Nana

I had a Kitchen Aid 250 watt for years- since '97- and then bought a Jenn-Air 400 watt a few years ago. Loved the KA but was always concerned about it getting warm if I ran it too long. It made bread just fine but I wanted more wattage. Gave the KA to my oldest daughter a couple of years ago and it's still fine. If the KA he's looking at is 600 watts, I'd jump at the chance! A refurbished unit has the same warranty as new and KA has a great one year no questions warranty. Besides,; most refurbs are really just open box returns that have been completely tested and tweeked by a technician.

I almost hurt myself laughing at this! I used to breed Persians but then developed allergies and haven't had cats in the house for many years. As I wiped the tears from my eyes I thought, how bad can the sneezing and runny nose be? I think we need another cat! Still here, still Nana

Why my key didn't fit the gate anymore! I could see the porch, way off in the distance but, I just couldn't get the gate open! So, what did I miss? How is everyone? What are y'all up to, these days? Where's the plain tea? I can't stand all that sugar Cat puts in the sweet tea! Yuck! On a serious note; I was so sorry to hear about Linda. She was crazy & fun & sweet & outrageous & loving & intelligent & wise & so many other things to so many. She will be loved & remembered & missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her, both on & off the internet. Rest well, dear Westie. Still here, Still Nana

Thanks, everyone! I'll be back later tonight or tomorrow morning with the next installment. Right now I have to do some prep work for baking 30 single serve desserts- 10 pineapple upside down cakes, 10 peach cobblers & 10 sweet potato pies. When I get those started, I have to touch up the stain on 2 beds, finish sewing the bedding for 3 beds, & build 4 dining chairs, 2 side chairs and 3 nightstands. Fortunately, these are not people size- they are 1:3 & 1:5 scale. I build doll furniture and make all accessories for them. As soon as I get a display finished, I'll post a couple of pics. After that, I need to cook dinner. If I have any time left, I want to start reading a new book. No wonder I fall asleep when I sit for more than a couple of minutes! Gotta run!

Kayla!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please consider the shipping charges as you would gas for your vehicle when doing a local grocery run. If you create a budget of $50.00 for groceries, you wouldn't fill your tank out of that budget, would you? It's really the same principle. don't you think? This time we're going to shop at http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/ You may also call them at 1-888-810-3213 ext. 121 They have a fixed shipping charge of $4.49! It doesn't matter how much you order, the shipping charges are they same. $25.00 plan (plus $4.49 shipping) (1) #10 can banana chips $7.29 (1)#10 can dehydrated carrots $14.29 Total = $21.58 Kitty gets $3.42 Total w/shipping = $26.07 $50.00 plan (plus $4.49 shipping) To the list above add the following; (1) #10 can dehydrated celery $10.99 (1) #10 can dehydrated onion $12.49 Total= $45.06 Kitty gets $4.94 Total w/shipping = $49.55 $100.00 plan (plus $4.49 shipping) Add these items to the above lists. (1) #10 can freeze dried peas $12.99 (1) #10 can freeze dried raspberries or strawberries $14.99 (1)#10 can freeze dried corn $12.99 (1) #10 can 9 grain mix $8.99 Total $95.02 Kitty gets $4.98 Total w/shipping $99.51 Another list will be posted very soon. Good luck!

GH!

Thanks, ladies! Your confidence and encouragement is always heartwarming. Our first shopping foray will be at EMERGENCY ESSENTIALS @ http://beprepared.com/ Remember; any leftover funds should be put away - just as though it was spent - so that extras may be purchased now and then. This will be your 'kitty'. $25.00 PLAN (plus $6.00 shipping) (1) #10 can creamy wheat cereal item #FSG170 5.7 lbs. $7.25 (1) #10 can buttermilk biscuit mix item #FSC250 4.84 lbs. $7.50 (1) #10 can potato slices item #FSV155 2.2 lbs. $5.95 Total = $20.70 Kitty gets $4.30 Total w/shipping = $26.70 $50.00 PLAN (plus $6.00 shipping) Add the following items to the list above. The shipping will still be a total of $6.00. The price line increase for shipping starts at $60.00. (1) #10 can ABC soup mix item #FSC145 6.2 lbs. $9.90 (1) #10 can gravy mix w/im. beef flavor #FSC065 4.7 lbs. $12.95 (1) #10 can instant oatmeal #FSG145 3.45 lbs. $6.25 Total = $49.80 Kitty gets .20 Total w/shipping = $55.80 $100.00 PLAN (plus $9.00 shipping) Add the following items to the lists above; (1) #10 can whole eggs item #FSD120 3.95 lbs. $16.95 (1) #10 can inst. fat/free milk item #FEM700 4.7 lbs. $16.95 (1) # 10 can apple slices item #FSF110 2.26 lbs. $10.95 Total $94.65 Kitty gets $5.35 Total w/shipping = $103.65 That concludes the first round of shopping. The link above will take you directly to Emergency Essentials website or you may call in your order. The phone number is; 1-800-999-1863 They're very good with shipping and their customer service is excellent. Good luck!

