Building A Food Supply Part 1: Buckets and Containers

The hardest part about frugal shopping is building the initial food supply.  Even with a limited budget, this is possible, but you may need to be creative.  Over the next few days I’ll post methods and ideas that I use for storing food and building a supply without breaking the budget. 

HDPE Food Grade Buckets and Lids:

Bucket Opener

The bottom of my panty is lined with 4 and 5 gallon buckets.  I use buckets because I generally buy the food in a bulk 25 lb or 50 lb bag, and storing it in a large bucket is just easier.  Most buckets don’t come with an easy, snap on lid.  Generally, you have to open the bucket with a special bucket opener and pound the lid back on with a rubber mallet, which can be a pain to get in and out of.  I have purchased wheat from Lehi Roller Mills, and their bucket lids are easy to close without the mallet, but you still need a bucket opener to open them.  Bucket openers are good to have on hand regardless what lid you want to use.  They are typically found in a heavy duty plastic/composite material for around $3-4, but I have also seen them in metal for around $8-10.  The easiest thing for me was to buy a few Gamma Lids.  They have a wide ring that attaches to the bucket, then a gasket lid that screws on air tight. 

Some people have told me that they would never waste their money on the Gamma Lids, but I consider them to be an investment.  They can be pricey, but they work extremely well and the convenience is worth it to me.  The regular sized Gamma Lids fit 4, 5, and 6 gallon buckets.  They are also in the 2 gallon size, but those are harder to find.  I have seen the lids sell for as much as $12 each, but my local Wal-Mart sells them for $4.95 each quite frequently.  We also have a couple other stores like Maceys and Emergency Essentials that sell the Gamma Lids for around $6.00 each during their food storage sales.  Many online retailers sell the lids for under $7.00 each, so shop around and compare prices with the shipping charges.  I have seen the lids priced under $4.00 each if purchased in bulk.

 

Buckets are easy to find.  In Utah, you can find them just about anywhere.  Our WinCo sells them for a decent price and I would assume that other locations in other states would sell them as well.  A few times a year, my Wal-Mart will sell food grade buckets for $3.25.  Many bakeries and orchards are willing to sell or give away the already used buckets if you ask.  Bakeries sometimes have dry goods delivered to them in 5 gallon buckets like grains or flour, which would be preferable over things like frosting or glaze.  Just ask and they can tell you what the bucket was originally used for.

For storing food, buckets need to be food grade with the HDPE recyclable 2 label on the bottom.  I have also seen food grade buckets at Home Depot and Lowe’s as well, but don’t buy the yellow or orange buckets.  They must be food grade, and the price sign will say food grade or food safe.

I use the large 4 and 5 gallon buckets for:

• Unbleached, all-purpose flour
• Wheat Berries
• Sugar
• Rice
• Oats

PET or PETE Plastics:

PETE, sometimes labeled as PET, stands for polyethylene terephthalate.  These are globally recognized as food safe containers. If you look on the bottom of the container, it will have the recycle symbol with 1 in the middle and PETE or PET underneath. 

PETE Plastics are Reusable:

If you are someone who needs to have coordinating containers, WinCo sells ½ gallon and 1 gallon square PETE containers for cheaper than anywhere else I have found.  My WinCo sells the gallon size for around $2.48 each and the ½ gallon for around $1.98 each.  If you are up for reusing containers, most juice and peanut butter containers are recyclable 1 PETE containers.  As long as the PETE containers were only used for food, they can be reused. You can wash them and reuse them for your dried goods.  Many plastic containers found at Costco that contain cookies, nuts, chocolates, popcorn, juice, and spices/herbs are PETE.  These can all be reused.  Simply wash them, dry completely and reuse.  There are so many food products that come in PETE containers.  I think you’ll be surprised as to how many you’ll find. 

There has been so much going around about plastics and BPA as well as other chemicals.  I have done some research about this because I too want to keep my family safe.  Factsonpet.com  is a good website for summing up everything I’ve researched.  If you have any other information on PETE plastics or better storage container ideas, please email me.  I am still learning and would love to be updated on new findings and research.  I have a dear friend who has decided to stop using plastic altogether.  I am not sure as to why, but I am assuming it is somehow related to the chemicals in the plastic.  I am very interested as to what she has learned, and what she is replacing her plastic with.

