Food Storage Sale through May 31st

Food Storage | Group Specials | Emergency Kits | Water Storage and Filtration | Contact Us May Food Storage Sale Prices and promotions are good through May 31, 2013 and while supplies last. Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. Freeze Dried Fruit and Vegetable Favorites Combo $145.74 $99.99 Enjoy real strawberries, bananas, peaches, peas, tomatoes, and corn right out of the can Fruit is excellent in smoothies, desserts, pancakes, muffins, and cereal; vegetables are ideal as side dishes or as an ingredient for making your favorite meals Traditional 1200 One Year Food Supply $1,108.90 $899.99 This supply provides the versatility of cooking your own meals by including baking and cooking essentials Includes the basics of food storage plus dehydrated and freeze dried fruits, vegetables, milk, garden seeds, and more for one person for one year Instant Vanilla Pudding #10 Can - 68 oz $14.95 $13.99 6+ $13.29 MyChoice™ - 18 oz $5.75 $4.99 6+ $4.79 Just add cold water and mix for delicious and creamy vanilla pudding Make your favorite desserts including trifle, pudding, cakes, and pies anytime Lentils - 86 oz $10.95 $9.49 6+ $9.09 Legumes are excellent in soups, stews, salads, dips, or as a meat substitute Ideal for long-term storage; excellent source of protein and fiber Creamy Pasta and Beef with Sauce - 48 oz $29.95 $24.99 6+ $23.79 Flavorful pasta dish with a rich, creamy sauce and freeze-dried beef Convenient, just-add-water dinner entrée that is ready in minutes; provides fourteen 3/4-cup servings Whole Egg Powder #10 Can - 40 oz $21.95 $15.99 6+ $15.19 MyChoice™ - 10 oz $6.95 $5.99 6+ $5.69 Ideal for use in baking, cooking, or as an ingredient in dry mixes A versatile food storage supply essential Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese #10 Can - 39 oz $40.95 $34.99 6+ $33.49 MyChoice™ - 10 oz $12.95 $10.99 6+ $10.49 Real shredded cheddar cheese that rehydrates quickly and melts nicely Great in chili, Mexican dishes, casseroles, etc; use in place of freshly grated cheese Hashbrown Potatoes - 31 oz $9.95 $8.49 6+ $8.09 Simply rehydrate and fry to make crispy hash browns as a side dish or use for making funeral potato casserole, quiche, or any other shredded potato recipe Use now or years from now, versatile, easy to rotate yet packaged for long term storage MRE One Month Food Supply $576.00 $339.99 Meals-Ready-to-Eat are ideal for emergency preparedness or camping because they are flavorful, satisfying, no-fuss meals Provides one person three entrées per day along with delicious side dishes, snacks, desserts, drinks, and more for one month Banana Slices #10 Can - 32 oz $9.95 $8.99 6+ $8.49 MyChoice™ - 7 oz $4.20 $3.49 6+ $3.39 Popular in trail mix, these banana slices are perfect for home storage because of their sweet flavor, bright color, and convenience Packaged for long-term storage so they will be ready to eat anytime Group Special! Freeze Dried Mini Meatballs, Cooked 20 oz $44.95 6 + $23.00 Seasoned to perfection, these miniature meatballs are made with beef, chicken, soy, and a variety of spices that provide a succulent flavor Reconstitutes quickly for use in pasta, sandwiches, pizza, soups, and more; versatile size Feel free to forward this message to family and friends!

Emergency Heater and Cotton Ball Fire Starter

Emergency Heater http://www.youtube.comlwatch?v=OPABQW9gN2Q
Materials:

         Empty quart paint can ($3 at Lowes)

·        Isopropyl Alcohol

·        Roll of toilet paper

·        Lighter

·        Paint can key

Step 1: Remove cardboard roll from center of toilet paper (do this by pinching and twisting out cardboard roll)
Step 2: Compress toilet paper and insert into can (if needed, remove layers of toilet paper for it to fit)

Step 3: Slowly pour in alcohol until paper is saturated and submerged

Step 4: Tape key and lighter to side of can for future use

How To Use: Remove can lid with key and light toilet paper on fire. This heater does not produce a significant amount of
Carbon-monoxide but will burn oxygen, so use in a ventilated area. When finished using, extinguish fire by putting lid on.

         

                                .

Cotton Ball Fire Starter www.youtube.comlwatch?v=BF4WDVVDTpO
Materials:

·        Cotton balls

·        Petroleum Jelly

·        Container to keep cotton balls in (ie: empty pill bottle)

·        Spoon and bowl

·        Lighter

Step 1: Using BACK of spoon, scoop out petroleum jelly about 1/3 the size of the cotton ball.

Step 2: In the bowl, "knead" petroleum jelly into the cotton ball with the back of the spoon until saturated. Make several
and store in container

How To Use: When needed to start a fire, remove 1 cotton ball and light on fire. Cotton ball will burn for an extended
period of time allowing you to get kindling started.

