Preparation and Emergencies Simplified

With Hurricane Sandy taking aim at the Northeast today, the news is filled with information regarding emergency preparation. We had pretty intense wind last night as a result of Sandy and already 65 people lost their lives in the Caribbean. It’s a serious storm not because of wind but because of size, a full moon which increases tide size and a storm from the west combining with Sandy to make it felt from the coast to the Ohio Valley.  My thoughts and prayers are with all who have been or will be affected.

I’m not a survivalist or a doomsday prepper and I don’t play one on television (although I do get a kick out of watching the show Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic as their thought processes intrigue and frustrate me.) I do, however, believe in being prepared for the unexpected.  Proverbs 21:20 tells us “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp their down.”  The entire story of Joseph (of the coat of many colors fame) was one of preparing for a seven year drought and ultimately saving the nation of Israel who would have starved had not their Egyptian neighbors been ready thanks to Joseph.

It is interesting to me that so many people do not have even basic supplies and rush out and clear store shelves when a storm like Hurricane Sandy arrives and even more expect others such as the Red Cross or FEMA or other government organizations to take care of them.  Why wait until the last moment to find what you need when it is too late or prices are being gouged? How do we know we can get to emergency help or that they can get to us?  It is far wiser to be prepared.  My family faced this issue a few years back with an ice storm that left our home out of power for 7 days in a bitterly cold December.  We couldn’t get out and no one could get to us. Without formally preparing we fared pretty well because we have a few basic things in place that helped us to manage.

Emergencies happen everywhere - tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, electrical storms, excessive heat or cold, snow, and earthquakes. I truly mean they can happen anywhere.  The only earthquake I have ever been in was in southwestern Ohio – not exactly where you think of as an earthquake zone! I mean, we aren’t talking California here.  Then there are volcanoes (and not just in Hawaii), dust storms, tsunamis, etc. So plan ahead and prepare wisely.

First, have alternatives to electricity.  That may mean a generator; that may mean coolers to replace your refrigerator.  That may also mean alternative heat sources such as kerosene or wood for the fireplace.  One of our wedding gifts many years ago was a pair of kerosene lamps which have been so wonderful through the years with routine power outages from storms. I love candles and always have a store of them around for decorative and practical purposes.  We have two fireplaces and a kerosene heater. Ben seems to love collecting flashlights so we have a store of them and replacement bulbs and batteries to keep them going.

Next have an alternative way to cook.  We heated soups on the kerosene heater and had a gas grill with extra gas. Simple to prepare meals make the process easier.  A gas stove doesn’t go out as frequently as an electric.

Finally, water is essential.  We now store water for emergencies.  Recommendations are that you have a gallon of water per person per day.  During our ice storm, our water stayed on and was thankfully still heated due to our gas water heater. We loved having hot showers even if we took them by candlelight!  We are now better prepared with water stores for just in case moments.  The cabinet over our refrigerator which we never use is the perfect place to hold several gallons of water. Find an out of way place and put up stores of water for your family. If you can, store up extra for neighbors and extended family.

Normally FEMA tells us to have enough supplies to get through the first 72 hours.  With Hurricane Sandy they are telling New Yorkers to have at least a week’s supply.  I think a month supply makes even more sense. I rotate my supplies through my normal cooking process so it stays fresh and water get recycled through our many camping trips to stay fresh. My “stockpile” of dry goods continues to be built as well.  An extra pack of beans, rice, pasta or canned meat a week doesn’t add a lot to the bottom line of your grocery bill but can make the difference when an emergency arises.  In this economy, that emergency could be a loss of income from losing a job as well. Think about not having to worry about feeding your family for a month or three after losing a job.

As I explained before on an earlier blogpost, I use inexpensive plastic and glass containers to store dry goods to keep out bugs since I live in the hot and humid bug friendly south. I keep all my baking goods and mixes in containers like this as well. Rotation of goods is important as well for freshness. 

This year we took an additional step of purchasing 72 hour disaster backpacks for our girls to keep them going in the case of an emergency in Kansas City. After seeing the horrifying pictures from Joplin, MO, we wanted them to have a chance at survival. Hopefully, we will be able to get to them by the time their emergency backpacks supplies run out. These backpacks include MRE’s (meals ready to eat), water, first aid kit, emergency blankets and ponchos, flashlights and batteries, a hand cranked weather radio and we added other odds and ends such as emergency candles, sterno stove, etc. to make their survival a possibility.  We provided each of them with a two person backpack so they can take care of their boyfriends as well. These packs take up little space and are easily stored in a closet in their apartments and can be grabbed when needed. They give their Dad and me some peace of mind.

This weekend I purchased a new fishing tackle box and filled it with first aid items, organizing it and labeling where needed. With this small box  I can handle minor emergencies as they arise.  Ben and I have both had first aid training and CPR training through the Red Cross. Everyone should be able to administer basic first aid and CPR.  I plan on adding another case for additional items as refills for the main case and additional supplies.  Of course, I have my apothecary of herbs to go to for emergencies as well.

I used one of theclear plastic boxes that came with the tackle box and created a battery organizer.  We had several batteries but in a variety of locations so I gathered them all up and centralized them into one location.  I can see at a glance how many batteries I have and how many I need to get.