Items I store in PETE containers:

• Rice Blends
• Flour, whole wheat, rye
• Sugar, easier container to manage than the bucket
• Sea Salt
• Corn Meal
• Dry Beans, all varieties
• Farina (Cream of Wheat)
• Steel Cut Oats
• Multi-Grain Cereal (steel cut and rolled)
• Durum Wheat
• Bulk Corn Starch
• Bulk Herbs and Spices
• Millet
• Split Peas
• Lentils
• Barley
• Rye
• Triticale
• Chick Peas
• Dehydrated Vegetables
• Pasta

Label Containers with Helpful Information:

Labeling containers makes items easier to find.  If I need a quick reference on how to prepare certain foods, I print the instructions on paper, and tape it to the container with clear packing tape, completely covering the paper for protection.  This makes it easier for me without having the hassle of flipping through my recipe book.

5 Ways to Support Your Local Farmers

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Supporting your local farms, orchards, and ranches isn’t necessarily inexpensive, but is very important.  A portion of the extra $20-$30 you put aside each month can go towards supporting your local agriculture.  You don’t have to involve yourself in everything if you can’t afford it.  Even a little bit of support goes a long way.  Not only are you supporting your local agriculture, but you are benefiting from great tasting, fresh food that you know where it came from.

1. Farmers Markets

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Farmers Markets are offered in the fall.  Homegrown produce tastes better than store bought by a long shot.  Farmers markets are generally reasonably priced, and often, the food is organic.  Venture out and see which venues you like best. 

2. CSA - Community Supported Agriculture

The CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is another way to support local farmers. In a CSA you can purchase a full share or half share in exchange for produce, and even sometimes meat, milk, cheese, eggs, and plants, depending on the individual farms/gardens.  Some places even have reduced prices if you volunteer to work in their gardens/fields.  Utah has its own website of statewide CSAs available at CSAutah.org.  It was easy to find, so searching for a CSA in your state should be fairly easy.

3. Bountiful Baskets

Bountiful Baskets is a co-op that supports national agriculture.  Bountiful Baskets is a community co-op that runs strictly of volunteers.  The produce comes from different farmers in different states, including Arizona, Colorado, California, Idaho, Texas, Utah, and Washington. 17 states currently offer Bountiful Baskets within their communities.  More information about Bountiful Baskets can be found at BountifulBaskets.org/.

4. Local Farms, Ranches, Orchards, and Co-op

Family farms don’t stop at vegetables and plants.  Many also offer honey, eggs, bread, grain, jam/jelly, syrup, nuts, berries, and fruit from the orchard.  Local ranchers offer grass fed animals; processed and unprocessed.  Last year, about half of my grain supply came from a local farmer that put together a co-op.  LocalHarvest.org is a great website for information and nationwide locations to your nearest CSA, farmers’ markets, Co-ops, family farms, and ranches. 

5. Buy Produce That Comes From Your State

In Utah, produce, dairy, and other products sold in grocery stores that come from local agriculture are labeled as “Utah’s Own”.  I don’t know how many states have a similar set up, but recognize where your food is coming from.  Try to support your state agriculture as much as possible by purchasing food that is state grown.

9 Ways to Lower Your Grocery Bill

Groceries are getting more and more expensive, and unfortunately the economy is such, that our salaries are not increasing.  People are looking for areas in their budget that they can slim down on, and a lot of times the food budget can be tighten without having to sacrifice too much.

1. Start out with a list .

           

Making a shopping list may seem obvious, but there are actually more people than you may realize that don’t use a list.  Even if you think you can remember everything without writing it down, I still recommend creating a list.  Focusing on your list will blur out unnecessary promotions and other distractions, making your shopping trip faster and help you stay within your budget. 

I’ve gone to the grocery store many times where I find new things on the end caps.  End caps are there to show you items in the store that may easily be thrown into the cart without a second thought.  I wish I could blame my husband for the times where unnecessary items have been thrown into my cart, but he’s not the shopper -- I am.  I have been guilty of buying items I didn’t plan for, and items we don’t usually eat.  For me, focusing on my list distracts me just enough to curb my temptation to spend extra money.

If you need help making a list, there are many websites similar to savvyshopperdeals.com, where lists can be generated according to store sale items that you select.  Savvyshopperdeals.com has so far my first choice.  It’s easy to navigate and it allows you to narrow search results down to specific categories or price groups. 

2. Determine what your necessities are.

Necessities are different from household to household, so determining what your necessities are is up to you.  Necessities are items you can’t live without if you run out suddenly.  With a little planning, most non-grocery necessities can be purchase at reduced prices.

