Food Storage Update

So I'm still obsessed. Which is good. I am not always the best at seeing a project or goal through to the end, and I'm doing my best to make this an exception. :) I am trying to follow the counsel of Elder Robert D. Hales in the latest conference to be, with my husband, "provident providers."

"Our challenges, including those we create by our own decisions, are part of our test in mortality. We must practice the principles of provident living: Joyfully living within our means, being content with what we have, avoiding excessive debt and diligently saving and preparing for rainy day emergencies."

So far, I've:

• put together fairly respectable 72-hour kits that I'm proud of.
• I've created a space to hold my food storage. Actually, I've prepared 4 different spaces with shelves since no one space would fit it all, and organized my kitchen to make better use of the cupboard space.
• I've started making powdered milk instead of buying it from the store. (And you know what? My kids are FINE with it! And I'm saving so much money! My favorite is Country Cream - I will even guzzle a glass of it and can hardly tell the difference. Really.)
• I've learned about using freshly ground wheat flour to make the BEST 100% whole wheat bread. I call this recipe my holy grail - I've been looking for it for forever. You can find the recipe at http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2009/03/11/making-homemade-bread-the-food-storage-recipe-challenge/food-storage-recipes. In fact, this gal's whole blog is AMAZING, and I can't wait to get her book. (If you ever read this, HI CRYSTAL. You're my hero!)
• I've learned to use wheat gluten to replace or extend meat. AMAZING! If I'm going to have all this wheat, it's going to be so good to know more than one way to use it. Dani Garrett in my stake is brilliant with this stuff. I want her to write a book. Love ya Dani!
• I've purchased my water storage containers, and found a place for them in my garage (which was part of a long garage project that has helped us to finally park in a garage for the first time in many years).
• I've almost finished my 3-month food storage list, and have begun purchasing items for it.
• I've learned how to use coupons in conjunction with items on sale to get them for almost or completely free (!!!). That's been one of the most exciting things. So now I can stock up on food storage items without busting the budget. (I was actually paid $.20 to take 4 packs of gum out of the store last week!)
• I've used my pressure cooker to cook dried black beans - much easier than remembering to soak them the night before. I've started doing some research on ways to reduce gas... .

And there's more, but that's all I can think of now. I don't write this to pat my own back, but to help myself see my accomplishments and keep me going. And I have to give big thanks to my friends at the http://funwithfoodstorage.net/ network. I AM their biggest fan (those are their words), and I just want to spread the excitement. They have been so helpful in getting all of this from my goal/wish list to real life. They've broken it down into small steps and basic concepts, with videos along the way that are SO helpful to this visual learner. I HIGHLY recommend checking them out. I know I have before, but I'm serious this time! :) Jodi and Julie at http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/ have just made a new ebook that has put all their checklists and recipes and other awesome-ness together in one place. I can't wait to get my hands on it. Check it out here at http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/04/06/food-storage-binder-giveaway. I'm really excited to get my copy. And happy to finally be able to financially thank them for all their diligent and thorough hard work. :) (Hi Jodi and Jule. You are my other heroes!)