Showing posts with label Food Storage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Storage. Show all posts

Friday, February 14, 2014

My Top 10 Favorite Items from Walton Feed

People are always asking me what my favorite products are from Walton Feed, so here is my list! These are not in any particular order...I love them ALL! 

1. Super Nutty Granola and French Almond Granola - Oh my goodness, both of these are delicious! I prefer the Super Nutty, and my children prefer the French Almond. Both are fabulous and we sell a lot of it on this order! Definitely worth trying!

2. Refried Beans - I buy these by the bucket! Last month we thought we had run out of these, and there was an uprising from the children..literally! I bought some canned refried beans from the store to get us by until the next order, and the kids thought they were so disgusting! Thankfully a few weeks later I found a bucket stashed in a closet and the kids chowed down again. All you have to do is add water and bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. It has the best flavor!

3. Freeze Dried Pineapple - Have you ever tasted this? Yum, yum and yum! You have got to try these! They are amazing. You can rehydrate them and use them in any recipe calling for pineapple, but I like to munch on them right out of the can! They taste just like fresh pineapple, and have no preservatives! It's a healthy snack! I really love the strawberries and peach slices  too! AMAZING fresh tasting fruits!

4. Creamy Honey - This is probably the most loved product on this Walton Feed order. I have people call me up and beg for more because they have run out. I have never tasted anything like it. It's the best honey ever....that pretty much sums it up. If you cannot afford to buy a whole case, find someone to split it with you. You will be happy you did!

5. Ova Easy Eggs - These are the best egg product on the market! They are quite expensive, but worth having them in your storage. I actually use these all the time. I use these when I make my famous cinnamon rolls. You can use these in baking or cooking and will not be able to tell the difference from using fresh eggs. I use them in pancakes, muffins, rolls, cakes, cookies, pies, etc. And I have even scrambled them with some bacon bits and put some cheese on them, and my kids gobbled them up in breakfast burritos. Veggie omelets are amazing too! You can use them to make a bacon, egg and cheese biscuits and no one will ever know! No more emergency trips to the store because you need eggs to make something. 

6. Freeze Dried Corn - Love, love love this corn! We like to snack on it right out of the can! It's so sweet! With all of the worries over the toxins in canned food (not to mention excessive sodium, etc.), I will not buy canned corn anymore. I love that freeze dried food has no preservatives or additives or even salt. This is just plain CORN! I use this for all of my recipes that have corn in it. Healthy and delicious! PS - freeze dried broccoli is another favorite!

7. White Flour - I'm not sure where they get their flour, but it's the best I have ever baked with. I cannot find anything in the store that compares to it. It is so soft and silky. I have used the All Purpose Flour, the Bakers Flour, and the Unbleached Flour. It's all wonderful! 

8. Chicken Bouillon - What I love the most about this chicken bouillon is that it contains no MSG! It is in a fine granular form and it doesn't take much of this to season your recipe. It has a very nice flavor. I use it in so many recipes! You might want to get this in a small can because it will take a very long time to get through a #10 can of this! 

9. Bakon Crumbles - I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein), which is a soy product. But I happen to really like Bakon Crumbles. You are probably familiar with "bacos", which is TVP. Bacos are hard and crunchy, but Bakon Crumbles are much softer, more like real bacon. I use them in eggs, soup, as a topper for baked potatoes, salads, etc. One good thing about TVP is that it really is a good alternative to meat because it is much cheaper and can be healthier. I also use the Taco TVP and the Beef TVP, but I usually use them with ground beef. 

10. Basmati Brown Rice - I'm not very knowledgeable about different kinds of rice, but I do know that this one tastes wonderful! It's like a sticky rice, which I love - but it is a whole grain rice and is healthier for you. My children will eat Basmati rice happily, where they are not crazy over regular long grain brown rice. This is definitely my favorite whole grain rice! 

OK - one more...


11. White Wheat - I can't forget white wheat! I use more of this than anything else I get from Walton Feed. I grind it fresh almost every day and use it when making pancakes, cookies, breads, rolls, muffins, and whatever! White wheat cooks up a little lighter in color, taste and texture than red wheat, and most people will like it, even if they think they are not crazy over whole wheat products. 