The Bickhams sent over these recipes, and I was excited to see that I've actually used them! A couple years ago while camping with my family, my dad brought out all the materials for the emergency heater and had us all make our own. It was fun to do together, and now I have an emergency heater in the trunk of my car, in case the need ever arises. It works really well, and it's super easy to put together. And cheap.

The cotton ball fire starter I also know from my dad.  I lived with them not too long ago, and so was around to help him make them when he heard about them.  The only thing he did differently was he melted the petroleum jelly in a pan on the stove first, to make it easier to coat the cotton ball with it. He tried it a few times, and came to the conclusion that you really shouldn't saturate it. Less is better. He uses them at home all the time to start fires in his fireplace.

May Challenge

Our challenge for May pertains to that important commodity of water.  We are suggesting that you concentrate on storing enough water for a two week supply.  The recommended amount is 1-2 gallons per person per day. The minimum amount of 1 gallon will supply only drinking water but not enough for hygiene purposes.  Below are some suggestions for that storage.

If you choose to buy your water, look for commercially bottled water in PETE plastic containers (look for the triangle on the bottom with the word PETE beneath it).  These are usually those bottles that are the clear semi-hard plastic. 

If you choose to package water yourself, consider the following guidelines:

·        Use only food grade containers (again, look for the triangle and the word PETE –the lower the number in the triangle the better)

·        2 liter soda pop bottles work great as well as juice bottles

·        Clean, sanitize and thoroughly rinse all containers prior to use.

·        Do not use plastic milk jugs.

·        Do not use containers that have been previously used to store non-food items.

·        Water from a chlorinated municipal water supply does not need further treatment when stored in clean, food grade containers.

·        Non chlorinated water should be treated with bleach.  Add 1/8 teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach for every gallon.  Only household bleach without thickeners, scents or additives should be used.

·        Containers should be emptied and refilled regularly (how about around conference time for a reminder)

·        Protect stored water from light and heat

·        The taste of stored water can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two containers before use.

Poston's Experience Without Shopping for a Week

Guess what today is? Shopping day! Yay! I finally have milk in my fridge.
Other than the inconvenience of not having any milk, it wasn't really too challenging for us. We usually do fortnightly shopping trips anyway, other than milk or bread, or whatever else we might run out of.

Normally I am lazy and I just give my children cold cereal for breakfast. This week I had to get creative. We had pancakes three times, milkless malt-o-meal once, eggs, sausage, and this morning, the boys begged for dry cereal. They didn't want pancakes again and we were now out of eggs and pretty much everything else too. So I let them. :)

I do have a box of powdered milk mix in food storage that I vaguely considered trying out. But I kept thinking, "We're not that desperate!" It's probably expired anyway. But maybe I should have tried it, so we would know what to expect if/when we are that desperate.

Milk goes in a lot of things, and so I really had to be more creative in other cooking as well.  As a result, I probably fed my children healthier meals at lunch and breakfast. Ya can't do a quick meal of boxed mac and cheese without milk. So instead I'd make a potato, egg, and sausage scramble instead.

Anyway, I've heard there are better instant milks available these days. Does anyone know much about them? Let me know by commenting! Thanks!

End of challenge

For those of you that made it the week without going to the store congratulations.  Now let us try it for a month....
Just kidding.  But what if it was three months or longer. Do you need help in planning a three month menu?  Please take stock of your pantry and see what you need to do to have a three month supply and longer term storage. We would love to help you if we can.

Bro Sis Bickham

Can you avoid the grocery store for a week?

Hello everyone,

            This is short notice but we were hoping to catch families off their guard.  Are you willing to go this week without going to the grocery store?  In most situations we don’t have advance notice, so if you are willing, we would ask you to take stock and participate in our newest challenge.  We will be doing it along with you, and so we have purposely let out short term fresh goods run low, things like eggs, milk fruits and veggies.

Please join with us and then let us know how it went.  Please check in with  All is safelygathered.blogspot.com.

Again, this is starting tomorrow.

Also, we have our next fireside planned for the second weekend in May, and so will be telling you more as soon as everything is positively in place.

Keep on preparing

Linda and Larry Bickham

This is the letter that our hard-working ward preparedness specialists sent to many in our ward today. I'll post it here in case you didn't get the email. 

I found out about this challenge today. When Linda told me about it, one of my first thoughts went something like, "Oh no, I only have about a fourth gallon of milk left." One of my next thoughts went something like, "I'll participate in the challenge all the way...but I'll start a day late. I'll run to the store Monday morning, grab a couple gallons of milk, maybe a couple other necessities, and then plunge in!" I figured since I didn't know about it before hand, and we don't go shopping on Sunday, it would only be fair. I even carried this plan with me for most of the afternoon. And then I read the email from the Bickhams, and about how they let their store of fresh foods run low on purpose, even though they DID know about it. I couldn't very well cheat after reading that, so, starting last Friday, (that was the last day we made a trip to the grocery store), our family will not be making any food purchases until the end of this challenge. 

I guess I can't get away with feeding my children cold cereal for breakfast this week...

So, good luck everyone. I hope many of you will actually participate. We would LOVE to hear how the challenge goes for you, so keep track of how things go, then report to us.

Thanks!