PART 5
The Pantry & Freezer

Okay! We have gone shopping and saved a ton of money and we have lots of food in our pantry and freezer. Now what? Well, we want to keep our food safe. We have a freezer full of food - but what happens if the electricity goes out – won’t the food in my freezer spoil? Yes, that can happen. But we can take steps to protect the food.

One thing that I do is to make ice blocks. During most of the year, when we lose power, it is only for a short time and our food is not usually affected. However, hurricane season is coming and I have been without power for up to 3 days. When I hear that a storm is forming in the gulf, I start making ice blocks. I take a plastic container and fill it with water and put it in the freezer. Once it is frozen, I take it out of the plastic container and put it in a Ziploc bag and put it back in the freezer. I continue making ice blocks and place them throughout my freezer. If we should lose power, the ice blocks will help to keep the food frozen for a longer period of time. After the 2004 hurricane season, I bought a generator. So, I do have a backup plan if I should need it. However, backup plans don’t always work. The very next hurricane we had, a tree fell on my generator and I wasn’t able to use it. So much for planning ahead! The ice blocks work and hopefully the power will come back on before they melt.

We also have a pantry full of food. How do we keep it safe? Things like rice, pasta, flour, sugar and cereal are susceptible for bugs. Usually ants. Somehow they know you got food and they want it. I put my flour and sugar in the freezer. It doesn’t hurt it at all. When you need it, take it out of the freezer and allow it to come to room temperature and then put it in a plastic container (canister). I put my rice and pasta into Ziploc bags. It keeps bugs out. If somehow there are bugs in the box, then the plastic bag will keep them from spreading to other packages. For the cereal, I have a plastic container made just for cereal. No sense in having a full pantry if we end up throwing it all away because we didn’t take precautions.

I just want to say a few words about hoarding. Stocking your pantry isn’t hoarding. Hoarders take stockpiling to extremes. I have heard stories about hoarders – people that will buy 300 packs of paper towels because they were on sale for a really good price. They wipe out the store shelves and leave nothing for anyone else. Stocking our pantry and freezer is providing for our family. We are not trying to store enough food for the next 10 years. We need to be considerate of other shoppers and allow them to take advantage of the deals also. There is nothing wrong with having some extra items in our pantry. We just don’t want to go overboard and cross the greedy line. Some people end up with lots of extra stuff and then need to have a garage sale to get rid of it.

The point is to save money, not waste it. Use the food you buy – don’t allow it to go to waste or get destroyed by critters. You can save a ton of money buying food but it is money wasted if the food gets thrown out.

Don’t buy more than you can possibly use – even if it is a great price (unless you plan to share it with others). A great way to help people in your community is by donating food to your local food bank. If you see a really good sale, buy a few extra and donate them. You can make a difference with a small amount of money used.

There you have it - storing the food you bought and keeping it safe – which will save you money. That should put a smile on your face.

Stay tuned for Part Six . . .