Fun and Easy: Making Butter in a Mason Jar!

Hey there, future butter-makers! Are you ready to embark on a kitchen adventure that will turn cream into creamy, dreamy butter? Today, we’re going to learn a super cool way to make butter using a mason jar. It’s like magic in the kitchen! So, grab your ingredients and let’s get started!

Ingredients:

Heavy whipping cream (make sure it’s cold)
A pinch of salt (optional)
A mason jar with a tight-fitting lid

Step 1: Pour the Cream

Start by pouring some cold heavy whipping cream into the mason jar. Fill it about halfway – you don’t want to overfill, or the magic won’t happen!

Step 2: Shake It Up!

Now comes the fun part. Secure the lid tightly on the mason jar and shake it like you’re dancing to your favorite tunes. Shake, shake, shake! This is where the magic begins. As you shake, the cream inside the jar will start to thicken and change.

Step 3: Keep Shaking

Don’t stop shaking! It might take a little while, but keep at it. You’ll notice the cream becoming thicker and grainier. That’s the butter forming. If you want, you can take turns shaking with a friend or family member – it’s a great workout for your arms!

Step 4: Check the Butter

After a bit of time and enthusiastic shaking, take a peek inside the jar. You should see two things: a liquid (that’s buttermilk) and solid clumps (that’s your butter). Hooray! But we’re not done yet.

Step 5: Drain the Buttermilk

Carefully pour out the buttermilk. You can use a strainer or simply tilt the jar while keeping the lid on to keep the butter inside. Save the buttermilk for pancakes or other recipes – waste not, want not!

Step 6: Rinse the Butter

Add some cold water to the jar and shake it again. This helps rinse off any remaining buttermilk. Pour out the water and repeat until the water is clear. Your butter will taste better without the extra buttermilk.

Step 7: Add a Pinch of Salt (Optional)

For extra flavor, you can add a pinch of salt to your butter. Give it a gentle stir with a spoon, and you’re ready to spread it on toast, crackers, or whatever you like!

Congratulations, survival chefs! You’ve just made your very own butter using a mason jar. It’s a fun and tasty kitchen experiment that proves cooking can be both educational and delicious. So next time you’re in the mood for a kitchen adventure, grab a jar, some cream, and get shaking! Enjoy your homemade butter, and happy cooking!

Will Your Family Go Hungry? Is Your Family Prepared for an Emergency?

Emergencies come in various forms, ranging from severe storms to unexpected power outages. Just like having insurance coverage for your home or car, it’s crucial to be prepared for the unexpected by stocking up on long-term food items. These food reserves act as a safety net, ensuring that your family won’t go hungry during times of crisis.

By incorporating freeze-dried foods into your emergency food supply, you can be ready for almost any unexpected event. Consider how invaluable these foods can be when a storm knocks out your electricity for several days. With long-term food items and a simple one-burner stove or candle to heat water (cold water can suffice in a pinch), you can still enjoy a hot and satisfying meal in less than 10 minutes.

Creating a private food reserve makes perfect sense, both from a financial and security standpoint. Using pouches is ideal for limited short-term emergencies, while cans are more suitable for potential extended emergencies or situations that may affect a large number of people. You can also mix and match your short-term and long-term food items to cater to your specific needs.

Expert Advice:

1. Assess Your Family’s Dietary Needs: Consider the dietary requirements and preferences of each family member when planning your emergency food supply. Take into account any allergies, dietary restrictions, or special considerations to ensure that everyone’s needs are met during an emergency.

2. Calculate the Right Amount: Determine the appropriate quantity of food to store for your family based on the number of members and the estimated duration of the emergency. The general recommendation is to have at least a two-week supply of non-perishable food items.

3. Focus on Balanced Nutrition: While it’s essential to have a sufficient food supply, it’s equally important to maintain a balanced diet during emergencies. Include a variety of food items that provide essential nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and vitamins.

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5 Legal Self Defense Weapons You Should Consider Buying

Whether you are at home or traveling, safety matters the most. After all, you would not want to be attacked or threatened at any time. The best way to deal with the risks is by having a self-defense strategy in place. While you can learn some physical tactics, carrying a weapon or two can make you feel safer and more confident anywhere. But you would want to carry only the ones that are legally permissible because anything that is not can get you into trouble with the authorities. Here is a list of legal defense weapons you should consider buying for being safe everywhere and at all times.

Pepper spray

Perhaps the best weapon that you can carry for being safe while you commute and travel is pepper spray. It is lightweight and easy to carry as you can just slip it into your bag or pocket. Moreover, pepper spray is easy to take out and use when you are in potential danger. There is a good choice available if you want to pick the level of potency, though even the lightest one can be highly effective.

Tactical knife

A tactical knife is small in size yet effective and easy to use when it comes to defending yourself from an attacker. You can choose a flip open variant or one that can be carried in a holder on your side. Flip open knives are easy to conceal while the side-holder ones are easier to access when you are in danger. Tactical knives, though, are not legal everywhere.