Okay! Here I go again... I'm going to attempt to pull a rabbit out of a... no, wait. That's not it. Got it! I'm going to saw Darlene in half... that's not it, either. Alright, alright! I'm going to try to put a few plans together for long term food storage. We'll use #10 cans & pre-packed plastic buckets in 5 or 6 gallon sizes. I'll list items according to total cost for each budget. They'll be done for $25.00, $50.00, & $100.00 budget allowances. Each plan will list the online store where these items can be purchased, and the cost of shipping for that $$$ amount. I'll try to find the absolute best buys, with the best shipping costs. A bargain just isn't a bargain if you pay a fortune to have it shipped. I'm going to stretch this out as far as possible, before it just becomes a matter of repeating a purchase. I'll put as much variety as is available in these plans, and try to have a little fun with it. As with any other plans I've created, these will be merely suggestions, based on my family's likes and needs. If there is something included that you don't like, don't buy it. Go to the website and find a substitute, or skip it altogether. But, PLEASE! Don't tell me I'm wrong or ask that I change things. I won't. You may use any suggestion I post, but as always, you are free to make your own choices; nothing is set in stone. The first 3 plans will be posted tomorrow morning. Just remember, I live on the LEFT coast, my morning may very well be your afternoon. Good luck! (EDITED TO ADD - NOTE THAT THESE ARE 2007 PRICES!) Cat

I live in the city, don't use outside storage for our food and I store 200-300 lbs of sugar. I don't live in a really large house, and I don't have a basement, either. What I do have is a determination to cover my family's needs for extended periods of time. It doesn't say to buy a 5lb bag one time, and a 25lb bag at another time. You can just as easily buy 5 - 5 lb bags. I do it all the time. I wrote the list to give people an idea of what they could do, depending on their needs and abilities to purchase and store. This list is designed to give a mental jumpstart, nothing more. As I've said before, nothing in these lists is set in stone. You should do what suits your needs, budget and circumstances. No one else will be able to determine what is best for you. Good luck.

Okay, then it should be easy for you to figure this out. How many meals can you get out of a can of spaghetti sauce & 1 pound of spaghetti? If you're not a big eater, 1 can of sauce may yield 2-3 servings, with a bit left over. The things I suggested canning in quarts, you should can in pints, and downsize the pint stuff to 1/2 pints. As far as you not needing that much, I guess it would depend on how long you want your food stores to last. If I was prepping only for myself, I'd still have at least this much in my pantry, and probably a lot more. For the really long term stuff, buy the #2 1/2 cans instead of the #10. Some of the things that we don't use often, I buy in the smaller cans, I just get more of them! That way, I still have the same amount but, it stays fresher, longer. My pantry, home canned foods, bulk storage, and even a lot of my long term storage, are all a part of my everyday life. We tend to go through a lot of sugar around here so, I try to keep at least 100 lbs. We like really good coffee, so my husband roasts green coffee beans. I have at least 25 lbs of green coffee, at any given time. We stopped buying mac & cheese boxed dinners, 'cause in the #10 cans of cheese blends, is exactly what comes out of that little foil lined pack inside the 'blue box' dinners. The exception is that I occasionally buy the 'Easy Mac' for my grandchildren, but only in the really big packs and only if they are on sale. The food that I pressure can, soups, meats, veggies and stuff, are things I would spend hours cooking for a single meal. Like split pea soup. My family loves it! If I pressure can a big batch of it, I don't need to worry about cooking that meal for months, but if that's what they decide they want for dinner, I don't even need to go in the kitchen. They are still eating my split pea soup. Another example is my Manhattan clam chowder. No one in the family likes it except my husband. I make a big pot of it, can it, and whenever he comes home hungry, or wants something different for a weekend lunch, he can open a pint jar and enjoy it. I could easily give you dozens more examples like that, but I won't. That would be boring. There are some things I'm just not willing to leave to Campbell's or Progresso, to feed my family. Oh, and then there's jelly. I'm the world's worst when it comes to making jelly but, I make the best jam and preserves we've ever had. So I no longer buy it pre-packaged. When I make a batch, if I don't hide some of it, it disappears pretty quickly around here. The bottom line is this; store what you eat and eat what you store. Only you can determine what you'll eat, or how much you'll be comfortable storing. I, along with quite a few people in these forums, have "Mother Hubbard Syndrome". Empty spaces in my pantry and cupboards makes me nervous, and they must be filled! Besides, Darlene is a bad influence, and she makes me go 'power shopping' on a regular basis!

