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tightwadspoonies · 1 year ago

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Dumpster Diving and Salvage Shopping

If you asked me what my role in the ecosystem is, I'd say I'm a scavenger. I hate confrontation and I hate spending money when there are other options. I will gladly just take whatever you don't want in order to avoid such unsavory obligations.

So dumpster diving, salvage stores, and incidental meat registries and I get along pretty well save for the anxiety. This post, hopefully, takes some of that away for my fellow scavengers who would love to dumpster dive but just don't know how yet, or are afraid of getting in trouble.

Dumpster Diving:

First of all, dumpster diving is legal in all 50 states of the US, but check local ordinances because rich people get fussy about people digging through trash to the point of some cities condemning the practice. It's on a bunch of other posts but it's worth saying.

Cops, of course, will lie or imply otherwise on this. A good way around that is to look like someone who is "not breaking the law". AKA: look like a suburbanite: Wear some khakis and a polo shirt, carry a Starbucks cup, and act as white as you can possibly get away with. If approached, smile, call the cop "officer" or some such referential title, and explain that you thought it was legal. Not that you know it's legal- that you thought it was legal. If they tell you to scram, do so. No argument with law enforcement is worth what is in that dumpster.

Note that it is illegal in many places to put stuff into dumpsters that aren't yours, though, so if the cops are having a slow night, be careful about them asking you to put stuff back.

You also don't want to be the reason dumpster diving gets banned in your community. Do this primarily by never getting into a dumpster. I know the container of perfect strawberries is just out of reach, but if you fall or are unable to get out you are not only up a creek yourself but potentially causing an anti-dumpster-diving frenzy that your town's grocery stores will never recover from. Also, people have legitimately died from getting into a trash compactor.

Now, "legal" does not mean "pro-store-policy". One of the main reasons for this is that is dumpster diving can be somewhat dangerous and no store wants to be the store that's known for letting people break legs on their slippery dumpster juice or what have you.

Avoid too many store policy issues by waiting until the store closes, doing a pass-by to ensure no one is waiting to see if anyone is picking out of their dumpsters, and (again) looking like someone who wouldn't be diving in dumpsters.

Store management tends to worry that they will be sued for letting you eat expired or unsafe food. If you do get approached by a manager who isn't excited to see someone picking over their dumpster selections, it is a good idea to impress upon them how very many dumpsters you pick from and how you wouldn't possibly be able to prove it was their dumpster that gave you food poisoning. Also, if you're feeling particularly bold, let them know that you are saving their store money by decreasing the weight of their waste. Probably not by a lot, but hey, you're on their side here. If told to scram, once again, do so with haste.

On that note, there are safe and unsafe foods to pick:

Generally Safe:

Packaged shelf-stable foods even with damaged outer packaging

Milk if still cold

Cheese

Eggs

Bread (including frozen bread if still cold)

Whole Veggies and Fruits, even with bad spots

Fermented anything

Non-Food Items like dry pet food, hand sanitizer, soap, cleaning products (except bleach), etc...

Generally NOT Safe:

Sliced lunch meats

Cheese touching meat

Cut salads or veggie trays

Prepared hot foods (even if still hot)

Pre-cooked refrigerated meals

Frozen veggies (unless still mostly frozen)

You want to make sure you have some time the next day to process your haul. Everything needs to be carefully sorted, cleaned, peeled, and in the case of perishable food like eggs and veggies, cooked prior to eating.

One final thing:

Be considerate. Leave everything how you found it and make sure you're not making more work for employees. Also, if you know others in your area dive, leave some stuff there for the next person.

Salvage Shopping:

Perhaps you aren't completely up for dumpster diving but still like living your lil raccoon life? Thats fine!

Salvage groceries are a great option. Essentially, instead of throwing food away that they can't sell to traditional consumers, grocery stores sell near-dated or damaged products to salvage grocery stores for pennies on the dollar, and that savings is passed along to the consumer.

Most salvage stores are smaller than traditional grocery stores, and some are cash-only. Some have fresh or frozen sections, but the smaller ones are pretty much all packaged goods. If you are living exclusively on salvage stores, you may want to supplement with some dumpster diving, foraging, or gardening (or even maybe going to a grocery store, but that's hella expensive).

Salvage groceries are not necessarily going to be perfectly food safe. There will be expired goods (doesn't mean bad). That just means you will have to do some due diligence. For example:

Make sure that an item you want to purchase is still in a sealed container

If there are more than one of an item, make sure they are the same color

Prioritize un-dented cans

If you must buy a dented can, make sure the dent isn't on an edge or seam

Don't buy expired canned tomato products

If you open a food and it smells bad, looks like it thawed and re-froze, hisses or bubbles- THROW IT AWAY

Generally be more cautious than you would normally be at a grocery store.

In my area these are pretty much always run by the Amish and Mennonite communities, but check around in your area. They are becoming more and more common outside these communities.

Not all of them will be listed on google maps. Look for a shop called "Bend and Dent" or "Salvage Groceries" or a small store advertising "Discount Groceries". Once you find one, it's easy to find others by asking at the checkout, since they tend to cluster together.

A drawback is that, because they do tend to cluster, they may be farther away than other grocery options. If you are far away, I highly recommend getting a few friends together and making a day of it. I can't say this about most things, but the extra cost in gas is well worth the savings, even if you are driving over an hour.

#free food #food #dumpster diving #USA #homesteading #tightwadery #adulting #reference

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elysiumwaits · 1 year ago

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hey it's New PI again. How do you deal with remembering to eat/eating healthy during field work? I'm only doing digital investigations right now but I'm getting so caught up in work that I'm straight up forgetting breakfast/lunch--and I'm not even in the car yet, I'm at home. Do you have, like, any go-to foods that won't spoil during surveillance but also aren't garbage?

Howdy, pal! I struggle with this too - it's hard not to just get fast food when I'm on the way to a scene or something. My method is to make snack foods and graze on them the whole time. I don't have any full meals unless I have a minute to break away (and then, sometimes, it's better to be fed than to worry about how healthy it is).

I love Lunchables. Or the grown-up version, charcuterie boards. Seriously, a meat and cheese tray, a pack of crackers, and a veggie tray or some mixed fruit, and I'm the happiest of campers. Plus, these are foods that save well, especially if you have a little cooler with a little ice pack.

Mostly you're gonna wanna hit carbs and protein, and more protein than carbs (because the energy lasts longer). Trail mix is also fantastic, if you don't have anything that will melt in it.

And then I always keep a case of water in my truck for myself or anyone out on the corner in the heat of summer. Lately I've been stocking caffeine as well behind the seat - my poison is always Mtn. Dew, but keeping tea bags or something in your glove box is a good idea.

Last but not least, here's a tip from the chronic illness rulebook - if you have trouble getting up to go get food, put food where you are. Maybe this means desk snacks or a little cart. I've seen someone with a "snackle box," a cheap tackle box loaded up.

Eat! You need energy for your brain to investigate!

#ely answers #private investigator

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cleverlittleghost · 2 months ago

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I'm a sandwich for lunch and cereal for dinner kind of person, so I see you op lol. But one cannot live on cheerios (or ham and cheese) alone. Here's some neurospicy-friendly tips.

Roasting veggies is super easy:

1. Chop into roughly even bite sized pieces and toss into a gallon ziploc bag.

2. Drizzle in some oil (not too much or it will be greasy...you can always add more if needed), salt and pepper, and whatever else you want for spices (my faves for a long time were onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, adobo, and those ms. dash premixed spices), and shake it up until everything is coated evenly (ish, don't overthink it).

3. Dump it on a foil lined baking tray at 400ish. Poke largest pieces with a fork every so often to see if they are done. Shoot for soft but not mushy. Unless you like mushy. Then shoot for mushy.

Boom. Veggies but for low spoons/low skill. Clean up is throwing away the ziploc and foil. Not the most eco, but see part about low spoons.

It's a good option if you have a protein recipe but don't know what to make with it. Or, you can get those easy prep type things from Target or Aldi (my faves were pre-marinated meats you can throw in the oven in a foil lined dish, or in a crock pot). Or frozen stuff (frozen brococli and cheese stuffed chicken was a frequent one for me). Even some frozen chicken nuggies is great every so often. It's still healthier and cheaper than eating out all the time.

Also, rice in a rice cooker is an easy carb option. Fresh carb and veg right there with little clean up and/or effort. Throw in a protein (easy prep or otherwise) and you have a whole meal (I was taught protein/carb/veg for a balanced meal). Also, you can mix up the type of rice and vegs and spices for variety, without having to learn a new recipe (be sure to write down favorite veg/spice combos!). It's also easy to try new veggies by throwing them in with old favorites, so you aren't SOL if you don't like it, and don't have to make two separate things.

I both hate cooking and am terrible at it, and I can do this. So you can too. It doesn't require constant attention like stovetop cooking. The hands on part is heatless, and the heat part is hands off at the end. Set a timer so you don't forget it and set your house on fire. It is also easy cleanup so the overwhelm factor is low too. Always line your stuff with foil if it's going in the oven. Get heavy duty and double line if you have problems with it tearing. But even when it does, the mess it makes in the pan is a fraction of what it would be without the foil, so it's still a win. Simple one-button rice cookers are the way to go. Once you learn how to use it (very shallow learning curve, don't worry), it will be effortless and the nonstick pots are easy to wash.

Finally, rice and roasted veggies are really easy to adjust for volume. You can do the exact same thing you would do for a single meal for a single person and have enough for the week or a group of people. The only extra effort is more chopping in the beginning.

