There’s nothing more disheartening than to buy berries, stick them in the fridge, then a couple days later you find them moldy and mushy!
I have found a way to keep my berries lasting MUCH longer and it’s so simple! Wash and cut berries, removing hulls, etc., then place them into a glass canning jar and cover with a lid. They will stay fresh all week for me when I do this!
Not only do they not go bad as quickly, it’s also so much more convenient to have them all prepped and ready to use! I think your family will be more prone to use berries that are ready for their morning breakfast, than if they have to wash and cut the fruit first!
hōmˌmākər/noun NORTH AMERICAN – a person, especially a housewife, who manages a home.
I think the reason many women don’t enjoy cooking is simply because their work space makes it difficult. This is a clear sign for the need to manage that space in order to maximize your homemaking efforts.
Yesterday I was sweeping the floor and opened my pantry door to see if it could use a swipe through. Yep. Onion skins around the produce basket and a sprinkling of little crumbs at the baseboards told me it needed some attention. I pulled the basket out, and then my flour tin. “Oh, might as well pull everything out and give it a good sweep” I thought.
Two hours later, I was leaving the kitchen! Why? Because once I began working in the pantry, I found more and more areas that needed some management.
Homemakers definitely need to constantly guide the affairs of the home. Without it, tasks are disorganized and difficult.
When I’m working on a space, I ask myself,
Does this space make it easy for me to do my work?
If the answer is no, I work until I feel like I’ve fixed the problem!
Here are some suggestions of ways I do that ~
Move frequently used items to shelves I can reach without having to pull out the step stool.
Fill jars with items I use frequently – oatmeal, brown sugar, confectioners sugar, chocolate chips and rice. It is so much easier to scoop those ingredients from a jar than to open up bags and boxes.
Seldom used items are place up high and out of the way.
Frequently used utensils are within my reach.
Salt and pepper are at my hand near the stove for ease in cooking.
All baking tools are in one area, keeping me from going from one spot to another to gather rolling pin, measuring cups and spoons.
All baking ingredients are also easy to get to.
The trash can is in a spot that is accessed easily.
I also always have a “garbage bowl”out when I’m cooking or baking. It’s a container that sits on the counter and holds the trash – egg shells, onions skin, potato peel, empty cans and anything else that is needs to be thrown away. It all goes in there and gets dumped when I’m finished cooking. It saves me steps while I’m working.
How about walking into your kitchen and asking yourself, what area makes cooking burdensome, rather than easy? Then set to work to fix that problem. Managing your home well will make your homemaking work easier! You might even find that a task you disliked isn’t so bad after all!
What area in your kitchen is most frustrating to you?
We’ve all seen that grocery prices are climbing. Is it possible to stay within a budget, but also cook delicious and filling meals at home? Yes! Here are my top five suggestions for doing just that!
Vegetable Pot Pie
Banana bread made from over-ripe bananas costs pennies and can be sliced and frozen to accompany oatmeal or eggs for breakfast.
Take note of what’s on sale at the grocery store each week. Going to Southern Savers or Money Saving Mom sites can make it so easy! Also be sure to visit the marked down areas in each section of the store – produce, bread and meats. Then…
Make a weekly menu from the items on sale. A menu will keep you from running to the store last minute and buying whatever it takes to make supper. You’ll also be buying when the items are lower.
Stock up if you can. When items are on sale, buy more than one, if possible. When butter is on sale, I buy two or three and freeze the extras until I need them.
Bake your own bread, baked goods and snacks. This French Bread is so easy and makes two large loaves. I buy my bread flour in bulk at Sam’s Club and this recipe costs very little to mix together. After calculating the flour and the yeast (also bought in bulk at Sam’s), it costs me about 35 cents per loaf! This bread is so good toasted, so aside from a great side for breakfast or spaghetti supper, the possibilities are endless – grilled cheese, French toast, or BLT’s to name a few. These Muffins and this sweet bread can be made so cheaply by buying bananas that are over-ripe. They are cheaper than ripe ones and they freeze beautifully. When berries are on sale, freeze them for berry muffins. Make up a batch of cookies that don’t call for extra items like nuts or chocolate chips (did I just say that?!). Reserve those for special times. Make simple recipes like Snickerdoodles or Sugar Cookies. Rather than buying microwave popcorn, make this easy recipe – it’s much cheaper (and so much better!). These Granola Bars are also a Yummy snack!