In the third post above, I wrote; Quote: NOW! It's done... I'm sure there will be things on these lists that you may not like or use. You have to remember that this is not set in stone. It is meant to be a guide to kick start your thinking processes so that you can see how much easier it is to stock up if you just have a plan! If you do and will utilize everything on these lists, good for you! The only thing you have to do now is print & go shopping! Another thing you need to understand is that there is no way I can tell you how many people this will feed or for how long. This is so subjective it can't be calculated. I can't possibly tell you how much any one person will eat. These lists are only to give you ideas of how to stock up on some basics, fairly quickly. I hope they will work for you. BTW, welcome to MrsS!

Genoa, I use those exact gloves, or others just like them whenever I do anything that might get my hands dirty. I use them in my kitchen when I'm battering chicken or fish for frying, I use them to mix meatloaf or knead bread, make biscuits, cutting vegetables, doing dishes or scrubbing the stove. You name a messy job, and I've probably used those gloves to keep my hands clean. I've used them for many years with no problems, so if your hands burn when handling peppers, those gloves are probably the best thing for you. In case no one has guessed, I really can't stand to get my hands dirty!

Well, according to NIOSH, OSHA, and the WHO, the N95 is efficient for avian flu. I won't debate that though, as information will always vary according to the source. I'm curious though... was your source also the supplier of your masks? I'm not sure I understand what you mean about "the added surface area". A mask should fit your face; bigger is not better, in this case. N95 masks also come with exhalation valves, as do R95, & P95, N100, R100, & P100. But since the N95 is 95% or better -actually 99.9%- effective in filtering out particles down to .03 microns, to me at least, it's not worth the added expense for a .1% increase in efficacy. If that .1% is all that's stopping you from contracting the virus, you're already in big trouble. I think it may have disappeared in the move to the new server but, I did have a quite lengthy post about wearing masks, and how to practice for future use. And yes, I have worn an N95 mask for 8 hours, albeit with a few breaks. They are what is worn in a surgical suite. The most important thing about a mask is it's ability to stop fluids from entering your mucous membranes. No one should expect to be able to wear these masks for an entire 8 hours at a time, and depending on one mask to protect you for an entire day is an invitation for disaster. Whenever you leave an area, you create a potential for cross-contamination, and then risk taking it back when you re-enter. Respirators and face masks are really not meant to be worn by anyone not properly trained, and wearing one improperly is just as bad as not wearing one at all. If you'll look farther down this forum, I've posted more information about masks. I'll re-post the info about how to wear masks at some point in the future. By the way, The United States Air Force taught me how to wear mine.

"Think of isocyanate molecules in the air from the spraying process as Pac-man gobbling up molecules of moisture in the air and on your body. Isocyanate molecules are equally attracted to the moisture in your eyeballs as they are to moisture around your mouth, nose, and ears. Thus the full mask, gloved hands and suit or long sleeve clothing is proper spray attire." If you have a full face mask with a 3M respirator, I'd say you're probably good to go... but! If your mask is capable of being fitted with a pre-filter, then I would suggest getting some of those, too. The problem lies in the fact that the moisture reduces the effectiveness of the mask. Moisture causes a breakdown in the barriers of the mask and allows the virus to infiltrate. Remember; this virus thrives in a moist environment, deep in the lower lung tissues, and is excreted through heavy wracking coughs. If this is where it lives, it will continue to live on other moist surfaces. So... when your mask or filters in your mask get wet-moist, you're giving the virus a place to set up housekeeping. In a 'dry' atmosphere, the N95 mask is effective for 6 to 8 hours. Depending on the amount of moisture in the air, you can cut that effectiveness by as much as half. If I am in a position where I have to go out in public, I will probably wear a full face shield, with an N95 mask underneath. Also, I would never re-use a mask worn in public, or take it inside my home. I hope this helps...

Anyala, I used to have a link to a good site for masks and gloves in my post but it disappeared... I'll try to find it and post it as soon as possible.