Obviously, there are many other actions you can take to prepare for an emergency than what is listed here.  A little preparation can make the difference into surviving an emergency or not. Below are some government links to emergency information.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/

http://www.ready.gov/are-you-ready-guide

http://www.fema.gov/protecting-our-communities

Some non-governmental links via my Pinterest habit! These and other links can be found on my firmly tongue in cheek Pinterest Board “When Zombies Attack!” Feel free to follow me on Pinterest. I can be found under user name SeachellesMinis:  http://pinterest.com/seachellesminis/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/01/stocking-up-the-printable-list/

http://lifedesigncraft.blogspot.ca/2012/01/emergency-preparedness-for-couples.html

http://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/advice/emergency-preparedness/

http://www.prep-blog.com/2012/07/10/the-20-dollar-20-day-emergency-food-kit/

http://orgjunkie.com/2011/10/emergency-preparedness-kit.html

Simplifying Cooking

I work full time.  My husband, Ben, works full time. Full time for both of us means way more than 40 hours a week.  We have tons of other things we do as well like I attend school full time, we have hobbies, etc. and occasionally we get crazy and do things like laundry and housework.  In the past, we dealt with our seriously busy schedules by going out to eat.  Pricey but convenient. 

                                     

In the last month or so we’ve tried another option and that is crock pot or slow cooker cooking.  Stick with me here, I get it, all those cooking for a month cookbooks requires a day of prep and pre-cooking and who has that kind of time?  Not to mention the recipes are high in fat, sodium, etc.  I wanted to see if I could make this work for us portion wise (since there are only two of us), health wise (since we try to avoid processed and sodium filled foods), convenience wise (since we have limited time) and taste wise since well, we like tasty food.  J

The answer to these concerns is yes, crock pot cooking can help with simplifying your cooking routine. To get started I need recipes and for that I went to Pinterest (yes, I have a Pinterest problem and no, I don’t want help.  Lol.) I found some minimal prep recipes I knew I could adapt to organic and healthy choices. Here are links to the basic recipes:  http://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html  and here: http://lovingmynest.com/learning-activities/cooking/freezer-crock-pot-recipes/

The recipes are great already because they take minimal prep time, can be frozen into portions of your choosing and are ready when you get home from work.  Of the recipes given, I have personally made and eaten the following and enjoyed them all. Sausage and Peppers, Teriyaki Chicken, Savory Chicken, Lazy Day Stew (last night’s dinner!), Pork and Veggies, Creamy Farmhouse Chicken and Garden Soup, and my own Lasagna, chicken enchiladas and meatloaf recipes.

How I adapted them is ridiculously easy.  I used organic vegetables, organic whole grain rice or pasta, organic, low sodium broth and/or sauce, and organic or grain fed or free range meat and eggs. I increased the amount of vegetables and decreased the amount of meat.  I trimmed extra fat off of meat as well. I bagged these meals up into portions for two people, got a smaller crockpot and some of the most amazing inventions of ALL time - CROCKPOT LINERS!!! Seriously! No scrubbing the crockpot!  Love this! J When I get home in the evenings all I have to add is a fresh salad or some more veggies. Super, super simple.

I also did not spend a day cooking and prepping.  If the recipe states it has to be pre-cooked, I don’t make it.  What can I say, cooking before you cook seems like a time waster to me!

Here was my plan, I made a grocery list and Ben and I went to the store, he picked up half the list and I grabbed the other half.  Remember, a lack of time is our enemy.  If you can’t trust hubby to stick to the list then it is best to go alone! We had two grocery carts full and spent around $240 including our freezer bags. Yikes.  Remember, none of this food was processed.  We came home and I assembled one meal and froze the portions in gallon size freezer bags (laid down flat with as much air out of it as possible) except for one meal for the next day. The next morning, put in a liner and the meal contents and turn on low. That night after dinner, I assembled another meal or two and repeated every night until I had made all the meals and froze the extra portions.  Within a few days, I had stocked my freezer AND we had prepared meals every night when we came in from work. Except to buy milk, bread and a few fresh veggies, I have not been back to the grocery store since and I have spent less than $100 on food since the initial shopping tour.  That was almost 6 weeks ago and my freezer is still fully stocked.  On the weekends I have been grilling fish, etc. that we already had in the freezer and using that stock up as well. 

$330 for two people for about 6 weeks may seem pricey to some but compared to what we were spending eating out, let’s just say it feels like I’ve gotten a raise.  I’ve also gained more time in the evenings. I’m spending less time prepping food and no time at a restaurant waiting on food.  Our food is healthier, cleaner and tasty. Each night before I go to bed, we discuss what we want and lay it out in the refrigerator to be put in the crockpot the next morning.

Best of all, for our marriage sake, we’ve spent no time asking the most frustrating question of all when you are tired from a long day of work - what do you want to eat? I don’t know.  What do you want to eat?  Maybe that’s just us but at the end of the day we can’t answer this question.  Lol.

With my own recipes, I included a couple of casseroles and some meatloaf made with organic ground turkey.  These get laid out the night before too and then popped into the oven by whoever gets home first – usually Ben due to the traffic I have to fight on the way home.  With our oven there is a wonderful feature – an option for convection cooking so even casseroles are done faster. Yay!

This isn’t for everyone especially if you don’t like soft vegetables, everything mixed together, etc. but it surely has helped us to simplify cooking and eating healthy. Not to mention the benefits to the budget and our time. I'm on the lookout for new recipes for our next batch of meals so if you have any easy crockpot/freezer meals to share, email me at Lavenderatthegate@gmail.com or post a comment below.

I hope this helps your budget and time as well.

Take care of yourself and your families!

~Chelle