Red Wheat vs White Wheat

In a lot of my recipes, I mention using Whole White Wheat flour.  I get many questions about it.   So, I thought I would clarify here.

First, I grind my own wheat flour from the whole white wheat using my Grain Mill.  You can get a Kitchen Mill Grain Mill for under $300 through Shelf Reliance.

I actually get my wheat (red and white) through the LDS cannery.  If you have a cannery near you, it costs less through them b/c they are non-profit.  You can read a bit more about the LDS canneries here.  You can also find a cannery near you.

Hard White Winter Wheat  was only introduced to the US Agricultural system in 1990.  So, there are many people who are unfamiliar with it. If you have only made homemade breads with hard red wheat, I highly  recommend you try the white version.  I absolutely love it.  Hard white wheat and hard red wheat are equal nutritionally.  But they do have some key differences.

Hard Red Wheat

Image from Uncle Dutch Farms

This is what most people think of when they think of wheat.  It is dark brown in color, and very high in protein.  It has a rather bitter taste and works best in rustic, artisian or other hard breads.  Recipes that call for hard red wheat flour typically call for more sugar to help mask the bitter taste.  Finished breads look like what most people think of when they think "wheat bread."

Hard White Wheat
It is golden in color b/c it has had the genes for bran color removed.  It is also very high in protein, though slightly less than the red variety.  Because it is missing the bran color that is found in red wheat it is sweeter and less bitter.  It works best in pan loaves, rolls and other soft breads.  Recipes that call for hard white wheat flour typically call for less sugar.   Finished breads look similar to 100% white bread but still have all the nutritional content of red wheat breads.

I've found it to be easier to use the hard white wheat when baking for my family as the breads made from it turn out more like those made from all-purpose white flour: both in color and in taste.

I am an independent consultant for Shelf Reliance; a company with a mission to empower others to become self reliant, prosperous and charitable.  You can learn more about Shelf Reliance, buying their products, earning free products, or selling their products on my Shelf Reliance website. 

References:

Wheat: Red vs White, Spring vs Winter

White Wheat

Where do I Start with THRIVE foods?

One question I'm often asked at parties is:

Where / How do I start purchasing THRIVE foods?

I offer a few recommendations:

Tip #1: Purchase items that are less expensive through Shelf Reliance than at the grocery store:

This it a great place to start because it doesn't cost you any extra money!  In fact, it will save you money on your grocery bill!  You can then use the money you are saving to purchase other more expensive items (like meat and cheese).  See which items are less expensive through Shelf Reliance.

Tip #2: Purchase items that your family wastes a lot of

Do you always through out celery? Bell peppers? Carrots? Onions?  Since THRIVE foods have such a long shelf life, purchasing these items from Shelf Reliance will eliminate that waste and save you money.  This will also help free up some money in your budget to purchase more expensive items.

Tip #3: Purchase items your family uses regularly.  
I use a lot of cheese and milk.  Dairy is my very favorite food group: my kiddos too.  So, I want to be sure I have a good stock of those items.  I don't ever want to have to do without them.  If I had to do without bell peppers or raspberries for a while, I could, but not milk and cheese.
In addition, purchasing items you know you will use will help you rotate through the items you store which eliminates waste.  For example, I like beans, but my husband won't touch them.  So, we don't go through beans very quickly in our home.  Years ago, I bought a bunch of dry beans to store "just in case," because they were cheap and a good source of protein and calories.  Unfortunately, we haven't used any of them.  I tried to cook some up a few days ago and it took FOREVER: they were rock hard.  I did eventually get them cooked, but it took a lot of water and heat.  Looking back, I wish I would have just spent a bit more to store real meat as our protein source: we will use it and it won't go to waste.

Tip #5: Purchase a variety of items
If you were to have to eat on just the items in your home store for a period of time due to economic or other crisis, you will not want to eat just one food group.  No matter how much I love dairy, I don't want to eat just dairy.  It wouldn't be healthy.  So, I recommend making sure you purchase things from each food group on a regular basis.  I may have more dairy than any other food group, but I do have some of everything: grains, fruits and veggies, dairy, meats and proteins, fats and even desserts.  So, once you've stocked the items recommended in tips #1-#4, make sure you fill in the gaps with items from each food group.

If you are interested in starting your own home grocery store using the tips above, you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website.
NO COUPON CODE NEEDED! 
As an independent consultant, Shelf Reliance has authorized me to sell their products at the lowest available price: lower than through Shelf Reliance directly or any other retailer!

Learn More About Shelf Reliance:

If you are interested in Shelf Reliance products or in learning more about the company, or are considering hosting a party or becoming a consultant I have some good news!  Shelf Reliance is going to be holding some "opportunity meetings" in the following locations over the next few weeks.  The first hour of this meeting will be a discussion and presentation of the company and products.  The rest of the meeting will be devoted to answering the questions of consultants and potential consultants!  If you are able to go, make sure you tell them that Misty from Your Own Home Store sent you!

Seattle , April 28^th  with Jason Budge (founder)Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center
17620 International Blvd.
Seattle, WA 98188
(206) 244-4800
6:00pm-9:00pm

Dallas, May 4^th with Jason Budge (founder)
Dallas Marriott Suites Market Center
2493 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207
(214) 905-0050
6:00pm-9:00pm

Houston, May 5^th with Jason Budge (founder)
Sheraton North Houston Hotel
15700 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Houston, TX 77032
(281) 442-5100
6:00pm-9:00pm
Oklahoma City, May 12^th with Jason Norton (Executive VP)Embassy Suites Hotel
1815 S. Meridian
Oklahoma City, OK 73108

Albuquerque , May 12^th with SethAdams  (Consultant manager)
Embassy Suites Albuquerque Hotel & Spa
1000 Woodward Place NE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
6:00pm-9:00pm
Denver, May 19 with Steve Palmer (founder)Country Inn & Suites
4343 N. Airport Way
Denver, CO 80239
(303) 375-1105
6:00pm-9:00pm

Logan, May 24^th with Seth Adams  (Consultant Manager)
Riverwoods Conference Center (Marriott)
635 South Riverwoods Parkway
Logan, UT 84321
6:00pm-9:00pm
Mesa, May 26 with Steve Palmer (founder)Mesa Convention Center
263 North Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85211
480-644-2178
6:00pm-9:00pm
Las Vegas, June 1^st with Seth Adams  (Constultant Manger)Holiday Inn Express
5760 Polaris Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89118
6:00pm-9:00pm
St. George, June 2^nd with Seth Adams (Consultant Manger)Courtyard Marriott
185 South 1470 East
St. George, UT 84790
6:00pm-9:00pm
Boise, June 1^st with Steve Palmer (founder)Hilton Garden Inn
145 E. Riverside Drive
Eagle, Idaho 83616
6:00pm-9:00pm

Idaho Falls, June 2 with Steve Palmer (founder)
Holiday Inn Express
2270 Channing Way
Idaho Falls, ID 83404
(208) 542-9800
6:00pm-9:00pm
Kansas City, June 8 with Jason Budge (founder)Holiday Inn, Kansas City Airport
1178 North Ambassador Dr.
Kansas City, Missouri
816-801-8400
6:00pm-9:00pm

Ricotta Cheese from THRIVE Instant Milk

So, I need ricotta cheese for dinner tonight; we were having lasagna.  I realized late in the day that I had forgotten to get any at the store.  So, I quickly "googled" homemade ricotta.  I found a bunch of recipes, but the one thing they all had in common was milk, vinegar and salt.  I figured I had all those ingredients so I'd give it a try.  I decided to use the THRIVE instant milk to see if this would be something I could make from the items in my home grocery store. Here is what I did:

• 8 cups water
• 1 1/2 c. THRIVE Instant milk
• 3 T. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Place water, milk and salt in large pot on medium high heat.  Allow milk to heat up slowly. Stir occasionally. Once you see steam start to form above the surface, stir constantly until it boils. Remove from heat, add the vinegar and stir gently for one minute.  Curds will begin forming . Cover and allow it to sit undisturbed for at least 30 minutes (some recipes suggested 2+ hrs, I didn't have that much time, so I just did 30 minutes). 

Ladle the ricotta into a fine mesh colander (you can also line the colander with cheese cloth, I didn't have any so I skipped this step). Place the colander (with the ricotta in it) in a larger pan so it can drain. Let it drain for for 10+ minutes (depending on how wet / dry you want your cheese). 

I then used it in our lasagna tonight and it was great!  I don't think I'll ever buy it at the store again: too expensive!  Plus, this was fat free!

If you are interested in purchasing THRIVE Instant milk at a discount, you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website.  

NO COUPON CODE NEEDED!  

As an independent consultant, Shelf Reliance has authorized me to sell their products at the lowest available price: lower than through Shelf Reliance directly or any other retailer!

THRIVE foods tip: Buy Pantry Cans!

It is likely that I am one of the more frugal people you will ever know.  That's not to say there aren't many others out there just like me: probably more now than a few years ago considering the economy, but still.  I "coupon" like crazy and get our groceries (including diapers) for about $80 / week for our family of six.  I never spend more than a few dollars on my kids clothing items, and try to stay under $10-$15 for most clothing items I buy for my husband and I.  I take advantage of lots of little money saving programs from Swagbucks to Groupon.  If you tell me there is a way to get quality items for less, I'm there.

So, when I was living with my parents last summer (when I was introduced to THRIVE: you can read about it here), and found out that my Mom bought their pantry cans, I was appalled at first.  It was certainly NOT something I was going to do!


Why was I so appalled?  Well, the cost per serving is much higher in a pantry can than it is in a #10 can.  It just didn't make sense to me!  But, she did so for two reasons:

Reason #1: Less of an initial investment
While the cost / serving is higher in the pantry cans, the actual cost of the pantry cans is less.  So, she was able to try some items for a bit less money before investing in an entire #10 can.  I told her, she should just call her consultant (me) to try those items for free.  I'd be happy to send her a few samples. (I would also be happy to do so for you if you are interested!)
Reason #2: They fit better in her pantry.
She liked being able to keep many different THRIVE items at her fingertips in her small pantry right in her kitchen.  She simply didn't have room for a bunch of  #10 cans.  I thought she was silly.  Why didn't she just walk down to the storage room to get what she needed when she wanted to use THRIVE?


Needless to say, I wasn't sold.

Once I moved back to California, I bought just #10 cans for quite a while...until my little kitchen pantry was full of them...about 6 of them.  *ha ha*  I quickly realized that given the number of THRIVE foods I was using on a regular basis, I really needed a way to make them more accessible.  I just hadn't really understood how often I would actually be using these incredible foods in my everyday cooking!  So, I took my mother's advice and started buying pantry cans.  I only buy one pantry can of each item: just once.  I simply refill my pantry cans with what I have in my # 10 cans in my "storage area."

I've had some people tell me that they will just use old peanut butter cans or pasta jars.  Part of the reason that these items have such a long opened shelf life is b/c of the quality of the cans they come in: they are doubled lined and help maintain the flavor, texture, and nutrients found in the original product.  If you do decide to store your food in another type of jar / can, please know that Shelf Reliance cannot guarantee the shelf life.  Plus, the little pantry cans are just so cute:

Who wouldn't want a pantry lined with them?

Being so frugal, I actually think it is pretty funny, but many, many people comment that one of the reasons they like to buy THRIVE is b/c of how "cute" the cans are!

Save Money using THRIVE foods

A question I often get a parties is: How do the prices of THRIVE foods compare to the cost of the fresh version at the grocery store?   

A few years ago I started tracking grocery store prices.  I wanted to build my home store of non-THRIVE items (I didn't even know about THRIVE then) at the lowest possible price.  So, each week, I would enter multiple grocery store ads into a database I created.  That database tracked the prices of thousands of items.  I always knew what the lowest possible price was for almost any item sold at the grocery store.  With this knowledge, I was able to build my own home store of grocery items at the lowest possible price.  

While I no longer track grocery prices with that much detail (I don't have the time since I had my 4th baby and became a Shelf Reliance consultant), I do still keep an eye on "stock-up prices" for many items.  When I found THRIVE foods (you can read that story here), I was very pleased to find out that many items actually cost less through THRIVE than they typically do at the grocery store.

By buying (and using) the following items through Shelf Reliance, you can save money on your grocery bill.  I figure I save about $200 / year by using the following:

• Tomato Powder: Save $1-$2 per bottle of Tomato Juice, and $0.30-$0.50 per can of sauce or paste.  I no longer buy any canned tomato paste, sauce, or juice.
• Whole Egg Powder: Save about $1-$1.25 per dozen.  I have completely replaced all eggs I use in baking with Whole Egg Powder with no difference in the results.
• Freeze Dried Celery: Save about $0.75-$1 per bunch.  I use freeze dried celery whenever a soup or casserole calls for it.
• Carrot Dices: Save about $0.50-$0.60 per 1 lb bag.  I use the dehydrated carrots whenever a soup or casserole calls for it.
• Freeze Dried Onion: Save about $0.50-$0.60 per onion.  I use freeze dried onion whenever a soup or casserole calls for it.  I also use them on pizza or calzones, and in omelets.
• Freeze Dried Blueberries: Save about $0.75-$1 per 6 oz pkg.  I use them for blueberry pancakes or muffins etc.
• Mixed Bell Peppers: Save about $0.75-$1 per bell pepper.  I use them in casseroles, soups, pizza, calzones, omelets etc.
• Butter Powder: Save about $0.25-$0.50 per 16 oz box (compared to real butter, not margarine).  I use this in breads, but not cookies.
  
• Shortening Powder: Save about $0.30-$0.50 per 48 oz can.  I use this in breads and tortillas, but not cookies.

If you are interested in purchasing the Shelf Reliance products listed above at a discounted price (5%-40% off retail), you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website.
NO Shelf Reliance COUPON CODE NEEDED! 

One Dish THRIVE Rice Meal

This is a very quick, easy and healthy recipe.  It only takes about 5 minutes to throw all the ingredients in a pot.  Then just turn on the heat and dinner is ready 30 minutes later without any additional work on your part!

• 1 cup THRIVE freeze dried sausage or ground beef or roast beef (I actually used fresh beef in the picture on the right) 
• 1/4 c. THRIVE mixed bell peppers
• 1/3 c. THRIVE freeze dried celery
• 1/4 c. THRIVE freeze dried onion
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 2 T. garlic powder
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 c. rice 
• 2 T. THRIVE beef bouillon
• 3 1/2 c. water

Mix all ingredients in a large pot.  Stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until rice is tender. You may need to stir it occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan or add a bit of water if it gets too dry before the rice tender.  Enjoy! 

If you are interested in purchasing the Shelf Reliance products listed above at a discounted price (5%-40% off retail), you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website.
NO Shelf Reliance COUPON CODE NEEDED!  

Hydrating THRIVE freeze dried yogurt

I found it a bit difficult to figure out just how to rehydrate this yogurt.  Hopefully, the following tips will help:

Add 1/4 cup hot water to 1 cup of the dry yogurt bits.  Mix.  Let sit for 1-2 minutes then mix again.  Let sit for another 1-2 minutes and mix again.  Chill.

It works best to add warm water and then chill.  However, it can be done with cold water.  It will just take longer for the bits to completely hydrate.

1 cup dry bits = about 1/4 cup hydrated yogurt.

If you are interested in purchasing THRIVE yogurt at a discounted price (9%-11% off retail), you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website. NO COUPON CODE NEEDED! 

THRIVE Apple Slices vs Apple Chips

Shelf Reliance sells two different types of dehydrated apples:

Apple Chips and Apple Slices:

I'm often asked what the difference is.  This chart should answer the question:

If you are interested in purchasing THRIVE apples at a discounted price (12%-17% off retail), you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website. NO COUPON CODE NEEDED! 

Want to Save Money On Milk and Eggs?

The Baking Essentials pack that is on special this month is a great way to save money on milk and eggs!

For $89.99 (regularly $123) you get 236 eggs, and 15 gallons of milk! PLUS: twelve 1 cups sticks of shortening and twenty-four 1 cup sticks of butter!  It works out to be just under $3 per gallon of milk and just $0.76 per dozen eggs!  The butter and shortening are less than the average grocery store prices too!

If you haven't tasted THRIVE instant milk, you should!  It is amazing.  No difference from fresh non-fat milk.  SERIOUSLY!  And if you want it to taste more like 2%, just add a little more powder!

The eggs work wonders in baking.  Many people prefer them as they are more exact.  Many things I bake turn out better with the powdered eggs.

The shortening and butter work very well in breads.  They change the texture a bit in cookies: makes things a little lighter and chewier.

If you are interested in purchasing the Baking Essentials pack, you must CONTACT ME DIRECTLY.  This is only available to my personal preferred customers.  You can call me from 7 am -10 pm PST Mon.-Sat. or email me anytime.  I typically respond to email with an hour or two and if I don't answer my phone, I'm likely caring for my kids, but will call you back within minutes (most of the time).  I look forward to hearing from you!

Misty Marsh
760-637-7296
misty@yourownhomestore.com

Shelf Reliance in the News

Public interest in preparing for disaster, financial or otherwise, is really picking up!  Check out this article in the LA Times that highlights a family that is using Shelf Reliance's products to prepare.  It is very well written and talks about while building a home store "was once the purview of survivalists preparing for Armageddon," it is now becoming almost a necessity given the large and sudden increase in food prices.

Freeze Dried Food and the New Frugal Frontier

If you are interested in joining the Huffman's in preparing your family, you can find Shelf Reliance's products at a 5%-45% discount on my Shelf Reliance Website. NO COUPON CODE NEEDED!  If you have any questions or want some guidance in knowing where to start, just contact me!  I'd be happy to help.

THRIVE Calzones

Most of my THRIVE home parties are pizza parties.  I typically hydrate a bunch of pizza toppings before going to the party.  At the party, the guests talk about /taste/ touch the toppings dry and hydrated.  Well, I got to thinking: wouldn't it be awesome if I could show just how easy these products really are to use?  So, I found an awesome quick pizza dough recipe and decided to try calzones.

These are SO fast!  The dough takes 15 minutes.  You don't have to rehydrate anything.  Use this recipe instead of going to McDonalds!  I promise it will take you less time to make these than it takes to drive to McDonalds and back! 

Quick THRIVE Calzones:

Dough:

• 2 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 T. THRIVE Shortening powder
• 2 T. THRIVE Cornmeal
• 2 1/2 cup THRIVE whole white wheat flour

Sauce: Check out this recipe using THRIVE tomato powder

Toppings: Whatever you want!  I like Ham (TVP or freeze dried) and pineapple.  I also make them with sausage, mushroom and bell peppers.  You could also try a white sauce with spinach, chicken and mushrooms.  Don't forget the THRIVE freeze dried cheese!  Leave a comment telling me what you come up with!

Preheat oven to 425.  Dissolve yeast in warm water and add sugar.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes (it should be very foamy).  While dough sits, get out your THRIVE tomato powder and use this recipe to make up some quick sauce.  

Once yeast is nice and foamy, add other ingredients and then beat vigorously for 20 seconds.  Allow to rest for another 5 minutes with plastic wrap (or a towel) over it.  

Divide dough into four parts.  Roll each section into a ball, then roll the dough out on a floured surface.  As you roll it out, turn the dough a quarter turn with each stroke until it is about 8 inches in diameter.

 

Place your toppings on one side of each calzone circle.  Cover with sauce.  Make sure your toppings are covered or they won't hydrate properly.  Fold calzones over and press with fork to close.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until browned.

If you are interested in purchasing the Shelf Reliance products listed above at a discounted price (5%-40% off retail), you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website. NO COUPON CODE NEEDED! 

How Healthy is Freeze Dried Produce?

Many of Shelf Reliance's THRIVE foods are freeze dried.  Freeze dried foods have many benefits:

• A long shelf life, making them ideal for "food insurance"
• Lightweight (about 90% lighter than fresh), making them convenient and easy to eat on the go
• Easy to rehydrate so they can be used very similarly to the fresh product, making them ideal for your own home grocery store.
• Healthy!

Yes, that is right, freeze dried foods are healthy: they are good for you! 

Who says freeze dried foods are healthy?
In fact, the American Institute for Cancer Research proposes that while water and oxygen are removed from freeze dried foods, the nutritional value of the food is not changed or reduced.  In addition, The American Dietetic Association suggests that freeze dried produce contains the same amounts of antioxidants as the fresh counterparts. 

What exactly happens during the freeze drying process?
Here is how freeze drying works:

• Fresh produce is allowed to ripen until it reaches its peak (when it has the maximum possible nutrients)
• It is then cleaned, sliced or chopped and flash frozen
• The oxygen is removed (a vacuum chamber is created)
• 98% of the water is removed, but none of the nutrients are removed.
• It is sealed in moisture and oxygen proof cans to ensure freshness
• Once you re-hydrate the food it retains its original color, shape, flavor, nutrients, and most of its texture. (Imagine what a piece of produce would be like if you froze it and then thawed it out.  That is what freeze dried produce is like when hydrated)

Better than fresh produce?
Unlike some produce you buy at the grocery store, freeze dried produce is not picked before it is fully ripe, there are no hormones used to force it to ripen quickly, nor it does not sit in a truck or at the store or in your fridge losing nutrients before you eat it.  It, and all its nutrients, are flash frozen.  Then, you can enjoy it, and those nutrients, up to 25 years later any time of the year!

Even better, freeze dried foods require no additives, preservatives, salt or sugar to retain that 25 yr shelf life.  What goes into the can (fresh produce) is exactly what comes out!

References:

• American Institute for Cancer Research: Are freeze dried fruits a good health choice?
• Health effects of freeze dried food

$115 Giveaway Winner Annoucement

This giveaway was so fun!  I really enjoyed hearing what everyone would have chosen if they were the winner.  There was a HUGE variety of items.  I was actually surprised at how many of you were interested in the food rotation systems.  I think I'll need to get a post up about that soon!

I've also decided that I'm going to try to do a similar giveaway every other month or so.  So, if you didn't win, be sure to subscribe in a reader or by email so you can be sure to hear about the next giveaway!

If you'd still like to try some products for free, you can host a party and earn free and 1/2 off product!  If you don't live near me, I also offer virtual parties.  Let me know if you are interested!

Or, you could always just order at a discount directly on my Shelf Reliance website.  Also, please let me know if you would like me to create a preferred customer account for you.  With this account, you will be able to shop at a discount on both my website and the main Shelf Reliance site.  All I need is your email.  Just enter it on the contact form!

If you have any questions about Shelf Reliance products, be sure to contact me as well!

Alright, on to the winner:

According the the random number generator at random.org, comment #22 is our winner:

Here is that comment:

Congrats Deborah!

I've sent Deborah an email and once she decides, I will let you know what she chooses for her prize!  Oh, I'm so excited!  Yay Deborah!

Prices of Many Basic Food Staples up 20% Since January

I read a lot of other blogs: cooking blogs, couponing blogs, and especially blogs that promote self reliance.  I firmly believe that self reliance is one (very important) key to happiness.  While I appreciate much (most) of the information I find on these other blogs, one thing I've tried to stay away from here at Your Own Home Store is the "doom and gloom" approach.  I don't want to scare anyone into buying "food insurance" or emergency supplies.  When people buy such things out of panic they often go into debt to do so and that is never a good idea.  Debt does not bring self reliance.

So, when I saw the following interesting article on many other blogs, I debated whether to mention it here or not.  Well, I've decided to do so.  Please just take it as helpful information.  If you have the funds to purchase "food insurance," but have just been waiting to for one reason or another, please take this article into consideration.

The LDS Church (of which I am a member) has many canneries all over the world where they package basic foods for long term storage: wheat, beans, powdered milk, rice, sugar, oats, flour. The LDS church strongly promotes self reliance (in all aspects, not just food insurance) and does all it can to make that possible for people all over the world.  You can read more about this mission on their website: Provident Living.  I purchase many items from the cannery as they have the lowest prices around.  The reason they can offer these low prices is because the canneries operate on a non-profit basis.  You pay the cost of the food + the cost to have it properly packaged.  Period. 

That is the reason why I found the following article interesting.  The LDS Church has raised the prices of the many of the foods in their canneries by more than 20% since January.  That is a HUGE increase! And since they operate on a non-profit basis, I believe (and note that I'm not an expert) that to be a reliable barometer for food price increases overall.  If someone who is just trying to break even (not make a profit) is being forced to significantly increase their prices, what is going to happen at grocery stores or restaurants?  The owners of these businesses make their livelihood on selling their goods to us.  Food price increases are going to hit them hard and they are going to have to pass those costs on to us: the consumer.

Besides our country's own economic situation, there are many world events that are behind this increase.  I hope this increase is just a temporary increase that only lasts a few month, but even if it is, a few months is a long time to be paying 20% more for your food.  That means that a family that was spending $600 a month on food will now be spending $720!

For me personally, this is the biggest reason why I have a home store.  Yes, I want to be prepared in case I survive a natural disaster and yes, I'd like to be prepared if I were to suddenly have unexpected medical bills, but in my mind, the "disaster" I believe I am most likely to face is economic.  I want to be prepared in case food simply becomes unaffordable.  And when (and if) that happens, I want to be able to feed my family foods they enjoy and are familiar with.  That is why I am investing in THRIVE foods: I can use them just like the fresh product in most cases and would be able to continue to make many of the same meals I do now.

If you are interested in reading more about the LDS cannery increasing their food prices, you can find the article here: Prices for LDS canneries show inflation up between 11% and 49%.

THRIVE Marinara Sauce with Tomato Powder

Another thing you can do with THRIVE tomato powder is to make a great spaghetti / lasagna / pizza / marinara sauce.  While the variations are endless, here is how I make mine:

•  2 cups water
• 1/2 c. THRIVE tomato powder
• 1/2. c. THRIVE brown sugar
• 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Dried Basil
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp. Dried Parsley
• 1/2 tsp. Celery Seed
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Dill Weed

Add THRIVE freeze dried sausage or ground beef for spaghetti or lasagna sauce, or use as pizza sauce and top with your favorite THRIVE freeze dried fruit and veggies!

You can also find a basic conversion chart for making  tomato paste, sauce, and juice from THRIVE tomato powder here.  By making these products with your tomato powder, you will spend less than you would purchasing them at the grocery store!

If you are interested in purchasing THRIVE tomato powder at a discounted price (7% off retail), you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website.
NO COUPON CODE NEEDED! 

Looking for a Shelf Reliance Coupon Code?

One question I'm often asked by those looking to purchase food storage, food rotation systems or emergency supplies at a discount is:

Where can I find a coupon code for Shelf Reliance?

The answer is simple:  ME!  I am your Shelf Reliance "coupon!" I am an authorized independent shelf reliance consultant, which means I can give you the lowest available price on all Shelf Reliance products.

How much will you save?
Just how much am I "worth" as your Shelf Reliance coupon?  Well, you will typically pay 5%-45% less than retail price when you shop through my Shelf Reliance website.  Your savings will vary depending on the product.

Thrive food storage
You will save 5%-20% when you buy food storage ( Thrive food storage)

Shelf Reliance Food Rotation Systems
You will save 35%-50% off food rotation systems
*You may need to add some items to your cart in order to see the discount.*
For example:
     *The popular Harvest food rotation system (that holds up to 460 cans!) is on sale for $270.29 (regularly $459.99)
     *The popular Cansolidator Pantry is on sale for $21.92 (regularly $44.99)

Emergency / Camping Supplies
You will save 2%-20% on emergency and camping supplies

A few more details:
The least expensive way to buy Shelf Reliance products is through a consultant (ME!).  While there are occasionally coupon codes available for Shelf Reliance products, you will still pay less if you purchase through a consultant instead of using the coupon code on the retail prices.
Shelf Reliance has a contract with their consultants (me!).  They guarantee that I will always be able to offer the lowest price on all their products.  The prices you pay by purchasing through me are less than you will pay anywhere else (including shelfreliance.com directly) with or without a coupon.

How to get these great savings:
All you need to do is shop directly through my Shelf Reliance website.  So, instead of going to shelfreliance.com, go to yourownhomestore.shelfreliance.com and click on "purchase."  Or, click on any of the links in my posts that link directly to Shelf Reliance products.  You will get a discount that way too!

In addition to the above discounts that are offered by Shelf Reliance through all their consultant, I also offer a few Shelf Reliance specials each month that are unique to my blog and offered at my own expense.

Stay up to date on all the discounts and specials
If you'd like to stay up to date on all the specials, you can join my mailing list by simply entering your email address below.  

You can expect to get 1-3 updates a month about specials, price increases and new products:

Would you like to be authorized to offer these discounts to your friends and family?  
Anyone who is a Shelf Reliance consultant can offer these prices to their friends, family and acquaintances.  Plus, consultants can even earn commission back on their own qualified purchases.  Interested?  Become a Shelf Reliance consultant!

So, there you go:  ME--the easiest Shelf Reliance coupon code ever!  

Aren't you glad you "know" me?

© Copyright Misty Marsh, March 2011

THRIVE Chicken Sandwiches

I got the idea for these sandwiches from Amber over at Sprinkled with Flour.  If you are ever looking for an amazing sweet treat, check her blog.  She is talented!   Unfortunately, I totally forgot to take a picture when I made them the other night.  So, if you want to see a picture of this sandwich, head over to this post at Sprinkled with Flour!

One meal that a lot of Shelf Reliance consultants make at their parties is a shredded chicken salad served on rolls or crackers.  The only problem is that is uses mayonnaise which doesn't have an extremely long shelf life and must be refrigerated once opened.   I've wanted to find a sandwich for a while that was similar but didn't use mayonnaise.  This one fit well.  I used the basic idea from Sprinkled with Flour and then added a few extra THRIVE ingredients.  While it isn't 100% THRIVE, it is 100% "home store" items.  Or, in other words, all the ingredients store well for a long time.

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp paprika

2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/8 tsp cinnamon

4 cups THRIVE freeze dried chicken dices

2 Tbsp THRIVE freeze dried celery

1/2 Tbsp THRIVE freeze dried onions

2 Cups water

2 Tbsp THRIVE chicken broth

Rolls (try these, they are tasty)

1 cup THRIVE freeze dried cheddar cheese

Hydrate THRIVE cheese according to directions here.  Mix all of the other ingredients (except rolls of course) together in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes.  Remove most of the chicken broth from the pan.  Leave just enough to make it the desired consistency for your sandwiches.  Place some of the chicken mixture on a roll, and top with hydrated shredded cheese.  Put the rolls under the oven broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

If you are interested in purchasing the Shelf Reliance products listed above at a discounted price (5%-40% off retail), you may do so directly on my Shelf Reliance Website. NO COUPON CODE NEEDED!  If you would like to lower the prices you see there by 1%-4%, you can attend or host a party or create a Q. 

April & May 2011 Shelf Reliance Specials

You can purchase most of the specials below on my Shelf Reliance website. There are a few you need to order directly through me and they are noted. If you have any questions about them, please contact me.

Please note: If you have a Q, you will pay 1%-4% less than the prices listed here.  If you don't have a Q, but would like to create one or have questions about it, you can learn more about the Q here.

THRIVE FOOD PACKAGES

The following packages can be ordered directly on my Shelf Reliance website

Fruit Sample Pack #10 Cans: $226.99
635 Servings in fourteen #10 Cans
WOW!!! Just $16.21 per can and almost all of it is freeze dried! The average regular retail price for a can of fruit is $27.56! That is a savings of $11.35 per can!

One Year Entree Supply: $1304.99

989 Servings in 42 #10 Cans

This package provides 1 year of dinners for a family of three or 6 months of dinners for a family of six.  That is just $1.19 per person per meal!  They have a 5-10 year shelf life!  I love planning one "easy" dinner each week to give myself a break from cooking.  These meals are quick, easy, healthy, and low cost! 

Fruits and Veggies Deluxe Food Storage Pack: $908.99:

45 #10 Cans of Fruits and Veggies PLUS a Reserve food rotation system

This package provides enough fruits and vegetables for 1 person for 9 months (or 3 people for 3 months).  The Reserve food rotation system will hold 56 #10 cans or up to 220 regular cans. 

