This is Why! part 6

Previous entries can be found HERE.

Thus far we’ve talked about how I use leftovers to help stock my pantry, how I shop to fill my pantry and how I use the great outdoors to help keep my pantry filled.  In this issue we’re heading into the kitchen and talk about how I fill my pantry through food preservation.

51.  I re-can store bought #10 cans of food.  I’ve re-canned tomato sauce, bbq sauce, hominy, and black olives, etc with great success.  I’ve found that prices are much cheaper when buying in #10 cans as opposed to smaller containers.

52.  I use a dehydrator and dry fruits, vegetables and herbs.

53.  I use a food chopper to grind dehydrated vegetables into vegetable powders.

54.  I use a food chopper to grind dehydrated fruits into fruit powders.

55.  I vacuum seal and fill my freezer with things such as fruits, vegetables, and meats to name a few.

56.  I pressure can meats, vegetables and nuts.

57.  I use the water bath method for fruits.

58.  I use a vacuum sealing machine to vacuum seal things for the freezer as well as some items that are shelf stable.

59.  I use a vacuum sealing machine along with jar attachments to preserve things such as tea bags, candy, some cereals, etc.

60.  I oven can lots of different things.  

61.  I dry can (pressure can) nutmeats.

61. I make sour kraut by using the method of fermenting.

62.  I make jams and jellies.

63. I make my own beef broth and pressure can it.

64.  I also make my own chicken broth and pressure can it.

65. I render lard using my crockpot.


66. I use a roaster to cook down sauces before canning.


Okay, I’ve shared with you how I use the different methods of food preservation to help fill my pantry, how about you?  What food preservation methods/tools do you use to preserve your food?

Your comments are what will make this series more helpful so please share your wisdom.

To see how I incorporate all these ways in my daily life, join me at A Working Pantry.

Until the next time ...

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

You might be interested in my other blogs ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Zucchini Flour

Zucchini is prolific in our garden and I’ve been on the search for ways to use it.  Here’s what I’ve found so far:

Zucchini Bread 

Zucchini Pineapple

Zucchini Flour

Yes, you read that correctly …  zucchini flour.  Here’s how to make it:

Wash and peel the zucchini

Using a carrot peeler, ‘peel’ the zucchini until it is all in small strips.  I used the zucchini that had gotten BIG.   I also sometimes peel the zucchini and slice it into 1/8 inch slices.  In fact, having tried both ways I think I prefer the later, but that's just my personal preference.  Both ways work fine.

Place in dehydrator and dry.

When drying is complete, put the dried zucchini strips in a blender, food processor or chopper and grind it into flour.

Okay, so now we have zucchini flour, what do we do with it?   Here are some ideas:

Substitute 1 cup for flour in bread recipes ...

As a filler in meatloaf, burgers, etc ...

or in squash/zucchini patties.

What are some things you do with zucchini?

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Facebook and Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting this site via one of these ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

This is Why! ... part 5

part 5 

Previous entries can be found HERE.

Thus far we’ve talked about how I use leftovers to help stock my pantry and how I shop to fill my pantry.  In this issue we’re heading outside and looking at the ways I build up my pantry using the great outdoors.

38.  We grow a vegetable garden.  We grow most all of our vegetables and then preserve them for use all year long.

39.  I grow culinary herbs.

40.  I grow medicinal herbs.   This year I’m hoping to expand this area of our gardening as I learn more and more about herbs. 

41.  We grow our own fruit in our small orchard. 

42.  We grow strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries apart and separate from our little orchard.

43.  We raise chickens which gives us eggs and meat … and fertilizer for the garden after it has aged.

44.  We forage for nuts, berries, etc.

 45.  I constantly work towards growing and producing as much of our food as possible.

46.  My husband goes fishing.  My husband loves to fish, and we use his catch to add to our pantry.  Currently we have catfish nuggets and crappie in our freezer that he has caught.

47.  My husband hunts occasionally and brings home his bounty to be preserved.

48. We glean from fields in the area where we live … after being given permission by the landowners to do so, of course.  Sweet potatoes and peanuts are the two items we glean most frequently each year.

49.  We grow things inside our greenhouse.

50.  We have raised our own beef in the past and will do so again in the future.   

Okay, I’ve shared with you how I use the great outdoors to help fill my pantry, how about you?  How do you utilize the ‘outdoors’ to help you fill your pantry?

Your comments are what will make this series more helpful so please share your wisdom.

To see how I incorporate all these ways in my daily life, join me at A Working Pantry.

Until the next time ...