I have compared Walton Feed's white wheat to white wheat from other companies, and I have found Walton Feed's to be superior. Once I called a company and ordered a sample of their white wheat, and when I got it, I poured it on a paper plate. Then I put some of Walton Feed's wheat on another paper plate. I was shocked at what I saw! The sample I ordered had several pieces of stems, hulls and weed seeds in it. It also had lots of "inferior" wheat kernels - they were small and misformed, and some were even black. I was surprised they had actually sent me such terrible looking wheat as a sample. Walton Feed's wheat was beautiful and clean, and it made me happy since I had MANY buckets of their wheat stored!

So that's my quick list of favorites! What are yours? 

PS - We are doing our Spring Group Order from Walton Feed right now. Anyone can join us. Click HERE to read information about the order. Please email me for the price lists. macoombs5@comporium.net

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

What Should I Store?



Here is a list of suggested amounts of Basic Food Storage for one adult for one year:

Grains - 400 lbs

Legumes - 60 lbs

Powdered Milk - 16 lbs (This gives you approx. one cup of milk per day.)

Cooking Oil - 10 quarts

Sugar or Honey - 60 lbs

Salt - 8 lbs (This is 5 regular salt containers from the store or 1#10 can.)

These items will sustain your life and give you the nutrients you will need to survive, if this is all you had to eat. Canned vegetables, fruits, and other things you normally eat will add variety and comfort to you in times of emergency or need. 

These are the items recommended by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in a letter dated January 20, 2002. They suggested a year supply of these items for your family, but I have broken it down to a one month supply for one person to make it not seem so overwhelming.

This is a 1 Month Basic Emergency Supply for One Person and Why You Need It!

Grains - 34 lbs
Wheat, white rice, brown rice, oatmeal, corn (for making cornmeal), popcorn, cream of wheat, white flour, pasta, grits, millet, barley, 6-grain cereal, 9-grain cereal, quinoa, spelt, buckwheat, kamut, amaranth, etc. are all part of this category. Choose a variety of grains that your family likes or that you would like to start cooking with. Variety is the key to a good food storage supply!

Legumes - 5 pounds
Legumes are beans and peas. Pinto beans, red beans, lima beans, green split peas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, soy beans, white beans…and the list goes on. Beans are extremely nutritious and contain a protein content of 20-25%, except soy beans, which contain as much as 40% protein. That is more than some meats!!! When you combine a grain with a legume, your meal will provide a complete protein, which is necessary in good nutrition (especially if meat is not available). Examples of meals that are a complete protein are Beans and Rice, Chili and Cornbread, Bean Soup and Wheat Bread, and Corn Tortilla Chips with Refried Beans.

Powdered Milk - 1.5 lbs
This only gives you one cup of milk a day, so you will want more for children or nursing mothers, or to use in cooking. Milk contains calcium and is also a good source of vitamin A. For my family, I personally plan for 50-60 lbs of powdered milk per person. This gives me plenty to bake and cook with, and drink! (Yes, there are some powdered milks out there that taste good enough to drink!) That would be about 4-5 lbs of milk as a one month supply for one person.

Cooking Oil - 1 Quart
Oil (fat) is absolutely necessary in our diet to supply energy and to provide us with the important fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and the essential fatty acid, lanolic acid. Most Americans eat entirely too much fat on a daily basis, but a little is absolutely necessary for good health. 

Sugar or Honey - 5 lbs
Don’t forget the sweets! If you have sweeteners, you are able to do so much more with basic food items! Honey, white sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, molasses, and corn syrup are included in sweeteners. You can even count a little jelly and jam here too!

Salt - 1 salt container (26 oz)
Salt is important in flavoring almost all foods. Iodized salt is recommended. Sea Salt and Kosher Salt are also available. I believe that variety is the spice of life!! Consider storing other spices that really add some zip to basic foods – pepper, cinnamon, chili powder, taco seasoning, Italian spices, garlic, etc.

Sprouting Seeds - 1/2 - 1 pound
You can sprout almost any edible grain, nut, bean or seed. Sprouting increases the nutritional value of foods. It is a good way to increase the amounts of vitamins and minerals we intake if our diet is limited to a few foods, and especially if fresh fruits and vegetables are not available. Alfalfa is the most popular. *Note: This item is not listed in the letter, but it is worth considering if all you have stored are dried foods.

