When I was a bartender I used to bring home the big glass jars that olives and cherries came in. I still have them, 20+ years later, filled with pasta and rice and all sorts of things.
*Today's Kerfuffle* Hubby paid for pre-buy propane. They accidentally double charged our account. That transaction took everything but enough for gas to get to work. The $ is being refunded but still hasn't hit our account heading into the weekend. We are okay and feel secure with our food stores. I'm skipping the store this week, and this family of six will remain fed. This is a small test, and i rise to the challenge! Thank you for your encouraging messages!
Some how our internet hit our bank account twice as well. Not sure how it happened as I pay it online. But, at least it's showing in the negative on our account, so I shouldn't have to make a payment this month. Just checked bill and it shows we owe 0 this month. But, it did put a dent into our account, thankfully I keep a small buffer in their that I don't list in the check book.
Every time I empty a detergent bottle I refill with water and store it outside in the shed. I can use it for rinsing my hand in the garden, and cleaning if water is turned off. Not for drinking, but you still need cleaning water.
I have been saving the detergent jugs that have a spout where you push a button to make the detergent come out. I rinse them out, fill them with water, and put one in each bathroom in case our water is off. I will add some jugs for outside on the patio for outside hand washing. Great idea!
If you can volunteer at your local food bank, do. Our area does a monthly drive thru food distribution. Volunteers can take any extra items home. I get food for us and even take the rejects for animal feed. Budget! Compare prices. We do a monthly provision list. It helps to focus. Thanks Leisa. Remember y'all to Pray, Plan, Prep
Having extra food on hand is the intelligent thing to do. You can't go through life thinking someone will be there to help you in an event that takes away your getting food and personal needs with nothing open or no way to get there. My parents taught me well.
Started my pantry years ago, retired a few months ago, to find out that my pension was not approved so I’ve been living off my pantry. thank God for his foresight
I recently retired too SS is not great but I have a very good pantry stock. Looking for deals everyday. Inventing new thing everyday. It's actually a good time and entertaining.
@@WilliamLouis-vk6wz My husband still works, but I have become inventive on some meals as well. And somethings he didn't think he would like, he actually liked. lol I need to get back into pre-making some freezer meals for him to take to work.
I love thinly sliced beef kidney, boiled in cranberry juice and baked Mac and cheese. I bake chicken liver, in cumin and tomato soup, on top of squash with butter, cinnamon and sugar. Cabbage is only as filler for turkey meatloaf with already soaked stuffing at this point.
Last December I started on three months of medical leave, unwillingly, but my Dr wouldn't release me to go back to work. I finally received my short term disability pay 2 weeks before I went back to work in March. If it hadn't been for the lessons I learned on your channel, I would not have been able to feed my family. I went through most of my pantry, but it was there, and it was an emergency. My husband and I have been even more purposefully restocking. Thank you for all you do to teach people like me that didn't have a clue. ❤❤
When Grocery Outlet had lentils for .89 lb I grabbed 2-3 every visit to the store same with rice, split peas and pinto beans. 4 years later I have enough for myself, adult kids and elderly parents for 3-4 months. Get what you can get $1 at a time
I did something similar. I started buying the vast majority of dry and canned goods only when they were on BOGO. I’d buy 4 or 6 of the item, 3-4 for my working pantry so I didn’t have to buy that item until it went on BOGO again, and the other 1-2 for my longer term pantry. It’s amazing how fast those “extras” built up.
I canned lentils yesterday, I wasn't impressed canning the small red ones but the green ones canned better in my opinion. The small ones look more like mush to me.
I have money to prep but I’m rapidly running out of room to store my preps. They are in my closet, under the bed, in boxes between the bed and the closet, on the closed in porch, in the computer room, behind the theater seating in the living room. ALL OVER! I need a house just for my preps. 😂
I saw today on Facebook that a local food bank had extra peaches. They put them outside for anyone to take. I'm now making peach butter. You have to take advantage of things when you see them.
You’re so right, start where you are. I had someone that gave me 24 flats of cucumbers. I canned 9 flats and gave the rest away. I got sweet pickles, dill chips and relish in the pantry now.
I've figured out how to live off grid in an old motorhome and build a pantry on in the old coat closet that will feed me for about 60 - 70 days. My dry goods even longer, but my meals require meat. I'm a basic meal person. Meat, veggies, and either potatoes, pasta or rice. I do have beans, but I'm not a big bean or rice person. But I have about a years worth if I need it. My coatcloset/ now pantry is only 2 feet wide, 18 inches deep, and 4 1/2 feet tall. I have 2 additional cupboards that are 10 inches deep, about 8 inches high and 14 inches long above my couch above the windows. And a cupboard base that the sink is in. 28 inches high 16 inches deep that is hard to get to bcuz my plastic tote with extra winter blankets sits on the floor in front of it. It also blocks the front of the stove bcuz its large to hold the blankets. And my oven has never worked so its ok to block the front of my stove. I stand by the wheelwell stairway to cook.On the side of the stove. I make it work. Right now I haul water, so I have 2 1/2 gallon jugs in the walkway from the entry door to the bathroom door at the rear of the motorhome. I have 7. They last just over a week for me and my dog. For all of our needs, including cooking, prep, pressure canning, dishes, hygiene, and drinking. We both drink a lot, bcuz its over 100°F in the motorhome in the summer. There is no a/c only a 9 inch fan. A screen door and one open window. If I can do it so can anyone.
start canning ugly meat. borrow a pressure cooker if you don't have one. Post on a social site you need one or will pay for a rental. But get some meat in that closet! Leisa has aa lot of ugly meats videos
I don’t know how you put up with all the people saying they can’t do it, it’s to hard, I don’t have room! Where there’s a will there’s a way, If they don’t want to do it they should just watch entertaining videos. The rest of us appreciate all you do to help us along the way. The rest need to grow up and take a good look at the world around us. If you want your family to thrive in the future start planning for it.
We store extra cleaning supplies, detergent, and things like alcohol and hydrogen perxoide in a bathroom we reserve for when we have visitors. It is nicely hidden behind the shower curtain.
@@melinidunican9130 we did the same thing. It's a very, very small bedroom that a window was took out of years ago and it's close to our kitchen. So, it makes a nice walk in pantry now.
Got six pounds of ground chicken reduced 25% today. I now have eight pints of garlic, rosemary chicken patties canned which will go in the pantry tomorrow after washing the jars. I like to scramble different canned meats in a box then stack the boxes. Pull a box with said variety and don’t get the next box until that first box is empty.
@1stbadger700 This is pretty much how I do it. I have room for 8 cases. When the month is over and I get paid I write up a list of what I have used and I fill up the empty jars.
I think that color coding sounds like an excellent idea especially for someone like me who’s eyesight is starting to fell them. Please, thank your Facebook subscriber for suggestion it
I always have history to go off of. I lived, as a family, for several years working off of the Standard American Diet of processed foods filling the majority of my shopping cart. And I've worked through stages of coming to the conclusion that I first of all don't need it, and secondly, the stuff I can stock and use at home tastes so much better, and thirdly, saves me so much money. If you give up three processed foods and buy the ingredients to make those three things this week, you just bought enough to make those three things for three months. There are a million recipes out there to teach you how to make things. Make these things as you crave them, or don't. Giving up my processed foods afforded me space and money to buy ingredients. Once the ingredients were stocked, I was able to afford to get the longer term items and canning jars. Once the longer term items and canning jars were purchased, my garden grew and my shelves began to fill up. It is a rotation of gloriousness that just keeps building and renewing. Buy what you will eat, if you don't eat it, don't waste the money, spend it on something else long term, including ways to store those items. I haven't been to the grocery store in about 4 months, with the exception of a Costco trip about 6 weeks ago to stock up on dairy, kitty litter, oat milk and some meat to add to the meat we already have. I haven't had to shop for a week's worth of food in over 10 years, and it is such a great feeling. I didn't panic during the pandemic, because we had enough food to get us through a good stretch, especially because we lost jobs during that stage of life. Recovering from that was a bit of a struggle, but now we are in a good position again. The garden is growing well, the jars are stocked up, the freezers are full, the shelves have plenty of food. I have enough to get 4 of us through six months very comfortably, a year with some things being a bit more pinched, 18 months with some planning, probably up to 2 years just in case.
Just to let everyone know that I have been picking up 2,4, and 5 gallon frosting buckets (food grade) at our local Hy-Vee Grocery store for free. Every day, this store throws them in the trash.(Its such a waste.) I use them for food storage, grow buckets for my garden, and general purpose. Their FREE ,FREE FREE.
I started mine by buying one extra item every week. I had made a list of what I wanted for my essentials and went from there. If you want it you'll do it. I've learned a lot from you here. I don't feel your fear mongering at all. I know if something wet to happen and god forbid I was out of work for 6 months we are not going hungry. I was out of work for a year 20 years ago due to an injury. We weren't ready.