Quote: Nana, I bought an "N95" mask (with respirator) for each member of my family in case of an epidemic. When you mentioned throwing away the mask in the yellow zone, I was concerned because these masks were a bit pricy. Aren't they reuseable? Maybe reuseable just going out in public? Should I have spares for actually taking care of an infected person? Thanks, Anyala Unfortunately, disposable masks are generally considered one-use items, and the N-95 masks are disposable. Their efficacy rarely exceeds 8 hours under the best circumstances, and aren't really meant to be used in caring for a contagious patient. The mask you want to use for in-home patient care is a basic surgical mask; the kind that is pleated, and has elastic to fit over your ears. The ones I have are a 50 ct. box at a cost of $4.95/box -or something very close- and are the exact type of masks that will be used by hospital workers during a pandemic or any other quarantine that doesn't involve ebola or some other 'super germ'. To use a new N-95 mask for each patient, or even each shift, for hospital workers, would be cost prohibitive. The N-95 masks would be used if you need to go out in public and should be discarded after 5 to 8 hours, depending on the amount of moisture they absorb. The more moisture they absorb, the more it shortens their efficacy. If the masks you have use disposable filters- ie. nanomasks, then the filters should be changed and discarded after 5 to 8 hours, and the mask itself disinfected. If you've bought masks for all of your family, please be sure to fit each person's mask before you need them. There should be no gaps or spaces on the sides to allow contamination. Generally speaking, these masks are not made for young children and extreme caution should be taken when trying to get a child to keep a mask on. For children, the best thing is total isolation from the general public or a quarantined person within the household. You also want to be sure to get some practice wear, as masks can be a bit restrictive and can cause a panic reaction in some people. The best way to mitigate the possibilites of contracting or spreading a virus is to limit exposure to potential carriers and the general public as much as possible. That includes washing your hands or using an antibacterial spray or gel whenever you think about it. If you suddenly think your hands are 'dirty' or that you may have been exposed to germs, you're probably right. One other thing... keep your hands out of your face. It's just about impossible to touch anything that hasn't been exposed to another person's germs. Think about it...

Sorry it took so long to get back. Life gets progressively more complicated every day... Okay, back to the sick room setup. Whatever your patient is going to sleep on, put it close to a window. It can be a twin bed, roll away bed, cot, hammock, or even a thick piece of foam, placed on a cut of 1" plywood on top of several concrete blocks, or several - 4 minimum - full 5 gal buckets.. You also need it close to a heat source. Put the box fan in the window, facing out- you want the fan to blow outside, instead of in. Seal off the area around the fan with plastic and duct tape. Preferred location is at the head of the bed. Place the heater at the opposite end of the bed. You'll want it where it can blow directly on your patient, but not where it can be kicked or knocked over. You need a table or nightstand right next to the bed, to hold things like a water jug or pitcher & cup, a thermometer, a small washbasin- dishpan- and a spray bottle and washcloth. If you have a stand with a drawer or two, even better. If not, get a basket to hold all the miscellany, and put it under the table. Next, using your duct tape and clear plastic, section off the area where the bed is by taping, tacking, or stapling the plastic to the ceiling. First, cut 2 pieces of plastic, each 2 feet wider than half of the space. Ex., if the area of the room is 10 feet wide, cut 2 pieces of clear plastic 12 feet wide each. Using the duct tape, reinforce one edge of each piece - tape both sides of the top edge - this is the edge that you will place against the ceiling. Next, starting at the wall at either end, with several feet of space- if available- between the bed area and the plastic, tape the plastic to the wall, floor to ceiling. Tack the plastic 1 foot away from where it is taped - going out towards the room. Start connecting it to the ceiling, overlapping the center with 1 foot on either side. This overlap will give you a place to go thru to the quarantine area, yet still keep the area sealed off. If you have a spare room, You can either seal the doorway in the same manner, or seal off half the room, leaving the other half as your prep area, and a place where your patient can be observed or talked to, without breaking quarantine. I would personally prefer to seal off half the room as well as the doorway; it makes it a lot easier to glove and mask up just outside your quarantined space, and it will give you room to put a trashcan for disposables and a table for other supplies. Ideally, you will have 3 separate areas; Red zone- where your patient actually is quarantined, Yellow zone- your prep and disinfecting area, and Green zone- the remaining area where you do a first/final cleanup. This would actually divide the room into 3 spaces. The green zone would be just inside the doorway, with a small table for waterless hand cleaner, gloves, masks, and shoe covers. If you want, you can put plastic between the green zone and the yellow zone, which is where you will have your trashcan, more waterless hand cleaner or disinfecting wipes, and any meds or treatments. I hope this doesn't seem too confusing, because it really isn't. If you have one room available that is at least 10' x 12', you can easily create this space. When you step into your green zone, clean your hands and put on your PPE - personal protective equipment - ie; gloves, mask, gown, shoe covers, head cover - whatever you have decided to use. Step into your yellow zone and prepare any meds, or anything else you need to take in to your patient. Go into your red zone and take care of your patient, check temp, pulse, & bp, if you know how. It's a good idea to keep a chart of patient progress, temps, etc., and easy to do using just a small notebook. Remember to leave it in the patient area. It would be considered a 'hot' (red zone) item. When you step out of the red zone and into the yellow zone, remove your head cover, gown, shoe covers and gloves. Place in trashcan. Wash hands and remove mask. Toss in trashcan. Step into green zone and wash hands again. Repeat each time you go in or out and you will greatly increase your chances of containing the virus. I'm actually going to set up in my dining room, if I need to do a quarantine area. That way, I'll be able to keep an eye on my patient at all times. I'm not going to try to figure this into the budget but, you should seriously consider what your going to do about bathroom facilities for a quarantined patient. If wouldn't make sense to go thru the trouble of setting up a quarantine area, only to have them go thru the house to use the potty. You have 3 choices that I would consider; 1) a room with a private bathroom... the best idea of all! 2) a bedside commode, such as those found in sick rooms and hospitals... not ideal, a little messy, and problematic when it comes to disposal. 3) a bedpan... not my ideal choice under any circumstances, but it beats the alternative... DIAPERS! YUCK!!! Back later...