THRIVE FOOD PACKAGES

THE FOLLOWING PACKAGES MUST BE ORDERED DIRECTLY THROUGH ME:(misty@yourownhomestore.com or 760-637-7296):

Freeze Dried Cheese Six Pack: $184: SEE DETAILS HERE
177 Servings in Six #10 Cans:

Just $30.67 per can! The average regular retail price for a can of cheese is $43.82! That is a savings of $13.15 per can!

Deluxe Meats Variety Pack: $184: SEE DETAILS HERE
288 Servings in Six #10 Cans
Just $30.67 per can! The average regular retail price for these meats is $44.99! That is a savings of $14.32 per can!

Ultimate Veggie Pack: $383.99: SEE DETAILS HERE
1359 Serving in Thirty #10 Cans
 

Baking Essential Package: $89.99: SEE DETAILS HERE
568 Servings in Six #10 Cans.  
Works out to be less than $3 per gallon of milk and about $0.76 per dozen eggs!

Yogurt Variety Pack: $162.20: SEE DETAILS HERE

264 Serving in Six #10 Cans

THRIVE foods #10 Cans:

Can order directly on my Shelf Reliance Website

You can save an additional 5% by purchasing items in a package of six.

Fruit:

• Apple Chips: $12.49 (15% off)
• Apple Slices: $12.69 (20% off)
• Banana Chips: $8.79 (18% off)
• FD Banana Slices: $26.79 (10% off)
• FD Mandarin Oranges: $21.69 (10% off)
• FD Mangoes: $22.39 (10% off)

Vegetables:

• Chopped Onions: $11.29 (20% off)
• FD Green Peas: $18.79 (15% off)
• Split Green Peas: $9.09 (15% off)
• FD Potato Dices: $18.19 (10% off)
• Potato Beads: $14.89 (10% off)
• FD Spinach: $16.49 (10% off)

Grains:

• 6 Grain Pancake Mix: $10.29 (10% off)
• Pearled Barley: $6.09 (19% off)
• Egg Noodle Pasta: $8.59 (15% off)
• Germade: $6.99 (19% off)
• White Rice: $7.79 (19% off)

Dairy:

• FD Cheddar Cheese: $39.79 (10% off)
• FD Colby Cheese: $45.79 (10% off)
• FD Monterey Jack Cheese: $43.99 (10% off)
• FD Mozzarella Cheese: $33.49 (10 % off)
• Passion Fruit, Pomegranate or Strawberry Yogurt: $33.29 (10% off)
• Vanilla Yogurt: $36.59 (10% off)
• Blueberry Yogurt: $36.69 (10% off)
• Orange Yogurt: $37.99 (10% off)

Meats & Beans:

• Dry Black Beans: $11.59 (15% off)
• Dry Kidney Beans: $10.09 (15% off)
• FD Instant Pinto or Red Beans: $12.99 (10% off)
• FD Instant Black Beans: $13.49 (10% off)

Basics:

• Beef Bullion: $22.19 (20% off)
• Chicken Bullion: $25.59 (15% off)
• Brown Sugar: $11.39 (10 % off)
• Powdered Sugar: $9.29 (11% off)

Desserts:

• FD Ice cream Bars: $24.09 (10% off)
• FD Ice cream Sandwiches: $26.49 (10% off)

Food Rotation Systems:

Can order directly on my Shelf Reliance Website

These are amazing prices. Most are close to 40%-50% off!

• Cansolidator Pantry: $21.92 (52% off) 
• Cansolidator Cupboard: $19.88 (44% off) 
• Harvest 72": $270.29 (43% off) 
• Harvest 72" for #10 cans only: $270.29 (43% off) 
• Harvest 72" for Pantry cans only: $280.50 (40% off) 
• Ready Racks: (the 4 configurations that are regularly $449.99): $280.49 (39% off)
  All other rotation systems and accessories: 35% OFF!

 Emergency Supplies

Can order directly on my Shelf Reliance Website

• XXV Series Deluxe First Aid Kit: $29.69 (regularly $35.99)
• Fire Escape Ladder 3 Story: $69.29 (regularly $99.99)
• Outdoor Camp Oven, 2 Burner: $247.49 (regularly $279.99)
• Solar Sun Oven: $281.21 (regularly $324.99)
• Stove in a Can (these are great for 72 hr kits): $16.99 (regularly $19.99)
• 10 Function Survival Tool: $3.95 (regularly $4.99)
• Dynamo Lantern: $12.86 (regularly $14.99)
• Deluxe Survival Kit: $59.59 (regularly $69.99)
• 2 Person Survival Pack (THIS IS AN AMAZING PRICE): $89.99 (regularly $160!)  You can get it for $79.10 if you are on the Q.