Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?

   It sure was an interesting day a week ago.  I'd say most everything worked out okay with a few moments of wondering what was "really" going on.  We were just glad that we'd made it home just before the power went out.  We did have a little bit of daylight left to prepare for the dark night coming.  I kept telling myself to go work on the kitchen, clean something.  Instead we spent a fair amount of time socializing with a lot of our neighbors that we knew and some that we met for the first time.  We even saw what was possibly a roving band of opportunistic looters.  I'd heard from someone else that they noticed that in other areas of the city, not necessarily in areas you would assume it would be in. 

     Despite having those daylight hours to prepare, it seemed such a low priority compared to all the human/personal interest stories that kept coming our way.  Some of the stories were bombings in New York which didn't seem to add up for me, severed lines at a hydroelectric plant, only one guy to blame and on and on.   The thing that scared me the most was the not knowing exactly what was going on and how long really would this last?  It seemed that all the information coming in was different.  It felt like we were in some kind of claustrophobic void and I was a bit worried that there was more going on than we knew.
     
   Of course all of you were prepared for such an event right?  We were, and we weren't.  I had plenty of food, water, candles, and we did finally find some flashlights.  We had it all covered and even loaned candles to a neighbor. 
  
     So what was the big deal?  Having everything and having everything in one place is two different things.  Some of the essential items we needed were all in different places or they were  hard to reach.  Then of course I worried about my garage freezer.  I also didn't have a radio, except for the car radio (found out later I did have a sponge bob radio), I didn't have a car charger for my cell phone.  I kept meaning to get one, but just never did.  Did anyone find themselves hunting around for things you didn't realize you might need until you needed them? 

    Another thing to think about, what are you going to do with all that food in the frig, and how are you going to cook dinner, and should you even bother to cook?  Do you have a grill and does your grill have propane or charcoal?  A gas stove will work, but you have to light it yourself.  I actually brewed a large pitcher of iced tea since I knew we had a ton of ice and why waste it? 
  
     We basically stayed in the family room and kitchen most of the evening, when we weren't outside watching the moving zoo of people driving to who knows where to contribute to what sounded like a mess up on the freeway.  We heard more sirens that afternoon and night than we hear in an entire month. 
 
     So, if this were to happen again, or worse, a natural disaster, we really do need to have plenty of supplies.  We also need to have a lot of our information handy, insurance numbers, police, fire if those are even available, medical supplies and a whole lot more.  Basically in a disaster it could be more than 72 hours before you can get help or food or water.  This outage was just a nudge to make us a bit more aware of  what it could be like in the event of a natural disaster. 

I've posted a few links that can help nudge you along in your urge to get ready and where to start.  The Real Food Resource was one that I had been following a little bit over the summer.  Too bad I didn't actually invest a bit more time into it.  She did a series, but has now condensed all her resources onto one page.  There is a lot to go through so pick and choose.  I especially liked her article on preserving foods which is useful for everyday knowledge.
   I noticed there is no lack of information on the internet regarding how to prepare for emergencies and disasters so I'll post a couple. 

Real Food Preparedness Resource

Fema/Are You Ready Guide\

Hawaii/gov  for my friends on the island, to this day I can still hear that darn siren

Equipped   okay, this one just cracked me up.  Not to be mean, I'm sure it's all good stuff, but I don't know of anyone who would have all the things this guy has on this list.  It basically sounds like he's trying to pack the entire house.  If you scroll to the bottom, he does have a 72 hour list.

     So Start Preparing...at least take care of the basic needs category.

Restaurant Favorites

    Do you ever go to restaurants because you love something they cook?  Have you ever wondered if you could save money by just cooking it yourself?
 
    You all know that I do.  I very rarely go out, unless I have a great deal from the restaurant website, a groupon, a living social or some other great deal or coupon. 
  
     Sometimes I do get a craving for certain things and it just never occurs to me that I can actually make it myself.  Plus I can adjust ingredients to please my family.
   One of the things I really liked was the Panda Express Orange Chicken.  I did make it and we of course ate it up.  Another item I made was the chocolate shell for putting on a chocolate dipped ice cream.  I of course used that recipe for other things.  Okay, just don't tell anyone, but it taste good all by itself.
 
   I used to always search the Internet for recipes to try to duplicate some of our favorites and then stumbled across this website.  I won't say it's the end all be all, but it sure has made my life easier by "suggesting" foods that I don't always remember. 
 
     It's called Copycat Recipes.  I subscribed to the newsletter but I haven't used their recipe box.  I'd probably forget about it anyway. 
  
   Some of the recipes use ingredients that I don't use such as boxed cake mix.  I adjust the recipe for those or make substitutions.  I already have a great healthy recipe for pop tarts, and the dough is whole wheat. For that recipe click here   It really reminds me of the little tarts we made as kids.  Dough with jelly, fold it over and bake.  Either way, homemade,  in my opinion is always healthier than store bought.  You have control over what artificial flavorings, dough conditioners, soy products you don't need to add. 
 
     I find Copycat Recipes website a great idea starter to get me going on making a healthier version of some fun foods.  I find many of them make for a special treat. 
  

Have You Changed One Thing This Week?

 

     You already know this, saving money isn't just using coupons.  Wow, I wish that was all there was to it. 
Using coupons isn't always a healthy choice, even if it's free, it could cost later with poor health or cause problems with your dental health.  Sure, we can get a lot of things for cheap, even some of them for free. 

     It wasn't all that long ago that I was coming home and adding up the dollars, sometimes hundreds of dollars that I had saved.  My pantry was overflowing.  I no longer use most of the things that I used to bring home.  And you know what?  I still save a lot of money, because I'm not buying any of those items.  An added bonus is I don't have rows of canned goods taking up space on my pantry.  I do have rows of "jarred" goods.  My pantry has changed so much over the last few years that sometimes I feel like I'm looking at someone elses. 

    Of course this didn't happen overnight.  It was a step by step process, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.  . 

   I remember thinking that I would never buy some of the very products that now sit on my pantry.  Little by little I have been changing what I buy and what I cook.   Over time I've learned a lot of ways to make it possible to buy healthier foods.  In the process, I've also learned a lot of what constitutes a healthy food product.  I've bought a few things along the way that I would never touch now if you paid me.  There is just no way we wake up one day and know exactly what to buy at what price and which one is a healthier option.  I've also learned to make many products myself which helped to save money.

     My question is, what one thing have you changed?  This week, this month, this year?  If you are really serious about trying to save money you have to sometimes make some hard decisions to give up something.  If I was to make a list of things I have changed or given up it would fill a lot of space.  Some questionable things that I haven't given up though is easier.  Sugar is one.  I have changed it though.  I buy sucanat or organic raw sugar.  Sometimes I use molasses, honey, or organic maple syrup for sweetener.  Another thing I haven't given up is chocolate.  I mostly use cocoa for my baking now, but I do like to buy the chocolate chips at Winco.  I'd like to be able to buy certified organic pure cocoa or cocoa nibs or vegan chips.  I find them to be way over my budget, and I feel the price doesn't always warrant the product.  If it was a food I was eating for my main diet I'd probably be more concerned. 
  
    Pick something to give up or change.  Giving things up such as television which is a huge cost, giving up using paper towels will add up a little or giving up going to the gym and replacing it with your own exercise program.  Each thing has to be weighed out.  Or just change something in your life that will improve your health.  Make your own pancakes and never buy a mix again, make your own bread, your own cake, your own taco mix. 
  
     You know, the list is really endless on what we can change.  My most recent change is to not have more than a few oils in my house.  It wasn't a conscious thing really.  Over time I learned more about different oils, how they are processed, and how they should be used. 
   
     The opening picture by the way is one of those things we changed a while back.  My son had bought these cookies with filling.  They were dyed red, yuck!  One of my daughters decided to show that she could make a healthier version. 

     Start thinking about it, just about everything you do every single day, every single thing you eat, every thing you wear, everything you buy can all change.  Do we want to change everything?  Probably not, but if you start viewing your lifestyle in that light it will be easier to consider ways to save money and have a healthier life for you and your family.