Pancake Mix

I want to share with you some of the mixes I create using THRIVE ingredients. I will start today with my pancake mix.

I found this recipe a few years ago while looking for a whole wheat pancake recipe. I wanted a way to incorporate whole wheat into my family's diet so that if we every had to live on it, our bodies would be used to it. Did you know that if you don't regularly eat whole wheat and then suddenly start consuming a lot, you will likely get very sick? I wanted to avoid that for my family.

I found this recipe on the King Arthur website. They have many incredible recipes. I highly recommend their website if you are looking for ways to incorporate whole wheat flour into your diet.

I've adapted it to use THRIVE powders:

4 c. whole wheat flour (I use whole white wheat)
1 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
3 T. sugar
3 T. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 T. baking soda
1 c. shortening powder
1 1/4 c. whole egg powder
1 1/4 c. powdered milk

Grind the oats in a food processor or blender until they are very fine (almost a powder), then mix will all other ingredients.

You can stop there for just a basic, healthy & tasty pancake mix. My kids love them!

Or, you can add your favorite THRIVE freeze dried fruit for fun. When I do add fruit, I usually add about 1 1/2 cup. You can add it whole if you want the chunks of fruit in your pancakes (I do this with blueberries or raspberries), or you can crush it to a powder if you just want the flavor (I do this with bananas)

When ready to make pancakes, add 1 cup water to 1 cup mix and blend. If you did add the fruit, add an extra 2 T. water. Batter will seem very thin at first, but the oats (and fruit) will soak it up and it will thicken as it stands. Let it stand for about 20 minutes before cooking.

Cook as you would any other pancake. 1 cup mix should make 7-9 4-inch pancakes.

These are also great topped with raspberry sauce!

The mix will have a shelf life of 6 months (the shelf life of the eggs) if left sealed in your cupboard or on your counter. If you store it sealed in your freezer, it should last for a few years!

Total Cost for #10 cans required for this recipe: $113.82**

• You will get: About 300 4-inch pancakes and have $77.92** in sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, shortening, milk and eggs left over.
  
• Cost per pancake: $0.12 using all THRIVE ingredients**

You can lower that cost by 5% by purchasing each ingredient in a case of six.

If you are interested in purchasing ingredients at the above discounted prices,** you may do so on my Shelf Reliance Website.

**Prices based on the Spring 2011 price list. You can contact me or visit my Shelf Reliance website for the current discounted pricing**

Using THRIVE Tomato Powder

One of my very favorite THRIVE products is the Tomato Powder. It can be used to make SO many things:

• Marinara / Spaghetti Sauce
• Ketchup
• Tomato Soup
• BBQ Sauce
• Minestrone
• Enchilada Sauce
• Pizza Sauce
• Taco Soup
• Shepard's Pie

With that type of versatility, this is a wonderful item to add to your long term storage or your "home store." It will give you many options for creating quick dinners that are fast and healthy on those crazy nights when you just don't seem to have time to cook. This is especially true when you combine it with freeze dried veggies: you can have a quick, healthy, easy soup ready in just minutes!

It is less expensive than tomato paste, tomato sauce, and tomato juice at the grocery store. In fact you should save $1.50-$2.00 per bottle of tomato juice, $0.50 - $0.60 per 6 oz can of tomato paste and $0.35-$0.45 on each 15 oz can of tomato sauce.* Those three products are staples at our house. I make lots of easy soup recipes and sauces with them. I am saving so much money by using the tomato powder instead.
*Based on the average prices of these items as tracked in Southern California.

Today, I wanted to post just a basic conversion chart for making tomato paste, sauce, and juice out of this incredible product. Then, over the next few weeks, I will post each of the above recipes to help you use this product even more often!

Baby Food Storage: Make baby food in minutes from freeze dried produce

I have often considered making my own baby food. There are many advantages to making your own vs. buying it at the store:

• No additives

There are thickeners, fluoride, and other additives in store bought baby food

• More Nutritious

Store bought baby food loses nutrients in the canning process

• Lower Price

At $0.40-$0.80 a jar, it is far less expensive to make your own

• Environmentally Friendly

What happens to all the jars of baby food you buy? They go in the garbage!

However, there is one huge disadvantage that has kept me from ever actually trying this project:

Time!

I have four kids 3 years old and under. I don't have a lot of spare time to make my own food. I've also enjoyed the peace of mind storing jars of baby food gave me: it was food storage for my baby. I couldn't provide that as easily when making my own food because it had to be stored in the fridge / freezer and I needed that space for other things. For those reasons, I've loved the convenience of store bought baby food too much to give it up. That is until I found freeze dried fruits and vegetables.


Freeze dried fruits and vegetables are amazing: completely different from dehydrated foods. They contain no added sugar, salt or other preservatives, they retain 90% (or more) of their original nutrients, they are often less expensive (per serving) than the fresh product and they have an extremely long shelf life. They will last for 25 years! In addition, they are very easy to use and take very little time to rehydrate.