Here are the totals for this list; 10 bottles of vitamin C 5 bottles multi- vitamins 5 packs cough drops 5 bottles pain reliever 5 boxes daytime cold medicine 5 bottles cough syrup- expectorant not cough suppressor 5 bottles hand soap 5 waterless hand cleaners 5 toothbrushes 10 tubes toothpaste 10 packs baby wipes 5 bottles antiseptic mouthwash, 5 bottles mint mouthwash 5 packs disposable razors 5 bottles shampoo & 5 bottles conditioner 5 bottles lotion & 5 bottles body wash 5 boxes bandages 2 packs cotton swabs, 2 bags cotton balls, 1 bottle alcohol & 1 hydrogen peroxide (.50 each) 5 miscellaneous ointments (diaper rash, burn, etc.) 5 packs ‘AA’ batteries, 5 packs ‘D’ batteries, 5 packs ‘C’ batteries 5 packs incense or scented candles 5 packs tea light candles 10 bags cookies or candies 10 bags hard candies 5 packs of multi-pack gum or breath mints 10 packs napkins 5 packs disposable drinking cups 5 packs disposable gloves 5 packs trash bags 5 packs disposable forks/ spoons 25 books, kids toys or other fun stuff or adult equivalent 5 rolls asst. tape (duct, masking, etc.) 5 cans disinfecting spray 5 bottles dish soap 10 containers of disinfecting wipes 5 pest control items- your choice 5 asst. cleaners (floor, window, etc.) Again, these lists are to add to your preps or give you ideas of things you may have overlooked. Some things I didn't list because I had to make choices according to budget, and thought it a bit simplistic to add in the obvious. These lists are not meant to be all encompassing to anyone who is starting out with nothing. This is pre-supposing there are already basics and regular shopping items in the home. There is absolutely no way to stock up on every item needed for a household on $25.00 per week. I can barely buy bread, milk, juice, eggs and butter with that! Now before you think I'm crazy, you need to understand that my family consists of 5 people, including a 14 yo boy who's 6' 4" tall wears a size 14 shoe and only weighs 145 lbs! To look at him you wouldn't guess that he eats as much as the rest of us combined! We go through; 4-5 gallons of milk @ $1.99= $9.95 2 lbs butter @ $2.49 = $4.98 3-4 loaves of bread @ $1.25 = $5.00 1 1/2 doz eggs @ $1.39 = $2.10 1 - 1 1/2 gallons of juice @ $2.00 = $3.00 For a total cost of $25.03... and those are sale prices! My point is, if you use commercially canned foods, you know you need a manual can opener or three, if you home can you need jars, rings and lids... If you have oil lamps, you need fuel and fire, if you use candles you need a way to light them...if you eat you need plates, tp, etc., so if there's something you feel should have been on these lists, adjust it to suit your personal needs, but don't tell me I need to change them because I won't. These are my lists and I spent hours compiling them out of love and concern for my online family, not because I needed to have my thought processes challenged. My real time family will fare well because I make sure of it. I'm just trying to help you do the same. Of course, your mileage may vary...

