Declaring a Desert Island for a month.

[SavedByGrace3]

The freezer is crammed up to the brim. We cannot get another item into it. The pantry is just about full. Time for a desert island.
A desert island is where we eat from our stores. No going to the store for any major items. Just bread, milk, maybe some butter and a few other essentials.
But as far as our main meal items... no groceries. Eat like you live on a desert island with nothing but what you have in your freezer and pantry.
See how long we can go.
We are on baby watch this month. We have a grandchild due around the 21st. So if baby boy comes, all bets are off the desert Island!!!

 

[Goodbook]

? Is it winter where you are?

 

[SavedByGrace3]

? Is it winter where you are?

It is Summer. Hot. Kind of stormy. Rain every day.

 

[Goodbook]

Oh ok.
Do you live on a farm or something? Sometimes its a hassle going grocery shopping but we all need to do it. I dont really buy in bulk for a whole month its usually a once a week thing or when we run out. Its good to have fresh produce as we cant grow everything, like greens and meat and fish.

 

[FreeinChrist]

The freezer is crammed up to the brim. We cannot get another item into it. The pantry is just about full. Time for a desert island.
A desert island is where we eat from our stores. No going to the store for any major items. Just bread, milk, maybe some butter and a few other essentials.
But as far as our main meal items... no groceries. Eat like you live on a desert island with nothing but what you have in your freezer and pantry.
See how long we can go.
We are on baby watch this month. We have a grandchild due around the 21st. So if baby boy comes, all bets are off the desert Island!!!

So it is a practice type of thing? That would be wise.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Well we are into day four and we already had to go to the store for some milk, butter, a few other staples.
Great think about this exercise is that you very quickly discover what things you need to prep. What runs out first? What do you use on a regular basis that that you cannot make yourself or barter from someone else.

coco

You can get these from a cow or goat, but that is a real burden if you are not young.
butter
milk
There are also miniature cows called "zebu" cows. They are about 3 feet tall at the shoulder and give you more milk than you can drink so you will end up giving it away or bartering it.

sugar
brown sugar
salt
spices
....
I want to make a more comprehensive list.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

So it is a practice type of thing? That would be wise.

yup. We are continually finding things that we cannot do without and that we cannot grow, make, or even find when the local outlets are gone.

 

[MrJim]

VERY cool idea!

 

[Goodbook]

Things we always need to buy fresh that we cant make ourselves

Milk
Bread

Think thats mostly it.

If you dont have a cow you can make milk from soybeans but you would also need to grow them or have a supply on hand.

You can make bread if you want to bake everyday though, some people use a breadmaker, so they dont have to get up at 4am to have fresh bread in the morning.

Butter can keep if its refrigerated.
You can also freeze milk, or use powdered as needed.

 

[Goodbook]

Eating less sugar is a good thing, if do need it, brown sugar or unrefined is best, buy in bulk so you have a supply. It can keep when stored well.

Salt and spices are also easily bought and kept in bulk. But make sure it doesnt lose its savour (as the bible says)
Spices can last a long time you dont need too much.

Unless you really a conisseur and need to grind fresh spices all the time.
Grow herbs.

The oldest economy was started with salt I recall. Thats where we get the word 'salary'. I think these days the economy seems to be based on coffee, although centures ago it was sugar that the rich couldnt seem to do without. I dont drink coffee, so, not an issue with me. Also, too much sugar is really bad for you.

 

[William67]

Things we always need to buy fresh that we cant make ourselves

Milk
Bread

Think thats mostly it.

If you dont have a cow you can make milk from soybeans but you would also need to grow them or have a supply on hand.

You can make bread if you want to bake everyday though, some people use a breadmaker, so they dont have to get up at 4am to have fresh bread in the morning.

Butter can keep if its refrigerated.
You can also freeze milk, or use powdered as needed.

lol I grow the feed for my cows, which give me milk. I can also grow wheat here. Render fat for lard or use butter. Use a starter for bread. And there is an old springhouse here that is serviceable to keep everything cool. Use a piece of goats stomach to make cheese.

I grew up doing those things. My great-grandmother died when I was 14. She was 101 years old when she died. She was born in 1881.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

lol I grow the feed for my cows, which give me milk. I can also grow wheat here. Render fat for lard or use butter. Use a starter for bread. And there is an old springhouse here that is serviceable to keep everything cool. Use a piece of goats stomach to make cheese.

I grew up doing those things. My great-grandmother died when I was 14. She was 101 years old when she died. She was born in 1881.

Valuable skills William67. So much lost in my family... My GGrandparents were mountain guides in the Adirondacks. Would have loved to read their book.

 

[Hank77]

The freezer is crammed up to the brim. We cannot get another item into it. The pantry is just about full. Time for a desert island.
A desert island is where we eat from our stores. No going to the store for any major items. Just bread, milk, maybe some butter and a few other essentials.
But as far as our main meal items... no groceries. Eat like you live on a desert island with nothing but what you have in your freezer and pantry.
See how long we can go.
We are on baby watch this month. We have a grandchild due around the 21st. So if baby boy comes, all bets are off the desert Island!!!

My family and I have lived this way for about 40 yrs. now. We moved to a remote town and the closest large grocery store is about 70 miles away. The local grocery can be as much as three times higher for just one item than in a large chain store and doesn't carry a very diverse inventory.
We make one trip usually once a month or month and a half. When there were four kids living at home that meant three to four overflowing shopping carts. Even taking off the expense of the fuel we saved a lot of money.
We buy meats in large bulk packages, divide them up into meal sizes packages, stored in freezer bags. This saves a lot of money too. We wash the freezer bags and reuse them for as long as they hold up. We also have some freezer containers to store pre-made foods such as casseroles, spaghetti sauce, etc. This very helpful when both spouses are working full time.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

My family and I have lived this way for about 40 yrs. now. We moved to a remote town and the closest large grocery store is about 70 miles away. The local grocery can be as much as three times higher for just one item than in a large chain store and doesn't carry a very diverse inventory.
We make one trip usually once a month or month and a half. When there were four kids living at home that meant three to four overflowing shopping carts. Even taking off the expense of the fuel we saved a lot of money.
We buy meats in large bulk packages, divide them up into meal sizes packages, stored in freezer bags. This saves a lot of money too. We wash the freezer bags and reuse them for as long as they hold up. We also have some freezer containers to store pre-made foods such as casseroles, spaghetti sauce, etc. This very helpful when both spouses are working full time.

What items do you have to buy... those that you cannot grow, build, find for yourself. What do you HAVE to buy.

 

[Hank77]

What items do you have to buy... those that you cannot grow, build, find for yourself. What do you HAVE to buy.

We pretty much buy everything now. We do still hunt which means we usually have an elk (which costs money) in the freezer but we buy beef and chicken. We've never had a really big garden, working full time jobs, and a short growing season didn't make it economical to do so. We do put up different types of squash every year and have fresh tomatoes in season. Several times we have dried apples and other fruits and veggies to, when they are in season and less expensive. Oh also, homemade fresh apple, peach, etc. pie fillings store well in the freezer and are much less expensive than buying them in the store.

 

[Goodbook]

If you not a farmer you cant really grow your own food and not buy anything because growing your own food enough for a balanced diet requires that you work the land full time. Growing things takes patience and veges are intensive, they need care everyday. Animals need care everyday. Plants need water, animals need to be fed.

You cant worka full time job and expect fresh food everyday if you havent actually worked for it. Thats why people pay for food, cos they have no TIME to grow it themselves, they working on other things that dont involve growing food.