At the store this week I saw bags of oats for 40 cents! Bought all that they had on the shelf, came home and emptied them all into clean canning jars. We love oatmeal.
Made big batch cx broth. Using meat for soup, used the bones and veges for bone broth. Canned the bone broth, chicken soup. Canned chicken, canned strawberry jam, blueberry jam, peach jam. Also made tomato sauce and canned. Rotated my pantry. Dehydrated mushrooms. Have onions for dehydration. Staying busy, getting ready Lisa!
I’ve has a pantry for years, nothing like yours but always had what we needed, use one replace it, sale buy a few extra. I hope people can put something aside, never forget all the shortages a few years ago.
I am diabetic and I stock meat and vegetables, low glycemic fruits. Yes I have rice and beans if I run out of other stuff. I’ll have to walk off the carbs😂it can be done! I stock what I eat
I can attest to the importans of being prepared. When I lost my job a couple of years ago my pantry (that I had created after having watched Leisas channel for years) really, REALLY, helped me. I really got proof that a well stocked pantry is a great insurance. And now when I have a job again I'm not only re stocking my pantry, I'm continuing to build it!
I have had some extra time on my hands (going to chemo and treatments with my brother), and I’ve started going back and watching your older videos from before I joined your channel. What a WEALTH of information in these videos too! Canning planners, meal ideas and so much!!! Holy wow!!! ❤
Your advice is right on. My parents and grandparents always told me "Act as if". When doubting myself like starting prepping, that voice in my head. "Act as if" kicked in and the shelves are full.
My car need a new windshield and my dog has to go to the vet in September. Yep I’ve been working with my neighbors to show the how to harvest seeds from there food they grew. It’s a nice barter system so I pray it’ll all work out 😊 I’ve stored food in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbing inside five gallon containers and the buckets have labels and dates beside the long term freeze dried #10!cans I began buying literally weeks before the plandemic….I rotate my foods and it’s helps me to stay focused and ready for my family if need be. I’m working on winter foods for holidays now as the cost is way cheaper and the freezer is at work👍🏼 I always say “it’s better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it “
It’s been a awhile since I had time to catch any videos - back to work (finally). Four years ago I was stymied: my business prohibited from operating and I was getting a fraction of income from 2020 through last year. My income from that point on was unpredictable - some months had no income but monthly bills still needed attending. That extra time allowed me to find your channel and a couple others that both inspired and taught me proper preservation. Of course I read all the manuals etc too. What little funds I had after the bills I bought 1-2 extra cans or package of meat, more if I had more money. Little by little my long term pantry evolved. Within six months I could stop worrying about running out of money as I could eat from my pantry and freezer for a month or longer. Then I started paying a few extra bucks to the utilities to build a cushion for those months where income was questionable. I still do a full week of canning monthly to stay ahead of what I consume. If you are on the fence that the suggestions Leisa makes, you must try them out first as you will only benefit from all she shares. 😊
I didn't even know I was doing it 😜 It started really organically for my house because it made sense especially when the kids were young. My/Our objective was to be in a place ware if we can't get out - we have. My journey started with baby formula 18 years ago, you can't not have it and then it got me thinking what else should we have in the pantry not just for the kids but everyone and it snowballed from there. Baby steps, if you use rice for example - look for the bigger bags, watch sales, learn how to store it and its not about fear - it's about needing ketchup for grilled cheese and not hearing some one go "why is there no ketchup". Take Good Care 🥂
People rarely think about sprouting/microgreens. You can grow those anywhere, and the nutrition factor is huge compared to full-grown veggies. The equipment is minimal. A mason jar is all you need to sprout.
You can store dried food in anything food came in originally. Pasta sauce jars, gallon spring water jugs, milk jugs, juice bottles. Rice and beans can be stored in them quite easily with a cheap dollar store funnel. Just make sure its clean and dry.
Yrs. ago because I was to "lazy" to get in my car to drive 10 miles round trip and the fact that I abhor shelling out dollars for an item I could probably improvise from something around the house, I ended up creating a funnel out of a brown paper grocery bag. I eventually did buy a funnel or two since that time.😁
Theres cutting cable, cheap phone plans, get rid of recurring payments like Netflix, unplug things to conserve energy, lots of ways to save money. Things you want, let sit in your online cart or list. Eventually you won't get it. No impulse buying. I vacuum seal and put in Tidy Cat tubs. Had a gazillion saved up moving instead of buying boxes. Easy to stack. Black out film is even cheaper to block light light through windows. Been staying put for years so far.
I store 2 one gallon juice containers of water behind each toilet for emergency flushes when the power goes out for hours. Raise one gallon to waist level to make it a power flush!
Be careful with the milk jugs, they tend to leak after a while and will make a big mess. Ask me how I know!! Juice jugs or 2ltr pop bottles are better for water storage.
@@alyssacampbell1958 exactly, I use a boot tray to put water containers, you can find some that are 2 inches tall. Does help if something breaks, or can put in plastic containers
i’m out getting my 4 mile walk in. Done dishes, put dishes away cut up a bunch of peppers and onions. For my next batch of salsa. I bake some jalapeño cheddar bread, did some housecleaning, some laundry, and then when I get back, it’s time to make some salve out of some herbs. Trying to get a lot done before school starts on Tuesday UGG I’m not looking forward to that.❤
Awesome! I’m with you. Didn’t get as long a walk in but cooked cleaned up folded the towels did a little strength training and got a shower in. I made the jalapeño cheddar bread the other day. 😀. Used the peppers from my garden. Have a great night you must be tired by now.
Thanks for a down to earth talk. I totally agree with you, don't be crying in your beer. I am 60 disabled just had a rod and plate put in my arm and in a few weeks i have to have the other one done. I still am dehydrating and preserving. Is it easy well no but it can be done. We have a family room that has a pool table that you can barely use because of my extra pantry and supplies. One canner full at a time. If i have extra space in my canner i can water for first aide. I find jars at thrift stores for 50 cents to a dollar each as well as buying new. People don't be lazy.
We had a power outage a week or so ago. Only about six hours, but it could have been longer. We had candles and oil lamps for light, we had water and food, but - argh! - no way to cook. So now I've got one of those little one-burner propane stoves and a couple of bottles of propane on my list for the end of the month. Sometimes it takes a tiny situation to point out a large hole in your planning.
If you have tea lights you can cook. 6 in a square cake pan, cheap one, a rack over them and a saved metal can for cooking in works. I survived for two weeks in an ice storm that way. Aluminum heats easiest and fastest. To boil water, make a tent over the fancy tea light cooker. Remember to use your stove top or oven to put the fancy cooker in/on so as to not burn your counter top , or to heat that countertop.
One upon a time I budgeted $5 a day for our food expenses. I also practiced careful shopping, cooking from scratch, and zero-waste in the kitchen. Over time I ended up having four "free" meal days a month, then eight "free" meal days a month--all from using up leftovers. That spare $40 a month went towards buying real food on sale. Nothing manufactured, just one-ingredient foods that could be transformed into healthy meals. Meatless meals, less meat meals, and a clever use of leftovers. I never met a free turkey that I didn't turn into 50 "less meat" meals and several gallons of turkey stock. There was a time that buying $50 at a grocery store scored your household a free ham or turkey. That is how I amassed a four year supply of food. Seeds for sprouting, seeds for growing vegetables, wheatberries, chickpeas, lentils, beans, rice, quinoa, oats, millet, maple syrup, sugar, corn meal, mada, canned tomatoes, green beans, greens, salmon, herring, chicken, and beef. I only buy what I can't grow, raise, catch, forage, or hunt. In 2024 my grocery budget is $2 a day for two people. We could feed the neighborhood in a crisis but they won't get soda pop, cereal, hamburgers, or twinkies. Those don't last long in storage.
If you have food in security, there is no shame in going to a food pantry . When I first returned home to take care of my invalid , mother I did not have a job. I went to the food pantry for about six months. Even though I got a job four months after I got home I still got food pantry for two more months. So I I could get my feet under me to take care of my mother and myself. There is no shame in going to a food pantry if you are in financial distress or any food insecurity. Don’t be prideful, there is no shame in going to food pantry.
Becoming a master at bartering. One of my customers I barter w is a butcher...yes, filet mignon is his currency:) Yup, I have a freezer full of filet! Canning "beef stew" w filet. Blessed Beyond!!!
Or check with fast food restaurants. They get pickles in the same type of container and will give them out for free sometimes. To get the pickle odor out, wash them with baking soda to neutralize it. I use them also for planting an indoor garden under LED lights.
Chinese restaurants are another source of food grade 5 gallon buckets. I asked nicely and they gave me a few. My local grocery store started recycling their icing buckets so I can't get them there any longer. I've got food stored in most of mine to keep the critters from eating my food.