5. Have meatless suppers once or twice a week. You can have breakfast for supper and serve eggs, pancakes or waffles and fruit. Go with beans as the protein and have Cracker Barrel’s Pinto Beans and cornbread. Refried Beans in a tortilla with fresh tomatoes, lettuce and cheese is another good option. Broccoli or Baked Potato Soups are both hearty and filling. Vegetable Pot Pie is another yummy, filling option!
Just typing up this post made me really want to cook and bake! Each of these recipes are truly cost-effective – especially when you follow the five steps I shared. I hope this will help you to eat well AND stay in your budget!
Last week on Instagram I saw Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman) do a reel showing how she stocked her refrigerator. She started with a fridge that clean and empty. Then she added all new, unopened grocery items –
Bottles of water
Condiments
Piles of fresh lemons and limes
Eggs
Cheeses of every kind
Several kinds of meats
Sodas
Milk
Juices
Deli meats
Veggies of all sorts, all washed and wrapped
Freshly roasted chicken
Homemade soups and hummus
And lots more
It was pretty incredible to view the video, but as I watched, I wondered what “regular person” could really purchase all that so they could end up with that lovely, satisfying result? What do you think? Could the average person fill their fridge like that all at one time? I don’t think very many would be able to follow her example.
But I have some good news! I have a few ideas for you today to help your fridge be as organized and lovely inside as Ree’s – and it will cost you nothing extra!
Since we’ve just come through the holidays, perhaps your fridge is nearly bare. Great! Or maybe it’s still full of little leftover containers of this and that. That’s okay.
Start by emptying the shelves one at a time. Analyze each food item as to whether it should stay or go. Check the expiration dates and pitch anything out that’s old.
Once the shelf is empty, wipe it down with hot, soapy water. Then begin to put the items for that shelf back in.
Keep like items together – condiments, salad dressings, sauces, dairy itms, etc.
Place each item with labels facing out so it looks uniform.
I like using vinyl placemats in my fridge because it makes it easy to wash. I plunge them into the hot, soapy water, then dry them and put them back in their spot! You’ll notice the turquoise ones in the picture below.
I like putting my blueberries and strawberries into Mason jars (after the berries have been washed). They stay fresh SO much longer that way! You’ll see the jar in the left drawer below. They also look pretty displayed in the fridge that way! Mason jars are also great for leftovers!
I try to keep all the leftover containers together on one shelf, that way nothing gets forgotten, and it keeps the fridge from getting cluttered up with little dishes.
Start the new year with a fresh start in your kitchen by taking what you have and getting it clean and organized. You’ll be inspired to keep it that way. There’s something very satisfying about opening up a freshly straightened up space – especially something as big and important as the refrigerator!
Is your fridge full or empty now that the holidays are past?
Conversational Respect in Marriage – Our words are clear indicators of our respect (or lack of it) for our mate. You can see how we show that in this post.
Refreshing Little Things – Here are a whole list of little ways to make each day more refreshing!
Creating Periods of Regular Rest – Even if you can’t have a sabbatical or vacation, here are ways to create regular days of rest in real ways you can actually do!
The Thin Ice of Despondency – We can all get to a place of depression and despondency, but here are some ways to push out of it.
Thank you to each of you who regularly read; I am so grateful! It is truly my heart’s desire to refresh your heart each time you stop in. I love hearing your comments, too! You encourage and also give some great ideas! I’m thankful that you would take the time to read my posts.
I would love to hear what you would like to read more of in 2022. Would you be so kind as to fill out this survey? It would help me know how to encourage you in this next year!
In 2022, what would you like to read more of here on RefreshHer?
Share one or more suggestions in the comment section. Thank you so much!
I pray this next year is full of spiritual refreshment as you read God’s Word and draw close to Him. I pray you’ll have daily joys in your home as you love those that enter its doors and serve with the love of Christ. I also pray that you life will be filled with the joy of refreshing others as you are refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
RefreshHer 