Good luck!

Do any of u have decent recipes that are like 5 ingredients (not including spices) and take 45 mins or less to prepare i gotta stop eating sandwiches for dinner

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decadentmagazinebasement · 1 day ago

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Flatbread Dish With Garlic And Natural Herbs

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Flatbread Recipe With Only 3 Ingredients + Video You'll incorporate flour, baking powder, salt, olive oil, and cool water until a soft dough forms, then cover the dough and allow it to rest for 10 mins. Parathas are basic flatbreads that are made with entire wheat (or atta) flour and just a couple of other basic active ingredients. A soft dough is prepared by hand, developed and squashed, and afterwards folded up numerous times to produce lots of half-cracked layers. They are after that baked to perfection and served cozy with a selection of Indian dishes. It calls for only a few minutes of massaging into a rough dough, prior to cooking in a fry pan over a high warm. Hi, I'm Becca!

What is flatbread consumed with?

Flatbreads have been enjoyed by old societies like the Greeks and Egyptians for centuries prior. The principle has actually remained mainly the very same because its inception; flatbread is toasted and covered with tomato sauce, cheese, meats, and veggies.

They will obtain crispier the hotter they prepare, which also raises the threat of tearing if folded. If you plan on making use of the flatbreads to make pizza, this isn't an issue. However if you intend to wrap the flatbreads into pitas, you might want to lower the warmth when cooking in order to keep them completely soft and flexible. The dough is easy to make, and you don't need to mess with in some cases picky yeast, because this is a no-yeast dish. You'll combine flour, cooking powder, salt, olive oil, and chilly water up until a soft dough forms, then cover the dough and allow it to rest for 10 mins.They will certainly obtain crispier the hotter they cook, which likewise raises the threat of tearing if folded up.If desired, you can avoid the garnishes and leave the flatbread level.Try them with your favored dips like hummus, baba ganoush, or tzatziki.You can make use of maida, double absolutely no, or all-purpose flour in this paratha recipe without needing to make adjustments to the dimensions or treatment. Suggestions For Making Fast Flatbreads You will know it prepares to flip when bubbles have based on top, and the bottom is browning. Divide the dough into 6 items, and use your fingers to pinch them right into smooth round balls. Roti is an Indian flatbread commonly consumed along with curry or other saucy Indian meals. I can not also discover it on the menu in most Indian restaurants where I reside in The golden state (call the Naan, evidently, sheesh discuss a diva). Associated Recipes By signing up, you accept our Terms of Use. Discover how we collect, use and share your information in our Privacy Policy. Conserve your favored dishes, short articles, & much more! Home made flatbread holds an unique location in my heart as a treasured home cooking, specifically as a Macedonian that loves her carbohydrates! While numerous could grab a crusty French loaf as their carbohydrate of option, for me, it's everything about flatbread. Simply let your prepared flatbread cool totally (probably on a cooking tray or cooling rack), prior to moving them to a closed container for freezing. I like to place a little item of parchment paper between every one to see

#Youtube

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downtoearthmarkets · 4 days ago

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Get ready for a fun weekend of farmers market grocery shopping because the biggest food holiday of the year arrives next Thursday! Thanksgiving marks a time to gather with family and friends to express gratitude over a feast of turkey and other traditional New England foods. But, while you’re busy preparing the main meal, your guests will need a little something to whet their appetite. Here are a few ideas for tasty yet simple Thanksgiving appetizers that you can make with ingredients sourced at your local Down to Earth farmers market this weekend.

It's a Stickup! Featuring plenty of seasonal flavor, with pretzel sticks as edible toothpicks for ease-of-handling and no fuss cleanup, these maple-glazed sausage bites are sure to be a Thanksgiving crowd-pleaser. The glaze delivers the coup de grace with its irresistible combination of sticky sweet maple syrup, earthy, herby crumbled sage and tangy stone ground mustard.

Ingredients: Makes 16 sausage bites

⅓ cup Maplebrook Farm maple syrup

1 tbsp stone ground mustard

½ teaspoon dried, crushed sage leaves

12 oz Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo, SOVA Farms or Stone & Thistle Farm cooked sausage

16 pretzel sticks

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, mustard and sage.

Cut sausage into 1" slices. Place on a rimmed baking tray.

Bake sausage for 8 minutes. Brush generously with maple glaze. Bake for an additional 8 minutes or until sausage is heated through.

Insert a pretzel stick into each sausage bite for easy serving.

Enjoy!

We’ll Always Have Brussels Brussels sprouts are currently in peak season as this winter vegetable grows best in cool or lightly frosty weather. You can often find Brussels sprouts being sold on the stalk in our farmers markets–just the way nature intended and eliminating the need for any excess packaging. Simply twist the sprouts until they break away from the plant.

These “mini cabbages” are considered nutritional powerhouses as they are high in fiber, potassium, and folate, and are an excellent source of vitamins C and K. They also contain antioxidants and minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium.

There are many fun holiday appetizers you can make with these cruciferous cuties. Anything with bacon is sure to be a hit, so try whipping up these bacon-wrapped parmesan Brussels sprouts. You probably have most of the simple ingredient list in your pantry already, so pick up a pound of Brussels sprouts from the farmstalls and bacon from Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo and give them a whirl! Or how about these adorable sliders that substitute sprouts for the buns?

If you’re hoping to up the ante with your Thanksgiving appy or just discover a delicious new way to serve Brussels sprouts on any occasion, look no further than this vegetarian recipe. You’ll want to select the largest sprouts available and grab some whole milk ricotta from Maplebrook Farm before they sell out. Also, be sure to watch this short and very helpful instructional video before getting out your paring knife.

Pro Antipasto? Italy’s answer to France’s charcuterie boards, antipasto platters feature an array of classic Italian delicacies including cured meats, cheeses, marinated veggies, olives and bread. In addition to spreading antipasto across a large platter, it can also work great hors d'oeuvres-style when threaded onto individual toothpicks or skewers.

To assemble your antipasto skewers, thread from bottom to top: 1 Dr. Pickle pitted olive of any kind, 1 marinated Maplebrook Farm ciliegine, 1 fresh basil leaf, 1 cherry or grape tomato, 1 slice Goode and Local By Don Rodrigo cured meat (fold over once or twice before threading), 1 Dr. Pickle marinated artichoke heart quarter, 1 Dr. Pickle roasted red pepper slice (fold over once or twice before threading), 1 basil leaf, 1 olive, and 1 small piece of Wave Hill Breads or Orwashers Bakery baguette. Arrange finished skewers on a serving platter.

Sleek As a Leek Party Dip A member of the allium family which includes onions, scallions, chives and garlic, leeks are a fall and winter crop that can be harvested even after it starts snowing. Leeks need to be cleaned thoroughly before using because dirt can get trapped between the layers of leaves. To clean, halve the leeks lengthwise with the root still intact, then run them under cool water.

It’s not a party without a dip and, with only five ingredients, this melted leek dip is the gift that keeps on giving! While making your farmers market rounds, look out for crunchy veggies like carrots and celery and freshly baked loaves that will work great for dipping.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons SOVA Farms unsalted butter

4 large leeks from the farmstalls, white sections only, halved, and thinly sliced into half-moons

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pint full-fat sour cream

Crudités, Norwegian Baked LLC crackers, or toasted Wave Hill Breads or Orwashers Bakery baguette (for serving)

We hope these appetizing appetizer ideas got you primed and ready for Thanksgiving farmers market shopping this weekend. As always, our farms and food makers will have an array of freshly harvested, regionally grown and locally produced goodies to help complete your shopping list and fill your reusable shopping bags. We look forward to seeing you there!

#downtoearthmkts #farmersmarket #buylocal #shoplocal #eatlocal #local food #thanksgiving 2024 #Thanksgiving appetizers

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rabbitcruiser · 5 months ago

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International Picnic Day

Join a picnic-centric event like a charity or school event on International Picnic Day, or make your own picnic to appreciate food in a new light.

It’s often claimed that life is no picnic – but today it is! International Picnic Day is a chance to eat out in the open air with friends or family.

Placed conveniently in the middle of June, for many people this means that the weather should be fine and the sun shining (at least in the northern hemisphere). But even if the weather doesn’t want to cooperate, an inside picnic can be a great substitute. Just spread a blanket out on the floor and enjoy a simple meal!

So get that picnic basket ready and get started celebrating International Picnic Day.

History of International Picnic Day

The word “picnic” probably gets its origins from the French language, specifically from the word “pique-nique”. It is believed that this type of informal outdoor meal became a popular pastime in France after the French Revolution in the mid-1800s when it was possible again to get out into the country’s royal parks. However, even if it began in France, it has become a lovely activity that has spread all over the world.

As fans of Jane Austen novels will know, 19th-century picnics in England became elaborate social occasions, with menus featuring a wide range of cold meats and pies that took days to prepare.

Over the years, picnics have sometimes come to represent the gathering of the common people in political protest. One of the more famous of these was the Pan-European Picnic that took place in the summer of 1989 at the border of Austria and Hungary. It was part of many protests against communism that year that led to the fall of the Iron Curtain.

More recently, in 2009, the Guinness Book of World Records made note of the record for the largest picnic in the world. It took place with more than 20,000 people in Lisbon, Portugal.

Today’s picnics might be a bit more casual, sometimes just a few pieces of bread and cheese thrown into a paper bag and eaten on a park bench will suffice. A picnic can be centered around just about anything the participants want it to be, including games and other outdoor activities.