I know this probably sounds strange, in world war 2 the uk had pretty bad rationing and for a few years after the war. The way i started was to stock up on the goods they either didn't give or didn't give much of. Then added from there. Now my preps are pretty well rounded. But i still make sure the things i know that will sell out fast as with covid or of the government ever rationed certain foods again. They are what i stock most of. People can look up British world war 2 rationing very easily. Always shop the sales too.
I'm in the US (Tennessee). I still have my grandparents leftover ration stamps from WW2. Sugar, Flour, Butter, Meat (it just says meat), Cheese, etc. I can't believe there were leftover stamps.
At the farmers market Wednesday, a gentleman had apples for sale. Below the table he also had apples that were "seconds" for only $2 for about a full grocery sack of apples. I bought them and will turn them into applesauce. I'll get about 5-6 pints of applesauce for $2 total. Thrifty.
Leisa, you are 100% on this! I have been pantry building for several years. It’s now a “habit.” And, we live out of our pantry, only shopping for a couple of necessities and visiting farmers markets for in-season veggies we can’t grow. Keep teaching others as it may save lives!
Lisa your video today made me laugh when I had my kiddos at home we had a challenge to stock our food storage we made a list for the week to take to the grocery store one child would pick an item to purchase I gave them 5.00 and they went to the shelves and picked up their items my second daughter got about 8 canisters of salt she proceeded to tell the cashier that they were building up the food storage and her purchase was salt cause she could get more for her money it always makes me laugh about our food storage pantry I have been storing food and using it for a long time and yes if you start out small it will build up!!
Amazing talk and practical. I was able to talk my single sister into making a pantry. That's what I told her a couple extra cans a payday. I also believe in making extra , pot of stew, eat tonight and tomorrow and portion it out for freezer. Easy to go meals when you're busy, tired or sick. I started my pantry about 25 years ago, one suggestion that is months away but maybe someone can make a plan . Tax refunds, take a portion of it and get as much as you can. Another free resource, in some park's, boy scout's have planted fruit tree's free to pick, we live in the south , there's walnut trees all around us, wild blackberries, eastern red bud tree's make some delicious jelly. I agree with you people doing the victim mentality, until they change their way of thinking they'll stay right where they are. You aren't a fear monger by any means. Noone knows when an emergency will happen. Natural disaster, storm's, illnesses, job loss. Life happens but having a pantry takes one huge stress off your shoulders.
What a healthy pep talk Leisa! I like that idea of "baby steps" for a pantry!! I can share that advice with people I meet. My pantry I started a year ago is a source of pride for me. My husband was not a believer at first. But now he is! He is very proud of our pantry too!♥
there is a channel called pasta grannies that shows grannies in italy, making pasta. It is mesmerizing. They are like 90 year old bent over ladies and some have thlo get a foot in front of it to see it.Been making pasta their whole lives.
Leisa, I SO appreciate your common sense approach to prepping a good pantry. I don’t hear any fear mongering and it is appreciated! The pandemic started my mindset and these days my financial situation has changed for the worse so I am really buying and prepping carefully. Am I doing everything? Nope. A dehydrator will have to wait for next year but that’s ok. I’m canning up a storm and foraging blackberries like crazy. We all have to start somewhere and we can all do what is in our capacity to do. Love your channel and this community! Thank you❤
I've been working on my food storage for years now. I already started bartering. I gave someone some of my dehydrated goods in exchange for medical supplies. If you are really hard up for food, you can go to your local food pantry.
Any glass jars with lids that have the rubber ridge inside (jelly jars, pasta sauce jars, pickle jars etc) work great. Or if a canning lid fits the jar (and even if it's not a jar that would be safe for canning) save used canning flats and one of the zillion rings we all have and use those lids on the jar. Most times they will vacuum seal even if the flat os used.
I had to laught when you started your theoretical list of what expenses were on your plate immediately - they matched mine exactly!! Storing extra food can be, like we had in east Texas in 2021, a week of ice storms. We never get that!! I couldn't even walk to my neighbors because the county roads were sheets of ice - plus we lost electricity multiple times for up to 36 hrs at a time. I had enough food (some was cooked in the fireplace), but all of us in the neighborhood got through. Thanks for the ideas on how to less expensively store all of our food. I really needed that!
I lived in Kilgore TX for a lil over a yr(1977-thru early1079). Being from Indiana the "bubba's" were good for reminding me that: "I would not experience HERE(Kilgore) what I dealt with up THERE" LMAO famous last words. My first winter in Kilgore we had an ice storm🤣. True the ice was gone by the next evening but it's a gentle reminder to "never say never". Something else I learned while living in TX. I never forgot a man's name when they were introduced to me. They all had the name "BUBBA".
@paulawinstead5660 My now ex- husband and I were living in West Virginia (both born & raised there), and he mentioned that when we finished graduate school, our best places would be Texas or California. I said that I might live in California, but NO WAY would I move to Texas. Well, my first job ended up being in Texas, and I've been stuck here 39 years - but ex-husband, at least until Facebook, had no idea where I went after our divorce. Most people thought I had gone to California. Since he was not financially smart, I figured that Texas would be the last place he would look for me if he wanted any money! 😉 As for Bubbas, the only one I've met was a preacher! Live can be strange!
@@monicaluketich6913 Small world. I lived in WV for 3 yrs- Charlestown-1981 thru 1984😃 We vanned 8 TB's to the Charlestown racetrack and the plan was only for me to remain for 10 weeks. LMAO i called my boss and told him that I didn't know what he was going to do with the rest of the horses in rat and roach infested New Orleans, but I was NOT coming back. I loved WV
That is exactly what I do two cans at a time , slow and steady wins the race , like you said " I got this " YEAH GIRL POWER !!! Hahaha , THANK YOU LEISA YOUR THE BEST 👍😀
Food grade buckets, you can go to any bakery and ask them for their frosting buckets once they are empty. Most places just give them away. When I started, that's where I got mine. OR even Dunkin Donuts, I got tons of them from them!. Where there is a will, there is a way! And when I could afford it, I grabbed the gamma lids, but I didn't have them for the first 4 years and I made it through, or my food did anyway :) I LOVE that idea with the color for dates, I may just start trying using that! I love all the ideas I get from my prepper family on UA-cam! TY TY
I have really focused on foraging and learning my local flora. I have found countless edible and medicinal plants within two miles of my house. We have made some simple medicines, collected gallons of berries for the freezer, and found all the good mushroom spots. For my birthday, I was given two mushroom growing kits, we enjoyed them, then spread the mycelium on some rotting logs nearby. I also learned soap making and sourced tallow from a butcher her who was eager to give some away.
Even if you just want to can what you grow...you might want to still put back commercially canned food for back up. What if one year my carrots, potatoes or tomatoes don't grow??? You need backup. Something I started putting back after trying it out was commercially canned potatoes. Kroger's store brand diced potatoes fry up really well I found. Bacon grease and a few good spices made them taste really good. I was surprised. Commercially canned food is not my favorite at all. But, I think it's very necessary ,especially in bad times. Just an opinion.
The grocery store receipts have those surveys on the bottom fill them out. Ocean State has their batteries, coffee, shelves, freezers, online with crazy deals! Join a community page online for your area. Forage. Clean up your house. Keep up a holiday sale calendar for Grocery stores chocolates after Valentines day, hot dogs around 4th of July, Turkey on Thanksgiving.
I am foraging in my own garden..lol. I have all sorts of amaranth coming up and am going to dehydrate it to add to soups. Take advantage of what you find.
Although I live in town, there's plenty to forage if you look - I've collected several jars of nettle seeds and dried hawthorn leaves, dandelion, nettle, red clover, yarrow, linden flowers and pineapple weed for teas. Now I'm on to dehydrating elderberries and blackberries and another month it'll be rosehips and hawthorn berries.
Just added colored dot stickers to my Wally world order, love that idea. For canned goods I add 2 cans per month per item for storage and it has added up quickly. Dollar Tree has helped me stock lentils, rice, etc for cheap. Like you I prefer to stock ingredients so I have the flexibility to make what I want.
One of my mistakes I made: Out of fear I bought 12 cans of SPAM (different flavors). The problem was the very picture of it on the can made me say "yuck". When I tried it cooked, I almost threw up. Why did I buy it? Stupidly I was listening to random people just talk about how to prep. I think if we're honest we can all say fear has lead us to a wrong decision at times. Moral of story.... START PREPPING SLOWLY AND ONLY BUY WHAT YOU KNOW YOU WILL EAT!
I can't stand that stuff either. Or canned ham that is in that oblong looking can. I tried to like it. But, NO. My body hated it too. I try and eat as healthy as possible because we have no health insurance. I ate that stuff one day and it made the bottoms of my feet swell up. I felt like I was walking with padded feet. I'm not over weight or anything and don't have high blood pressure. I bet if I had to eat that all the time I'd be both. UGH!
I choke on sand so I keep my head up and out of the sand. I hate to say this but I got SPAM on sale. Don't ban me . Kroger has great sales this week for anyone looking. I get enough for others. Have a great day from central Indiana. You are a blessing.
