Brownbagging

Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch.”- Orson Welles

If you bring your own lunch to work like I do, you'll enjoy the article, Sex Up Your Sandwich: Ideas for Budget Conscious Brown Baggers with dozens of ideas for a more exciting sandwich.

1. Use spreads with zest like avocado, guacamole, Dijon mustard, hummus, and hot buffalo wing sauce.


2. Add tasty extras to the sandwich like banana pepper rings, basil leaves, pre-cooked bacon, leftover cranberry sauce and stuffing. Be imaginative.


3. Bored with ham & cheese? How about meatballs, grilled vegetables, or meatloaf?


4. Wonder bread? No way! Buy artisanal breads, bagels, tortilla wrap or rolls. Why pay Panera good money for a fancy sandwich you can easily make?


5. Pack tasty (and healthy sides) like tomato soup, apple wedges, carrot sticks. Or go unhealthy with potato chip, potato salad, coleslaw, pudding, yummmmm.....


6. Don't eat that sandwich cold! Try an open face tuna melt, a hero warmed in the oven, a grilled cheese, etc. You might have to bake or grill at home and reheat in a microwave at work.

Bottom Line

Break out of the rut. Look at a diner menu for sandwich ideas and try to make them yourself. Or surf the web for new sandwich recipes.

Be creative. As a teenage baby sitter, I was feeding one child that wanted a baloney sandwich, the other P&J with grape jelly. For myself I combined the two and discovered I really liked it.

Induction Stovetops

“God will provide the victuals, but He will not cook the dinner”- Proverb

There are five primary ways to cook food in a home:

1. Fireplace cooking (rustic but fun)
2. Gas stove/oven (same principle as a fireplace but you control the flame)
3. Electric stove/oven (using the “waste” heat of an electrical circuit)
4. Induction (magnetic field)
5. Microwave (waves vibrate food molecules)

Of these methods only a Microwave cooks the food directly. Typically all other methods first heat a cooking vessel and the vessel then cooks the food. Think of the times you wait for a skillet to warm up or burn something because the pan is too hot.

In this post I want to discuss Induction stoves. My wife & I were looking at new stoves the other day and most of the stoves on display were Induction. Neither of us has ever used one. How do they work? [The numbers below match the picture]

1. The “burners” (or more accurately called the “elements”) pulse electricity through copper coils to create an oscillating magnetic field.

2. The field extends just above the element and into the metal of the cooking vessel. This creates an electric current INSIDE your pan/pot, which generates heat. Essentially the cooking vessel becomes an electric heating element.

3. The heat of the pan/pot cooks the food.

4. Nothing outside the cooking vessel is affected by the magnetic field.

In order for Induction to work, the cooking vessel must react to magnetism. That’s yes for iron and steel, no to materials like aluminum, copper, and Pyrex. If you’re not sure, try the magnet test. A vessel is ferrous (i.e. subject to magnetism) if a magnet will stick to it.

Induction Pros

• Heat faster with the fine control of gas cooking.
• More energy-efficient than traditional cooktops (90% vs 70% for electrical units)
• Safer. The hottest thing is the pan itself, not a flame or an electrical element which can be quite hot.
• Cleaner – ever try to clean a spill on an electric element? The induction element surface is perfectly flat and wipable.
• In Consumer Reports, 2008, induction appliances outscored gas and electrical ovens.

Cons

• Won’t be able to use your copper, aluminum or Pyrex pots
• Pot & pans need to have a flat base to make contact with the magnetic field. A rounded Wok won’t work so well. (I did read that China makes rounded induction elements just for woks!)
• Pans heat really fast! Say 10 seconds. This would normally be considered a plus but it also means you’re likely to burn some food until you get used to it. It is suggested that you always put some oil or liquid in the pan before turning on the heat – this will help buffer the heat.
• The Induction magnetic fields could interfere with a pacemaker or defibrillator.
• Metal jewelry like rings and bracelets can become hot if your hand hovers over an active element. Many modern induction units have sensors and only activate the magnetic field when a “lot” of metal is detected – a pot’s worth instead of a ring or bracelet.
• Noise – some induction stovetops have an internal fan to keep the electrical parts of the elements cool. Some pot and pans will hum or buzz on an induction stove.

Bottom Line

While there is no “flame” with Induction cooking you still have to take precautions. The metal pan will become hot and will still burn you. When you pick the pan up, the stovetop that was directly under the pan is still hot from the heat of the pan and needs a moment to cool before the stovetop is safe to touch.

Resources:
http://theinductionsite.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_cooker

Are Forzen Meals Safe?

Generally speaking, I think it is fair to say that I am a friend to the creatures of the earth when I am not busy eating them or wearing them. — John Hodgman

From the Consumerist.com, Food Companies: Our Food Probably Isn't Safe Enough For Your Microwave. Good Luck!

As the food supply chain gets longer and harder to control — food companies are Basically giving up and placing the responsibility for food safety on you, the consumer. In fact, one food giant, General Mills, has essentially conceded that cooking their food in a microwave isn't good enough.

According to the New York Times,

General Mills, which recalled about five million frozen pizzas in 2007 after an E. coli outbreak, now advises consumers to avoid microwaves and cook only with conventional ovens. … [The problem is that] the supply chain for ingredients in processed foods - from flavorings to flour to fruits and vegetables - is becoming more complex and global as the drive to keep food costs down intensifies. As a result, almost every element, not just red meat and poultry, is now a potential carrier of pathogens, government and industry officials concede."

In 2007 over 15,000 people became sick eating ConAgra frozen chicken pot pies. ConAgra was never able to determine which of the many ingredients caused the outbreak.