International Picnic Day is celebrated in many countries–a simple opportunity to enjoy the beauty of eating outside!

How to Celebrate International Picnic Day

Those who want to get in on the fun can find plenty of opportunities to celebrate this enjoyable day. Consider these creative ways of celebrating or come up with a list of your own:

Join a Picnic Day Event

Charity events, school picnics and all kinds of other group meals are organized to mark the occasion. Check with a community board or website to see if any picnics are planned locally. Look particularly at local parks or museums that often plan these types of events. If they are having one nearby, join in. If not–go ahead and organize it!

Have a Personal Picnic for Lunch or Dinner

A great way to celebrate International Picnic Day is to bike, walk or hike to a nearby beauty spot, or just take your sandwiches and cold hard-boiled eggs into the garden and enjoy an al fresco lunch. Those who are at work for the day can just take their normal lunch hour to head out to a patch of grass or park nearby.

Other ideas for piling foods into a picnic basket include:

Sandwiches. Perhaps the perfect picnic food, sandwiches make everything easy. Just pile some meat, cheese, and vegetables on a couple of pieces of bread. Add a few condiments, such as mustard or mayonnaise, and it’s a great start for a picnic.

Fruit. Most fruits come with their own natural packaging, making them the ideal food for a picnic. Grab some apples, oranges, bananas, or a giant watermelon to enjoy outside.

Side Dishes. Easy salads, potato chips, or a tray filled with veggies will make a picnic super tasty!

Source

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drvitaltips · 8 months ago

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Best Foods to Freeze: Cut Waste, Save Cash

Did you know freezing food is like hitting 'pause' on the freshness clock? It's a genius way to save money, eat healthier, and make mealtimes a whole lot easier. Whether you're buying in bulk to save a few bucks or rescuing those almost-too-ripe bananas, your freezer is your friend. Let's dive into the best foods to freeze, some handy tips, and a few things to avoid tossing in there. Get ready to make your kitchen more efficient! Foods That Freeze Well (and Why) Ok, let's get practical! Here's a breakdown of foods that love a little chill time: - Dairy Delights: Milk? Yep! Butter? You bet! Even shredded cheese and yogurt (if you're using it in smoothies or baking later) can take a freezer vacation. - Quick Tip: Textures can change a bit, but the taste won't. - Fruit & Veggie Heroes: Think berries, bananas ready for smoothies, grapes (a fun frozen snack!), peppers, onions, carrots, even zucchini if you grate it first. - Pro Tip: Blanch veggies (quick dip in boiling water) to keep them bright and flavorful. - Protein Powerhouses: Cooked meats like chicken and ground beef are perfect for future meals. Raw meats freeze fine too – just follow those USDA guidelines for safe storage! - Meal Prep Champs: Soups, stews, and casseroles are amazing freezer friends. Just leave a bit of room on top for things to expand as they freeze. - Handy Staples: Tomato paste, bread, cooked rice, nuts, even popcorn kernels freeze like a dream. Tips for Freezing Food Ready to fill up that freezer? Here's how to do it right: - Cool it Down: Don't put hot food straight in the freezer – let it cool to room temperature first. You don't want to warm everything else up! - Portion Control: Freeze stuff in the amounts you'll actually use. No one needs a giant block of frozen berries when a handful will do! - Airtight is Key: Use freezer bags, containers, or even good quality plastic wrap to keep air out and prevent freezer burn. - Label Everything: Write the name of what it is and the date you froze it. Your future self will thank you! - Liquids Need Room: Soups and sauces will expand a little when they freeze, so don't fill containers to the very top. Myth Buster: Did you know you can freeze eggs? It's true, but you have to crack them first! Whisk them up and freeze them in an ice cube tray for easy use in recipes later. Is there anything these freezers can't do? Well, some things don't love freezing... Foods That Don't Freeze Well Not everything belongs in the icy depths! Here's what to avoid freezing: - Delicate Produce: Lettuce, cucumbers, and other high-water-content veggies turn to mush when thawed. Best eaten fresh! - Creamy Creations: Sauces with cream or milk tend to separate when frozen. They might be okay in cooked dishes, but not on their own. - Fried Foods: The crispy goodness won't survive the thaw, sadly. Enjoy those while they're hot! - Soft Cheeses: Cream cheese, ricotta... their textures take a serious hit in the freezer. Hard cheeses generally fare better. Making the Most of Your Freezer Now, let's turn your freezer into a superpower! Here's how: - Meal Prep Master: Got a favorite recipe? Double it and freeze half for a night when cooking feels impossible. - Bulk Bargains: Meat on sale? Stock up and freeze it! Just remember to divide it into usable portions first. - Waste Warrior: Bananas turning brown? Bread going stale? Pop them in the freezer for later use (smoothies and bread pudding, anyone?) - Freezer Inventory: Keep a list on your fridge of what's frozen. It'll prevent you from buying stuff you already have stashed away! ProsConsSaves money: Buy in bulk or rescue food about to go badRequires some planning: Need proper containers and portioningReduces food waste: Prevents perishables from spoilingSome texture changes: Certain items won't be exactly the same after thawingConvenient: Have pre-prepped ingredients or ready-to-heat mealsFreezer space: Can fill up quicklyPreserves nutrients: Locks in nutrition at its peakNot everything freezes well: Delicate foods and creamy sauces can be tricky FAQs about Freezing Food - How long does food last in the freezer? It depends on the food, but usually several months to a year. There are handy charts online for reference. - Thawed something and won't use it all? In most cases, you can safely refreeze food as long as it was thawed properly in the fridge. - Is freezer burn dangerous? Nope, just unappetizing. It affects the taste and texture, but it won't make you sick. The Importance of Food Safety & Quality Freezing is fantastic, but food safety still matters! Here's the lowdown: - USDA Guidelines Are Golden: They'll tell you safe freezing times and the best way to thaw different foods. Read the Freezing and Food Safety here - Freezing Stops the Clock: It doesn't kill bacteria. So, if food was getting a bit iffy, freezing won't magically make it good again. - Thaw Right: In the fridge is the safest way! Never leave things out on the counter to thaw. Freezing Tips for Specific Foods Alright, let's get specific! Here are some bonus tips for those everyday items: - Fruits: - Berries: Rinse, dry, and spread them out on a baking sheet to freeze individually. Then pop them in a bag – perfect for smoothies and snacking! - Bananas: Peel, slice, or even leave whole (for smoothies). A squeeze of lemon juice helps them keep their color. - Other fruits: Peaches, apples, and the like need a little prep before freezing, like peeling and preventing browning. - Vegetables: - Green beans, broccoli, etc.: Blanching quickly preserves their vibrant color and a bit of crunch. - Peppers and onions: Chop and freeze raw – so convenient for tossing into soups and stir-fries later! - Zucchini: Grate and squeeze out extra moisture. Great for sneaking into sauces and baked goods. - Bread and baked goods: - Sliced bread: Separates easily when frozen, perfect for grabbing a slice or two at a time. - Muffins, cookies, etc.: Freeze individually, then store them together for easy grab-and-go treats. - Herbs: - Hardy herbs: Think rosemary and thyme – freeze them whole on the stem. - Tender herbs: Like basil and cilantro – chop them finely and freeze in ice cube trays with a bit of olive oil for bursts of flavor. - Liquids: - Stock and broth: Freeze in ice cube trays or portions you'll actually use. Label with the amount! - Tomato Sauce: Use freezer-safe containers and remember to leave room for expansion. Funny Freezer Fact: You know those popsicles you buy in the long plastic sleeves? You can make your own! Fill the sleeves with juice, yogurt, or whatever you like, and freeze – perfect summer treat! Key Takeaways - Your freezer is a powerful tool for saving money and reducing food waste. - Many foods freeze beautifully, extending their shelf life and preserving nutrients. - Proper freezing techniques ensure your food stays tasty and safe to eat. Conclusion Your freezer isn't just for ice cream anymore! It's your secret weapon for saving money, reducing waste, and making healthy eating easier. By knowing what freezes well and following a few simple tips, you'll be amazed at what you can do. Remember, freezing is like a pause button on freshness – so use your frozen goodies in a timely way for the best flavors and textures. Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions about your health. Read the full article

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leclerced · 11 months ago

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https://www.tumblr.com/enchantecafe/738785748047806464/httpswwwtumblrcomenchantecafe738701264923328

No bc my brother would make fun of him!! He’d tell him that everyone gets their own giant ass Mettigel to eat raw and he’d be so relieved to know there’s just one where everyone takes bits off to put on their bread😭

And we make so much kale for the whole family! We eat it when everyone comes for my grandpa’s birthday in November and the rest gets canned up to last until next November (it lasts until February max). I swear, do you know how dogs get possessive and aggressive about their food? Thats me and my brother when my grandma divides the leftover kale, we’re like rabit animals 😭 + i wanna add i make a mean asparagus soup

Also please rant about your Christmas dinner, i love listening to people rant

🫀

no lando hearing he has to eat the entire thing on his own and its raw? he’s debating if he wants to marry this woman like he’s been dreaming about if it means a lifetime of eating a hedgehog made of raw meat. he thinks it looks like one of those cake fails, like someone tried making a hedgehog but it’s from his nightmares. he's so relieved when he just gets a single slice and he can take a few bites or avoid it by saying his trainer or nutritionist banned raw meat 😭

thats sm kale i have genuine eaten kale maybe once in my life and i took a nibble and spit it out. i cannot imagine having sm that u store it for months. i am sadly… not a veggie girl. im also not a soup girl generally but asparagus soup kinda sounds good! how do you make it?