Originally posted on 03/26/06 10:56 PM This is a list of extras to supplement the $20 per week storage plan that I created. For an additional $5, you can add a lot of things you might need in a quarantine situation. Everything on this list is available at a dollar store. In some cases, you may find on or two items that are actually 2/$1. If that's the case you may want to double your items. These lists are merely suggestions but, if you're clueless, they will certainly jumpstart your thought processes. Remember, if there is something on the list that you don't buy or don't need, don't buy it! Nothing here is set in stone... Add $5.00 to the $20.00 plan and shop at your local dollar store; Week 1; 5 bottles of vitamin C Week 2; 5 bottles cough syrup- expectorant not cough suppressor Week 3; 5 bags hard candies Week 4; 5 containers of disinfecting wipes Week 5; 5 boxes daytime cold medicine Week 6; 5 packs kid toys, or books - or adult equivalent of fun stuff Week 7; 5 packs ‘AA’ batteries Week 8; 5 packs baby wipes Week 9; 5 packs incense or scented candles Week 10; 5 bottles hand soap Week 11; 5 toothbrushes Week 12; 5 books for fun reading Week 13; 5 bottles pain reliever Week 14; 5 tubes toothpaste Week 15; 5 bags cookies or candies Week 16; 5 packs napkins Week 17; 5 bottles multi- vitamins Week 18; 5 waterless hand cleaners Week 19; 5 packs disposable drinking cups Week 20; 5 fun items Week 21; 5 packs ‘D’ batteries Week 22; 5 packs disinfecting wipes Week 23; 5 bottles antiseptic mouthwash Week 24; 5 boxes bandages Week 25; 5 books or other fun stuff Week 26; 2 packs cotton swabs, 2 bags cotton balls, 1 bottle alcohol & 1 hydrogen peroxide (.50 each) Week 27; 5 rolls asst. tape (duct, masking, etc.) Week 28; 5 packs disposable gloves Week 29; 5 packs trash bags Week 30; 5 packs disposable forks/ spoons Week 31; 5 packs ‘C’ batteries Week 32; 5 packs tea light candles Week 33; 5 packs hard candies Week 34; 5 cans disinfecting spray Week 35; 5 bottles dish soap Week 36; 5 packs kids stuff Week 37; 5 bottles vitamin C Week 38; 5 packs napkins Week 39; 5 bottles mouthwash Week 40; 5 tubes toothpaste Week 41; 5 miscellaneous ointments (diaper rash, burn, etc.) Week 42; 5 pest control items- your choice Week 43; 5 bottles shampoo Week 44; 5 bottles conditioner Week 45; 5 bottles lotion Week 46; 5 bottles body wash Week 47; 5 packs of multi-pack gum or breath mints Week 48; 5 packs baby wipes Week 49; 5 asst. cleaners (floor, window, etc.) Week 50; 5 packs disposable razors Week 51; 5 packs cough drops Week 52; 5 bags candy

Here's some of the 'other' stuff; If you noticed that I didn't list much in the way of cooking oils and shortening, there's a very good reason. With these lists, you don't need much. The crisco is basically for making thins like biscuits or even cookies, and the olive oil is for salad dressing. The canola oil is for bread & cake baking. Most of what is here is already prepared or needs very little preparation so you don't need to worry about oil for frying, etc. The general idea is that you will do some baking to fill out your meals, so if you don't bake a lot, now is the time to learn. Honestly, almost anyone can make a decent loaf of bread if they start with quality ingredients. The same with biscuits. Learn everything you possibly can right now, when mistakes can just be a learning experience and not a disaster. There are some other things you want to have on hand to fill out this list a little, such as powdered whole eggs, powdered butter (don't get the margarine, it's yucky! and it's full of trans-fatty acids), powdered cheese, both cheddar and parmesan, TVP and some dehydrated soup mixes. These extras are all available in #10 cans. There are some links in the bulk food post that will help you find what you need. You'll want to add as many snack type items as you can, such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, peanuts, popcorn and pretzels, and maybe even some canned chips such as Pringles or Planters snacks. Then there are a variety of juices; apple, cranberry, grape, grapefruit, V-8, Kern's nectars, pineapple, orange, etc. Almost anything you can think of is available these days. Don't forget whole grains such as wheat, corn, flax, rye and oats. The oats are thick & rolled and the 'parent' of the quick oatmeal you'll find at your local grocer. Don't forget the good stuff, such as single serve puddings, snack size candy bars, fruit leather, granola bars, chewing gum, licorice, graham crackers, animal crackers, cookies, and canned fruit.

