Emergency Preparation 101: How To Keep Your Family Safe In An Emergency: How To Ensure A Smooth Ride During Any Disaster – Audiobook
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Emergency Preparation 101: How To Keep Your Family Safe In An Emergency: How To Ensure A Smooth Ride During Any Disaster – Audiobook
Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe in a Crisis
Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe in a Crisis
Always Be Prepared
What if your life was disrupted by a natural disaster, food or water supply contamination, or any other type of emergency? Do you have the essentials for you and your family? Do you have a plan in the event that your power, telephone, water and food supply are cut off for an extended amount of time? What if there were no medical or pharmaceutical services available for days, weeks, or months? How prepared are you?
With this guide by your side, you and your family will learn how to plan, purchase, and store a three-month supply of all the necessities—food, water, fuel, first-aid supplies, clothing, bedding, and more—simply and economically. In other words, this book may be a lifesaver.
Inside you’ll find 10 steps to an affordable food storage program plus how to:
•Prepare a home “grocery store” and “pharmacy”
•Use what you store and store what you use
•Store water safely and provide for sanitation needs
•Create a first-aid kit, car kit, and 72-hour emergency kit for the whole family
•And many more invaluable hints and tips
“This clear, concise, step-by-step program is not only affordable and doable, it’s essential in these uncertain times. Now, everyone from apartment dwellers to basement owners can store a three-month supply of the essentials, including peace of mind!” — Joni Hilton, author of Once-a-Week Cooking Plan and Cooking Secrets My Mother Never Taught Me
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Natural Ways to Keep Food Fresh Longer
If you are interested in health and diet, you have probably read all the research which points to the benefits of fresh, unprocessed foods. Eating healthier nearly always means opting for fresh fruits, whole grains and unprocessed meats and fish. Unfortunately, choosing foods without preservatives does have a down side – food spoils faster. That is no reason to go back to eating over-processed foods full of chemical preservatives, though. Long before our dependence on chemical preservatives, our mothers knew the secrets to keeping food fresh longer naturally. Here are some tips to help you keep fresh fruits, grains, vegetables, meat and fish fresh longer – the natural way.
General Tips
1. Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature. It should be kept between 38 and 40 F. to keep your foods as fresh as possible without freezing them.
2. Keep your eye on expiration dates when you shop.
3. Do not store highly perishable foods in the refrigerator or freezer door. They are more prone to temperature fluctuation.
4. Moisture promotes rotting and mold. Wipe vegetables and fruits dry before storing and avoid storing in plastic bags.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables and fruits give off a gas called ethylene as they ripen. The ethylene sets off a chain reaction that causes the release of more ethylene, causing the food to ripen further. When fruits and vegetables are exposed to ethylene, they ripen faster. Some fruits and vegetables give off more ethylene than others – and some of them are more sensitive to ethylene than others.
1. Ethylene producers include apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, plums, and tomatoes.
2. Fruits and vegetables that are sensitive to the effects of ethylene include: apples, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, lettuces and other greens, potatoes, summer squash, and watermelons.
3. To keep fresh fruits and vegetables fresh longer, do not store any of the former group n the same drawers as those in the latter group.
4. Store fruits and vegetables in the warmest part of your fridge to preserve flavor.
5. Remove produce from plastic bags before storing. The bags trap the ethylene close to the fruit so that it ripens faster.
6.Wash produce and then dry well before storing. Moisture speeds rotting.
Meats and Eggs
1. Keep fresh meats refrigerated between 38-40 F.
2. Keep meat in original wrapping in refrigerator if you will be using it within two days.
3. Wrap meat in foil or freezer paper before freezing.
4. Make sure that there is plenty of air circulation around meat products in your refrigerator.
5. Store eggs pointed side down.
6. Wrap smoked meats like ham or bacon in a vinegar-soaked cloth.
7. Cool cooked meats quickly and completely before placing them in refrigerator.
Bread and Cereal Products
1. Store fresh bread in a cool, dark, dry place like a cupboard or breadbox.
2. Close the waxed paper inner bag of breakfast cereals tightly to preserve freshness. Better yet, transfer the cereal into a zipper lock plastic bag and put it back in the box.
