S.B.A.N.D.) so since it must be replaced, I have read LED is the way to go.  ;)

5) Purchasing a very inexpensive battery operated radio for power outages.  While the $75.00+ jobbies are nice as they have a lot of bells and whistles, all I need is to receive basic information.  A more expensive radio with a NOAA weather station is on the Wish List.

6) Thinking about May and the garden already.  I know I want to plant Swiss chard for the first time, as well as arugula and kale again.  I've decided with such a small garden, one needs to concentrate on nutrient rich foods as well as those things I always plant like tomatoes and green beans.

7) I switched items around in my kitchen since I no longer do a lot of baking and needed more counter space.  I'll put a picture on Show and Tell My World this Week.  ;)

8) Making lots of soups as well as lentil stew as they are frugal and perfect for this kind of weather.  I'm also reading through my cookbooks and a few recipe blogs looking for more soup ideas.

9) Speaking of weather, I am looking into ways to stay warm should the power go out.  We have another round of subzero temperatures moving in. 

10) Perusing the following books... (and yes, these are Associate links and I earn a tiny percent if you make a purchase through the link or through the widget). 

Food Security for the Faint of Heart: Keeping your Larder Full in Lean Times... here.  This is a great book to give to someone you want to gently nudge into deepening their pantry.  To show her humor, she has a chapter titled "Men Will Come with Guns and Take Your Food" followed by one titled "Women Will Come with Food and Take Your Guns".  ;)

Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces... here.  I have a large yard but little of it is in sunny spaces.  So I absolutely love this book about growing food in a small space organically.  Lots of pictures, easy instructions! 

Little House in the Suburbs... here.  Sometimes a great blog does not transfer well to a great book.  But this one is wonderful.  Just what you would expect from the skills learned while "homesteading" in the midst of a city!   This book is different than the former in this... Grow Great Grub is more about growing our own food while Little House in the Suburbs contains total homesteading on a small lot info.

The Complete Tightwad Gazette... here.  Simply the poster child for what a Pantry Lifestyle encompasses.

I'll return next week with more information about what I'm doing as part of our Pantry Lifestyle.