Hey I bought sardines🤣I hate sardines but got them at one heck of a sale dated to 3 years out. Barter or somebody will want to eat them. A lot of fish /seafood lovers in the family.
I use sardines in gardening. When I plant a tomato or pepper plant, a sardine goes in the hole with other stuff. If there's any left in the can the dog and cat get a treat. God help me but, I can not eat them. LOL
I think if a person want to they can always find an excuse, this is not about doomsday, this is truly about preparing for any crisis that could happen in life, job loss, weather related issues, family crisis. There are many things we waste money on, buying special coffees, eating out, junk food, if you stop those things or seriously limit them you can build a pantry quite quickly. If you want it you will find a way!
I think it's fear that stop most people because they have be thought so much that they don't believe there is a better way. Like canning food most of the time in the community I'm from they never heard of it or don't know the process so they are scared of it. ❤❤❤ Thanks for the video and I'm going to keep pushing prepping and showing people how to do it and education on it
Hey, I'm I live in AZ! Don't glare at me!!! Things stay in cabinets or on shelves away from the windows. The rooms stay about 85*f in the summer and in the 50*'s winter time.
One step at a time. You don’t buy or fill your pantry all at once. I try to do something for my pantry at least a couple days a week. Whether I can something, buy a couple extra can food each grocery shop, making homemade cocoa or drinks mixes, to seasoning blends. Key is buy stuff you eat not just to buy.
I am still learning this prepper pantry stock up. I've only been doing it since about 2020, grant you we've always had a little extra food in the house, but not like now. And yes, I have made some mistakes and had to throw some things out, because I forgot about them. I like to shop the sales ads for specials and stock up when I can. Because of doing this, I am able to save money, since we are paying high electric bills, due to triple digit temps here in Texas.
I have so much food on hand I am embarassed. I didn't realize I had so much until hubby reorganized basement shelving and we took a picture. Wow. And there were still other shelves filled with goods. And the freezer was pretty full as well. So lately, weekly shopping means picking up some eggs, butter if it is on sale, the weekend paper for the sports scores and hubby occasionally buys chips. Because I have such visual reinforcement, I find I meal plan better (although I still use a pencil in case I change my mind). And the bank account is looking pretty good. Good enough that we can look to buying a few wants - got a new camera, repaired the gazebo deck, bought a soaker hose. It does feel somehow liberating to know that even next month's food is ready and waiting for us. But this weekend I will be canning a bushel of tomatoes, preparation for winter chili, bolognaise, you name it. What do you folks pay for tomatoes? I'm in Southwest Ontario and got 30 lbs (a bushel?) for $20.
Thanks so much for all of the reminders. I feel as if this year and into 2025 things are going to be crazy all over the world. So yes, Stack it to the rafters!!!!!
Also which is something that's very important please do not forget that there will be a bartering system coming into full effect so even if you don't have everything somebody's got something you need and you have something somebody else needs.
We life by the beach and my storage room was very damp . I was spending more on the containers to capture the moister in the air that I could have used on my food budget . We finally found that a large ceiling fan running 1 hour a day worked very well for us . We still use some damp rid but cut way down on them,they are very expensive .
@vickiewallace5815 Good Idea but don't you have to use the dehumidifier more than 1 hr a day to keep the room dry? I use a back bedroom as a storage room for my food and find that a ceiling fan encompasses more of the room .
I'm looking forward to canning more Ugly Chicken Thighs this week after I get my Wild Fork Foods (WFF) meat and extras delivery on Sunday. Their prices are better than the grocery stores where I live, and their nearby warehouse allows me to place an order, and get it delivered the next morning. I have enough extra jars and lids to can everything in my refrigerator's freezer if I had to. By getting my groceries varied ways, I've been able to remain food secure the last few years. I'm topping things off now, in case "things" get unsettled the next few months and negatively impact the food distribution system.
We got a head start on a larger larder in '22 at an approximate $20 a time. Yes, $20 went further then but when we came across black beans at 3/ $1 we bought a LOT then ate many more black beans; $4/ case or flat of 12 cans. We still have a few pounds of butter in the freezer purchased at $2 and $1 per pound; yes, we scrapped some fill-in groceries and spent the money on butter. Today, I can buy 25 pounds of cornmeal (reg proce) for $20 or $21. We bought 20 pounds earlier and have eaten polenta in liue of bread as it climbed to $2.49 or $2.99 for a sandwich loaf. If you do the $10, $20, or $40 approach then consider the cost of a case or flat and acceptable costs over the price each. Green beans and corn are $.64/ each at Walmart making a case or flat of twelve $7.68. Is $7.68 affordable within your budget; can you go lesser with some of your other groceries? 29oz cans of green beans are $1.16 and may be a better fit for a family; 6 cans are $6.96 twelve cans are 13.92. In our area, the cans Chef Boy Ardee ravioli are $1 each at Walmart (there could be more types?) so $12 buys a case or flat; these can be stretched with some canned tomato product, cooked black or small white beans, some black pepper and maybe some spices. Buying some quantity of individual skus can build a basic pantry pretty quickly in as little as $10 to $20 increments. Now ... if we weren't on more of a diabetic diet, there is a store with @4oz Jello brand lemon pie pudding mix at 2/ $1. The date is something like Oct '24 but the contents are basically corn starch, sugar, lemon flavoring crystals, yellow dye, amd some preservatives. Cornstarch is one of those things that doesn't particularly go bad as long as it doesn't get wet and of course the contents within the box are in a protective bag. We would be eating lemon pudding along with our inexpensive lean pork, potatoes from the produce department, and polenta from now until eternity.
I think number 10 should probably be number 1 when you start out. Beginners are too focused on getting it quick and fast and don't understand you should be flexible and be willing to change how you get it going, then get it going again to be on target.
Thanks!
Thank you! ❤️
Dave Ramsey says grandma prepared for a rainy day because it WILL rain!
When I was a bartender I used to bring home the big glass jars that olives and cherries came in. I still have them, 20+ years later, filled with pasta and rice and all sorts of things.
You just gave me the greatest idea on the big jars. Thank you
*Today's Kerfuffle* Hubby paid for pre-buy propane. They accidentally double charged our account. That transaction took everything but enough for gas to get to work. The $ is being refunded but still hasn't hit our account heading into the weekend. We are okay and feel secure with our food stores. I'm skipping the store this week, and this family of six will remain fed. This is a small test, and i rise to the challenge! Thank you for your encouraging messages!
You've got this!! It's empowering knowing that you've got it covered.
Personal SHTF moments don't always involve zombies.
@@zinaj9437oh, I’m so pleased to see someone acknowledge this fact!
Some how our internet hit our bank account twice as well. Not sure how it happened as I pay it online. But, at least it's showing in the negative on our account, so I shouldn't have to make a payment this month. Just checked bill and it shows we owe 0 this month. But, it did put a dent into our account, thankfully I keep a small buffer in their that I don't list in the check book.
@@Bloodhoundjed1i do the same with my checkbook balance s little extra peace of mind.
Every time I empty a detergent bottle I refill with water and store it outside in the shed. I can use it for rinsing my hand in the garden, and cleaning if water is turned off. Not for drinking, but you still need cleaning water.
Awesome idea! Thank you!
I do this, too. It's also great for flushing a toilet if the water's off for a while.
I put water in empty detergent bottles, bleach bottles and vinegar jugs for laundry, rinsing things, etc. Not for drinking but for many other things.
I have been saving the detergent jugs that have a spout where you push a button to make the detergent come out. I rinse them out, fill them with water, and put one in each bathroom in case our water is off. I will add some jugs for outside on the patio for outside hand washing. Great idea!
Love this idea! Thank you for sharing!!❤❤
Being prepared is a huge blessing. Hubby lost job but we can eat.
If you can volunteer at your local food bank, do. Our area does a monthly drive thru food distribution. Volunteers can take any extra items home. I get food for us and even take the rejects for animal feed. Budget! Compare prices. We do a monthly provision list. It helps to focus.
Thanks Leisa.
Remember y'all to Pray, Plan, Prep
Having extra food on hand is the intelligent thing to do. You can't go through life thinking someone will be there to help you in an event that takes away your getting food and personal needs with nothing open or no way to get there. My parents taught me well.
I love how you break it down for those that cannot afford things. I can, but there are those that have difficulty in making ends meet.
Started my pantry years ago, retired a few months ago, to find out that my pension was not approved so I’ve been living off my pantry. thank God for his foresight
I recently retired too SS is not great but I have a very good pantry stock. Looking for deals everyday. Inventing new thing everyday. It's actually a good time and entertaining.
@@WilliamLouis-vk6wz My husband still works, but I have become inventive on some meals as well. And somethings he didn't think he would like, he actually liked. lol I need to get back into pre-making some freezer meals for him to take to work.