my biggest rant about thanksgiving dinner was that the only sides were creamed asparagus and sweet potato casserole, neither of which are things i eat. im picky but i have been cooking dinner since i was like ten, so. i got to pick what was cooked and i know how to cook the things i like so im not annoying ab it. one of my aunts brought stuff to make mashed potatoes which is like my specialty and one of my fav foods. y’know what my grandma does? she makes my aunt take the shit home. says we don’t have time to cook them before dinner. i was upstairs when this happened and i didn’t know about the lack of edible sides until i was called down for dinner. i tried the creamed asparagus thinking like, i like grilled asparagus how bad can it be??

found out on the drive home that my aunt brought potatoes and was sent home with them, and i was like ‘someone should have told me that there weren’t going to be potatoes and i would have complained. you can’t have thanksgiving without potatoes.’ i am still bringing it up randomly to my siblings like ‘hey remember that awful creamed asparagus?’

i will say my family is very nice and always makes sure everyone eats, on family vacations i would skip meals bc they would cook smth i didnt like and everyone would be trying to make me other food while i ate fruit for dinner because they did a shrimp boil knowing i do not eat seafood. my grandma once offered me nachos and i got really excited and then she put tortilla chips on a cookie tray and then sprinkled shredded cheese on it and toasted it. imo nachos are chips and queso and stuff so when she brought me a plate of shredded cheese melted on chips i was very disappointed but i ate the entire thing bc what else do u do when ur grandma makes u food??

#ask #🫀anon

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baashirdayne · 7 months ago

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The Sword of the Morning was 1 and 10 when he first tried one of the smokes that were growing in their popularity as the countries separated and other regions increased their trade with the East or perhaps, he knew nothing about who smoked where and made broad assumptions. Baashir Dayne would never admit to the latter, so he supported the former. And while he didn’t smoke often, he still enjoyed smoking after a meal. Smoking after a particularly rough day or when he finished his games with Rashid. But Rashid was dead, and he was in constant need of reminding everyone he remembered. How could one forget? One couldn’t.

Baashir Dayne was familiar with the smell of smoke. The smell of the dried, brown leaves burning within its place. Could be anyone was his first thought. But when he entered his mother was there, as she always was, greeting him. There was excitement, arms thrown around his neck and brief whispers of how she missed him and wished he stayed home even longer. And this would be a lengthy stop but not one long enough for her, that he knew. But, soon, the son of the Starfall would return and all would be right. If he believed his mother.

“Bhaiṇa.” Bash greeted her, returning the hug, he then paused as he looked at her. The smell caught him first. Smoke. She smelled like smoke and if anyone noticed the subtle changes in his expression it was always Ru that noticed and tugged at mother’s skirts. She was too old to tug at skirts now. And clearly believed herself old enough to take up some smoking but then she mentioned food and him being fat. “No I’m not. I didn’t eat because I knew there would be …”

And before he could finish his mother was giving orders for trays of fruit and cheese, trays of raw veggies and hard meats, and anything could be made hot. Bash didn’t try to stop her. It was their jobs to make sure the lord of the house had a full belly before bed.

“Sit down.” Bash look at her as he allowed his cloak to be removed and then he removed his own sword belt, lying it down on the chair directly across from them. Sitting as he always did, stiffly, forearms resting against the tabletop.

“You smell like smoke.” He said as their mother left the room.

who: @baashirdayne when and where: baashir dayne returns from kings landing, deciding to divert to starfall first. his sister has little inclination of the idea, expecting not to see him for some time longer; that was until a sudden flurry of dayne guards came into the courtyard right beneath her balcony.

the smoke was between her fingers, against her lips as she inhaled and exhaled into the night sky; the sound of her bangles gently twinkling in the night sky. the eldest lady of starfall had been desperate for a smoke for the majority of the evening, and considering her mother had only left her chambers some moments ago, she practically flung herself onto the balcony. first ensuring none were in the courtyard, she used a candle to ignite her smoke, and relished in the peace. finally. why did her mother bother asking her for her opinion if she would not take it?

she was exhaling again, when there was a sudden flurry of horses stampeding through the smaller courtyard; horses, the flag of house dayne, and she found herself practically faltering backward at the sudden movement.

"shit." she muttered, her eyes briefly meeting with baashir dayne's for a split second: what was he doing back here? was he not supposed to go straight back to sunspear as first minister? had he seen her with the smoke in her hand? it was now lowered at her side, and as he entered into the grand keep, she knew her mother and the household fawning over him would buy her some time.

when he entered, she took the opportunity to drop the smoke - if anyone asked, she would blame one of the guards travelling onward to sunspear. slipping her lilac robe over her rose coloured nightgown, she opened her door, beginning to make her way down the halls. the peacocks were calling, almost as though they knew he was back. and then he turned a corner, where she met him half way.

"bhaiya!" ruqaiyah exclaimed, her voice feigning excitement. it wasn't that she wasn't happy to see him. but had he seen her smoking? "why did you not tell us you were coming back?" she asked, placing her hands together in the symbol of peace before reaching forward to embrace him, kissing his cheek.

"i would have ensured dinner would be served later. it is too late now, you need not put on even more weight for eating at this time." her words were casual, looking up at him. "you must be so tired."

#queue up the queue queue #ruqaiyah001 #c: ruqaiyah

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homobiwan · 3 years ago

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wow that character you're obsessed with sounds so cool can you explain them to me. im sure you get them more than anyone else

The problem is i have so many wksjwkwk

But let’s talk about jack zimmermann

A big mistake people make when writing him in fics is writing him as someone who isn’t actually an asshole, he’s just an autistic person with really bad anxiety. INCORRECT. He is an autistic person with anxiety who is an asshole. That’s important. He does get better but that’s because he has a major mr darcy/lizzy bennet moment

It is also important to note that he has no clue how to talk to people. You could ask him, is communication a JOKE to you? And actually communication isn’t a joke to him he just doesn’t know how it works or feel like engaging in it with people who arent level five friends with him and even then… but he nods yes because he doesn’t know how to word that and he thinks it would be easier if you just give up on talking to him

He IS the guy standing in the corner at the party meme except people definitely know he is there because he keeps GLARING at them and occasionally leaving his corner to suggest they exchange their party snacks for a handful from the nutritionally balanced veggie meat and cheese tray. If you come up to his corner to talk to him he will start talking about hockey to you or random world war ii facts because he’s one of THOSE white boy history buffs

He is also allergic to carrots. This is not canon but i know this in my heart. He eats them anyway 💗

#asks #house0fsugar

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mooneyedandglowing · 3 years ago

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Meal Plan/Groceries - Order For 30th of April

Trying to get a handle on food waste, over-spending due to under-planning, consumption of too many refined carbs + processed foods, + some unhealthy nighttime snacking habits due to not eating enough during the day. Chatted with my best friend who uses a sort of loose meal plan system where she doesn’t have specific days for each recipe, so I’ve gone with something similar here. It’s likely that not everything will wind up in my shopping cart, but I wanted to give myself some wiggle room in planning. We’ll see how it goes!

Homemade Granola: https://minimalistbaker.com/super-chunky-coconut-granola/ Items Required/Ingredients: - Air-tight Container - Rolled Oats - Unsweetened Coconut Flakes - Coconut Oil - Coconut Sugar - Raw Pecan Halves - Raw Slivered Almonds - Maple Syrup - Sea salt - OWN - - Vanilla Extract - Dried mangoes - Larger baking tray? (recipe makes 13 portions + will last 2 to 3 weeks in an airtight container) (to be used for breakfast w/ - Greek yogurt - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Raspberries - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Bananas - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Chia Seeds - OWN -

Spinach Millet Egg Bake - Dinner Recipe https://naturallyella.com/spinach-millet-egg-bake/ Ingredients: - Eggs - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Millet - Milk - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Fresh Spinach - Fresh Dill - Parmesan Cheese Chicken Sausages With Red Potatoes - Dinner Recipe Ingredients: - Chicken Sausages - Bell Peppers (red, green, yellow) - Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Apple Cider Vinegar (check pantry) - Cabbage - Tinned Tomatoes - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Red Potatoes Chicken Curry With Brown Basmati Rice and Veg - Dinner Recipe Ingredients: - Cilantro - Brown Basmati Rice - Chicken breast chunks - Curry Powder - Ginger - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Garlic - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Jar of Curry Sauce - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Cauliflower - Peas - REGULAR PURCHASE - Tex-Mex Sweet Potatoes - Dinner Recipe Ingredients: - Tinned Black Beans - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Sweet Potatoes - Tinned Tomatoes - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Garlic - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Cumin - OWN - - Chili Powder - OWN - - Dried Chipotle Chile - OWN - - Bell Pepper - Green Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Greek Yogurt (in place of sour cream) - REGULAR PURCHASE - Dumplings, Miso Soup, and Vegetable Stir-Fry - Dinner Recipe Ingredients: - Frozen Dumplings - OWN - - Miso Paste w/ Dashi - Silken Tofu - OWN - - Frozen Spinach - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Wakame - Button Mushrooms - Green Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Stir-Fry Vegetables - Egg Noodles - OWN - (Sauce ingredients such as dark soy sauce + sesame seed oil already owned) Salmon Cakes With Asparagus and Brown Basmati Rice - Dinner Recipe Ingredients: - Tinned Salmon (American-size tin) - Fresh Dill - Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Whole-Grain Crackers - Asparagus - Garlic - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Lemons - Brown Basmati Rice Zucchini “Lasagna” - Dinner Recipe Ingredients: - 3 Large Zucchinis - Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese - Parmesan Cheese - Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Carrots - Garlic - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Roasted Red Peppers - Dried Basil - OWN - - Pesto - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Dried Mixed Herbs - OWN - - Marinara Sauce - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Part-Skim Mozzarella - REGULAR PURCHASE - - 1/2 Pound Lean Ground/Mince Meat - Beef, turkey, or pork LUNCHES: Leftovers - if available - If not left-overs, then: Veggie Pitas / Wraps Ingredients: - Hummus - Fresh tomatoes - Cucumbers - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Roasted Red Peppers - Black Olives - Whole-Grain Pita Pockets - Or Whole-Grain Wraps Soup and Bread Items Required: - Whole Grain Bread - Butter - REGULAR PURCHASE - - Premade Soup in Plastic Container - REGULAR PURCHASE Ramen Ingredients: Frozen Spinach - REGULAR PURCHASE Korean Ramen - OWN - Garlic - REGULAR PURCHASE Ginger - REGULAR PURCHASE Green Onions - OWN - Cabbage Eggs - REGULAR PURCHASE - Indomie Mi Goreng Ingredients: Indomie - OWN - Green Onions - REGULAR PURCHASE - Eggs - REGULAR PURCHASE - Sweet Tooth Purchase: - Dark Chocolate (70% or higher) - Tinned Peaches (in juice) - Grapes (can freeze) - Clementines/Tangerines - REGULAR PURCHASE -

Own: Frozen Fruits Drinks: Fizzy Water Water from Tap Green Tea Coffee Chia Seed Water Snacks: Hummus Raw veggies Black Olives Popcorn Whole-Grain Crackers Veggie Wrap/Pita

(Fresh herbs, fresh greens like spinach, + anything else with a short shelf-life to be purchased day of use if possible in order to minimize risk of spoilage)

#meal plan #recipes #healthy eating #more plant products than animal products is the goal #food #tried to make it all have some overlap so

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rabbitcruiser · 1 year ago

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International Picnic Day

Join a picnic-centric event like a charity or school event on International Picnic Day, or make your own picnic to appreciate food in a new light.

It’s often claimed that life is no picnic – but today it is! International Picnic Day is a chance to eat out in the open air with friends or family.

So get that picnic basket ready and get started celebrating International Picnic Day.

History of International Picnic Day

As fans of Jane Austen novels will know, 19th-century picnics in England became elaborate social occasions, with menus featuring a wide range of cold meats and pies that took days to prepare.

More recently, in 2009, the Guinness Book of World Records made note of the record for the largest picnic in the world. It took place with more than 20,000 people in Lisbon, Portugal.

International Picnic Day is celebrated in many countries–a simple opportunity to enjoy the beauty of eating outside!

How to Celebrate International Picnic Day

Those who want to get in on the fun can find plenty of opportunities to celebrate this enjoyable day. Consider these creative ways of celebrating or come up with a list of your own:

Join a Picnic Day Event

Have a Personal Picnic for Lunch or Dinner

Other ideas for piling foods into a picnic basket include:

Fruit. Most fruits come with their own natural packaging, making them the ideal food for a picnic. Grab some apples, oranges, bananas, or a giant watermelon to enjoy outside.

Side Dishes. Easy salads, potato chips, or a tray filled with veggies will make a picnic super tasty!

Source

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drariellevalentine · 4 years ago

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Medically Inevitable

Chapter 9- Mischievous Mishaps

Warnings:- Alcohol, slight cursing, a bunch of fluff and cuteness overload

Characters:- Arielle Valentine, Alyssa Raines, Ethan Ramsey, Arabelle Raines, Naveen Banerji, Kyra Santana, Sienna Trinh, Jackie Varma, Ines Delarosa

Pairing:- Ethan Ramsey x Arielle Valentine

Author’s Note:- Guess what! I finally figured out how to add a ‘keep reading’!

Ethan’s PoV:-

You never thought babysitting a 5 year old would be this tough. But this girl is starting to prove you wrong. Arabelle has a level of curiosity that cannot be matched by many 5 year olds. She has questions about everything she notices. You usually approve of this inquisitive nature (as long as you don't need to deal with it) but this kid just loves to ask you personal questions. And this isn't the only hard part, the hardest thing is how stubborn she is. But yet she managed to somehow get into your life. Just like Arielle, your subconscious reminds you but you shake it off as soon as the thought crosses your mind.

Grabbing the strawberry milkshake you just made, you make your way to the living room. Handing the glass to Arabelle you take a seat in the sofa and go through Naveen's recent test reports.

“Thank you! Mm, this is yummy!”, she says as she listens to the story.

You keep looking at the pages but can barely focus, your mind wanders to Naveen and Arabelle. You try to understand what the story is about. After minutes of listening. you understand that Naveen is reading some Disney story to Arabelle from her e-book reader, guessing that because Naveen is mentioning of a prince and princess quite often along with some utensils which can talk. You scoff at the childishness of the story.

You switch your attention back to the medical reports rather than listening to that unreal and childish love story.

Half an hour after, a whiny Arabelle grabs your attention. Sighing you place the file on the coffee table and try to listen to her.

"But I want to hear more of it!" She pouts and Naveen smiles.

"I know, Belle," He starts, "But your e-book reader is out of battery and I can promise you that Uncle Naveen just has boring books in his phone, nothing as interesting and lovable as the stories you read."

You see Naveen smirking at you as you groan. "What do you want?" You ask.

"Belle here wants to read more but her e-book reader is out of charge," Naveen sighs.

"I'll find something for her to read," you say and move towards your bookshelf to find something that a child can read.

Naveen fakes a cough and when he understands he got your attention, he proceeds with a smirk,"Just like I said, my friend, you don't have anything that a child can read and I can assure you that."

You pretend to get annoyed and go back to your seat. All this time Arabelle looks at you with puppy eyes and a cute pout on her face, again reminding you of a certain intern. This face is going to be the death of me one day! You sigh, pinching the bridge if your nose, “Fine! There's a library in this building. Let's go there."

As soon as the words leaves your mouth, Arabelle smiles at you brightly, running towards you and engulfs you in a hug, or at least tries to. “Thank you!”

Shocked from the sudden action, you sit there still for a moment before awkwardly reciprocating it. Though you act like you’re not comfortable, deep inside, this small act of affection warms your heart up.

Soon after you enter the library, Naveen leaves you to read the rest of the story to Belle because he found some books he was looking forward to read. "She'll guide you up to the part I read her," He waves before moving.

Sighing, you take Arabelle to the kids area, she runs off. After finding the book, she runs over and hands it to you. You have to crouch down to grab the book. With one last sigh, you guide her towards the sitting area. On your way, she clasps your hand, sticking to your side. Another affectionate act that warms up your heart and this time you can't help but smile.

"You know her and mine name is the same!" She says pointing towards the picture on the book.

"Really?" You ask and she nods enthusiastically.

"Her name is Belle and so is mine!" She smiles broadly.

"Isn't your name Arabelle?"

"Yes, but everyone calls me Belle," she beams at you and you smile back at her.

As you start reading she's doing everything but listen. She just won’t sit straight. She's jumping around, lying on the rug or sitting. Lastly, she plops herself into the center of your lap, bending over your knee. You look up to see Naveen laughing as he snaps a picture. “What are you doing?”

“Absolutely nothing.”, he replies when clearly you can see he’s texting someone. You’re about to ask when Belle interrupts you. You look down to see her head on one side of your leg, feet on another.

“What happens next?!”, she asks. You continue reading the story, and end up reading several more.

Arielle’s PoV:-

After dropping off Belle, you drive back to Flair and pick everyone up. “Hey guys! Are you all ready?” You look up to see everyone dressed and styled perfectly. “Looking good, ladies! Now come on!” You lead everyone to your car and drive to ‘Glamour’, the new club that opened downtown a few months back.

“Arielle, I got you a jacket! Here.” She spins me around and slips it on as the rest of the girls get down. You lock the car and head to the very, very, very, very long queue.

“Follow me, girls!”, Alyssa saunters to the front of the queue, flashing her ID at the bouncer. You notice a few paparazzi flashing pics, something the both of you are very accustomed to.

“Please, come in mam. Who else is with you, you mentioned 5 other people?” Alyssa points to the group and another bouncer leads us through the heavy crowd to the secluded VIP lounge.

"Oof! I need a drink after getting through this crowd," you sigh and take a seat.

“Well I need at least ten!", Jackie says and then places your order.

A few minutes later the bartender places a tray of shots in front of your group.

"We're going to start with tequila?" Alyssa asks slightly shocked.

"Start, finish and everything in between," Sienna giggles."That's Jackie's life quote!" She hi-fives you and all of you laugh. Jackie scoffs from beside you.

After four more round of shots, your now sultry voice says,"I wanna hit the dance floor now!"

You drag everyone along with you to the crowded dance floor. You couldn't help but move along with the sultry bass beats, swinging your hips with Aly. Both of you mirror each other’s moves, earning whistles from the girls. After a while, Sienna, Ines, Kyra and even Jackie joins you two. All six of you dance away into the night, letting all your troubles float away.

Ethan’s PoV:-

After you come back from the library, you notice Belle with a sad look on her face. “What happened?”, you ask.

“I miss mommy! When are they coming back?”, she asks.

“They’ll be back a bit late, my dear. Meanwhile, we can do something fun, don’t you think? Your aunt always does fun things with you when she babysits you.”, Naveen replies.