Stun guns

Stun guns are effective self-defense weapons that enable you to shock the attacker. Since these are non-lethal, you need not fear legal restrictions in most of the places. While even a basic one would give you good protection, look for an advanced product like TASER X2 if you want to be extra sure. These guns are widely used by law enforcement professionals through even civilians can use it.

Tactical pens

A smart self-defense weapon that you can carry everywhere is a tactical pen. It looks like a pen but is capable of doing much more. The impact edges are designed to dissuade attackers while it has LED lights as well. Moreover, the tip of a tactical pen can cut glass and help you to escape if you are abducted.

Personal alarms

Not exactly a weapon, a personal alarm is still something that can keep you safe in adverse situations. A whistle is the best example of a traditional personal alarm. However, there are high-tech ones that you can use to send across an alert to the authorities when you are attacked. Some alarms are even equipped to share your location so that you can get help on the spot. Look for a small and easily accessible one that you can reach when you need it the most.

Since these weapons are non-lethal, you will not get into legal problems by using them. Still, carrying them makes you feel confident as you can use them for being safe all the time.

Tips to Choosing the Ideal Tent for Survival Off Grid

You can’t go to a camp site without a tent. This is because you will not have somewhere to lay your head at night or when you just want to rest during the day. With a quality net, you can be sure that you will be protected from the bad elements of weather. Besides that, you will enjoy being able to do certain things in privacy, such as changing into fresh clothes and grooming. However, buying a new tent can be a daunting task, especially when you don’t know what to look for. As a matter of fact, tents come in various shapes and sizes. Selecting the right tent will go a long way towards improving your experience at the campsite. Here is a list of things you should consider when shopping for a tent.

1. Size Matters

Your choice of a tent should be guided by the number of people that it can accommodate. In fact, every tent describes the number of people that can comfortably stay in it. If it’s just you and your spouse, a tent with a capacity of 4 people is highly recommended. This is because you will use the space that’s left to keep your stuff. If you have a bigger family, it’s recommended you narrow down to a king size tent. This helps in ensuring that the occupants are able to move inside without being clumsy. It’s also important you consider the height of the tent, especially if you want to be able to stand inside. A tent with a cubicle design is ideal for such purposes.

2. Easy to Set Up

As an amateur camper, you might get carried away by the looks of various tents. Some tents look very appealing when they are already set up. What the sales people will not tell you is that you can’t set up such tents on your own. In fact, some tents can only be pitched by professionals. Going to a camp with such a tent is a recipe for disaster. This is because you will not be able to set it up fast when you arrive late at the camp or it starts raining. By the rule of thumb, you should select a tent that pops up instantly.

3. Proper Weather Protection

Sleeping under canvas is fun as long as the tent doesn’t allow bad weather to penetrate to the inside. An ideal tent is one that’s designed to prevent water from penetrating through. Tents made from canvas are usually the best because they are breathable, meaning they allow fresh air to circulate inside while repelling water. Such tents help in maintaining dryness in the inside by encouraging evaporation. Since they are also breathable, they prevent heat from building up. You should also select a tent that’s insulated on the edges to keep cold weather at bay during winter.

4. Price

The price of tent is not constant across various stores. You should actually keep looking until you find a tent that you can afford to pay for. At the end of the day, you will only get what you pay for. This means that a bigger tent and more features will obviously cost more than a smaller tent. Besides that, tents made from canvas cost a premium price due to their durability. On the other hand, those that are made from nylon material tend to be cheaper. The downside is that they need to be replaced every now and then.

Tips on Food Storage for an Emergency

It is vital to store food for the emergency purpose such as earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, floods, etc.

Emergencies are expected to happen in everyone’s life at any time.

Initial perpetration is essential to face for emergency purpose.

There are many more benefits to storing food for an emergency.

Keep in mind, if something terrible happens, food stores are not going to operate as usual, and you are going to figuring out how to find your supplies.

Food You Can Store

The most important thing is to know what are the types of foods that can be stored.

Following are some kinds of food items that can be stored for emergency.

Canned fruits, vegetables (peaches, pears, berries, corn, beans, carrots)
Canned meat (tuna, beef, mutton)
Unsalted nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, cashews)
Crackers (cereal bars, sweet treats)
Pasta
Rice
Peanut butter
Water bottles
Juice and shelf-stable milk or nondairy alternatives
Multivitamins (calcium, fish oil, vitamin C)
Honey

Important Things to Consider

There are several things to consider when storing food for an emergency. Following are the significant things to concentrate,

– A well-organized pantry to store items for an emergency. The pantry should be planned to store food for long term purpose without any harm for food.

– Food security should be considered. When storing for an emergency, it should be stored very safely because at the moment of emergency; it should be safe if it is damaged can not use.

– Long term expiry dates. When purchasing the food items should consider the expiry date, and it should be a long term one to store for a long time.

– Make sure that storing fruits and meats are well dried up to the storing condition — especially when preparing food at home for storing.

– Better to avoid frozen or refrigerated food for emergency purpose. Because these kinds of food items can not keep outside for a long time.

– Store the items for an emergency that are no need of freezing or cooking as well as not taking much time for preparation.