Water - 14 gallons emergency supply per person
Don’t forget to store water! This is part of the very basics! You should have at least 14 gallons of water per person as a two week emergency supply. It is suggested that you drink 2 quarts a day and save the other 2 quarts for food preparation and cleaning. It would be better to store more than 14 gallons per person, but make sure you have at least that much! See my post on WATER STORAGE! 


People often ask what's next after the basics listed above!
Here is a suggestion according to the counsel we have been given by church leaders, in my own words and understanding. You will most likely have different needs and opinions according to your family circumstances, but hopefully this will help spark some ideas that will help you on your way to better preparedness.

3 MONTH SUPPLY
It is actually recommended that you first have a 3 month supply of food that you are accustomed to eating every day. This could/should include a 3 month supply of the foods listed above, plus other canned goods and items that you normally eat. You want to have on your shelves a well rounded 3 month supply of food. (For me, that means it has to have some chocolate! Chocolate pudding, hot chocolate, chocolate chips, chocolate cake mix, brownie mix, cocoa powder, etc. DON'T forget your chocolate! Ha ha!) Then start working on a more complete one year supply. Growing a garden and canning the produce is the best and least expensive way to get a lot of good food in your pantry!

After the 3 Month Supply and Basics Foods from the List, THEN WHAT?
It really depends on you and how you cook, what you like, and what you already have stored on your shelves, but here's a few items that are next on my priority list:

Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Yeast
Vinegar
Bouillon (Chicken, Beef, Vegetable)
Powdered Eggs (Whole Eggs, Ova Easy Eggs, Egg Whites, Egg Mix, etc.)
Spices (Cinnamon, Taco Seasoning, Pepper, Chili Powder, Garlic, Cumin, etc.)
Freeze Dried Fruits and Vegetables (they last long and store well. taste good and look good)
Butter Powder (you can make white sauces and use in baking)
Dried Potatoes (dices, slices, hashbrowns, flakes, potato pearls, etc.)
Cheese Powder, Freeze Dried Cheese
Canned Tomatoes, Tomato Powder
Beef TVP, Bakon Crumbles TVP, Ham TVP (those are my favorites and you can do a lot with them)
Canned Beef, Chicken, Tuna, Salmon, etc. (canned from the store or freeze dried are all good)
Soup Bases and Dry Mixes
Dry Onions
Refried Beans (dried - they are the yummiest refried beans! Way better than canned ones from the store!)

Final Thought
And the list can go on and on. But if you have the basic foods listed in the original list above, canned goods and items you are used to eating, and the next priority items I just listed, you will have a good variety of food you can really cook with and enjoy. and it will be nutritious and sustain you and comfort you in a crisis or emergency situation. 

One time our crisis was a frozen well pump with a husband in the shower all soaped up when the water stopped. My water storage came to the rescue! Once it was an ice storm that knocked out power for 4 days. One time it was unemployment for a few months. I've had friends who have had health problems or accidents and couldn't work for a while, or unexpected expenses that drained the grocery budget, or a death in the family which changed the breadwinner. Life happens, but if we are prepared, we shall not fear...because we will have what we need, and we will have the blessings of being obedient to the counsel we have been given. May the Lord bless you all in your family preparedness efforts! 



Sunday, November 24, 2013

Thrive's Black Friday Sales are AWESOME! Food Storage on Sale!!



Click HERE for the Black Friday Sales Flyer!

This sale is amazing! This is the best time to stock up on delicious food storage items, and they even have shelving units and Emergency Supplies on sale too! Remember, that freeze dried food has a 20-30 year shelf life unopened, and then 1-2 years once you open the can.

Here are some things I LOVE that are a really good price:

Pineapple Chunks (FD) #10 Can - $22.39, Pantry Can - $9.09 (Oh my gosh! These are awesome as a snack right out of the can! My favorite freeze dried fruit.)




Mangoes (FD) #10 Can - $18.69, Pantry Can - $8.09 (I keep a baby in the day, and she chows down on these and asks for "more" all the time!)



Sweet Corn (FD) #10 Can - $13.79, Pantry Can $6.29 (My friend Carol eats these right out of the can like candy! They are delicious! I throw them in Taco Soup, Creamy Potato Corn Chowder, anything!)


Green Peas (FD) #10 Can - $10.49, Pantry Can - $4.59 (That is 50% off! I put these in my chicken pot pie and a chicken and rice soup I make.)