3. Freeze bread that will not be used within a week. If you freeze artisan breads pre-sliced, you can just take a slice when you need it.
4. Keep soft cookies soft by storing them in a cookie jar or airtight container with a slice of bread.
5. Cut slices from loaf cakes like banana bread and pound cake from the middle instead of the end. After slicing, push the two ends together to reform the ‘loaf’. You don’t leave a cut end to get stale that way.
6. To keep cake moist, store it with half an apple in the container.
Dairy Products and Cheese
1. Store milk in its original container.
2. Do not store milk in the door where temperature is warmer.
3. Put milk back in refrigerator immediately after using.
4. Wrap cheese in waxed paper or plastic, then store in deli drawer.
5. Do not store ice cream in the freezer door. Keep it in the main part of the freezer.
6. Place a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper directly on the surface of the ice cream before storing. It will keep fresh longer.
Miscellaneous
1. Store coffee in an airtight, opaque container to preserver flavor and freshness.
2. Buy coffee in whole bean form and grind enough for one pot at a time.
3. If you buy more coffee than you can use in 3-4 days, store in an airtight container in the freezer/
4. Store avocadoes unbagged in the refrigerator.
5. Store bananas on the counter, unbagged.
6. Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) should be stored in their plastic container or a resealable plastic bag in the back of the refrigerator.
7. Wrap lettuce in damp paper towels and store in a plastic bag.
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about topics and products concerning food storage such as Green Bags.
How “green Bags” Can Keep Food Fresher Longer
Every day, consumers are bombarded with advertisements. If you watch TV, chances are that you’ve seen the Debbie Meyer “Green Bags,” plastic produce bags infomercials. These bags are marketed as a solution to food that rots quickly under normal circumstances. Whenever a product is advertised to be such a great solution to a common problem, especially in the infomercial setting, one has to wonder – does this product really work? However, in the case of green bags, science is on their side. Green Bags do work, and by understanding the process, you can learn how Green Bags can keep food fresh longer.
The concept for Green Bags first came about when researchers found that produce storage systems in a certain region of Japan were working better than anywhere else in the world. In this Japanese region, farmers were storing their fruits and vegetables in mountain caves. The caves were cool, dark, and dry, but researchers knew that there must have been something else as well. After studying the caves, they figured out that the land in this region had a high percentage of oya clay in the soil. This clay was the secret of the produce freshness occurring in these caves.
What was the clay doing to help with freshness? Well, as fruits and vegetables age, it gives off ethylene gas. This gas is absorbed by oya clay, keeping it away from the product. The Green Bags created by Debbie Meyer take this same concept, so that each Green Bag is like a tiny cave! You don’t have to freeze your produce to use these bags – it is all about a way to store fresh produce in your refrigerator for up to ten times longer.
Ethylene is a chemical compound found in almost all plants. Mostly, ethylene regulates how quickly fruits or vegetables ripen. In flowers, ethylene also controls when a flower blooms and when it sheds its leaves. The release of ethylene doesn’t stop when the fruit or vegetable is plucked from the plant. When you put, for example, strawberries in a plastic container, they release the ethylene. That gas is trapped in the container, where it continues to affect the berries. So, they rot faster, since the ethylene they have released is doing double duty.
With Green Bags, that ethylene is not allowed to continually affect the strawberries – or whatever fruits or vegetables are put into the bags. Instead, those gases are absorbed by the bags. The Green Bags are made from Zeolite, which acts like the clay in the caves and absorbs the gases. Zeolite is also used in water purification, laundry detergent, cat litter, and other products, and it is perfectly safe for containing food.
Green Bags can hold any kind of produce, including washed and cut fruits and vegetables. Keep in mind, however, that Green Bags are very absorbent. That means that they will absorb the odors of the fruits and vegetables. That means that you should have a different bag for each type of produce you keep. Otherwise, smells and flavors can transfer easily. In addition, if you cut the fruit, the juices will be absorbed and your food might dry out.
The Green Bags go farther than fruits and vegetables. Although it started that way, the Green Bags have evolved. Now, you can also get Yellow Bags to hold breads and other grains, Red Bags to hold meats, and Blue Bags to hold cheeses. You can also use any of the bags to hold flowers to keep them fresh. The different colors of bags do different things, depending on the types of gases given off by rotting foods.
