Kellene Bishop of Preparedness Pro is such a guru on preparedness and preserving foods.  She recently referenced this article and since that’s something I do quite often, I thought I’d share some of what I do for my preserved foods.

I will ruin my reputation here because, for the most part, boxed mixes don’t find much favor with my menu planning.  There are a few exceptions.  I buy Ramen noodles for the Chinese Cabbage Salad recipe that I make.  I buy cake mixes because sometimes they’re used as the base in good cakes.  I buy brownie mix because Vince likes brownies and I do not!  That’s kinda bad, huh?  Seriously, he picks times when I couldn’t eat another bite and he’s starving for brownies so . . a mix is what I make.  I buy a Risotto mix that I’ve found at Big Lots, and though it’s loaded with sodium and we don’t eat it often, I really like it.  The exception to those exceptions is that I only buy these items, as with most items, when they’re on sale.

Since I am 100% sure that properly preserved, cake mixes, brownie mixes, Ramen noodles and Risotto will last at least five years, so when I find them on sale, I buy a lot!  A whole lot!  Prices haven’t been going down lately so I consider my well stocked pantry just as important as money in the bank.  I keep an inventory of what I have and what I use and what I need.  My pantry is set up so that I pull from the front and stock from the back so the newest items are in the back.  I use the older items in the front first.

Here’s what I do with those mixes.  I take them out of the box and cut the instructions off the box.

On the flap of the bag, I write any identifying info that I need to write.

Using half gallon Mason jars, I can stuff two cake mixes into one jar, or two brownie mixes into one jar, or three Risotto mixes into a jar.  Using the jar sealer attachment to the FoodSaver, I seal the jars.

 I label the outside of the jar.  These were labeled with Post-It tape but I put packing tape over that.

The jars go into their original boxes, along with the instruction portion which I’ve cut from the boxes.

Any time I need or want a cake mix or brownie mix, or whatever I might have, I go to the pantry, pop open a sealed jar and grab what I need. These lids will re-seal several times.  I never try to re-use lids on canned food except when using Tattler lids.

In August, 2008, I caught a huge sale on shredded wheat.  It was the strawberry flavored, which I love, and I bought a lot .  . a whole lot.  I love doing that!  I’m not going to say I’ve had shredded wheat every day for 4 years but I have it fairly often and still have quite a bit left.  Not too long ago, I wrote about it here and this is the jar I’m opening when Vince is away and I won’t be fixing breakfast every morning.  If we have a big lunch, often Vince will want only a sandwich or something light for dinner and I’m happy to have a bowl of shredded wheat.

The FoodSaver, the jar sealer attachment and these half gallon Mason jars are some of my favorite items to use when preserving food.