I love thinly sliced beef kidney, boiled in cranberry juice and baked Mac and cheese. I bake chicken liver, in cumin and tomato soup, on top of squash with butter, cinnamon and sugar. Cabbage is only as filler for turkey meatloaf with already soaked stuffing at this point.
Last December I started on three months of medical leave, unwillingly, but my Dr wouldn't release me to go back to work. I finally received my short term disability pay 2 weeks before I went back to work in March. If it hadn't been for the lessons I learned on your channel, I would not have been able to feed my family. I went through most of my pantry, but it was there, and it was an emergency. My husband and I have been even more purposefully restocking. Thank you for all you do to teach people like me that didn't have a clue. ❤❤
I"m so glad that you were able to get through your personal SHTF situation and come out on the other side. You've got this!!
When Grocery Outlet had lentils for .89 lb I grabbed 2-3 every visit to the store same with rice, split peas and pinto beans. 4 years later I have enough for myself, adult kids and elderly parents for 3-4 months. Get what you can get $1 at a time
I did something similar. I started buying the vast majority of dry and canned goods only when they were on BOGO. I’d buy 4 or 6 of the item, 3-4 for my working pantry so I didn’t have to buy that item until it went on BOGO again, and the other 1-2 for my longer term pantry. It’s amazing how fast those “extras” built up.
I canned lentils yesterday, I wasn't impressed canning the small red ones but the green ones canned better in my opinion. The small ones look more like mush to me.
I made dog treats today, when we had supply chain issues before I couldn't get them.
Love Grocery Outlet ! They recently had Swiss Miss Dry Milk at $1.99 hit that hard as, no limits
@@danamarie8718 it really is amazing how quickly they add up
I have money to prep but I’m rapidly running out of room to store my preps. They are in my closet, under the bed, in boxes between the bed and the closet, on the closed in porch, in the computer room, behind the theater seating in the living room. ALL OVER! I need a house just for my preps. 😂
Did that too, going back to storing basics.
One time I got such a good deal on cereal with nowhere to put it all but I got an idea to put them behind my washer and dryer, it worked! 😂
😅😅😅That made my day, that's awesome!!! Keep it up. That's not a problem. Take over the garage or shed. Lol.
I saw today on Facebook that a local food bank had extra peaches. They put them outside for anyone to take. I'm now making peach butter. You have to take advantage of things when you see them.
Absolutely! I did that with black beans. 10lbs for $3.00. You can't beat that.
You’re so right, start where you are. I had someone that gave me 24 flats of cucumbers. I canned 9 flats and gave the rest away. I got sweet pickles, dill chips and relish in the pantry now.
I've figured out how to live off grid in an old motorhome and build a pantry on in the old coat closet that will feed me for about 60 - 70 days. My dry goods even longer, but my meals require meat. I'm a basic meal person. Meat, veggies, and either potatoes, pasta or rice. I do have beans, but I'm not a big bean or rice person. But I have about a years worth if I need it. My coatcloset/ now pantry is only 2 feet wide, 18 inches deep, and 4 1/2 feet tall. I have 2 additional cupboards that are 10 inches deep, about 8 inches high and 14 inches long above my couch above the windows. And a cupboard base that the sink is in. 28 inches high 16 inches deep that is hard to get to bcuz my plastic tote with extra winter blankets sits on the floor in front of it. It also blocks the front of the stove bcuz its large to hold the blankets. And my oven has never worked so its ok to block the front of my stove. I stand by the wheelwell stairway to cook.On the side of the stove. I make it work. Right now I haul water, so I have 2 1/2 gallon jugs in the walkway from the entry door to the bathroom door at the rear of the motorhome. I have 7. They last just over a week for me and my dog. For all of our needs, including cooking, prep, pressure canning, dishes, hygiene, and drinking. We both drink a lot, bcuz its over 100°F in the motorhome in the summer. There is no a/c only a 9 inch fan. A screen door and one open window. If I can do it so can anyone.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👍👍👍
start canning ugly meat. borrow a pressure cooker if you don't have one. Post on a social site you need one or will pay for a rental. But get some meat in that closet! Leisa has aa lot of ugly meats videos
Amen to that! Thank you for sharing. Gives me some good ideas.
💜💕🦋🔥👑🔥🦋💕💜
@@ScorpionMaiden75 You're welcome
@@leopardwoman38 thank you
I don’t know how you put up with all the people saying they can’t do it, it’s to hard, I don’t have room! Where there’s a will there’s a way, If they don’t want to do it they should just watch entertaining videos. The rest of us appreciate all you do to help us along the way. The rest need to grow up and take a good look at the world around us. If you want your family to thrive in the future start planning for it.
Agreed. We cleaned out a storage room. Realized we had a bunch of junk we didn't need. Got rid it and now have a beautiful pantry.
We store extra cleaning supplies, detergent, and things like alcohol and hydrogen perxoide in a bathroom we reserve for when we have visitors. It is nicely hidden behind the shower curtain.
@@melinidunican9130 we did the same thing. It's a very, very small bedroom that a window was took out of years ago and it's close to our kitchen. So, it makes a nice walk in pantry now.
Got six pounds of ground chicken reduced 25% today. I now have eight pints of garlic, rosemary chicken patties canned which will go in the pantry tomorrow after washing the jars. I like to scramble different canned meats in a box then stack the boxes. Pull a box with said variety and don’t get the next box until that first box is empty.
@1stbadger700 This is pretty much how I do it. I have room for 8 cases. When the month is over and I get paid I write up a list of what I have used and I fill up the empty jars.
Just let people be weak. You can only do what you can to advise them. You are great
I am diabetic, none of the foods you are suggesting for the pantry are off limits. People can adjust if they choose to!
I was grinding wheat with my blender long before I had a wheat grinder, years even.
I think that color coding sounds like an excellent idea especially for someone like me who’s eyesight is starting to fell them. Please, thank your Facebook subscriber for suggestion it
I always have history to go off of. I lived, as a family, for several years working off of the Standard American Diet of processed foods filling the majority of my shopping cart. And I've worked through stages of coming to the conclusion that I first of all don't need it, and secondly, the stuff I can stock and use at home tastes so much better, and thirdly, saves me so much money. If you give up three processed foods and buy the ingredients to make those three things this week, you just bought enough to make those three things for three months. There are a million recipes out there to teach you how to make things. Make these things as you crave them, or don't. Giving up my processed foods afforded me space and money to buy ingredients. Once the ingredients were stocked, I was able to afford to get the longer term items and canning jars. Once the longer term items and canning jars were purchased, my garden grew and my shelves began to fill up. It is a rotation of gloriousness that just keeps building and renewing. Buy what you will eat, if you don't eat it, don't waste the money, spend it on something else long term, including ways to store those items. I haven't been to the grocery store in about 4 months, with the exception of a Costco trip about 6 weeks ago to stock up on dairy, kitty litter, oat milk and some meat to add to the meat we already have.
I haven't had to shop for a week's worth of food in over 10 years, and it is such a great feeling. I didn't panic during the pandemic, because we had enough food to get us through a good stretch, especially because we lost jobs during that stage of life. Recovering from that was a bit of a struggle, but now we are in a good position again. The garden is growing well, the jars are stocked up, the freezers are full, the shelves have plenty of food. I have enough to get 4 of us through six months very comfortably, a year with some things being a bit more pinched, 18 months with some planning, probably up to 2 years just in case.
Just to let everyone know that I have been picking up 2,4, and 5 gallon frosting buckets (food grade) at our local Hy-Vee Grocery store for free. Every day, this store throws them in the trash.(Its such a waste.)
I use them for food storage, grow buckets for my garden, and general purpose. Their FREE ,FREE FREE.
I was picking some up at the Walmart bakery for $1 a bucket with the lid.
I started mine by buying one extra item every week. I had made a list of what I wanted for my essentials and went from there. If you want it you'll do it. I've learned a lot from you here. I don't feel your fear mongering at all. I know if something wet to happen and god forbid I was out of work for 6 months we are not going hungry. I was out of work for a year 20 years ago due to an injury. We weren't ready.
At the store this week I saw bags of oats for 40 cents! Bought all that they had on the shelf, came home and emptied them all into clean canning jars. We love oatmeal.
I enjoy listening to your advice because you are calm not hysterical. You know how to break it down so anyone can start a prepper pantry at any time.
I always ask for gift cards to Sams for my birthday or Christmas from friends and extended family. And use those for extra stock up
That's a great idea!
Made big batch cx broth. Using meat for soup, used the bones and veges for bone broth. Canned the bone broth, chicken soup. Canned chicken, canned strawberry jam, blueberry jam, peach jam. Also made tomato sauce and canned. Rotated my pantry. Dehydrated mushrooms. Have onions for dehydration. Staying busy, getting ready Lisa!
I’ve has a pantry for years, nothing like yours but always had what we needed, use one replace it, sale buy a few extra. I hope people can put something aside, never forget all the shortages a few years ago.
