JUNE PREP CHALLENGE

Here we are, back into sweet summertime!  When the warm weather comes around, I sometimes get a little lazy with my preparedness efforts.  This year I figure I will take advantage of the many outdoor/camping type items that will beef up my storage as well as provide many hours of outdoor fun!

This month I am concentrating on:
Paperware: I try to bulk up on paper plates, cups, napkins, bowls and utensils so that I will have plenty for picnics, camping, and of course, if there is no access to water, they would be invaluable!  I keep them in a plastic tote to keep them together and dry, which makes it so quick and easy to find exactly what I need without taking up valuable kitchen/pantry space!

Extra camping fuel: I need to stock up on coleman fuel for my lanterns, propane for the grill, an extra tank for the blowtorch (which is amazing as a fire-starter...no muss, no fuss), charcoal briquettes, and firewood.  Also need to grab an extra propane tank this year.  The grill would most definitely be my go-to back up source for cooking in an emergency. 

Hope you will keep watching the sales and add a little to your storage this month, even if it's just a couple extra bottles of ketchup!

The Great Utah Shake-Out!~

Did you participate in the Great Shake Out this morning? It was a state-wide earthquake drill that more than 900,000 people participated in. If you missed it, no worries! You can find stories on it here on the KSL website, and find all the info you need to prepare for "The Big One" here, including what to do during an earthquake, what supplies to have on hand, how to communicate with loved ones afterward, and tons more.

This is a very likely natural disaster for our area so do your research and start preparing...just a little at a time!

Deadline for 5 gallon bucket group order

For those who are ordering the 5 gallon buckets through DFW storage, the group order deadline is April 20. Sorry I forgot to mention in the email!~

Strictly Storage: Happy, Hearty Morning Muffins

These muffins are so great; they are extremely filling and perfect for on-the-go or for lunchboxes!

Happy, Hearty Morning Muffins
2 eggs (or use powd. eggs with water)
3/4 c. veg oil
1/4 c. milk (or use equiv. powd milk)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour (any combination of white or wheat is great...and I usually throw in a handful of oats too!)
1 c. packed br. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. shredded carrots (I used reconstituted dry carrots...and they were awesome!)
1 c. shredded apple (same as above)
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. raisins, craisins, or cranberries
3/4 c. sliced almonds or chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350. Prepare muffin pans. Beat eggs, oil, milk and vanilla with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Stir in carrots, apple, coconut, craisins, and nuts.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top of batter, with a little white sugar, if desired.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, cool 5 minutes.

These are very forgiving; you can add so many varieties of fruits and nuts to them and they are delicious. Makes 2 dozen.

Adapted from General Mills.

April Prep Challenge

Happy Spring! Seems like this is the time of year that I become more motivated to start chipping away at my food storage in particular, and emergency preparedness in general. So I was excited to hear about a new long-term storage resource that offers pre-packaged, family style, varied meals sealed in 5 gallon buckets, WITH a 25-year shelf life! The prices start from .24 per serving. So this month's challenge is...

Visit this website to calculate how much you would want to purchase for my family. All the information is found on that post, just click on the order form and product list links.

This is a great resource for those who are limited on space (just pile up a couple buckets, or roll them under a bed!) or 72- hour kits.

MARCH PREP CHALLENGE

After a LONG absence, I'm back in the saddle and ready to bring a new preparedness challenge to you this month.

As my family grows and EATS (imagine that!), I am finding my 3 month supply (the foods we eat regularly) dwindling faster than ever. So, lucky for me, Case Lot Sales started this month and it's a perfect time for me to stock up again. Prices are as low as they are going to get (although I am the first to admit; they are not as low as they used to be), and if you can spare a couple hundred bucks from your tax return it goes a long way.

Ridleys is having their case lot sale now, but if you go HERE you will find dates and locations for Case Lot sales all over Utah (look around, there's tons of great prep information on that site!)

Some of my "must haves" from Case Lot: chili (yes, I love homemade, but this is a great high-fiber/protein meal in a pinch and I like to stock my 72 hr kit with chili for that reason), canned and frozen vegetables, frozen juice, butter, canned beans (again, I can use from my long term supply, but I love the convenience of these), canned tomatoes, bottled water, tuna, canned fruit, pasta, brown rice, various canned soups, white flour, toilet paper and paper towels.

Notice, this list does not contain my long term items that I also use on a regular basis; it is recommended to have a years' supply of these so I usually order them in bulk from the LDS Church Storehouse. These items include wheat, rice, white flour in #10 cans, raw beans (legumes), powdered milk. I also purchase powdered eggs, olive oil, and freeze-dried fruits and vegetables from case-lot sales for my long-term supply.

So, there's the rundown on stocking up your 3-month supply. Just do what you can, even a case or two is a start!

JANUARY PREP CHALLENGE

Here we are at a fresh start with a new year, and hopefully you have some goals that include your preparedness! I like to take it in small steps, work on one or two things per month. I also like to tackle those things that I feel inspired to do, based on their importance for my life. So these are my goals and you are welcome to join me.

For January, I plan to invest in a fire extinguisher for each floor of my home. Can you imagine how frustrating it would be if you could easily prevent some major damage/injury in your home if you just had one available? I like the idea of this found at Home Depot (or many places online), an easy to manage spray can as an alternative to the typical fire extinguisher, which may be a little more difficult to manage in a crisis. You can find small extinguishers for around $15-$20 each.