“Okay...what can we do?” You rack your mind for ideas. What do 5 year olds like to do? You notice the time and it’s already 7, and you haven’t made anything for dinner.

“Do you want to help me make a pizza?”

“Yes!!”, she shouts grabbing Jenner’s attention. He bounds towards her and the two play with each other. “Uncle Ethan, can you take a picture pwease? I want to send it to Aunt Arielle!”, she pleads.

“Alright. Stay still.” The pair pose quite adorably as you whip out your phone and click a picture. You show it to her. She tells you to send it. Opening your messages, you tap on her contact and shoot a few texts and the picture.

“Now! What’s this about a pizza?”, Naveen asks. You lead them to the kitchen island, Naveen sits on a bar stool as you lift Belle and let her sit on your island.

“Eeek!! That was fun!”

“Now, don’t move around.” You turn towards your fridge and grab the pizza dough you made earlier. Placing it on the marble top, you grab a packet of flour and a rolling pin.

“Do you know what’s the first step of making a pizza, Belle?”, Naveen asks.

“Mhm! First we roll out the dough! Aunt Arielle always spreads flour on the top!” Naveen nods as you peel off the cling wrap and knead the cold dough in your hands until it becomes soft. You divide it into three, two medium and one small.

You scoop a generous amount of flour and place it on the marble top. “Can I spread it?”, you turn to see her with pleading eyes.

“Alright. Like this.” You take her hand and help her to spread the flour all over the counter. You quickly roll out all three balls of dough, then picking out toppings like different cheeses, vegetables and sauces.

“What do you want me to do?, Belle asks.

You have the most important part, Belle. You get to spread cheese and sauce, placing all your favourite veggies on it!”

“Okay! Can you help me?”, she turns to you.

“...What do you want on your pizza?” She pulls a bottle of sauce the you made and mozzarella towards her.

“Okay, first scoop as much of the sauce as you want on your pizza.” She scoops a quite generous amount and turns to you, waiting for your instructions. You carefully take her small hand in yours and slowly help her spread the sauce, noticing Naveen smiling in the corner of your eye.

“Ooh! This looks good! What now?”, you grab the packet of shredded mozzarella and hand it to her. “I love cheese!”, she quickly dumps and obscene amount of cheese on her pizza and spreads it all over, causing Naveen to laugh.

“You really are like your aunt! You know Ethan, Arielle would do the same thing whenever we made pizzas....and I’m quite sure she still does it now!”

“She does! She said that cheese makes everything better!!...done!”, she says.

“Okay...do you want any veggies and meat on your pizza?”, you ask as she thinks quite furtively. It’s quite amusing seeing the serious face of a 5 year old.

“...I want mushrooms and sausage please!” You take a cutting board and knife, slicing the toppings that she asked for and handing the board to her. She places all her toppings and then suddenly she tries to get down. You quickly scoop her into your arms, causing her to giggle and shout, “Again! Again!”

“Belle! Don’t do that, you’ll get hurt! Do you want me to tell your aunt?”, Naveen lightly scolds. Her face falls.

“No...” She turns to you with big blue eyes, quite similar to yours. “Sorry...”

“It’s alright. Now, don’t do that again!” You place her on the floor, before you can steady her, she quickly runs to Jenner, the pair running around your apartment.

“You know...I don’t think I’ve ever seen you happy with a child. That too babysitting because someone asked you. You’re quite good at it.”

You scoff, “I’m simply doing what others would do. Now, what do you want on your pizza?” Both of you finish your pizzas and place all three of them into the oven. After setting a timer, you head to the living room and discuss the diagnostics team’s cases as you keep an eye on the notorious pair.

Arielle’s PoV:-

You barely notice the time you spent on the dance floor. But then Kyra, who left the dance floor for a breather, signals for you from the bar.

"I'll be back!" You scream to the gang but you aren’t sure if they heard you.

"Wait, I'll come along. I need a drink," Sienna says and follows you.

"You have a lot of texts!" Kyra says as soon as you reach her. You take the phone from her and thank her.

You unlock your phone to find texts from Ethan and Naveen. Naveen texted you some "Have fun" and "Enjoy the night!" along with a few pictures of Arabelle, some her solo and some her playing with Ethan.

While Ethan only sent you a couple of pictures, some of Naveen and Arabelle and the other of Arabelle playing with Jenner.

You smile seeing those pictures. Sienna to takes a peek at those from behind you and then says, “Look! They’re so cute!!” You both hush over the adorable photos of Belle and Jenner, quickly responding to both of the texts.

Si nudges you after a moment. "Hey! I have an idea. Let's play truth or dare?" She asks you both.

"Yes, please!" You say and at the same time Kyra says,"Oh hell yes!"

"I'll call the others over." You say and make your way towards the rest of the gang. Borrowing an empty bottle from the bartender you make your way to the VIP lounge.

You take a corner sit with Kyra besides you, Alyssa beside her. On the opposite side Sienna, Jackie and Ines sit.

Kyra spins the bottle once you all are seated. The empty wine bottle spins for a few seconds before stopping at Jackie and the group cheers.

Kyra gives Jackie a dare of collecting number of some random guy by flirting with him.

Jackie goes with a smirk and returns after ten minutes. She hands Kyra a tissue. Opening which you guys find a number written in there, the number is not quite understable at first glance but then you can make out the number eventually. Kyra whistles lightly noting the number more clearly.

The game goes on like this and after a few rounds, it's your turn and Sienna is to give you a task.

I'll go with dare," You say and Sienna smirks. You’re regretting this already.

“Do a striptease," she grins.

“Sorry, what?!" You ask shocked.

“Do a striptease. You know strip, take a picture and send it to the contact on the top of the list."

You swear that you saw her smirk again but then again you aren’t sure as she hides it.

"Fine!" You grab your phone and make your way towards the restroom to click the picture.

“I'll come to make sure of it!" Sienna screams from behind.

“Me too! Someone needs to make sure Arielle clicks the hottest pictures," Kyra too joins you.

You enter the restroom to find it empty and a content sigh falls off your lip.

“Get to work now!" Sienna chimes.

You strip off the upper part of your dress, Kyra grabs your phone and clicks a few pictures. Then you slip on your dress again as Kyra hands you over your phone.

The three of you return to the table.

"Who's the lucky one who got the pictures?" Alyssa grins as you take your sit and you roll your eyes.

"She is going to send it now," Kyra too grins.

“Hah! Too bad, it’s only Aly!”

You unlock your phone and open the log to find Ethan's number on top of the list. Your mouth drops, so wide. You are doomed. In midst of all the excitement and tipsiness you completely forgot, that the last person who called you is Ethan.

"Can I send it to someone else than the first person in my list?" You ask nervously.

"Nope," Sienna answers and you sigh. “Wait!...who is it?!”

“Omg! Ari, who is it?!”, Aly shrieks. She snatches the phone from you and shrieks.

“Oh my god...Is this?...”, she turns to you. You nod, wincing.

“Who is it? You guys are freaking out so much!”, Jackie asks.

“None other than her boss.”, Aly says. All of them are confused until Si blurts out that it’s Ethan.

“Oh dear...”, Ines’s face goes white.

“You’re kidding!...right?”, Jackie says.

“You’re doomed!”, Kyra says. You glare at all of them.

“How do you even have his number?”, Jackie asks. You rack your mind for an excuse, Aly jumps in.

“Naveen is an old family friend of ours, so he babysits Belle a lot. Turns out, he was staying at Ethan’s apartment so they’re both babysitting her.”

“I’m not doing this.”, you declare. “There’s absolutely no way I’m sending this picture.”

“Oh yes you are!”, Kyra grabs your phone and sends it to him, leaving you to gape in horror. “Don’t worry, I’ve sent a message that says that it was a dare and you’re very sorry.”

“Why did I ever agree to this?!”, you facepalm yourself.

“Cause you love us! Now, it’s Jackie’s turn to spin the bottle.”, Aly says.

Ethan’s PoV:-

As the timer for the pizza rings, Belle rushes towards the kitchen. “Don’t go near the oven!”, you shout as you walk towards the kitchen. A few minutes later, you’re carefully placing three steaming pizzas on the kitchen island, oven mitts in hand.

“Mmmmmmmm!! It smells sooooo good!”, she yells.

“Well that’s because you made it!”, Naveen says as he takes out the plates. Grabbing the pizza cutter, you quickly slice the pizzas and bring them to the table as Naveen sets the table. You bring a bottle of wine and lemonade along with some glasses. All three of you eat as soon as you feed Jenner, Belle’s stories entertaining you.

“-So Uncle Mark asked for the bag of flour and Aunt Arielle said she would get it, so she went and climbed a stool to grab the bag. But she spilled all the flour on herself! It went poof!”, she laughs while mimicking an explosion.

“Okay, that’s enough storytime for now. Eat your food before it gets cold.” Naveen says. Belle ends up finishing first and running towards Jenner, the two playing in the living room. You and Naveen discuss a new medical documentary that he watched the other day. After a while, Naveen sits the the living room watching tv while you finish up the dishes. The apartment is quiet, devoid of any laughter, shrieks or giggles. Washing your soapy hands, you quickly rush to your room to find Belle fallen asleep on your bed, Jenner beside her.

“It’s adorable, isn’t it. I think you like having her around.” You turn to see Naveen adoring the pair.

“Maybe.” You lift Belle up, placing a lean pillow underneath her head and cover her with one of your comforters as Jenner loyally stays by her side.

“I’m starting to think your dog likes my granddaughter more than you!”, he laughs. A small smile perks up on your face as you watch the pair. “I’m heading to bed, my boy. Tell Sunshine I asked for her, hmm.”, he says as he walks toward your guest bedroom, the one that she was staying in. You go back to the kitchen when your phone chimes with a message. You see it’s a photo from Arielle. Unlocking your phone you click on her contact only to see a half naked picture and a text. “What the hell!...Dear god!”, you almost drop your phone on seeing the scandalous photo.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”, you’re about to call and confront her when you decide not to, telling yourself it’s because she’s had an eventful week and deserves to blow off steam when really you don’t want to upset her. Deleting the text, you go back to the sink. You’re finishing up the dishes as you hear the doorbell ring, this time no singing.

Arielle’s PoV:-

Jackie spins the bottle, slowly stopping on Aly. “Dare.”

She grins wickedly, “Oh, I’m going to have fun with this! Hmm...let me think.” She puts a lot of thought into it before exclaiming, “Okay, see Mr. Moneybags over there?” Jackie points to a guy wearing an Armani suit, Aly nods. “I want to go over there, flirt and lead him on...and then tell him that his invited to your wedding as that he can come as your sister’s date.”, she finishes with a wicked grin.

“Oh my god Jackie! She’s married!”, Si shouts.

“It’s alright. I’m sure Adrian won’t mind!”, she says with a wink. “Although it has been a long time since I’ve played this game.” She sashays over to the guy and starts flirting with him, at the same time giving us a clear view of his face. After a few minutes, the smirk on the guy’s face gets replaced with a embarrassed shock.

“Damn Jackie! You’re cruel, just look at that guy’s face!”, you reply.

You all laugh as Aly says, “I’m definitely getting you back for this! Now it’s Sienna’s turn.” Si spins the bottle, which slowly lands on Ines.

“I’ll go with truth.”, Ines says.

“Okay! So...what’s going on with you and Zaid?”, Sienna asks without skipping a beat. Clearly alcohol has given her a major confidence boost.

Ines gets flustered, “What! Nothing’s going on! We’re just friends!”

“Right....my turn!”, Kyra spins the bottle landing on you. “Aw! I wanted to give a dare, but she’s obvi not going too!”

“Who said?! Dare!”, you reply. Si’s definitely not the only one who got a confidence boost from the alcohol.

“I dare you to slam 5 shots of tequila, continuously. No limes, no salt.” Clearly, you made a bad choice.

“Ooooh! Savage!”, Jackie says.

“Ugh fine! But don’t blame me if I throw up on you!” Kyra happily lines up five shot glasses, pouring tequila in each.

“Wait! I’m recording this!” Aly whips out her phone as you get up from your plush seat and ready yourself. “3...2......1!” You slam one shot after another, the tequila burning your throat. By the time you’re on your 5th shot, you can’t stand.

“Ugh, I think that was too much...” You sit down as Ines hands you a water bottle with lemon.

“Wow! That was impressive!! Okay, now Ines has to spin!”, Kyra says. Ines spins the bottle, landing on Kyra.

“I’m not making the same mistake you dummies made, truth.”, Kyra replies.

“Hey!”, you yell playfully.

“Okay, what was your most embarrassing moment in high school?”, Ines asks.

Kyra winces, “I take that back, karma’s a bitch! Okay, so in high school, we had a really pretty, young geography teacher. One day she brought in a guest for a lecture. The guy looked pretty old so I thought he was her dad because he called her a pet name, so I went and asked.......turns out he was her fiancé.” You burst out laughing as do all the others, “Oh dear!”

After the laughter dies down, Aly spins the bottle, landing on Jackie. “What the hell, dare!”

“I want you to....steal that bottle of Don Pérignon.”, Aly says pointing to the champagne bar.

“Oooh! Someone’s getting in trouble!”, you sing.

Jackie rolls her eyes, “Whatever!” She walks to bar and slowly swipes the bottle, all while flirting with the cute bartender. Several minutes later, she walks back to the lounge and slams the bottle on the table.

“Colour me impressed!”, Aly says while pouring everyone a flute.

“My turn!”, you spin the bottle, only to land on Sienna. “Ooh! Karma’s definitely being a bitch today! What will it be, dear bestie?”

“...truth.” She says carefully. Luckily, you know just what to ask.

“So...remember the housewarming party a few weeks ago? Well, look what I stumbled across in the morning!” She scroll through your camera roll until you find the picture you took of Sienna and Danny and show it to everyone, as Sienna’s cheeks turn red. “Mind explaining this?”, you ask with a smirk.

“What?! That was nothing! We were just talking and ended up falling asleep! I have a boyfriend, remember!!”, Sienn tries to defend herself.

“Mhm...” The game finally winds down after all of you are completely and utterly drunk...except for Ines.

“How are you still so sober?”, you ask.

“Cause I have an early shift tomorrow. Plus, who’s going to drive?”

“Ah. Good point!”, Jackie says.

“I think we should head home.”, Aly says. We all agree and enter my car, giving Ines the keys.

“Wait, go to this address first. We need to pick up Belle.” You hand out water and sticks of gum to everyone as Ines drives to Ethan’s apartment. You pop a berry flavoured stick for yourself, as everyone has a competition to see who can blow the biggest bubble. Kyra ends up winning, by the time she pulls up, you’re quite sober. Reluctantly heading up, you ring the bell. The door is opened to find Ethan at the door, giving you a look.

You don’t know what to say and start rambling, “I’m sorry! It wasn’t my fault! The thing is, I didn’t know that you were on the top of my contact list! I tried to”-

He cuts you off. “It’s fine. Belle is sleeping and Naveen went to bed just now.” You sigh with relief. “Was she too much trouble?”

“Not much more than you.”, you laugh as he leads to you to Belle. You find her and Jenner snuggled up together, the sight is an explosion of cuteness. You snap a quick pic. Carefully lifting up the covers, you pick her up and place her on the side of your hip, making sure not to wake her up. Ethan hands you a small file as you exit the apartment. “I managed to run a few more tests, here’s a copy of them. See if you can find anything.” You nod and carefully go back to the car, concealing the file and slide in, handing Belle to Aly and slipping the folder in your bag. You show the photo you took as you post it, leaving everyone to gush.

You manage to reach your apartment in 30 minutes.

Everyone slumps on the couch as you tell them to wait. You go inside and get a few extra pairs of pajamas, so do Si and Jackie.

“Here, change and get ready for bed. You guys can sleep wherever you want.” Ines bunks with Si, Kyra bunks with Jackie and Aly comes with you. Way too exhausted to follow through your night routine, you quickly strip and slip on a pair of pajamas. Cleansing your face, you throw your hair into a braid and flop into bed beside Belle, after pulling out a few extra blankets for them. “Night Aly.”, you say with a yawn but she’s already fallen asleep.

“I’ve danced and drunk all my troubles away for tonight, but I’ll have to face them...someday.”, you think as you fall into a deep slumber.

Taglist:- @mysticaurathings @caseyvalentineramsey @kaavyaethanramsey @ohramsey @ohvamsey @coastalengineer @openheartincorrect @incorrectopenheart @openheart12 @monsoonblooms12 @realmrsramsey @jamespotterthefirst @hopelessromantics4life @starrystarrytrouble @rookie-ramsey @mrandmrsramsey @semanticsandsea-lemons @ethansrookie02 @archxxronrookie @whippedforethanfreakingramsey @sad-satan-herself @mary-c92 @arcticlumineer @princessfuzzy12 @alina-yol-ramsey @maurine07 @binny1985 @aarisa-frost @nikki-2406 @akshara16 @drethanramslay @mayatrueman @mvalentine @theroyalrookie @siaramsey @stateofgracious @schnitzelbutterfingers @drstellavalentine @drethanramsey @drethanfreakingramsey @openheartthot @openheartfanfics @playchoices @literaryexpress @ethandaddyramseyx @custaroonie @lillyvalentine11 @in-love-with-a-trans-girl @xpandabeardontcarex @lilyvalentine

#open heart #playchoices #ethanjonahramsey #collab #ohsy #ethan x mc #modern au #open heart fanfic #from the bottom of my heart #thank you for never getting tired of them #fluff #babysitting

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painted-crow · 4 years ago

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Any suggestions for trying to cook Gryffindor style? I realized I've been modeling my mom's Bookkeeper Puff secondary really hard over my burned Gryff for years and I don't even know how to improvise anymore. I'm really scared of failing. Cooking seems like a low stakes place to play around. I'm really good at cooking so how badly can I screw up, right?

Decide what you wanna make, and then just go for it?

If you have trouble with the vagueness of that direction because improvising is hard, maybe meet it halfway by watching a YouTube video or two, or picking a simple recipe.

Orrrr!

I suggest making bread! The ingredients are cheap and easy to get, and it's not as picky as people make it sound. I could link you a recipe, but that would defeat the purpose, so instead I'll give you some hints like you're on one of those "you don't get a real recipe" cooking shows:

Bread, at its most basic, is just flour, water, yeast, and salt. You don't actually need anything else! You can stir it up in a big bowl with your hands and bake it off in lumps on a cookie tray.

Check that your yeast is alive by stirring in a few tablespoons of water and a pinch of sugar. It should foam up. If you just bought your yeast it's probably fine, but it's good to check.

You'll want about a tablespoon of yeast per pound of flour, maybe a bit less.

Your dough should be stretchy and not *too* sticky or goopy--it should come away from the sides of the bowl pretty easily and be shapeable.