Tips to Remember

There are various tips to store food for emergency purpose. It is essential to know the tips to save correctly, as those things to be used in an emergency.

If it is not stored correctly, no use at the time of crisis.

Following are few tips to remember:

– Food items should be well sealed and packed or canned to avoid damages for the food.

– Properly label and categorize the food items to easy access.

– Store with proper quantities that are required for your family needs and wants.

– When storing food items do not forget to consider the nutrition values.

– At the same time, give a significant consideration for the tastes and flavors you and your family members prefer.

According to the things mentioned above, purchasing, packaging, and storing properly holds significant importance at storing food items for emergency purpose.

Proper preparation and organization helps to face the emergency with minimum losses.

Author Bio:

Wilfred Chong

Surviveafterend.com

Survival Skills For Kids

5 Things You Should Know About Buying Food To Stockpile

For most preppers, safety and food security is of paramount importance. Having your own food supply during an emergency or crisis situation will keep you and your family self-sufficient even during the toughest times. How do you build your own stockpile for survival?

Here are 5 things you should know about buying food to stockpile.

What Is Your Goal?

Before buying food to stockpile, you will need to set your goal. How much stock do you intend to buy? How long do you want the supplies to last? Ideally, your food and water supply should sustain you for at least 72 hours but for peace of mind during an emergency, go beyond the bare minimum.

Start by writing a list of foodstuff that can sustain you and your family for three days. Once you have achieved that goal, keep building until you have enough supplies to last a few months.

Decide On A Stockpile Budget

When buying food to stockpile, it is important to have a budget from the beginning. Determine how much you can afford and how much money you can spare from your weekly shopping to buy food to stockpile.

Make your budget conservative and reasonable. Avoid getting into debt. Know when to stop. There are times when you will have to pass up a great deal to avoid wasting money. Remember to go over your budget before you start shopping. You can always take advantage of store sales and product rebate offers.

foods list for off grid survival, food storage

Invest In Nutritionally Dense Foods

Sometimes, consuming food from a stockpile can get tiring and boring. This is why you will need to invest in a stock that includes nutritionally dense and tasty foods. Consider your family’s taste and make a list of ingredients they will enjoy. Some of the foods to buy include; multivitamins, dried fruits, cereal, canned meat and chicken, nuts and peanut butter.

Don’t buy food items that your family doesn’t eat. Don’t buy food that will go bad before you eat it. Check all the expiry dates and preservatives used to ensure that your food is safe for consumption for the entire period you will need it.

Prioritize On Water

Water is life. Without it, our bodies cannot survive for more than three days. Buy enough water. You should stockpile and safely store at least two weeks supply of water for every individual in your house.

Commercially bottled water is the best choice since it is safe and does not require sanitizing or disinfecting any further. However, it is advisable to consume or replace the water every six months.

foods list for off grid survival, jars and canning your own supply

Prepare Space For Your Stockpile

Stockpiling on food and water will take up a lot of space in your pantry. Before you head out shopping, ensure that you clean and prepare the space. If you intend to store the food in the basement, ensure that your basement is cool and dry.

Remember, seepage, mice or mold can make your entire stock of food unsafe. You can invest in additional storage shelving or identical boxes that take up minimum space.

Conclusion

There you have it. 5 important things you should know about buying food to stockpile. To find out more on foods list for off grid survival go to simplyoffgrid.com for more information.

Save And Share This Infographic: What Is The Shelf Life Of Your Food?

Wasted food

According to a survey by the Food Marketing Institute, such confusion leads nine out of 10 Americans to needlessly throw away food. The survey found 90 percent of Americans “at least occasionally throw food away prematurely because they mistakenly interpret the date label to mean their food is unsafe” — and 25 percent say they always discard food on or before that date.

Related: Long Term Food Storage

The researchers blame “a lack of binding federal standards, and the resultant state and local variability in date labeling rules” for the inconsistency in date-labeling practices.”

In 2012, one national study estimated that 40 percent of the country’s food supply goes uneaten. The cost of that wasted food is about $165 billion, including $900 million in “expired” food.

A family of four, the study found, spends an average of $455 a year on food it doesn’t eat. The researchers recommend making “sell by” dates invisible to the consumer, and have the food industry establish a standard, uniform labeling system.

Types of FOOD dating

There are three types of dates on a food that is purchased. If the package says “Sell By,” be sure to purchase the food before the date listed. The “sell by” date tells the grocer how long to display the food. The food should remain good for a period of time once you get it home.

The “Best if Used By” is not a purchase or safety date. The date stamped after that term is the date the food should be used by for best flavor or quality. A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for peak quality of the product.

All three terms are guides to help a purchaser determine the quality of the food. The food can be safe and of good quality after any of the three above open-dating terms are used.

This Infographic below explains a bit more:

[source]

Year Zero Survival – Premium Survival Blog

Committed to providing you and your family with the best survival knowledge, skills and equipment.

Fun and Easy: Making Butter in a Mason Jar!

Will Your Family Go Hungry? Is Your Family Prepared for an Emergency?

Save And Share This Infographic: What Is The Shelf Life Of Your Food?

Wasted food

Types of FOOD dating