$20.00 WEEKLY PLAN TOTALS STAPLES flour- 60 lbs white sugar- 110 lbs brown sugar- 12 lbs powdered sugar- 10 lbs salt- 6 lbs baking soda- 1 10 lb box baking powder- 3 cans yeast- 1 large crisco- 6 lbs canola oil-1 olive oil-1 vinegar- 1 gal. 3 pack cornstarch-1 DRINKS coffee- 6 cans tea- 2 boxes koolaid- 30 packs powdered milk- 3 extra large boxes evaporated milk- 22 cans Nestle’s quick- 2 cans apple cider mix-1 box tang- 1 can BREAKFAST FOODS oatmeal- 2 boxes pancake mix- 10 lbs syrup- 1 gallon cold cereal- 18 boxes bisquick- 2 large boxes asst. hot cereal 4 boxes BEANS, PEAS & LENTILS assorted- 110 lbs split peas- 5 lbs lentils- 5 lbs RICE, PASTA, POTATOES rice- 40 lbs spaghetti- 22 lbs assorted pasta-11 lbs ramen noodles- 3 cases instant potatoes- 3- #10 cans dehydrated hash browns- 1 carton egg noodles- 1 large CANNED VEGETABLES spinach- 24 cans peas- 24 cans green beans- 24 cans mixed vegetables- 24 cans diced tomatoes- 24 cans whole kernel corn- 24 cans mushroom pieces- 24 cans refried beans- 20 cans pork & beans- 12 cans CANNED MEATS & FISH hams- 14 tuna- 62 pink salmon-17 spam- 6 SOUPS & SAUCES spaghetti sauce- 22 cans ready to eat soup- 36 cans condensed cream soups- 12 cans SPICES & CONDIMENTS (spices in restaurant sized containers; sold by weight, approx. 1 quart size container- from 5 oz to 26 oz.) black pepper- 1 granulated garlic- 1 beef bullion cubes- 1 chicken bullion cubes- 1 poultry gravy mix- 1 brown gravy mix- 1 condiments- hot sauce- 1 soy sauce- 1 Worcestershire sauce- 1 teriyaki sauce- 1 liquid smoke- 1 gravy master- 1 ketchup- 1 mustard- 1 mayo- 1 pickle relish- 1 olives- 1 pickles- 1 salad dressings- 1 MISCELLANEOUS FOOD ITEMS #10 can cocoa powder- 2 10 lb bag of chocolate chips- 1 assorted cake mixes- 18 2 lb bags of walnut halves- 1 2 lb bags of pecan halves- 1 saltine crackers- 6 boxes Little Debbie snacks- 6 boxes peanut butter- 2 large jelly or jam - 4 jars honey- 3 cans or jars FOOD ITEMS TO HOME CAN OR RE-PROCESS whole chicken- 40 lbs chicken hindquarters- 20 lbs lean hamburger- 20 lbs- 5 lbs to be used to make chili to home can 5# stew beef #10 cans sliced peaches- 2 #10 cans sliced apples- 2 #10 cans fruit cocktail- 2 #10 cans applesauce- 2 1 bone-in ham 5 lbs pinto or kidney beans for chili -1 PAPER GOODS & MISCELLANY double rolls toilet paper- 144 rolls; paper towels- 48 boxes; facial tissue- 9 paper plates, 100 ct. packs- 7 aluminum foil rolls- 6 NOW! It's done... I'm sure there will be things on these lists that you may not like or use. You have to remember that this is not set in stone. It is meant to be a guide to kick start your thinking processes so that you can see how much easier it is to stock up if you just have a plan! If you do and will utilize everything on these lists, good for you! The only thing you have to do now is print & go shopping! Another thing you need to understand is that there is no way I can tell you how many people this will feed or for how long. This is so subjective it can't be calculated. What I can tell you is how it would work for my family but, you need to know that I can make an excellent meal out of what others think is an empty pantry. When I look at this list I see; 110 lbs. of beans = 110 meals 22 cans of spaghetti sauce = 33 meals 12 cans of condensed cream soups= 12 meals (when combined w/ 1 pint canned hamburger or 1 canned ham or 2 cans tuna or 1 pint canned chicken 40 lbs rice = 60 meals (when combined w/ canned chicken or made into sweet rice or served w/ 1 pint canned hamburger & gravy from gravy mix 60 lbs chicken (total)=60 pints or 30 quarts of chicken for soup, chicken pot pie, etc., and 30 pints minimum of chicken broth. 24 cans of mushrooms = 12 for combining w/ other meals and 12 for soup 5 pints of stew beef - home canned = 5 meals when combined w/ veggies or noodles or both Without breaking down the entire list, I've just named 292 meals for my family of 3 or 6, depending on who is here. Yes, I can use other stuff on the list to stretch and feed twice as many. It's all just a matter of using veggies, pasta, biscuits, bread and desserts to fill out the meal. If you have a garden, that's even better. There are also a lot of things that are not on this list, and maybe a lot of them should be but, with limited funds you have to make do. If you truly bargain shop, you can actually have change each week to put up for some of those other purchases. For example, I listed the canned veggies at 50 cents a can... right now, I can save from 7 to 12 cents per can by shopping at either WalMart or Food for Less. Another is the chicken for canning. The list has 40 lbs of whole chicken at 49 cents per lb. That would be a total of $19.60 Right now, with the Holidays looming, you can get turkey at rock bottom prices. I have gotten 4 turkeys so far, 1 was free with purchase, and of the 3 others, I paid 18 cents a lb for one, and 19 cents a lb for the other 2. So if you don't have a problem substituting turkey for chicken, you should be able to get double the 'bang for your buck', so to speak, with a little change left over. I got 77 lbs of turkey total, for $12.33. That works out to just a hair over 16 cents per lb! I don't know about you but, I can't think of another food I can buy for 16 cents a pound! I'll put in a seperate post about the other things that you can buy to fill in the gaps in your pantry. You also need to realize that these lists are based on the presumption that you already have something in you kitchen, and are not starting from scratch.

