Shelf Life website

I recently found this awesome website called Still Tasty. On this site you can search different foods and it will tell you how long this food will last on the shelf, in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Manufacturer's expiration dates are very conservative and you can almost always use food items after their printed dates. This website often mentions this and I can say for a fact that I have used "expired" items dozens of times without any issues.

For example, I searched "eggs" on the site. First it comes up with all kinds of options such as "eggs-cooked, hard boiled" or "eggs: scrambled, poached, fried, omelets, frittatas-cooked leftovers."

I selected: "eggs: fresh, raw, in the shell." It states that eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 weeks. It also recommends storing eggs in the carton from the store and not in the door, which is warmer than the main part of the fridge.

The site also states that you can freeze eggs for up to a year, but first you crack the eggs, mix them with a little salt or sugar (depending on what you plan to use them for) and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Interesting stuff, huh? So this site might be my new best friend...or at least a great resource when it comes to storing food for short- or long-term use.

This site can also be a great resource with your meal planning because you can check on the shelf life of foods you might be using in the next few weeks and decide how much of one item you might want to buy at once. I love buying things on sale or in bulk, so knowing the right way to store extra food is very valuable to me.

Meal Planning

Here's some tips for MEAL PLANNING!!

-Have a list of meals your family likes. (Don't feel bad if ramen noodles or Hamburger Helper is on your list)

-Space out similar meals. For example, you may not want to have spaghetti and lasagna in the same week. This is on reason I prefer planning for the whole month. I would make breakfast food every other day if I could but my husband doesn't love that, so I plan on one breakfast food meal a week.

-Plan for a leftover night. We usually have one day a week when we need to clean out the fridge. It doesn't always fall on the same day every week, so I have to be flexible, but I LOVE leftover night.

-Plan for new recipes! To shake things up a little, plan a new recipe once a week or once every other week. This can help you find new favorites for your meal list. (Remember to use recipes that include your food storage, so you can learn HOW to use ingredients you may not be used to and so that your food gets rotated.)

-Use a blank calendar and/or make a list of all the meals. A few months ago I was writing meals done on a blank calendar that I printed from Word. I liked this way. Lately, I have just been writing a big list of what I have ingredients for so I can cook whatever I feel like that night.

I also like to keep track of what I actually ended up making (or if we ate out) so that when I am meal planning I can remember what we've had most recently and try to plan so different meals. I have a binder with my calendars and lists so I can look through it quickly. My favorite recipes are also in this binder and print outs or notes about recipes I want to try.

Meal planning helps me to feel a little more in control of my day, helps with my general sanity, and saves me money because I'm not going to the store every other day for things I need.

HAPPY PLANNING!

*This is an update post from earlier this year, I know. But I think it's good to review. :)

Meal planning

For a few years now, I have been planning our family meals. For a while I was planning for every two weeks, but now I plan a whole month at a time and shop for 2 weeks at a time. It has taken a long time for me to get comfortable with it, but here are some things I've learned.

-Have a list of meals your family likes. (Don't feel bad if ramen noodles or Hamburger Helper is on your list)

Click HERE for a blank worksheet created by Prepared LDS Family.

-Space out similar meals. For example, you may not want to have spaghetti and lasagna in the same week. This is on reason I prefer planning for the whole month. I would make breakfast food every other day if I could but my husband doesn't love that, so I plan on one breakfast food meal a week.

-Plan for a leftover night. We usually have one day a week when we need to clean out the fridge. It doesn't always fall on the same day every week, so I have to be flexible, but you have to LOVE leftover night.

-Plan for new recipes! To shake things up a little, plan a new recipe once a week or once every other week. This can help you find new favorites for your meal list. (Remember to use recipes that include your food storage, so you can learn HOW to use ingredients you may not be used to and so that your food gets rotated.

-Use a blank calendar and/or make a list of all the meals. I was reminded of this the other day. When I had one of my kids, my mother-in-law came for a few weeks and before I had my baby I made this list so she could pick something and cook. She was recently visiting and mentioned that. Since then, I have tried it for myself. I like it.

I am currently using this list and marking on a calendar I printed from Word want we ate that day. I have a binder with my calendars so I can look through it quickly to remind of things I made last month or things we haven't eaten in a while.

Meal planning helps me to feel a little more in control of my day, helps with my general sanity, and saves me money because I'm not going to the store every other day for things I need.


Remember, this month count and try to add to your SUGAR supply and CLOTHING for your 72-hour kits.