3. Familiarize yourself with prices.

This may seem daunting at first, but familiarizing yourself with grocery prices will be a valuable asset.  Start with a couple items of food that you purchase consistently, and pay attention to the price they are sold for.  After a few times of doing this, knowing the retail price and typical sale price will soon become automatic. This will pay off greatly in the end.  Stores do have unadvertised sales.  It is to your advantage to know whether it is a good price or not.  Also, understand that sales are not created equal.  Determine what sale prices you are willing to purchase items at.  As this becomes routine for you, you will soon pick up certain times of the year that certain products are at their lowest price.

4.  Shop around the sales, not around the meals.

           

Menus should be flexible.  Know what is on sale and adjust your menu according to your shopping list.  There may be that inevitable specialty item that your recipe calls for, but the overall cost will be reduced if you only had to pay full price for that one item.  If you know you can get ingredients at a better price, then just wait. 

In my home, we go through tomatoes like crazy.  The common non-sale price in my area is roughly $1.20 - $1.50/lb.  While some people in my household feel that tomatoes are a necessity, they are not.  There are plenty of other groceries I can substitute while I wait for a better price.  Most often I can purchase tomatoes (salad, beefsteak, roma, and tomatoes on the vine) for .50/lb, once in a while I can purchase them for .33/lb, and sometimes they will come up on sale for .25/lb.  Even if I purchase them at .50/lb, the savings is worth it.

5.  If it will save you time and money -- price match.

Yes, I know this is a touchy subject.  Some people are fine with price matching groceries, while others strongly disagree. 

Determine what is more realistic for you.  Is it feasible for you to run from store to store, or is price matching more realistic?  

I was never the price matching type until about two years ago.  We moved from the suburbs where stores were within an arm’s reach, out to a more rural area.  The closest grocery store is 15 minutes away -- and this is with two light signals and no traffic.  Ironically that closest store happens to be Wal-Mart.  I tried really hard my first year at our new house to drive from store to store, but it was just crazy.  It was an all day ordeal and depending on the store’s sale, some of the items I traveled so far to buy, were out of stock.  This ended up wasting my gas, thus lowering my food budget for the month.  If I drive to my local Wal-Mart and they don’t have the item I hoped to buy, then I have to assess the situation:  Is it worth driving to the actual store, or can I just go without it?

6.   Stock up when you can.

I always try and take $20 from my grocery budget each month and put it in an envelope for bulk buys.

My family doesn’t eat nearly as much meat as we used to, but when meat goes on sale, I try and stock up.  We bought a small chest freezer several years ago that we keep stocked with meat, vegetables, and fruit.  Chicken is a most typical example.  In my area, boneless skinless chicken breasts go on sale quite a bit.  The sale price is anywhere from $1.23/lb to $1.49/lb.  I’ll purchase it in larger quantities and store it in my freezer. 

A few days ago, green bell peppers were on sale for .33 each and I bought 9 of them.  Four of them are in my fridge and the other five I washed, diced, and stored in the freezer.  Blackberries were also another item that I stocked up on this month.  They were on sale for .88 each for a 6 oz clamshell, so I bought 12, washed 7 packages of blackberries and froze them.  Last month I bought an extra 20 lb bag of red potatoes that was on sale for $3.00 and I went to a local orchard that sold a bushel of irregular Fuji apples for $6.00.  I don’t have a basement to store them in like most of my neighbors, so they are in my garage, covered in a blanket for extra protection from the cold.

Know what you can stock and what you can’t.  If it is canned or boxed, make sure you can eat through the supply before it reaches the expiration date.  If it is fresh produce, know how much of it you can buy before it goes bad.   If you are careful with choosing your apples and potatoes, they can last for a several months if stored in a cool place.  Avocados can also last a couple of months if bought when they are green and stored in your fridge. Set them out on your counter to ripen and they will be ready in 2-4 days.

7. Make meals from scratch.

I have always loved a home cooked meal.  For me, there is nothing better than mashed potatoes made from actual potatoes and freshly baked rolls.  It is so easy to make mashed potatoes, but it does take a little more time than the 2 minute instant version.  In the end it is more delicious, more nutritious, and cheaper to make. 

I understand that schedules are crazy and spending time preparing a meal that takes more than 30 minutes can be almost impossible for some people.  Running to the freezer section and grabbing an already prepared meal is so easy, but the cost adds up fast. Replacing just one of those convenient meals with a home cooked meal is a start. 

When I was first married, Hamburger Helper and Bisquick were my friends.  Bisquick was very versatile and Hamburger Helper was a quick meal in a box.  After a while though, the boxed dinner wasn’t very appetizing.  With my mother-in-law’s help, I was able to experiment with her recipes, making delicious biscuits and pancakes from scratch.  Now I have made my fair share of disastrous meals, but with my husband’s enduring patience, I have been able to find simple, healthy meals that my family enjoys. 