I am diabetic and I stock meat and vegetables, low glycemic fruits. Yes I have rice and beans if I run out of other stuff. I’ll have to walk off the carbs😂it can be done! I stock what I eat
I can attest to the importans of being prepared. When I lost my job a couple of years ago my pantry (that I had created after having watched Leisas channel for years) really, REALLY, helped me.
I really got proof that a well stocked pantry is a great insurance.
And now when I have a job again I'm not only re stocking my pantry, I'm continuing to build it!
Another home run video! Thanks!
I have had some extra time on my hands (going to chemo and treatments with my brother), and I’ve started going back and watching your older videos from before I joined your channel. What a WEALTH of information in these videos too! Canning planners, meal ideas and so much!!! Holy wow!!! ❤
Ive been at this for a hot minute......lol
@@SuttonsDaze 😂 Yep you have
Your advice is right on. My parents and grandparents always told me "Act as if". When doubting myself like starting prepping, that voice in my head. "Act as if" kicked in and the shelves are full.
My car need a new windshield and my dog has to go to the vet in September.
Yep I’ve been working with my neighbors to show the how to harvest seeds from there food they grew. It’s a nice barter system so I pray it’ll all work out 😊 I’ve stored food in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbing inside five gallon containers and the buckets have labels and dates beside the long term freeze dried #10!cans I began buying literally weeks before the plandemic….I rotate my foods and it’s helps me to stay focused and ready for my family if need be. I’m working on winter foods for holidays now as the cost is way cheaper and the freezer is at work👍🏼
I always say “it’s better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it “
Canned beans work better than dry beans. Quicker to use and easiwr when throwing together a meal
It’s been a awhile since I had time to catch any videos - back to work (finally). Four years ago I was stymied: my business prohibited from operating and I was getting a fraction of income from 2020 through last year. My income from that point on was unpredictable - some months had no income but monthly bills still needed attending. That extra time allowed me to find your channel and a couple others that both inspired and taught me proper preservation. Of course I read all the manuals etc too. What little funds I had after the bills I bought 1-2 extra cans or package of meat, more if I had more money. Little by little my long term pantry evolved. Within six months I could stop worrying about running out of money as I could eat from my pantry and freezer for a month or longer. Then I started paying a few extra bucks to the utilities to build a cushion for those months where income was questionable. I still do a full week of canning monthly to stay ahead of what I consume. If you are on the fence that the suggestions Leisa makes, you must try them out first as you will only benefit from all she shares. 😊
I didn't even know I was doing it 😜 It started really organically for my house because it made sense especially when the kids were young. My/Our objective was to be in a place ware if we can't get out - we have. My journey started with baby formula 18 years ago, you can't not have it and then it got me thinking what else should we have in the pantry not just for the kids but everyone and it snowballed from there. Baby steps, if you use rice for example - look for the bigger bags, watch sales, learn how to store it and its not about fear - it's about needing ketchup for grilled cheese and not hearing some one go "why is there no ketchup". Take Good Care 🥂
People rarely think about sprouting/microgreens. You can grow those anywhere, and the nutrition factor is huge compared to full-grown veggies. The equipment is minimal. A mason jar is all you need to sprout.
I grew some wheat grass in a window sill. I used a narrow glass casserole dish. It worked great!
You can store dried food in anything food came in originally. Pasta sauce jars, gallon spring water jugs, milk jugs, juice bottles. Rice and beans can be stored in them quite easily with a cheap dollar store funnel. Just make sure its clean and dry.
Yrs. ago because I was to "lazy" to get in my car to drive 10 miles round trip and the fact that I abhor shelling out dollars for an item I could probably improvise from something around the house, I ended up creating a funnel out of a brown paper grocery bag. I eventually did buy a funnel or two since that time.😁
Absolutely! Use what you have and recycle and repurpose.
Theres cutting cable, cheap phone plans, get rid of recurring payments like Netflix, unplug things to conserve energy, lots of ways to save money. Things you want, let sit in your online cart or list. Eventually you won't get it.
No impulse buying. I vacuum seal and put in Tidy Cat tubs. Had a gazillion saved up moving instead of buying boxes. Easy to stack.
Black out film is even cheaper to block light light through windows. Been staying put for years so far.
I save my milk containers &put water in them,store everywhere!, closets,tubs,under sinks ..
I store 2 one gallon juice containers of water behind each toilet for emergency flushes when the power goes out for hours. Raise one gallon to waist level to make it a power flush!
Be careful with the milk jugs, they tend to leak after a while and will make a big mess. Ask me how I know!! Juice jugs or 2ltr pop bottles are better for water storage.
@@alyssacampbell1958 exactly, I use a boot tray to put water containers, you can find some that are 2 inches tall. Does help if something breaks, or can put in plastic containers
@@alyssacampbell1958or the lids pops off!
i’m out getting my 4 mile walk in. Done dishes, put dishes away cut up a bunch of peppers and onions. For my next batch of salsa. I bake some jalapeño cheddar bread, did some housecleaning, some laundry, and then when I get back, it’s time to make some salve out of some herbs. Trying to get a lot done before school starts on Tuesday UGG I’m not looking forward to that.❤
Awesome! I’m with you. Didn’t get as long a walk in but cooked cleaned up folded the towels did a little strength training and got a shower in. I made the jalapeño cheddar bread the other day. 😀. Used the peppers from my garden.
Have a great night you must be tired by now.
Thanks for a down to earth talk. I totally agree with you, don't be crying in your beer. I am 60 disabled just had a rod and plate put in my arm and in a few weeks i have to have the other one done. I still am dehydrating and preserving. Is it easy well no but it can be done. We have a family room that has a pool table that you can barely use because of my extra pantry and supplies. One canner full at a time. If i have extra space in my canner i can water for first aide. I find jars at thrift stores for 50 cents to a dollar each as well as buying new. People don't be lazy.
We had a power outage a week or so ago. Only about six hours, but it could have been longer. We had candles and oil lamps for light, we had water and food, but - argh! - no way to cook. So now I've got one of those little one-burner propane stoves and a couple of bottles of propane on my list for the end of the month. Sometimes it takes a tiny situation to point out a large hole in your planning.
If you have tea lights you can cook. 6 in a square cake pan, cheap one, a rack over them and a saved metal can for cooking in works. I survived for two weeks in an ice storm that way. Aluminum heats easiest and fastest. To boil water, make a tent over the fancy tea light cooker. Remember to use your stove top or oven to put the fancy cooker in/on so as to not burn your counter top , or to heat that countertop.
@@zefox7851good to know. Thank you for sharing.
Butane burners are awesome!!
@@zefox7851I have used a fondue pot to cook in an emergency.
One upon a time I budgeted $5 a day for our food expenses. I also practiced careful shopping, cooking from scratch, and zero-waste in the kitchen. Over time I ended up having four "free" meal days a month, then eight "free" meal days a month--all from using up leftovers. That spare $40 a month went towards buying real food on sale. Nothing manufactured, just one-ingredient foods that could be transformed into healthy meals. Meatless meals, less meat meals, and a clever use of leftovers. I never met a free turkey that I didn't turn into 50 "less meat" meals and several gallons of turkey stock. There was a time that buying $50 at a grocery store scored your household a free ham or turkey.
That is how I amassed a four year supply of food. Seeds for sprouting, seeds for growing vegetables, wheatberries, chickpeas, lentils, beans, rice, quinoa, oats, millet, maple syrup, sugar, corn meal, mada, canned tomatoes, green beans, greens, salmon, herring, chicken, and beef. I only buy what I can't grow, raise, catch, forage, or hunt. In 2024 my grocery budget is $2 a day for two people. We could feed the neighborhood in a crisis but they won't get soda pop, cereal, hamburgers, or twinkies. Those don't last long in storage.
Made a big mistake in checking account. We've got our stocked pantry. No worries. ❤️
If you have food in security, there is no shame in going to a food pantry . When I first returned home to take care of my invalid , mother I did not have a job. I went to the food pantry for about six months. Even though I got a job four months after I got home I still got food pantry for two more months. So I I could get my feet under me to take care of my mother and myself. There is no shame in going to a food pantry if you are in financial distress or any food insecurity. Don’t be prideful, there is no shame in going to food pantry.
Becoming a master at bartering. One of my customers I barter w is a butcher...yes, filet mignon is his currency:) Yup, I have a freezer full of filet! Canning "beef stew" w filet. Blessed Beyond!!!
Ask your grocery store bakery for empty frosting buckets. They are food grade, have a good sealing cover and are often free or a minimal cost!
That's what i do.. that are great and free.
Or check with fast food restaurants. They get pickles in the same type of container and will give them out for free sometimes. To get the pickle odor out, wash them with baking soda to neutralize it. I use them also for planting an indoor garden under LED lights.
Walmart where I live in Alaska has quit giving their buckets away or even selling them. They are now recycling them they told us.
Chinese restaurants are another source of food grade 5 gallon buckets. I asked nicely and they gave me a few. My local grocery store started recycling their icing buckets so I can't get them there any longer. I've got food stored in most of mine to keep the critters from eating my food.
Just make sure you clean them well. I bought some from a bakery and they had frosting in them... greasy.
I know this probably sounds strange, in world war 2 the uk had pretty bad rationing and for a few years after the war. The way i started was to stock up on the goods they either didn't give or didn't give much of. Then added from there. Now my preps are pretty well rounded. But i still make sure the things i know that will sell out fast as with covid or of the government ever rationed certain foods again. They are what i stock most of. People can look up British world war 2 rationing very easily. Always shop the sales too.
I'm in the US (Tennessee). I still have my grandparents leftover ration stamps from WW2. Sugar, Flour, Butter, Meat (it just says meat), Cheese, etc. I can't believe there were leftover stamps.
@@theIAMofME Even buying clothes ended up being rationed.
@@samstevens7888😊
At the farmers market Wednesday, a gentleman had apples for sale. Below the table he also had apples that were "seconds" for only $2 for about a full grocery sack of apples. I bought them and will turn them into applesauce. I'll get about 5-6 pints of applesauce for $2 total. Thrifty.
Leisa, you are 100% on this! I have been pantry building for several years. It’s now a “habit.” And, we live out of our pantry, only shopping for a couple of necessities and visiting farmers markets for in-season veggies we can’t grow. Keep teaching others as it may save lives!
Lisa your video today made me laugh when I had my kiddos at home we had a challenge to stock our food storage we made a list for the week to take to the grocery store one child would pick an item to purchase I gave them 5.00 and they went to the shelves and picked up their items my second daughter got about 8 canisters of salt she proceeded to tell the cashier that they were building up the food storage and her purchase was salt cause she could get more for her money it always makes me laugh about our food storage pantry I have been storing food and using it for a long time and yes if you start out small it will build up!!
Love it!
Love your channel! Kudos for the use of plethora. You always make me smile and chuckle. Thank you!
Learning how to fan and hake bread is my enjoyment.
Amazing talk and practical. I was able to talk my single sister into making a pantry. That's what I told her a couple extra cans a payday.
I also believe in making extra , pot of stew, eat tonight and tomorrow and portion it out for freezer. Easy to go meals when you're busy, tired or sick.
I started my pantry about 25 years ago, one suggestion that is months away but maybe someone can make a plan . Tax refunds, take a portion of it and get as much as you can.
Another free resource, in some park's, boy scout's have planted fruit tree's free to pick, we live in the south , there's walnut trees all around us, wild blackberries, eastern red bud tree's make some delicious jelly.
I agree with you people doing the victim mentality, until they change their way of thinking they'll stay right where they are.
You aren't a fear monger by any means. Noone knows when an emergency will happen. Natural disaster, storm's, illnesses, job loss. Life happens but having a pantry takes one huge stress off your shoulders.
Found sturdy white baskets at Dollar tree. love these for my metal shelves I use for my pantry. I call it my grocery store.
What a healthy pep talk Leisa! I like that idea of "baby steps" for a pantry!! I can share that advice with people I meet. My pantry I started a year ago is a source of pride for me. My husband was not a believer at first. But now he is! He is very proud of our pantry too!♥
there is a channel called pasta grannies that shows grannies in italy, making pasta. It is mesmerizing. They are like 90 year old bent over ladies and some have thlo get a foot in front of it to see it.Been making pasta their whole lives.
One of my favorite channels!
Leisa, I SO appreciate your common sense approach to prepping a good pantry. I don’t hear any fear mongering and it is appreciated! The pandemic started my mindset and these days my financial situation has changed for the worse so I am really buying and prepping carefully. Am I doing everything? Nope. A dehydrator will have to wait for next year but that’s ok. I’m canning up a storm and foraging blackberries like crazy. We all have to start somewhere and we can all do what is in our capacity to do. Love your channel and this community! Thank you❤
I've been working on my food storage for years now. I already started bartering. I gave someone some of my dehydrated goods in exchange for medical supplies. If you are really hard up for food, you can go to your local food pantry.
Any glass jars with lids that have the rubber ridge inside (jelly jars, pasta sauce jars, pickle jars etc) work great. Or if a canning lid fits the jar (and even if it's not a jar that would be safe for canning) save used canning flats and one of the zillion rings we all have and use those lids on the jar. Most times they will vacuum seal even if the flat os used.
I had to laught when you started your theoretical list of what expenses were on your plate immediately - they matched mine exactly!! Storing extra food can be, like we had in east Texas in 2021, a week of ice storms. We never get that!! I couldn't even walk to my neighbors because the county roads were sheets of ice - plus we lost electricity multiple times for up to 36 hrs at a time. I had enough food (some was cooked in the fireplace), but all of us in the neighborhood got through.
Thanks for the ideas on how to less expensively store all of our food. I really needed that!
I lived in Kilgore TX for a lil over a yr(1977-thru early1079). Being from Indiana the "bubba's" were good for reminding me that: "I would not experience HERE(Kilgore) what I dealt with up THERE" LMAO famous last words. My first winter in Kilgore we had an ice storm🤣. True the ice was gone by the next evening but it's a gentle reminder to "never say never". Something else I learned while living in TX. I never forgot a man's name when they were introduced to me. They all had the name "BUBBA".
@paulawinstead5660 My now ex- husband and I were living in West Virginia (both born & raised there), and he mentioned that when we finished graduate school, our best places would be Texas or California. I said that I might live in California, but NO WAY would I move to Texas. Well, my first job ended up being in Texas, and I've been stuck here 39 years - but ex-husband, at least until Facebook, had no idea where I went after our divorce. Most people thought I had gone to California. Since he was not financially smart, I figured that Texas would be the last place he would look for me if he wanted any money! 😉 As for Bubbas, the only one I've met was a preacher! Live can be strange!
@@monicaluketich6913 Small world. I lived in WV for 3 yrs- Charlestown-1981 thru 1984😃 We vanned 8 TB's to the Charlestown racetrack and the plan was only for me to remain for 10 weeks. LMAO i called my boss and told him that I didn't know what he was going to do with the rest of the horses in rat and roach infested New Orleans, but I was NOT coming back. I loved WV
That is exactly what I do two cans at a time , slow and steady wins the race , like you said " I got this " YEAH GIRL POWER !!! Hahaha , THANK YOU LEISA YOUR THE BEST 👍😀
Love it! Girl Power!!!
Food grade buckets, you can go to any bakery and ask them for their frosting buckets once they are empty. Most places just give them away. When I started, that's where I got mine. OR even Dunkin Donuts, I got tons of them from them!. Where there is a will, there is a way! And when I could afford it, I grabbed the gamma lids, but I didn't have them for the first 4 years and I made it through, or my food did anyway :) I LOVE that idea with the color for dates, I may just start trying using that! I love all the ideas I get from my prepper family on UA-cam! TY TY
I have really focused on foraging and learning my local flora. I have found countless edible and medicinal plants within two miles of my house. We have made some simple medicines, collected gallons of berries for the freezer, and found all the good mushroom spots.
For my birthday, I was given two mushroom growing kits, we enjoyed them, then spread the mycelium on some rotting logs nearby.
I also learned soap making and sourced tallow from a butcher her who was eager to give some away.
Even if you just want to can what you grow...you might want to still put back commercially canned food for back up. What if one year my carrots, potatoes or tomatoes don't grow??? You need backup. Something I started putting back after trying it out was commercially canned potatoes. Kroger's store brand diced potatoes fry up really well I found. Bacon grease and a few good spices made them taste really good. I was surprised. Commercially canned food is not my favorite at all. But, I think it's very necessary ,especially in bad times. Just an opinion.
The grocery store receipts have those surveys on the bottom fill them out. Ocean State has their batteries, coffee, shelves, freezers, online with crazy deals! Join a community page online for your area. Forage. Clean up your house. Keep up a holiday sale calendar for Grocery stores chocolates after Valentines day, hot dogs around 4th of July, Turkey on Thanksgiving.
I love to forage. It’s mostly berries and nuts but this year I included purple clover to use for tea and dandelions for jelly and greens.
I am foraging in my own garden..lol. I have all sorts of amaranth coming up and am going to dehydrate it to add to soups. Take advantage of what you find.
Although I live in town, there's plenty to forage if you look - I've collected several jars of nettle seeds and dried hawthorn leaves, dandelion, nettle, red clover, yarrow, linden flowers and pineapple weed for teas. Now I'm on to dehydrating elderberries and blackberries and another month it'll be rosehips and hawthorn berries.
Just added colored dot stickers to my Wally world order, love that idea. For canned goods I add 2 cans per month per item for storage and it has added up quickly. Dollar Tree has helped me stock lentils, rice, etc for cheap. Like you I prefer to stock ingredients so I have the flexibility to make what I want.
I watch the ad, but have found that I need to walk the aisles as they usually have things on sale that aren't in the ad!
One of my mistakes I made: Out of fear I bought 12 cans of SPAM (different flavors). The problem was the very picture of it on the can made me say "yuck". When I tried it cooked, I almost threw up. Why did I buy it? Stupidly I was listening to random people just talk about how to prep. I think if we're honest we can all say fear has lead us to a wrong decision at times. Moral of story....
START PREPPING SLOWLY AND ONLY BUY WHAT YOU KNOW YOU WILL EAT!
I can't stand that stuff either. Or canned ham that is in that oblong looking can. I tried to like it. But, NO. My body hated it too. I try and eat as healthy as possible because we have no health insurance. I ate that stuff one day and it made the bottoms of my feet swell up. I felt like I was walking with padded feet. I'm not over weight or anything and don't have high blood pressure. I bet if I had to eat that all the time I'd be both. UGH!
I bought a few items like that too, I ended up throwing it away.
Me too!! I have over 100 cans of beanie weinnies🤢, spam and Vienna sausages.... why did I do that!!! Stupid!!!! People... listen to this woman.
@@a25467the food bank loved the canned SPAM I bought. Glad someone liked it!
I have given can goods to the pantry to redistribute if I don't like the first one I try.
I think you are giving out great information.
Love your real talk videos!
I choke on sand so I keep my head up and out of the sand. I hate to say this but I got SPAM on sale. Don't ban me . Kroger has great sales this week for anyone looking. I get enough for others. Have a great day from central Indiana. You are a blessing.
HAHAHA Not banning you .
Hey I bought sardines🤣I hate sardines but got them at one heck of a sale dated to 3 years out. Barter or somebody will want to eat them. A lot of fish /seafood lovers in the family.
Fried spam cubes in Hawaiian fried rice (pineapple, mixed vegetables) soy sauce and scrambled egg… is not bad!!!
@@allienoneya4257I buy unsalted sardines in water for my dog's food recipe. For myself, I like the sardines in mustard or hot sauce. Yum! 😍
I use sardines in gardening. When I plant a tomato or pepper plant, a sardine goes in the hole with other stuff. If there's any left in the can the dog and cat get a treat. God help me but, I can not eat them. LOL
I think if a person want to they can always find an excuse, this is not about doomsday, this is truly about preparing for any crisis that could happen in life, job loss, weather related issues, family crisis. There are many things we waste money on, buying special coffees, eating out, junk food, if you stop those things or seriously limit them you can build a pantry quite quickly. If you want it you will find a way!
I think it's fear that stop most people because they have be thought so much that they don't believe there is a better way. Like canning food most of the time in the community I'm from they never heard of it or don't know the process so they are scared of it. ❤❤❤ Thanks for the video and I'm going to keep pushing prepping and showing people how to do it and education on it
Hey, I'm I live in AZ! Don't glare at me!!! Things stay in cabinets or on shelves away from the windows. The rooms stay about 85*f in the summer and in the 50*'s winter time.
I'm not glaring at you. It's the sun in my eyes and the heat frying my retnas! :-)
😅
I watch for the sales and when some thing we use on a regular basis is on sale I buy an extra or 2. adds up fast.
One step at a time. You don’t buy or fill your pantry all at once. I try to do something for my pantry at least a couple days a week. Whether I can something, buy a couple extra can food each grocery shop, making homemade cocoa or drinks mixes, to seasoning blends. Key is buy stuff you eat not just to buy.
I do a pantry meal at least once every couple of weeks.
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't...
Thank you, Leisa 👋🏻
You of all people are not fear mongering,thats why.l watch you. !! We need to be aware ,for Petes sake. I love beans,and rice.
My neighbours save me all their jars. I use them for storage.
I am still learning this prepper pantry stock up. I've only been doing it since about 2020, grant you we've always had a little extra food in the house, but not like now. And yes, I have made some mistakes and had to throw some things out, because I forgot about them. I like to shop the sales ads for specials and stock up when I can. Because of doing this, I am able to save money, since we are paying high electric bills, due to triple digit temps here in Texas.
Going through my own personal shtf divorce. Thank goodness for food storage.
I have so much food on hand I am embarassed. I didn't realize I had so much until hubby reorganized basement shelving and we took a picture. Wow. And there were still other shelves filled with goods. And the freezer was pretty full as well. So lately, weekly shopping means picking up some eggs, butter if it is on sale, the weekend paper for the sports scores and hubby occasionally buys chips. Because I have such visual reinforcement, I find I meal plan better (although I still use a pencil in case I change my mind). And the bank account is looking pretty good. Good enough that we can look to buying a few wants - got a new camera, repaired the gazebo deck, bought a soaker hose. It does feel somehow liberating to know that even next month's food is ready and waiting for us. But this weekend I will be canning a bushel of tomatoes, preparation for winter chili, bolognaise, you name it. What do you folks pay for tomatoes? I'm in Southwest Ontario and got 30 lbs (a bushel?) for $20.
Thanks so much for all of the reminders. I feel as if this year and into 2025 things are going to be crazy all over the world. So yes, Stack it to the rafters!!!!!
Great looking snake plants in the window. I absolutely cannot grow them. They just hate me, lol.
I gave up and went with the fake snakes.
Also which is something that's very important please do not forget that there will be a bartering system coming into full effect so even if you don't have everything somebody's got something you need and you have something somebody else needs.
We just added another 60# of rice to our pantry. Great video Leisa!! K-I-S-S - it's not rocket science!!!
Half priced items are available every week from my local supermarkets. Everything has gone up in price but if you can get 2 for 1 it's a big win.
Thanks for all the great idea's.
We life by the beach and my storage room was very damp . I was spending more on the containers to capture the moister in the air that I could have used on my food budget . We finally found that a large ceiling fan running 1 hour a day worked very well for us . We still use some damp rid but cut way down on them,they are very expensive .
Thanks for sharing!
Use a dehumidifier to capture water in containers instead of damp rid. Filter it or use for plants or toilets.
Great idea. Thank you. I am in the Florida panhandle and, yeah, humidity is crazy here.
@vickiewallace5815 Good Idea but don't you have to use the dehumidifier more than 1 hr a day to keep the room dry? I use a back bedroom as a storage room for my food and find that a ceiling fan encompasses more of the room .
They have off brand damp rid for 1.25 at Dollar Tree
I'm looking forward to canning more Ugly Chicken Thighs this week after I get my Wild Fork Foods (WFF) meat and extras delivery on Sunday. Their prices are better than the grocery stores where I live, and their nearby warehouse allows me to place an order, and get it delivered the next morning. I have enough extra jars and lids to can everything in my refrigerator's freezer if I had to. By getting my groceries varied ways, I've been able to remain food secure the last few years. I'm topping things off now, in case "things" get unsettled the next few months and negatively impact the food distribution system.
We got a head start on a larger larder in '22 at an approximate $20 a time. Yes, $20 went further then but when we came across black beans at 3/ $1 we bought a LOT then ate many more black beans; $4/ case or flat of 12 cans. We still have a few pounds of butter in the freezer purchased at $2 and $1 per pound; yes, we scrapped some fill-in groceries and spent the money on butter. Today, I can buy 25 pounds of cornmeal (reg proce) for $20 or $21. We bought 20 pounds earlier and have eaten polenta in liue of bread as it climbed to $2.49 or $2.99 for a sandwich loaf.
If you do the $10, $20, or $40 approach then consider the cost of a case or flat and acceptable costs over the price each. Green beans and corn are $.64/ each at Walmart making a case or flat of twelve $7.68. Is $7.68 affordable within your budget; can you go lesser with some of your other groceries? 29oz cans of green beans are $1.16 and may be a better fit for a family; 6 cans are $6.96 twelve cans are 13.92. In our area, the cans Chef Boy Ardee ravioli are $1 each at Walmart (there could be more types?) so $12 buys a case or flat; these can be stretched with some canned tomato product, cooked black or small white beans, some black pepper and maybe some spices. Buying some quantity of individual skus can build a basic pantry pretty quickly in as little as $10 to $20 increments.
Now ... if we weren't on more of a diabetic diet, there is a store with @4oz Jello brand lemon pie pudding mix at 2/ $1. The date is something like Oct '24 but the contents are basically corn starch, sugar, lemon flavoring crystals, yellow dye, amd some preservatives. Cornstarch is one of those things that doesn't particularly go bad as long as it doesn't get wet and of course the contents within the box are in a protective bag. We would be eating lemon pudding along with our inexpensive lean pork, potatoes from the produce department, and polenta from now until eternity.
I think number 10 should probably be number 1 when you start out. Beginners are too focused on getting it quick and fast and don't understand you should be flexible and be willing to change how you get it going, then get it going again to be on target.
Looking at this as learning a new set of skills.