I decided to try making baby food from these products. I'm so glad I did b/c it is going to save us so much money with our newest little addition (Hanna is just 5 weeks old). It will also be healthier and I will be able to add baby food storage to my home store!

It is so simple! All you do is:

• Add 1/2 c. water to 1 1/2 c. freeze dried produce.
• Let it sit for just a few minutes (6-7 in cold water or 2-3 in warm water)
  
• Mix in a blender or food processor
  
• Add water a few tablespoons at a time and continue blending until you reach your desired consistency.
• Makes 5-7 4 oz. servings (depending on how much water you add)
  

No need to boil large amounts of produce each week, blend it, and put it in Tupperware or jars. You can easily and quickly make just what your baby needs to eat each day! Healthy food with no additives that is affordable and doesn't hurt the environment! It doesn't get better than that!

These same products can also be given to older children in place of fruit snacks or used in easy casserole recipes, easy soup recipes, or breads and muffins. They can provide security and peace of mind because with a 25 year shelf life, they also work as long term storage or "food insurance" for your family!

Shelf Reliance has 11 varieties of freeze dried fruit and 10 varieties of freeze dried vegetables. Many cost less per serving than the same products fresh and you can get them all year long. One #10 can costs anywhere from $11.19 for cauliflower - $33.19 for pineapple and while it depends on the product, you should get 50-70 4oz serving out of each can so that comes to $0.16-$0.66 per 4 oz serving (1 jar).

You can buy each product in single #10 cans or in a 6 pack of cans (to save an additional 5% per serving). In addition, they are currently offering the following packages at an amazing price per serving:

Freeze Dried Tropical Fruit Package: $120**
Six #10 Cans: about $0.29 - $0.41 per 4 oz serving

• 1 Can Banana Slices
• 1 Can Mangoes
• 1 Can Pineapple
• 1 Can Apricots
• 1 Can Pears
• 1 Can Peaches

Ultimate Veggie Pack: $383.99**
Thirty #10 Cans: about $0.18-$0.26 per 4 oz serving for the freeze dried veggies

• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Green Peas
• 3 Cans Freeze Dried Sweet Corn
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Green Beans
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Mushrooms
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Broccoli
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Spinach
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Potato Dices
  
• 2 Cans Potato Chunks
• 1 Can Split Green Peas
• 2 Cans Bell Peppers
• 4 Cans Potato Pearls
• 3 Cans Sweet Potatoes
• 4 Cans Carrot Dices

Ultimate Fruit Pack: $483.99**
Thirty #10 Cans: about $0.30-$0.43 per 4 oz serving for the freeze dried fruits

• 1 Can Freeze Dried Apricots
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Banana Slices
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blackberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blueberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Mangoes
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Peaches
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Pears
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Pineapple
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Raspberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Strawberries
• 3 Apple Chips
• 3 Banana Chips
• 3 Pineapple
• 3 Apples Slices

If you are interested in buying these products in #10 cans or 6 pk cases at the above discounted prices, you may do so through my Shelf Reliance website. If you are interested in the packages, please contact me as they are not yet available on the main shelf reliance site.

If you have any questions about how I make baby food, leave me a comment!

**Prices based on the Winter 2011 price list which is valid until March 1st. Price after March 1st 2011 may be different.**

Fun New Stuff from Shelf Reliance.

Shelf Reliance will be making a lot of changes over the next couple of weeks. I am very excited about these. Here are the details I have so far:

New Products:
I am so excited! We now have ice cream, yogurt and pre-cooked beans! These products will be available to Q Club Platinum members at a discounted price until March 1st when they will be made available to everyone.

The Ice cream is available as ice cream sandwiches or ice cream bars. It is freeze dried and has a shelf life of 20 years! It does not need to be hydrated to be eaten. I have yet to try it (I've already placed an order), but it is supposed to taste just like ice cream but without all the drippy mess!


The yogurt comes in 6 flavors: vanilla, pomegranate, strawberry, blueberry, passion fruit, and orange. It is freeze dried and can be eaten as yogurt balls without being hydrated. Or, you can hydrate it and have real, tasty yogurt!
There are three types of pre-cooked beans: pinto, black and red. Having uncooked dry beans in your long term storage is problematic because of the amount of fuel it takes to cook them. It can take hours! These instant beans have already been cooked, then freeze dried. So, all you need to do is add water! They have a 30 year shelf life.

New Pricing Tiers
Shelf Reliance announced that Q club members and party attendees will now be receiving an even greater discount than the regular party price. They want to reward all their loyal customers. If you purchase as part of a party you attend or if you are a Q club member, you will receive this lowest pricing. So, there will be three price levels:

• Retail Price: for those who do not purchase through a consultant.
• Sale Price: For those who purchase through a consultant, but not through a party or Q.
• Q Club / Party Price: For those who purchase as part of a party or are Q club members.

This price list will be available on March 1st. It will also include changes to the current prices of products, including these great packages. So, if you are interested in those packages, I would order them now! I will give you the link to the new price list as soon as I have it!