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

You might be interested in my other blogs ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Three Ways to Store Dry Foods Long Term

A couple of summers ago we invested in a Food Saver Vacuum Seal machine and then after hearing so many good things about the usefulness of the jar sealing attachments we decided to go ahead and purchase them too.  I'm so glad we did!  On quite a few things, this little machine has replaced oven-canning in our home (there are still some things I oven-can). 

So now I have the ability to store dry goods long term in three different ways depending on what it is ...

 (1) oven-canning

 (2)  vacuum sealing

 (3)  place item in freezer for approximately 10 days, remove from freezer, let come to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a tub, etc. 

Knowledge is powerful when it comes to stocking our pantries and knowing how to preserve our food in more than one way ... is priceless!

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Facebook and Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting this site via one of these ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

This is Why! part 4

Parts 1, 2, and 3 can be found here.

In the last entry we talked about how to use leftovers to help stock our pantries. This week we’re going shopping.  Of course, we stock our pantries by shopping but are we just filling our grocery cart or are we SHOPPING to fill our pantries? 

Here are some ways I shop to fill my pantry ...

16.       I pray about my pantry.  I pray before I shop, while I shop and for pantry stocking wisdom.  Yes, I really do this! 

17.       I make a grocery list and menu before I go shopping.   When I plan my menu before I go shopping my grocery list is a lot smaller.  When I shop from my pantry before I go shopping my grocery list is a lot smaller. You know what this means?  Menu planning and shopping from my pantry leaves more money in my food budget to use on the great deals that I find as I shop! 

18.       I scrutinize grocery store flyers.  I take a marker and circle the items that I’m interested in then I transfer the circled items to my grocery list.  Before I head to the store I check to see if there are any coupons available. 

19.       I use a price book/price sheet.  In order to get the best deals, I have to know what a good price is.  My price book/sheet gives me that information.   

20.      I use coupons IF and ONLY IF it’s for something we use or IF it’s for something new we want to try.  If we won’t use it, I don’t need it in my house!   

  21.     I take advantage of clearance food sales.  

22.       I use the 1 + 1 rule whenever possible.  When I purchase a food item, if possible, I buy an extra one and add it to my pantry. 

23.       I check unit prices.  Sometimes a lower price seems like something really great until you compare unit prices.  Yikes, I want to keep my pantry well-stocked but at the most economical prices, don’t you? 

24.       I ‘know’ the stores I shop at … meaning I know when they usually mark their meat down, where their clearance food is located, what their coupon policy is, whether or not they have a rain check policy and if so, what it is and when their sales start and when they end each week.  I make it my business to know everything about their marketing that I can.  

25.       I shop seasonal sales.  Turkey in November; ground beef and chicken in the summer especially around Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day; ham at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas; cranberries, canned soups, canned vegetables, celery, spices and baking supplies in November and December. 

26.       I buy marked down candy after the holidays.  I bring it home and vacuum seal it in quart or pint jars for later use.  Some examples are:  red hot cinnamons after Valentine’s Day, chocolate after Valentine’s Day/Easter/Halloween/Christmas and candy canes after Christmas. 

27.       I watch for items to go on sale that my family uses on a regular basis.  When I find a sale, I buy as much as my budget will allow using coupons if I have them. 

28.      I buy in bulk.  Some examples are toilet paper, paper towels, all kinds of dried beans, a variety of teas and cooking oils. 

29.       I add items to my grocery list as soon as I open the last one of any items.  This gives me time to restock the item before I need it. 

  30.    I take advantage of Amazon’s subscribe and save program.  

31.       We have grocery stores, etc that we stop in and check for great deals at when we’re out and about running errands … if time permits and we have any money. 

 32.      I shop at farmers markets and roadside stands. 

33.       I shop at Mennonite/Amish non-electric stores.  Twice a year I get to shop at a non-electric Mennonite country store.  I absolutely love it.  This is when I restock my spices as well as other things that are considerably cheaper than mainstream grocery stores. 

34.       I shop at Asian markets.  I get to do this about once every couple of months. 

35.       I shop at warehouse type stores.  The bulk of our grocery shopping is done at Sam’s Club.   

 36.      I shop at dollar stores.   

37.       I shop at discount grocery stores such as Aldi’s and Save-a-lot. 

Okay, I’ve shared with you how I shop to keep my pantry filled, how about you?  What tips do you have that will help us all stretch our food budget and fill our pantries at the same time?

Your comments are what will make this series more helpful so please share your wisdom.

To see how I incorporate all these ways in my daily life, join me at A Working Pantry.

Until the next time ...

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

You might be interested in my other blogs ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine