How to Organize your 3 month FOOD SUPPLY!!! Part two

Here are the next 3 tips…

• Gradually purchase these foods in bulk as they go on sale (check out Deals to Meals.) I do frequent Costco weekly!!

• Combine sale prices with coupons for even more savings as you stock up.

• Use and rotate these foods in all your daily cooking. For example: when I buy new cans I put the newest can in back and rotate everything forward. That way nothing goes bad.

Come back Friday for the last 3 tips!!!

How to Organize your 3 month FOOD SUPPLY!!! Part one

I could talk all day about the importance of having a food storage: temporary job loss, natural disaster, flu pandemic, but the point is, it's a SMART thing to do. Hopefully you won't feel quite so overwhelmed after this weeks post!!

The first thing that is VERY IMPORTANT is that you only purchase a three month supply of foods that you and your family normally eat. Then come up with meal plans for the 90 days, or for 30 days and times everything by 3.

Here are the first 3 tips in organizing your 3 month food supply…

• Make a list of foods you eat on a regular basis. That means for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Determine how much you would go through in three months.

• Make a list of all the meals you and your family eats, and type them up and tape them in your pantry. For example: I listed things like cold cereal, oatmeal, Mac and cheese, peanut butter sandwiches green Chile soup, spaghetti, etc.

• Make a list of all the ingredients you need for those meals for 3 months, and how much. For example: cold cereal…36 boxes, oatmeal…225 servings, Mac and cheese…24 boxes, peanut butter sandwiches…18 bottles of peanut butter etc. DO YOU GET THE POINT???

Hope to see you Wednesday for the next 3 tips!!!

Recipe Organization … Part three

Okay this last tip takes the LONGEST, so remember that this might be an ongoing project, to work on…

Tip #3. Type all of your recipes on the computer and print them out. Then put them in sheet protectors and place in a binder. (You can even make a cute cover picture for the front of your binder, to JAZZ it up a little.)

WALLLLLAAAAA!!! You have a recipe book for all of your favorite recipes.

Homework: Ask yourself the 2 questions, and then take action!!!! Have a great and ORGANIZED weekend.

Recipe Organization … Part two

Good morning!!

The next tip for making a recipe binder…

Tip #2. ORGANIZE all your recipes into categories, or make up your own categories. Then type up an index.
Here is an example of my index…

Index

Breakfasts………………………………… 2
Rolls & Breads………………………….7
Casseroles………………………………….12
Meat Entrees……………………………16
Soups, Salads, Rice & Everything Nice….24
Salsas & Dressings……………………36
Desserts…………………………………….40
This & That………………………………..68

Here are some more categories you might want to use…

Allergy Friendly
Appetizers
Beef
Breads/Muffins
Chicken
Drinks
Meatless
Pizza
Pork
Potatoes
Vegetables

Come back Friday for the last tip, and for the AFTER picture!!!

My 3rd little duckling turns 7 tomorrow. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Recipe Organization … Part One

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY to all

I was trying to decide what to post on this very special day, so I thought what is my favorite thing to do on Valentines Day??? YES that’s right EAT!!! So for this weeks post I want to talk about getting your recipes organized so it make it easier to cook a delicious meal!!!

About 2 years ago for my oldest little duckling’s church project, I had her use her hours to organize and type all of my favorite recipes. Before then my system was not working…I would just find a recipe on the internet, print it, and then stick it in a folder. Or I would write a recipe down on a recipe card and guess what I would do next…YES!! YOU ARE RIGHT… stick it in a folder. Well apparently this was not working so I came up with an idea to make a RECIPE BINDER just for me to use.

NOW, before you decide to take your time taking on this big project ask yourself 2 questions.

THEY ARE…

a) Can I find the recipes I need??

b) Can I find them in less than 2 minutes??

And if the answer to these questions are NO!!! Then YES it is time to change things up!

Here is the 1st tip on how to make a RECIPE BINDER!! Let’s get started!!

Tip #1. Go through all your recipes and weed out the ones that are not you or your family’s favorite dish.

Come back on Wednesday for the next tip…If you are feeling courageous then complete tip #1 before Wednesday. I DARE YOU!!!!

Have a great day, and make sure you SERVE someone today!!

What does your wallet look like?? Part #2

Here are the last 2 tips…

3. How may credit cards are you lugging around?? Maybe you have one credit card, maybe you have forty. How many is necessary to lug around with you?? Lugging around all forty just makes your wallet confusing, if you ask me. I know you know which top three or four cards you use the most. Leave the specialty credit cards at home. You know the ones like, the Macy’s card. You most likely are not shopping there every week. So get it out only when you are planning your next trip to the mall. Do you understand? It just isn’t necessary or safe to carry them all. Plus in case your wallet or purse gets stolen, it’s a lot easier to call in to cancel three to four cards instead of ten.

4. Do you feel like you have a million reward cards?? I would encourage you to get them all out and spread them out on the counter or table. Check everywhere for any and all reward cards. Once you have them laid out, pick your top five to seven stores you shop the most in. Carry only those in your wallet and keep the rest together in an envelope or container in a drawer. When you are looking for one, you will know where to find them or where to put them back after shopping.

Homework: Find a Home for everything in your wallet, and when you go shopping this weekend… IMPRESS THE HECK OUT OF THE CASHIER WITH YOUR ORGANIZED WALLET!!!

What does your wallet look like??

How bad does your wallet look?? Is it overstuffed with receipts and credit cards?? Are papers falling out everywhere? When you are standing in the checkout lane at the grocery store paying the cashier do you keep apologizing because you are searching for money or the right card to use for your transaction??

Why not just make it simple, and keep an organized wallet, with only what you need in it!! Carry only receipts for known return items and carry only the rewards cards and credit cards you absolutely can’t live without.

Here are the first 2 great tips in having the ORGANIZED WALLET you have always dreamed of...

1. Find the best wallet to fit your needs. Don’t get too big of wallet or too small.

2. There are only 3 types of receipts to keep in your wallet. The first kind of receipt is for returns. If you know you’ll be returning the item, it belongs in the wallet in its rightful HOME. But then once you return it file it in your desk under receipts. (I usually keep them in a special HOME for three months and then I toss.) The second, is receipts for business write offs, for example gas receipts. Anything that you can write off for your business. Once again when you get home, then file it in its rightful HOME. The third kind of receipt just takes up space and should be tossed. It’s receipts from Wendy’s, the hair salon, the grocery store, etc. These receipts, for mindless every day purchases, have no place in your wallet. If you use your debit card, subtract the amount out of your account when you get home and then toss it. There’s no reason to keep them. Toss them before you even leave the store if you are paying with cash.

Come back on Friday for the next 2 tips!!