New Websites
Shelf Reliance has now created websites for their consultants. This means you can place an order directly through my website and get the sale price. You no longer have to wait for me to create an account for you. You can see my new Shelf Reliance website here.

Q Club Promotion
If you would like a free Q Club membership, there are now three ways in which you can get one:

• Sign up for a Q at $100 or more
• Sign up for a Q of any amount at a party where at least one other person signs up
• Become a Consultant

Q Club members get exclusive discount pricing and monthly benefits (like the exclusive products this month). In addition, they earn points for every dollar they spend that can be used toward free product.

If you have questions, leave them in the comments so everyone can read the answers!

Moist & Chewy Banana Bread

I love my banana bread recipe. I've worked at it for years and tweaked it to be just as I like it: moist, chewy and flavorful. I've really been hoping it would turn out well with THRIVE ingredients. I decided to try it and see. The verdict:

I love it! I actually like it better: it rose and cooked a lot more evenly.

If you are interested in trying it:

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar (can replace with real maple syrup if you have it. It will make it more moist)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2-2 1/2 cups THRIVE freeze dried bananas
1/3 cup THRIVE sour cream powder
2 T. THRIVE whole egg powder
6 T. THRIVE butter powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. water

• Preheat oven to 350.
  
• Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together.
• Soak Bananas in 2 cups water for 5-7 minutes. Drain excess water. Place bananas, egg powder and 1/4 c. water in blender and blend until smooth.
• Place banana mixture in bowl. Add sour cream powder, butter powder, vanilla and the other 1/4 c. water. Mix well.
• Fold in dry ingredients.
• Pour into loaf pan and bake 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Makes one small loaf or 4 mini-loaves
  

**NOTE** I don't buy my sugar, flour, baking soda or salt from Shelf Reliance, so I will not include those in the price totals below.

Total Cost for #10 cans required for this recipe: $83.50**

• You will get: 6 loaves and have lots of sour cream, eggs and butter left over.
• Cost per serving: $4.33 per loaf using THRIVE ingredients

You can lower that cost by 5% purchasing each ingredient in a case of 6.

There are also great specials running right now on packages that bring the cost per serving even below the case pricing. You can get the butter and egg powders in this package which brings the cost to $17.19 for the eggs and $16.67 for the butter. I also regularly use the shortening powder that is in this package, and the milk tastes just like real milk (seriously!).

Baking Essential Package**
568 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 3 Cans Instant Milk
• 1 Can Butter Powder
• 1 Can Shortening Powder
• 1 Can Whole Eggs

You can get the bananas in this package which brings the cost of them to $20.19 and lowers your cost per loaf to $3.54. My kids love eating these fruits for snacks and I'm happy to give them to them as they are very healthy and contain no added sugar, salt or preservatives.

Ultimate Fruit Pack: $483.99**
1366 Servings in Thirty #10 Cans

• 1 Can Freeze Dried Apricots
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Banana Slices
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blackberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blueberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Mangoes
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Peaches
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Pears
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Pineapple
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Raspberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Strawberries
• 3 Apple Chips
• 3 Banana Chips
• 3 Pineapple
• 3 Apples Slices

If you are interested in purchasing these ingredients, please contact me first to set up a preferred customer account to get the quoted prices!

New Products!

Shelf Reliance just announced two new products:

Yogurt:

and

Icecream!

They should be available on Monday. I will fill you in on details as soon as I get them!

I'm Glad My Food Storage Includes Produce!

I read about this on Utah Deal Diva earlier today (thanks, Jessica!) and found it interesting enough to share here.

Article from Fox13 News, 2/15/2011:
SALT LAKE CITY — Produce prices are expected to rise dramatically in the next few days after a freeze destroyed a huge swath of Mexican food crops. Most produce sold in the U.S. during the winter is grown in Mexico.

"We're looking at 30 - 40 maybe 50 different items, 60 items, the consumer will want because you've got several kinds of tomatoes, you've got several kinds of lettuces, you've got spinach, squash, beans, broccoli, cauliflower -- there's hardly any vegetable you don't pull out of Mexico," says Ken Lund, a grocer who works at a local Ream's store.

So much of the produce crops were affected, shortages in canned and frozen vegetables will be seen. The lull in produce food crops is expected to last until April.

Lund says he expects prices to jump 50 to 90 percent on some items.

Did you read that?!? The price of fresh produce will increase a possible 50%-90% for a few months! That is a drastic increase. As an example, the current average price of celery is about $0.85. With this increase, it will cost $1.28-$1.62! Ouch!


Boy am I glad I have produce in my food storage! I will be able to continue to make soups, casseroles, and sauces that include produce for my family during this temporary price increase without having to increase our food budget! My kids will continue to be able to snack on fruit that has the same nutrients as fresh produce.

What a blessing it is to be prepared!

If you would like to add produce to the food you store for your family, I would recommend one of the following THRIVE packages. They are currently on sale for an amazing price / serving this month. Far less than you will be paying for their fresh counterparts for the next couple of months. These packages are new so they are not available on the Shelf Reliance website yet. If you are interested in purchasing one, please contact me directly.

Ultimate Veggie Pack: $383.99**
Thirty #10 Cans

• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Green Peas
• 3 Cans Freeze Dried Sweet Corn
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Green Beans
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Mushrooms
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Broccoli
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Spinach
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Potato Dices
  
• 2 Cans Potato Chunks
• 1 Can Split Green Peas
• 2 Cans Bell Peppers
• 4 Cans Potato Pearls
• 3 Cans Sweet Potatoes
• 4 Cans Carrot Dices

Ultimate Fruit Pack: $483.99**
Thirty #10 Cans

• 1 Can Freeze Dried Apricots
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Banana Slices
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blackberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blueberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Mangoes
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Peaches
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Pears
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Pineapple
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Raspberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Strawberries
• 3 Apple Chips
• 3 Banana Chips
• 3 Pineapple
• 3 Apples Slices

**Prices based on the Winter 2011 price list which is valid until March 1st. Price after March 1st 2011 may be different.**

**Prices based on the Winter 2011 price list which is valid until March 1st. Price after March 1st 2011 may be different.**

Beef Stew

This recipe originally came from my sister-in-law, Jonelle. She is an amazing cook. I've adapted it to use THRIVE ingredients. Using THRIVE made this a very simple and easy meal since all the veggies are all pre-cut and the meat is pre-cut and precooked! I made this last night and it was tasty:
**Photo from LaaLoosh: Not my own kitchen**

• 1 1/2-2 cups THRIVE freeze dried roast beef
• 1/3-1/2 cup THRIVE tomato powder
• 8 cups water
• 1 tsp sage
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp THRIVE beef bullion
• dash of pepper
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4-1/3 c. THRIVE freeze dried celery
• 2-3 T. THRIVE carrot dices
• 2-3 T. THRIVE freeze dried onion
• 1/2 c. THRIVE freeze dried potato dices

Combine tomato powder, water, sage, salt, bullion, pepper, garlic salt and worcestershire sauce in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for 2 min. Put beef, celery, carrots, onion and potatoes in crockpot. Pour tomato mixture over vegetables and beef. Cook 4-5 hours on low. Makes nine or ten 12-14 oz servings.

**Notes**

• I left the sage, pepper, garlic salt and worcestershire sauce out this last time since those are not ingredients you can get from Shelf Reliance. It still tasted great. However, those are all items I keep in my food storage anyway.
• You can also make this very quickly over the stove (not in a crockpot). Just boil everything for about 10-15 minutes to make sure it is all well hydrated.

Total Cost for #10 cans required for this recipe: $157.81**

• You will get: 80 servings and have lots of bullion, tomato powder, celery, onions and carrots left over.
• Cost per 13 oz serving: $0.70 using THRIVE ingredients
• Average cost for 19 oz can of soup at the grocery store = $1.50.
• Savings by using THRIVE ingredients: around $0.19 per 13 oz serving

You can lower that cost by 5% purchasing ingredients in a case of 6.

There is also a great special running right now (until at least 3/1/11) on a meat package that brings the cost per serving even below the case pricing.

Premium Meats Essentials Pack: $184**
288 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 2 Cans Roast Beef
• 2 Cans Chicken Dices
• 2 Cans Ground Beef

This package brings the cost of the beef from $39.75 per can to $30.67 per can saving you an additional $0.15 per serving.**

If you are interested in purchasing these ingredients, please contact me first to set up a preferred customer account to get the quoted prices!

**Prices based on the Winter 2011 price list which is valid until March 1st. Price after March 1st 2011 may be different.**

Hydrating THRIVE Cheese

I am in LOVE with THRIVE freeze dried cheese. Dairy happens to be my favorite food group and I can't get enough cheese. It is a huge part of my diet. Months ago, I was very happy to find out that Shelf Reliance had freeze dried cheese. However, I was skeptical as to just how good it would taste. My first experience was with the cheddar cheese at a THRIVE party. I tried it strait out of the can: it tasted like cheeze-its! It was good, but it wasn't going to satisfy my need for cheese strait out of the can.

I needed to see what it tasted like hydrated. I decided to try it on pizza. So, I got out my mozzarella, added some hot water, and waited for it to hydrate.

Problem: hot water melts cheese!

I tried again: this time with cold water. It hydrated fine, but then was sopping wet. So, I strained it and let it sit on a paper towel for a while. IT TURNED OUT AWESOME! It tasted just like fresh cheese. I was sold. I immediately ordered a few more cans. Real cheese that lasts 20 years!? Unheard of!


So, after all my trial and error, here are my tips for getting it to re-hydrate perfectly:

• Spread the cheese you want to hydrate on a shallow plate or pan. Add just enough COLD water to cover. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
• Stir it up a bit (you may need to add a little more water) and let it sit for another 3-5 minutes.
• Pour into a strainer and let it drain, but don't squeeze / smash it.
• Once it has drained completely, spread it over a paper towel and let it sit for 15-20 minutes until almost dry.
• Add 1 T. cornstarch to a plastic bag.
• Add cheese to bag, shake it up a bit and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Now, when do you need to re-hydrate the cheese first?

If you are using it in a recipe that doesn't surround the cheese in water. For example:

• Grilled Cheese
• Pizza
• On top of Enchiladas
• In Tacos

When do you not need to hydrate the cheese first?

If you are using it in a recipe that does surround the cheese in liquid (just remember to add a little extra liquid or your recipe may turn out a bit dry) For example:

• Inside enchiladas with a bunch of sauce
• In a soup
• In a casserole that is completely mixed up (cheese is not used as a topping)

Water Storage

The human body can survive for weeks without food, but it cannot survive very long without water. The recommended amount of water you should have stored in order to survive a 2 week period if your water supply was cut off is 14 gallons per person.

• 1 person family: 14 gallons
• 2 person family: 28 gallons
• 4 person family: 56 gallons
• 5 person family: 70 gallons
• 6 person family (ME!): 86 gallons
• 10 person family: 140 gallons

This would only provide for your basic survival needs. It is only 1 gallon per person per day. When you think of all the ways in which you use water each day: washing your hands, flushing the toilet, brushing your teeth, cooking, doing dishes, laundry, showers etc, you realize that 1 gallon a day isn't much at all. If you can, you should store more and/or purchase a water purification system.

Here are a few tips:

• If storing water outside, make sure to store it in opaque containers (such as the blue 55 gallon drums) so no light can get in.
• Store water in containers in a variety of sizes. For example, large drums work well unless you have to leave your home. 16.9 oz water bottles work well unless you need a sink full of water to bathe or wash dishes in.
• If you do store water in large drums, make sure you store a siphon so you can effectively get the water out.
  
• If storing water inside, you can use soda, gatorade, or juice bottles (not the refrigerated kind)  etc as long as they aren't exposed to light.
• Make sure all used containers are very well cleaned before storing drinking water in them.
• Do not store water containers directly on cement.
• As an extra precaution add 1/8 tsp bleach to every gallon of water you store.  This will keep the water safe to drink for 6 months - 1 year.
• If you are concerned about the taste of bleach treated water (especially if you have kids), store powdered drink mixes to help mask that taste.
• If you do not want to treat your water with bleach, be sure you rotate it every six months.
  
• Clearly label all containers "drinking water."
• Even if treated with bleach, try to rotate your stored drinking water every 6-18 months. 
• Store a water filter so that if your stored water is contaminated for any reason (or you haven't been able to rotate it), you will still be able to use it.
• When storing water for cleaning purposes, it can be stored in old cleaning/laundry/soap bottles (don't rinse them out) and will be ready to use. Just make sure you mark it as cleaning water so that no one drinks it.
• Keep all water away from stored gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, or similar substances.
• It can be a good idea to store a few containers of water in the freezer to help keep food frozen should the power go out for a period of time.

Some tips for using your water during an emergency:

• If supplies run low, DO NOT ration your water. Drink what you need today (2 quarts for most people, more if extremely hot, pregnant or nursing) and try to find more tomorrow.
• Minimize the amount of water you need by reducing activity and staying cool.
• If you have not stored enough water, you can usually find 30-60 gallons of water in your water heater (as long as public water is still considered safe). Make sure to treat it with bleach (1/8 tsp per gallon) first!
• You can also use the water in the reservoir tank of your toilets (not the bowl) if treated with bleach first.
• Canned fruits and vegetable also contain water that you can use to hydrate yourself.
  

As a supplement to stored water, you can also store water purifiers. These can be taken with you if you need to leave home and can also be used to treat pool water or other public water sources that may have been contaminated.

For more information on water storage and treatment, visit FEMA

Shelf Reliance offers many water storage supplies. Here are a few of my favorites:

Water Boxes: $0.58

These are great in 72 hr kits: especially those that will be carried by kids. They have 5 yr shelf life.


Collapsible 5 gallon water containers: $9.89
Great to use in a 72 hr kit and fill when a water source is found.

Filtration Bottle: $14.99
Filters up to 30 gallons of water. Another awesome addition to a 72 hr kit. No need to mess with a separate filter...just add the water to your bottle and go. I plan to add one of these for each person in my family. They are currently on sale at $14.99 which is 25% off.

Katydyn Combi Microfilter: $138.59
This will filter 13,000 gallons of water. That is A LOT! That would be enough for my family of six to filter 6 gallons of water a day per person for an entire year. It would also be useful if we needed to filter water for others who were less prepared.

Heavy duty 5 gallon water container: $13.85
This is Constructed from HDPE plastic (like the larger drums) and can be stored outside.

55 Gallon Water Container: $69.29

55 Gallon Water Supply Kit: $98.99

• 55 Gallon Water Drum
• Siphon
• Bung Wrench
• Water Treatment Solution
• Detailed Instructions

Raspberry Sauce

I love the THRIVE freeze dried raspberries. I love to eat them straight out of the can. I love them hydrated over ice cream. I especially love this raspberry sauce. It is divine:

1 Cup THRIVE freeze dried raspberries
1/4 Cup THRIVE apple drink mix powder
1 Cup cold water
1-2 T THRIVE granulated sugar (to taste, you may not use any)
Pinch of cinnamon (if desired, it taste great even without it)

Place berries and juice in blender. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Add sugar and cinnamon and blend until smooth. Makes six to eight 3 oz servings.
**Note: You can replace the apple drink mix and water with 1 cup apple juice if you want**

I use this sauce over cheesecake, THRIVE brownies, and ice cream! Can you think of anything else it might be tasty with?

THRIVE Freeze Dried Onions Conversion Chart

THRIVE freeze dried onions expand about four times their original size when hydrated. I'm not a huge fan of an overwhelming onion taste in my foods, so I've created the following conversion chart that I use for myself when cooking. I use these onions in many soups and casseroles with a lot of success.

You may click on the image to download it.

Total Cost for #10 can of freeze dried onions: $17.39

• You will get: ninety-six 1/2 onion servings
  
• Cost per serving: $0.18 using THRIVE ingredients
• The average cost for an onion at the grocery store is around $0.70.
• Savings by using THRIVE ingredients: around $0.17 per 1/2 onion serving

And remember, you can lower that cost per serving by 5% purchasing a case of six freeze dried onions.

If you are interested in purchasing these ingredients, please contact me first to set up a preferred customer account to get the quoted prices!

February Specials

Shelf Reliance made some great changes to their price list this month. They added 14 food storage packages and 1survival kit package! Otherwise, all pricing stayed the same as last month.

Below are the details on each of the new packages. I highly recommend the fruit, veggie, baking, meat and cheese packages. I've listed these 7 packages I first and will be buying many of these myself. This pricing is below current party pricing as well as below the 6-pk case pricing for these items. It is the least expensive way (per serving) to get these products. I do not know how long this pricing will last.

**If you want to order these packages, you will need to do so directly through me (misty@foodstoragesolution.com or 760-637-7296) as they are not yet available on the Shelf Reliance website.**

New packages with great pricing on freeze dried produce, dairy, meats, and/or powdered baking mixes:

Freeze Dried Tropical Fruit Package: $120: 31% off
265 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 1 Can Banana Slices
• 1 Can Mangoes
• 1 Can Pineapple
• 1 Can Apricots
• 1 Can Pears
• 1 Can Peaches

Premium Meats Essentials Pack: $184: 27% off
288 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 2 Cans Roast Beef
• 2 Cans Chicken Dices
• 2 Cans Ground Beef

Freeze Dried Cheese Six Pack: $184: 31% off
177 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 2 Cans Cheddar
• 2 Cans Monterey Jack
• 1 Can Mozzarella
• 1 Can Colby

Baking Essential Package: $89.99: 21% off
568 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 3 Cans Instant Milk
• 1 Can Butter Powder
• 1 Can Shortening Powder
• 1 Can Whole Eggs

Ultimate Veggie Pack: $383.99: 24% off
1359 Serving in Thirty #10 Cans

• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Green Peas
• 3 Cans Freeze Dried Sweet Corn
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Green Beans
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Mushrooms
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Broccoli
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Spinach
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Potato Dices
  
• 2 Cans Potato Chunks
• 1 Can Split Green Peas
• 2 Cans Bell Peppers
• 4 Cans Potato Pearls
• 3 Cans Sweet Potatoes
• 4 Cans Carrot Dices

Ultimate Fruit Pack: $483.99: 29% off
1366 Servings in Thirty #10 Cans

• 1 Can Freeze Dried Apricots
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Banana Slices
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blackberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Blueberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Mangoes
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Peaches
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Pears
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Pineapple
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Raspberries
• 2 Cans Freeze Dried Strawberries
• 3 Apple Chips
• 3 Banana Chips
• 3 Pineapple
• 3 Apples Slices

Ultimate Meat and Protein Package: $633.99: 21% off
1377 Servings in Thirty #10 Cans

• 2 Cans Bacon TVP
  
• 3 Cans Beef TVP
  
• 3 Cans Chicken TVP
  
• 2 Cans Sausage TVP
  
• 2 Cans Sloppy Joe TVP
• 3 Cans Taco TVP
• 2 Cans Turkey (Freeze Dried)
• 2 Cans Sausage (Freeze Dried)
• 3 Cans Roast Beef (Freeze Dried)
• 4 Cans Ground Beef (Freeze Dried)
  
• 4 Cans Chicken (Freeze Dried)

Other new packages:

Fruit and Veggie Sampler: $67.99: 24% off (a great way to sample a bunch of different fruit / veggies before investing in #10 cans)
99 Servings in Fourteen Mylar Bags in a sealed bucket