Remember, the Green Bags (and other colors) only work well if you otherwise take steps to reducing the rotting of your food. For example, if you wash your peaches before you put them into a Green Bag, it is important to make sure that they are completely dry before storing them. In addition, storing your food in a cool and dark place can help you keep your foods as long as possible.
Although Green Bags can help you waste less food, the real key to storing food in the most efficient way possible is simply to avoid buying more than you need. Purchase your fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis instead of purchasing a lot of food at once. Debbie Meyers Green Bags can help you save money on food by slowing the spoiling process, but make sure that you are being practical with your purchases as well.
About Author:
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about topics and products concerning food storage such as Green Bags
How To Keep Your Storage Unit Pest Free
A little effort can go a long ways towards protecting your items while they are in storage. Anything worth paying to store is worth protecting it while it’s stored. Although you might do everything in your power to eliminate unwanted pests, you have to make sure that those in neighboring units are doing the same. It definitely pays to pay attention to pest control. There are some things that you can do to ensure that those unwanted pests stay far away.
Think about the condition of the things that you are putting in storage. If it is furniture then you must make sure that you vacuum it really good and eliminate any crumbs, debris and stains down in the cracks and crevices. These things just leave a breeding ground for bugs and mice that will catch a scent of it eventually. Thoroughly clean appliances, large and small, for the same reason. Those crumbs in the toaster tray, the food stuck on small appliances or pans invites in problems you don’t want. Clean means nothing to attract bugs or mice and without food and shelter they will not stay.
Don’t be afraid to use contained insecticides. Roach and ant baits can be an inexpensive thing to put in the corners as you don’t know what others have stored in their storage sheds. Use mouse and rat baits, or traps with peanut butter instead of cheese. Don’t use the traps if you don’t check it regularly, leaving one sit in the trap doesn’t catch others after the trap is sprung. Catnip is said to repel ants, lavender repels moths, sage repels slugs and mint can be effective against many kinds of pests. Mint and tansy are said to repel mice, although tansy can cause allergic reactions in some people.
Storing food is highly discouraged because it attracts pests. Boxed foods and plastic bags simply offer no resistance to mice and bugs, resulting in an infestation of pests that no one wants. Make sure up around the top there are not holes that birds can get into. Having a bird trapped in a storage unit can be very messy and unpleasant! Some units are not protected from heat and freezing, and not only can the items become damaged but anything under it also. This, in turn, can attract pests due to the oils or dampness. If you must store items like this go for a climate controlled unit, which better protects all of your items.
Perishable food items should never be stored in self storage units. In fact there are specialized warehouses or storage units that do store items which are perishable in nature for a temporary period. It has been noted that storage units that store personal belongings do not encourage storage of perishable items. The perishable food items are vulnerable to insect and rodent attack. There can be a vermin infestation and the loss to the storage facility could be humongous. Also insurance companies do not provide any kind of cover for goods destroyed if they are stored with perishable food items.
100% peppermint oil has such a strong scent that is overpowers the noses of mice and rats and forces them to run away. You might want to keep that in mind for some of your best items. Place the 100% peppermint oil strategically around your storage unit or where the mice are believed to be and that should do the trick.
Here are some thoughts to consider about rodents and pests. An average-size rat can squeeze through a gap about the width of your pinky finger, an adult mouse through a gap the thickness of a small magazine. Many fire investigators say one quarter of all structure fires of undetermined origin are caused by rodents gnawing on electrical wire. Short of seeing a live rat or smelling a dead one, the most obvious sign of the non-rent-paying creatures is their droppings. Rodent droppings vary in size, from one-eighth of an inch to a half-inch. They are about the same shape and texture of a popular rice breakfast cereal.
Storage facilities have rules and regulations that must be followed. Now you can only do so much on your part but look around and make sure that management is doing their job too. Make sure they have trimmed vegetation away from the structure. Make sure there are no holes that are left open around the facility. Still today, after hundreds of years the best way to kill a rat is with a spring-loaded metal trap mounted on a scrap of wood.
Simply Self Storage – What Could be Easier than Simply?
Simply Self Storage is the largest privately owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico. We own and/or operate over 228 facilities with over 16.1 million square feet of storage space.