Mushrooms (FD) #10 Can - $12.39, Pantry Can - $5.29 (I used the mushrooms the other day in my veggie omelet and then again for homemade pizza at lunch. They are AMAZING! And since I am the only one who likes mushrooms in my family, it was nice to be able to just use a few, and not have a whole thing of mushrooms sit in my fridge and go bad before I can use them all!)

Passionfruit Yogurt Bites (FD) Pantry Can - $10.29 (These are a tangy treat! We love these to snack on!)



Quick Oats #10 Can - $4.89 (Perfect for making no-bake cookies, making a topping for your favorite cobbler, or just for a yummy bowl of oatmeal in the morning.)



Sausage Crumbles (FD) #10 can - $34.99, Pantry Can - $14.69 (Delicious and no raw meat or grease to deal with! Perfect for breakfast burritos, omelets, pizza, biscuits and gravy, or wherever you like sausage! YUM!)

The Red Cross Black Out Buddy is on sale for $16.49. You plug it into a socket and it serves as a nightlight...but if the power went out, it would light up brightly and can be used as a flashlight. I love this! 



They have other emergency supplies at a really good price, including tents for $19.99 and $27.99. 

And they have a Hand Wheat Grinder for $44.99! Fabulous price!






There is much more! Make sure to look at the BLACK FRIDAY FLYER!

You can email me your order at foodstorage@comporium.net, or go straight to MY WEBSITE and place your order once the sale begins (Thanksgiving night at midnight MST through Monday, Dec 2nd at midnight.)

Call or email me with any questions! Melissa : )



Melissa Coombs
Independent Thrive Life Consultant
803-818-1569

Friday, November 22, 2013

Up to 50% off Food Storage! FABULOUS PRICES from THRIVE!


Thrive's Black Friday Sale is HERE!
This is their best sale of the whole year! 
EVERY product will be on sale, up to 50% off!

And you can participate in my 
Customer Appreciation Program
and earn 10% back in free product, 
plus additional 50% off products.
(Read below for details.)

HERE is the flyer that shows some of their sales. (It will list the price for the #10 can in large print, and the price of the Pantry Can in very small print.) They also have shelving units and emergency supplies at a great price! Go check out the flyer!

All of the sale prices will be listed on MY WEBSITE when the Black Friday Sale begins at Midnight MST on Thursday, Nov 28. The sale ends Midnight MST on Monday Dec 2. All sales are "while supplies last", so you will want to get your order in as quickly as possible!

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. Go to my website anytime and fill up your shopping cart with what you want to purchase. Your shopping cart will still be there when you log back on later. Process and complete your order as soon as the sale begins Thursday at Midnight MST (2:00 am our time on the East coast) so you can be sure to get your favorite items before they are sold out.

2. OR you can email me what you want to order no later than Wednesday at Midnight (the 27th), and I will place your order right when the sale begins. That way, you don't have to stay up late into the night! I'll do that for you! : )

Food Storage makes great Christmas presents! : ) And this is YUMMY food storage! It's the perfect time to stock up and build your own supply too! Who knows what this next year will bring...buy a little peace of mind and self reliance by shopping the Thrive Black Friday Sales! 

EARN FREE PRODUCT!
If you want to earn some free and half off products by gathering a group order (any size is fine), here is what you need to do:

1. Let me know that you would like to participate, and I will get you set up in my system so you can receive benefits.

2. Spread the word and let people know about the sale. You can forward my email to them or write your own. And call and text them too! Gather a group order and get it to me by Wednesday the 27th at midnight. Any size order is fine. And they can order any product available on the website, not just what is on the flyer. You will earn 10% of the total of your order in free products, and $100 of half off products once your order reaches $400. (More half off products are earned for larger sales.)

3. You can also have people go straight to my website and place an order. But you will need to email me and let me know their name so I can credit the order to you. Or they can email me with your name! Here is the full link to my website: http://mythrivefavorites.thrivelife.com/mythrivefavorites

4. After the sale is over, I will email you with the amount of free and half of product you earned and get your order. (You will have to pay shipping for your order, but the rates are very reasonable. See chart below.)

Have a wonderful week! Email or call with any questions!
Melissa : ) 803-818-1569


Melissa Coombs
Independent Thrive Life Consultant

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