8. Cut down on eating out.

Frequent eating out can easily put a dent in the food budget.  If one person was to eat out for lunch 4 times a week and limited it to $5 each time, it would cost $80/month -- $960/year before taxes.  If a mother and her two young children grabbed lunch 3 times a week, spending $13 total each time, they would have spent $156/month.  That’s almost $2000 year for just the mother of two.  If your finances are tight, imagine what you could have done with an extra $2000.  Bringing a sack lunch or leftovers to work is not the end of the world.  It typically costs only a fraction of what eating out would cost.  It’s all about balance.  Decide how much you are willing to change.

9.  If you can, plant a garden. 

This is a topic that I can go into detail about later.  I have had three years of trial and error with our garden.  Our soil was so bad; we couldn’t even call it soil.  My husband added a sprinkler system in our backyard our first summer, and the trenches he dug were perfect.  We didn’t ever have to worry about them caving in because our dirt has so much clay in it.  They were as hard as a rock.  We have had to amend the soil and bring in lots of compost for our garden.  This last spring was surprisingly successful.  My neighbor teased me of all the different varieties of squash we were growing.  She said that we must really like squash.  My response was that this was our third attempt at gardening and I wanted to make sure that we were able to grow something.  Squash is supposed to be very easy to grow, and from my experience, it is. 

Experimenting with a garden is a good idea, so you can know exactly what to do if it ever becomes a necessity.  For me, tending to my garden is relaxing and enjoyable.  It lets me step away from my kids for a moment and gives me chance to see some amazing aspects of nature.  There is no better feeling than to see the product of your hard work and care.  For the unprofessional gardener (like me), youtube.com has very helpful tutorials, ideas, and methods of gardening.

To Coupon Or Not To Coupon

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Many people say that you need to use coupons in order to save money.  They also say that if you coupon properly, you should be able to stock your pantry while still saving money.  Some people are even considered "extreme couponers" and can walk away from the store, spending almost nothing.  I am not an extreme couponer, nor do I benefit from the paid newspaper subscriptions that contain “money saving coupons”.

It's not that I never coupon, but paying for a newspaper subscription specifically for the coupons is something I regret every time.  I have signed up to a newspaper subscription a few times, exclusively for the "money saving coupons."  Unless the subscription was ultra cheap to begin with, it always seems to be one of those "what was I thinking" moments.  My most recent subscription was the full price of $20 a month for 3 days/week newspaper delivery.  I didn't want it to begin with, but I gave in to the pressure.  I gave it a full month and at the end of the month, I reevaluated the subscription.  Was it worth it for me?  No. Out of the $20 spent, I didn't use enough coupons to save money or even break even. 

Some coupons I come across are worth my time:

• monthly Costco coupons
• free online printable coupons (I limit these to two sites)
• Catalina coupons
• manufacturer’s coupons attached to the package

Maybe every 2-3 months I'll look at the printable coupons online to see what is available and sometimes there will be a coupon for tampons, cheese, cereal, yogurt, milk or non-dairy milk.  With all the coupon sites available, they can quickly consume your time, so I limit it to two main sites: www.coupons.com and www.smartsource.com.  I can skim through these two sites rather quickly.  Yes I know there are many other non-food items to choose from as well.  Some I find useful, and some I do not.  Every time I use a coupon to buy Reach floss, I grumble under my breath as the floss is breaking between my teeth. 

Catalina's are probably the most useful coupons I've come across.  They print out along side your receipt according to your spending habits, and I have even been given a handful of coupons that were basically free money, allowing me to buy anything in the store, no minimum purchase necessary.  I have very rarely come across produce coupons. 

Everyone is different.  In order to determine whether it is beneficial to “subscribe” to coupons, it is best to evaluate your eating habits and decide whether or not it is useful.  I have a sister that does very well with couponing.  She spends a few hours a week clipping and sorting coupons, and maybe another hour organizing her list.  For her, the time spent is worth the savings.  My family eats very differently.  So for us, the savings for the brands and types of food that I try and have for my family very rarely are offered in coupon form.  

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Navajo Tacos Update

I played around with the fry bread dough today.  My favorite version that I came up with was slightly different than my previous post:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups water
coconut oil for frying

Mix dry ingredients, add water and mix again.  Knead 5-7 minutes, cover, and let rest 10-15 minutes.