You can let the dough rise in the fridge, covered, and then it's less picky about when you bake it ^^

I suggest 400F for your oven temperature, but I've baked it off anywhere from 350-450F. Keep an eye on it around the half hour mark, sooner if you use a higher temp.

You can try eyeballing when it's done from the crust, you can try thumping the bottom to find out if it sounds hollow, or you can use a thermometer and pull it when its internal temp is around 180-190F ish.

Don't eat undercooked bread. If you slice into it and find it's gooey in the middle still, you can try throwing it back in the oven and see what happens, or slice it up and throw all the slices in a toaster, or whatever you wanna do--just make sure it's cooked through. Food safety!

Now, here's the real improvvy bit: you can mess with this in all kinds of different ways.

You can dig a handful of shredded cheese out of your fridge and knead it into a handful of dough, and bake that

You can make it into rolls and stuff them with lunch meat or ground hamburger or sauteed veggies

You can sprinkle herbs and stuff on top

You can try to turn them into cinnamon bread/cinnamon rolls/cinnamon bread rolls

What happens if you add butter? Oatmeal? Instant mashed potato flakes?

Idk, dig stuff out of your fridge and try something weird lol

What's the worst that can happen?

You make a mess, set off your smoke alarm, and waste $2 in ingredients? You'll live.

Your mental image of your mom that lives in the back of your head starts to yell at you? It's a good opportunity to practice telling her to buzz off.

This should be a solid enough starting point, then you can just try things and... roll with it. (That pun wasn't intended when I started that sentence, but it sure is now.)

#sortinghatchats #gryffindor secondary #shc burned houses #burned gryffindor secondary #asks #paint speaks

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leavesofolive · 4 years ago

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🌞🧹🌻Hearth Witch Tips!🌻🧹🌞

04: Your kitchen eats with you!

Just like with the rest of the house, what you put into the kitchen also heavily affects its energy. When you treat the hearth in certain ways, it reacts in certain ways. Your relationship with any room in the house is give-and-take. That means that if you don’t give back occasionally, the room will grow cold and stop appreciating your presence. But there are plenty of ways to mend your relationship! And the first step is to identify the problem!

From my experience, there are three main reasons why the kitchen stops being a warm and inviting place: 1) You are filling the cupboards with too much toxic, processed foods; 2) You aren’t spending enough time in that room; 3) Or you aren’t keeping the room clean enough.

When there’s a problem in the hearth, it’s always either one of these things or some combination of them. We’ll start with number three since it’s the easiest to explain. The kitchen should be anyone’s top priority to keep clean. It’s where all of your food, the nutrition and fuel of your physical and spiritual bodies, comes from! What you eat is your first defense against illness, injury, and your mental health. If the kitchen is filthy, then the food you take into your body will also begin to develop the same properties.

To keep the kitchen clean, I always start my day by washing last night’s dishes and give the counters a quick wipe. Once a month, I take stock of what’s in the fridge and freezer and scrub them out to prevent bacteria build-up. Sweeping the kitchen floors happens once a week and takes me all of three minutes to complete, tops. Once per season, normally at the beginning, I scrub the floors with soap and water, descale the coffee maker, wipe down the other appliances, and clean out the cupboards. So the only true “cleaning days” for the kitchen is four days out of the entire year. The rest of the time, the chores only take me about 30 minutes. As a quick tip, rinsing your dishes before setting them in the sink speeds up the dish washing process a ton! I’ve personally never trusted dishwashers since they don’t clean stuff well enough and it’s easier, faster, and far more cost effective to do it by hand.

The next problem the kitchen’s energy might be suffering from is how much time you’re spending there. First, spending a lot of time in the kitchen is a great thing! It absorbs the energy you feed to it, so when you don’t go in the kitchen very often or just don’t spend much time in there to begin with, the kitchen grows darker and colder. It loses the warmth and emotion and love that would’ve been sinking into it when you aren’t there.

The way to fix this problem is actually really easy! Cooking your own meals ensures that you are in there for a good amount of time each day because of the prep work and meal planning, etc. Plus, you get healthier, tastier food that way too! If you can’t cook all that well yet, don’t worry! Just like any skill, there’s no talent involved in learning something. It just depends on how much effort you apply to it. Another way to boost the hearth’s energy is to just hang out in that room. Invite some friends over, set out a snack tray, and just chill in the kitchen. Of course, since it’s pandemic right now, it’s best to wait until that’s over with to try this approach. But you, yourself, can still hang out in the kitchen!

The last problem, and a very, very common one in this day and age, is the influence of toxic food. Just like how your house absorbs energy from the land its on and what its built with, the kitchen also absorbs energy from the ingredients you keep within it. Toxic foods include anything processed or with a bunch of added sugars, and even GMO ingredients to some extent due to the trace chemicals that are still on the crops. These kinds of foods, if that’s the only thing in your house, will rot the energy. Not to mention, easy to grab snacks also end up causing you to spend a lot less time in the kitchen if that’s all you eat. Needless to say, no one eats healthy all the time. I don’t either! But having only toxic food in your kitchen isn’t great for you or the hearth.

Once again, cooking comes to the rescue! Even if you’re bad at it, it’s the thought that counts and little by little, as your skills grow and improve, the kitchen will learn to help guide you. There have been many times where I’d be stuck on how to fix something and a bottle of spice would fall of the shelf right next to me. If you listen to the kitchen, it will listen to you, too! Even if you don’t have time to cook, snacks like apples, berries, seeds, nuts, and dried meats are all healthy alternatives! I usually keep kale chips in the house for some yummy, salty crunchiness!

------------------------------

If you are worried about cost with this approach (believe me, due to my own situation it’s been a struggle at times), I’ve found out several tips and tricks to significantly lower the grocery bill. Anymore, my bill would actually be bigger if I bought crap food instead! Here’s my advice:

☀ Plan your week ahead! I always plan four meals a week that I’ll cook, and three days that I’ll scavenge for snacks and leftovers. I also stick to the rule of “one simple, one chicken, one meatless, one freebie” to remain more cost effective! The “simple” meal is just something I can make quickly if I know I’ll be short on time. The reason for have one of the meals be chicken is because it’s a much less expensive meat than beef or pork, and it’s a little better for the environment. The meatless meal is for the same reasoning. Meat is expensive and commercial brands are horrible for both the environment and the animals themselves. When I do buy meat, I make sure to buy local, grass-fed, organic meat as often as I can afford to. Keep in mind that every time you purchase anything, you are casting your vote for what is acceptable for society to continue. The “freebie” meal is just whatever I’ve been craving. If I want some kind of beef, I wait until this day.

☀ Learn to bake your own bread! For those of us with the time, this is a great way to save money and to stay healthy! Basic, white bread is actually pretty easy to make and only uses a couple ingredients. Those ingredients also go a long way. It costs me about 24¢ to make one loaf of bread because things like flour, sugar, salt, butter, honey, and yeast are all things that you buy once and can use for several loaves before you have to buy them again! It’s also not as time consuming as you’d think. Yes, it takes about 2 hours, but most of that time is proofing so you can easily be running around doing other things in between.

☀ Grow a garden! Even if it’s just a small, window herb garden, it can take the edge off of your overall food cost. Portobello mushrooms are also super easy to grow inside with minimal effort and equipment. If you have outdoor space, planting a small garden with the ingredients you use the most can help immensely!

☀ Only buy what you need! I know those sales look crazy tempting, but most of them are actually bogus and don’t actually save you any money. Think about what you are actually going to use before it goes bad and stick to your list. The bottom shelves at the store, aka the ones not in your direct line of sight, are usually where the grocery stores hide the better priced goods. At the back of most stores that have bakeries, there’s also usually a spot to get baked goods left over from the previous day for a slightly cheaper price. Day-old baked novelties like bread, cookies, and cakes are still perfectly good, and much easier to enjoy where you don’t have to spend as much!

☀ Check what’s already in your fridge before making your list! This is a huge one, since it prevents food waste, which in turn prevents money waste! What can you make during this week that can use up some of the ingredients leftover from last week? You’ll be impressed how quickly your food cost drops when you aren’t throwing things away. Waste not, want not! This trick also applies in another way, as well. When making your weekly meal plans, what types of foods use similar ingredients? If one meal calls for a slightly pricier ingredient, what other food can you cook with that ingredient to make the cost worth it? This also ensures that you get full use of things without wasting them. For example, this week I bought some fresh mozzarella cheese. Because this item is a little more expensive, I’m using it to make both the tomato mozzarella sandwiches and the beef wellingtons I’m making this week!

☀ Buy mostly produce! One of the best ways to lower your bill while still eating healthy is to simply add more fruits and veggies into your diet! There are so many tasty recipes that call for these babies that you’ll never run out of options, and there’s several things out there for everyone! Because I deal with sensory issues, I had to experiment a lot with what textures and tastes I could handle, especially on the bad days, but even still I found an over-abundance of things I love to eat. Fresh produce is way less expensive than meat, and much less expensive than many of the more mainstream snacks like chips or other processed foods.

------------------------------ All in all, taking care of your kitchen will also end up taking care of you, as well! Spending time there, actually using the kitchen the way it’s supposed to be, and just keeping it clean can work wonders in opening up your home and making it ten times warmer and more inviting! Trust me, your health and home will thank you for it!

#witchblr #hearth witch #pagan #witchcraft #cottagecore #writeblr #daily care #housecare #kitchen #hearth #positive vibes #know your home #healthy eating #health #naturecore #natural living #goblincore #home #kody

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