WEEKS 27 THRU 52 WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN 5 lbs sugar $2.00 3 cans pink salmon $3.00 5 lbs. flour $2.00 5 lbs. rice $2.00 6 cans tuna $2.00 5 lbs. pinto or kidney beans for chili to home can $3.00 3 cans spaghetti sauce $3.00 5 lbs spaghetti $3.00 WEEK TWENTY-EIGHT 1 box oatmeal $3.00 1 bottle canola oil $2.00 3 boxes saltines $3.00 1 lg. pkg. egg noodles $2.50 1 can baking powder $1.50 1 can coffee $4.00 5 cans evaporated milk $4.00 WEEK TWENTY-NINE 1 gal. vinegar $3.00 5# split peas $3.00 1 can Nestle’s Quick $3.00 20 lbs chicken @ .49 lb. to home can 2 boxes salt $1.00 WEEK THIRTY 10# 15% fat (or less) hamburger to make chili to home can $20.00 WEEK THIRTY-ONE 16 cans Progresso or other ‘no water added’ soup $16.00 2 boxes salt $1.00 1 can Nestle’s Quick $3.00 WEEK THIRTY-TWO 2 cans coffee $8.00 1 bottle olive oil $6.00 1 box 48 apple cider drink mix $6.00 WEEK THIRTY-THREE 1 box powdered milk $16.00 1 box tea bags $4.00 WEEK THIRTY-FOUR 25 lbs. Sugar $9.00 25 lbs. Flour $5.00 25 lbs. Beans $6.00 WEEK THIRTY-FIVE 36 pack dbl. rolls toilet paper $10.00 10 lbs. Chicken quarters for canning $9.90 WEEK THIRTY-SIX 5 # stew beef to can $15.00 10 cans tuna $5.00 WEEK THIRTY-SEVEN 25 # rice $10.00 2 canned hams $4.00 6 cans salmon $6.00 WEEK THIRTY-EIGHT 12 cans spinach $6.00 12 cans peas $6.00 12 cans green beans $6.00 2 cans spaghetti sauce $2.00 WEEK THIRTY-NINE 12 cans mixed vegetables $9.00 1 #10 can instant potatoes $3.00 4 canned hams $8.00 WEEK FORTY 1 bone-in ham to can $8.00 12 cans diced tomatoes $6.00 12 cans whole kernel corn $6.00 WEEK FORTY-ONE 1 box powdered milk $16.00 1 3 pk cornstarch $4.00 WEEK FORTY-TWO 1 #10 can sliced peaches $3.00 1 #10 can sliced apples $3.00 1 #10 can fruit cocktail $3.00 1 #10 can applesauce $3.00 12 cans mushrooms pieces $6.00 2 cans pink salmon $2.00 WEEK FORTY-THREE 25 lbs. sugar $9.00 25 lbs. beans $6.00 large box of Bisquick $5.00 WEEK FORTY-FOUR 16 rolls paper towels $11.00 4 boxes asst. hot cereal $9.00 WEEK FORTY-FIVE 1 #10 can of cocoa powder $5.00 10 cans refried beans $8.00 10 cans of tuna $5.00 4 # brown sugar $2.00 WEEK FORTY-SIX 36 pack dbl. rolls toilet paper $11.00 6 cans spaghetti sauce $6.00 6 lbs of spaghetti $3.00 WEEK FORTY-SEVEN 1 large jar peanut butter $4.00 1 can Tang instant drink mix $4.00 6 boxes cake mix $6.00 2 jars jelly or jam $6.00 WEEK FORTY-EIGHT 8 boxes breakfast cereal $16.00 1 can or jar honey $4.00 WEEK FORTY-NINE 20 cans tuna $10.00 16 rolls paper towels $10.00 WEEK FIFTY 1 large jar peanut butter $4.00 2 jars jelly or jam $6.00 5- 100 ct. paper plates $5.00 10 # powdered sugar $5.00 WEEK FIFTY-ONE 6 cans spam or luncheon loaf $9.00 10 # box baking soda $3.00 large pkg. or jar yeast $8.00 WEEK FIFTY-TWO baking powder $1.50 2 jars or cans honey $8.50 12 cans evaporated milk $9.60