• 20 Servings Freeze Dried Strawberries
• 7 Servings Freeze Dried Raspberries
• 10 Servings Freeze Dried Blackberries
• 6 Servings Freeze Dried Blueberries
• 5 Servings Freeze Dried Peaches
• 5 Servings Freeze Dried Pineapple
• 6 Servings Freeze Dried Broccoli
• 14 Servings Freeze Dried Sweet Corn
• 6 Servings Freeze Dried Celery
• 8 Servings Freeze Dried Spinach
• 7 Servings Freeze Dried Green Beans
• 5 Servings Potato Dices

Premium Wheat Package: $35.99: 23% off
264 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• Hard White Winter Wheat

Protein and Wheat Package: $47.99: 29% off
266 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 2 Cans Hard White Winter Wheat (88 Servings)
• 1 Can Bacon TVP (47 Servings)
• 1 Can Chicken TVP (45 Servings
• 1 Can Beef TVP (44 Servings)
• 1 Can Taco TVP (42 Servings)

Starter Variety Pack: $74.99: 30% off
493 Servings in Six #10 Cans

• 1 Can Whole Eggs
• 1 Can Beef TVP
• 1 Can Instant Milk
• 1 Can Potato Chunks
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Strawberries
• 1 Can Freeze Dried Corn

6 Month Dehydrated and Freeze Dried Food Pack: $534: 31% off
2515 Servings in Fifty-Four #10 Cans

• 2 cans of Instant White Rice
  
• 6 cans of Hard White Winter Wheat
  
• 2 cans of Elbow Macaroni
  
• 2 cans of 6 Grain Pancake Mix
  
• 2 cans of Cornmeal
  
• 4 cans of Freeze Dried Potato Dices
  
• 2 cans of Freeze Dried Sweet Corn
  
• 2 cans of Freeze Dried Green Peas
  
• 2 cans of Freeze Dried Green Beans
  
• 2 cans of Freeze Dried Broccoli
  
• 2 cans of Freeze Dried Mushroom Pieces
  
• 1 can of Freeze Dried Spinach
  
• 3 cans of Freeze Dried Strawberries
  
• 1 can of Carrot Dices
  
• 1 can of Mixed Bell Peppers
• 3 cans of Non-fat Powdered Milk
• 2 cans of Chocolate Drink Mix
  
• 2 cans of Bacon TVP
• 2 cans of Beef TVP
  
• 2 cans of Chicken TVP
  
• 2 cans of Taco TVP
  
• 1 can of Pinto Beans
  
• 1 can of Lentils
• 1 can of Black Beans
  
• 1 can of Kidney Beans
  
• 1 can of Lima Beans
  
• 2 cans of Fudge Brownies
  

1 Year Dehydrated and Freeze Dried Food Pack: $982.99: 25% off
5011 Servings in Eighty-Four #10 Cans

• 8 Cans of Instant White Rice
  
• 12 Cans of Hard White Winter Wheat
• 3 Cans of 6 Grain Pancake Mix
• 2 Cans of Elbow Macaroni
  
• 6 Cans of Dehydrated Potato Chunks
• 1 Can of Freeze-Dried Sweet Corn
• 1 Can of Freeze-Dried Green Peas
• 1 Cans of Dehydrated Chopped Onions
  
• 1 Can of Freeze-Dried Mushroom Pieces
  
• 1 Can of Freeze-Dried Broccoli
  
• 2 Cans of Organic Apple Slices
  
• 2 Cans of Freeze-Dried Strawberries
  
• 1 Can of Freeze-Dried Blueberries
  
• 1 Can of Freeze-Dried Blackberries
  
• 2 Cans of Freeze-Dried Raspberries
  
• 6 Cans of Powdered Milk
  
• 3 Cans of Chocolate Drink Mix
• 3 Cans of Bacon TVP
  
• 3 Cans of Beef TVP
  
• 3 Cans of Chicken TVP
  
• 2 Cans of Taco TVP
  
• 6 Cans of Pinto Beans
  
• 1 Can of Black Beans
  
• 2 Cans of Lima Beans
• 3 Cans of Lentils
  
• 6 Cans of Whole Eggs
• 2 Cans of White Sugar
  

1 Year 4 Person Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Package: $3484.00
18551 Servings in Three Hundred Thirty-Six #10 Cans

• Email me if you would like details on this package

New Survival Kit Package:

Ultimate Survival Pack: $353.99: 49% off
2 weeks of supplies for 2 people

• 1 Heavy Duty Backpack (3,200 cubic inch, 1 main compartment, 1 top compartments, 1 medium compartment, 4 side straps and 2 drink pockets).
• 2 Multi-function Knife (includes knife, fork, and spoon)
• 2 (two) 3M, N95 Deluxe Dust Masks
• 2 Pair of Industrial Leather Work Gloves
• 2 (two) 10-hour, Disposable Heat Packs
• 10 Yards of 2 Duct Tape
• 2 Bright Sticks (provides up to 24 hours of light, 12 hours each)
• 1 (one) 50-foot Rope (10,000 lbs test strength)
• 1 Multi use Hatchet
• Waterproof Matches (25 Matches)
• Flint Starter
• Fire Tinder (10 pieces, each piece burns 5-7 minutes)
• Survival Knife (6 steel blade, sheath with sharpening stone, compass, 4 matches & wire and storage compartment in handle)
• 1 (2) Man Tent (4 lbs, 78 X 38 and 51 center height)
• 2 Emergency Fleece Sleeping Bags 75 x 32 (rated to +50 F)
• 2 Ponchos with Attached Hood (one size fits all)
• 2 Metal Whistles
• 1 Hand Crank Flashlight/Radio/Siren (no battery or electricity needed)
• 1 Universal DC Adapter for Portable Electronics (will charge cell phones, portable DVD Players, and any electronics with a DC plug in! Simply plug your DC device into the adapter, and plug the adapter into your hand crank flashlight. No batteries or electricity needed).
• 1 Notepad and Pencil
• 1 First Aid Booklet
• Survival Deck of Cards (Survival tips on each card)
• 1 Deluxe First Aid Kit Including: (Hard Case)
• 1 Pair of Scissors
• 1 Ace Bandage
• 1 Small Roll of Athletic Tape
• 2 Iodine Pads
• 2 Large Band-aids (4 x1.75)
• 20 Standard Size Band-aids
• 4 Extra Strength Tylenol Caplets
• 4 Pepto-Bismol Caplets
• 2 Blistex Chapstick Pouches (.5g each)
• 2 Antibiotic Ointment Pouches (.5g each)
• 2 Sterile Alcohol Prep Pads
• 1 Ammonia Inhalant Respiratory Stimulant
• 2 (two) 3 x 2.25 Gauze Pads (2 ply)
• 2 (two) 2x2 Gauze Pads (12 ply)
• 2 (two) 4x4 Gauze Pads (12 ply)
• 1 Pair of Tweezers (plastic)
• 1 Pair of Disposable Vinyl Gloves
• 8 Electrolyte Fruit Punch Mix (336 Servings and 16,800 Calories)
• 3 Quick Oats (21 Servings, 2,100 Calories)
• 2 Germade (14 Servings, 2,100 Calories)
• 3 Instant White Rice (12 Servings, 2,400 Calories)
• 1 Chocolate Drink Mix (7 Servings, 1,330 Calories)
• 4 Freeze dried Strawberries (28 Servings, 560 Calories)
• 4 Broccoli Chesse Soup (24 Servings, 3,600 Calories)
• 4 Bake Potato Soup (44 Servings, 6,160 Calories)
• 2 Five Piece Mess Kits
• 1 Isobutane Stove (8oz, 10,000 B.T.U., Boil time 1.5 hours and carry bag included) (fuel source not included, uses isobutene. Can be used withMSRIsopro Canisters)
• 2 Water Bottle Filters (22oz, over 200 refills)
• 1 (one) 2-ply Toilet Paper Roll
• 4 Tissue Packs (10 tissues in each pack)
• 2 Toothbrushes
• 1 Fluoride Gel Toothpaste (.6 oz)
• 1 Hand Sanitizer (.5 oz)
• 5 Wet Naps

Why Do I Want A Home Store?

Storing food in your own home is one of the smartest decisions you can make. Think of it as "food insurance." You likely have car insurance and health insurance. You probably even have home owners or renter's insurance. Most people see these types of insurance as necessities, not luxuries. But, what would happen to your family if your food supply was suddenly cut off? Do you have food insurance?

Food storage is a great way to prepare your family for the following situations:

Natural Disaster
Earthquakes, floods, fires, tsunamis...we hear about these disasters all the time. Some of us may have even lived through them. If such were to happen in your area, it may be difficult to get food for some period of time. Having food stored in your home would allow you to still care for and feed your family.

Job Loss
In today's economy, everyone should be prepared for a possible job loss. If you were to lose part of all of your income, you will be forced to make tough decisions about what to spend your limited funds on. Having a food storage would allow you to continue to feed your family while using your limited funds to pay other bills.

Unexpected Bills
Unexpected car, health, or other bills can make your budget very tight. They can even make it seem impossible to meet all your obligations. Having a food storage allows you to lower or eliminate what you spend on food while you get caught up on unexpected bills.

Inflation
Food costs more and more each year. By purchasing food storage at today's prices, you can eat it tomorrow without being subject to the increased costs that are sure to come tomorrow. You can ride out waves of economic inflation by eating the food you purchased at yesterday's prices.

Convenience
While not as serious as some of the above issues, one of the biggest reasons to have food storage is convenience. Imagine never having to make a late night run to the store for eggs, milk, shortening, or even broccoli, chicken, or tomato sauce. On a really hectic week, you could skip grocery shopping all together and still make healthy meals for your family.