When I used the rice milk with the unbleached flour, it turned out fine once it was cooked, but working with the dough was a bit of a challenge.  The dough was sticky and broke apart easily (non-elastic).  When I made it with 1/2 all purpose flour, 1/2 whole wheat, and water, the dough was smooth and elastic.  The fry bread cooked up just the same as the first recipe, but if you are willing to use whole wheat, this is my preference.  100% whole wheat just didn't work for me.  It was dense and the wheat flavor was quite strong.  I'm sure I could mess around with the proportions a little more, but right now, I am fine with the half and half.

I have made fry bread with 100% unbleached all purpose flour and cow's milk, and it turns out great, but we're trying to incorporate more whole grains into our diet.

If you have a favorite fry bread variation or recipe, please share.  I'd love to hear about it.

Navajo Tacos

I've been craving Navajo tacos for a while now and I wanted to make a recipe that would incorporate whole grains and beans.  I was able to come up with a thick "chili" mix that actually turned out well. I want to share the recipe, but keep in mind that everyone's tastes are different, so add more seasonings if needed and don't be afraid to change it up.  Adding diced bell pepper would have enhanced the flavor, but I used my last one a few days ago. 

Navajo Tacos Chili -
2 cups of beans, pre-soaked and cooked or from the can (I used 1/2 pinto and 1/2 black beans)
1 cup of whole grains, any variety (I used 1/4 cup rye, 3/4 cup triticale, and 1/4 cup barley)
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Sauce
1-2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 onion, diced
1 tsp garlic powder, or 1 clove minced
1-2 tsp Basil
1-2 tsp Sweetener (I used agave)
2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
1-2 Tbsp Bouillon, any variety
1/2-1 tsp black pepper
1/3 of an Anaheim chili diced or any other preference
1 tsp  sea salt
2 1/2 cups water

In a crock pot / slow cooker add all of the ingredients. (If you are using rice, millet or pearled barley, wait to add them until the last 2 hours of cooking).  Let it cook on high 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.  Watch your liquid content. If it looks like you need to add more liquid, then do so, but the chili is meant to be thick.  Taste the sauce and adjust flavor accordingly.  After 4-5 hours, turn to warm for an hour, giving the grains to absorb the rest of the liquid without scorching.
Refrigerate any leftovers 3-4 days or freeze.

Navajo Tacos / Fry Bread  (Dough)-

3 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1- 1 1/4  cup milk, any variety - I used rice milk (I haven't tried this with water yet)
coconut oil for frying

1. Mix the dry ingredients together and add milk.
2. Stir until Incorporated and knead by hand 5-7 min or until dough is smooth, or knead in mixer with dough hook on #2 for 5 min.  Dust with flour if necessary while kneading.
3. Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 8ths for large, 6ths for medium, or 4ths for large pieces (will make 5" bread) and shape into discs, roughly 1/4" thick.  You may want to make the middle thinner for making it easier to add toppings.  Fry bread in hot oil until golden brown, turning once.  Drain on paper towels.

Top almost like you would a tostada and enjoy.

Suggested Toppings:

lettuce
fresh spinach
tomatoes
olives
sour cream
avocados or guacamole
salsa or picante sauce
cheese or vegan cheese sauce
onions


Variations:
Fry bread is also good as a sweet treat as well.

• dust with powdered sugar
• sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture
• top with honey butter
• dip in maple syrup

I haven't tried making these with whole wheat flour, but I want to.  I know that 1/2 unbleached flour and 1/2 whole wheat will turn out just fine, but I would like to try it with 100% whole wheat flour.  I'll give you an update on how that turns out.

The Power of Lemons

Lemons are not to be underestimated.  Not only do they add vibrancy to many dishes, but they have fantastic healing properties for the body. 

High in Vitamin C:
Lemons are high in Vitamin C (an antioxidant) and they are also anti-bacterial.  Diluted lemon juice is great to help boost the immune system when a cold or flu is coming on, helps fight off unwanted illnesses in the body, and helps with nausea/vomiting.

Boosts Metabolism:
Not only are lemons great for preventing illness, but lemon juice helps to increase the metabolism.  Drinking 1/2 a juiced lemon diluted in 1 cup of warm water, sweetened with honey or agave first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day off.  Grapefruit is also another great option for speeding up the metabolism.

Reduces Stress:
Diffusing lemon oil helps reduce stress and mental fatigue.  Lemon is wonderful in calming the mind and emotions.

Lemon is not only beneficial for the body, but lemon oil is also beneficial for our environment.  A few drops of lemon oil are great for disinfecting hard surfaces. I use it on my kitchen counters, sink, and cutting boards.