Bottom Line

In our brave new world of global sluppy and distribution, one thing we've lost is the food safety Americas used to enjoy in the 20th century. I'll have to begin seriously again washing apples and treating all foods as "dangerous" until cleaned or cooked thoroughly.

A Frugal Life

“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.” - Lao Tzu (Chinese Taoist Philosopher)

If you need help cutting expenses and living within your means, check out the recent Festival of Frugality at Green Panda Tree House. You’ll find dozens of links to money saving advice like:

• Lower Your Car Insurance Rates! How To Cut Insurance Premiums In Half
• Beat Recession Advice #2: Cut your expenses, save money and conserve cash
• Reduce Spending without Sacrificing Lifestyle #4 - Be Choiceful on Options
• 9 Excuses Why You Haven’t Started A Budget Yet
• 25 ways to save money and bargain shop in small towns and rural areas: Part 1
• 50 Ways to Save on Pet Expenses
• Reconsider Your Subscriptions to Save Money
• Keeping Cool on the Cheap - How to Save on Air Conditioning

And many, many more.

Bottom Line

There is no one simple answer to saving money (other than don’t spend!). Because money is spent on so many different things, you have to look at each thing independently. Sometimes you can buy cheaper, sometimes buy less, and sometimes stop buying completely.

Examples:

(Cheaper) Pet food – will your pet eat a cheaper generic brand?

(Less Often) Unable to give up expensive Starbucks coffee? Then save it for a special treat once a day or, better yet, once a week.

(Stop) Lunch out everyday? – Eat at work instead; most places have a microwave. I now pack dinner leftovers into Tupperware and have great meals at lunch – today was meatloaf and mashed potatoes made at home. Watch out for the cost of buying frozen pre-made meals to eat at work.

Saving Money When Eating Out

“Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh my....I could be eating a slow learner.” - Lynda Montgomery

On http://www.wisebread.com/ the article Five More Tips For Eating In Restaurants And Sticking To A Budget and the comments that follow suggest these ideas to save money:

1. Eat Early – You get more value for your money at Breakfast and Lunch. We have local places where the price of a hamburger goes up $5 on the dinner menu.
2. Look for places serving breakfast & lunch all day long - At many diners you can get a giant breakfast for under $10 any time of the day. Hamburger & sandwich deluxe platters should also be under $10.
3. Don’t stuff yourself - If you do go out for dinner, immediately set aside half the plate for takeout so you’re not tempted to eat it. You’ll get two meals or more this way. (Most Dinner portion sizes are way too big to be healthy). When I order a meal special that includes a “free” desert I order my desert as takeout in a doggy bag.
4. Share – Order the dinner special with soup, salad, etc. and share it with your spouse. Watch out for sharing fees! When we share my wife will order a token item like a bowl of soup or small salad for her “meal” since she is dieting.
5. Order take out – Another way to avoid a sharing fee is to order the food to go. You may find that two main courses can be shared at home to feed an entire family.
6. Order an Appetizer as your meal – Just yesterday I ordered Peking style noodles (an appetizer) and a small soup as my lunch. It was way too much food so I have leftovers for a second lunch. Be careful here. Some appetizers are disappointingly small and not a meal bargain (like bruschetta).
7. Order the kid’s meal – this one is tricky as many places do have a age limit or restrict takeout of kids meals. But if there is no restriction, you might be quite satisfied with the child’s portion size.
8. Watch out for Beverage prices – my wife and drink just water with lemon when we eat out. The price of soda can be $2 or more a glass and alcohol even higher.
9. Skip dessert – Why pay $6 or $8 for a slice of pie when you can buy a whole price for the same price? Go out for ice cream instead or buy a pie to eat at home.
10. Use Coupons – we get restaurant coupons in the mail, in the newspaper, online, etc. The best are buy one get one meal free.

Bottom Line

I love to eat out and it is not cheap. When I was unemployed over the summer, we made a rule of no meals out. And yet we did not suffer. Buy a good steak and a whole pie at the grocery and you can have a meal almost as good as eating out but at a ½ to ¼ of the cost.
Also consider why are you eating out?

• Too tired/busy to cook? – Make large batches of pasta/lasagna on the weekend and freeze it in meal size portions for a quick microwave dinner when in a rush.
• You like to socialize by eating out – Try dinner parties at home
• Are you a bad cook? – take cooking classes. Ask a friend to teach you some recipes. Anyone can make mac & cheese at home!
• For the variety – when I eat out I like to order foods I would not make at home because they are too complex or too lengthy to prepare. Why order something that you can make (perhaps better?)

Winterize Your House & Garden

"If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day" - John A. Wheeler

Today I recommend an excellent blog on ways to winterize your garden and house at http://gallimaufree.wordpress.com/. It's a check list of tasks to do before winter hits with freezing temperatures. For example:

• Empty your garden hoses and put them up for the winter
• Check your furnaces and filters
• Wash all your blankets, feather beds, duvets, duvet covers, flannel sheets, and winter curtains.

Bottom Line

I'll personally vouch for one of the recommendations, "Make bags of long grain rice - tubes long enough to drape over your neck or squares to lay against your back or head or joints. These can be microwaved and used as heating pads. If you mix them with fragrant herbs, it will also smell nice."

My wife uses this trick every night in winter to warm her feet. I microwave two cloth bags filled with rice for about 3 minute and place them in the bed. It's a modern version of the coal filled bed warmer.

The Value of Cooking

"Food, glorious food! Hot sausage and mustard!" - Oliver the musical

As the modern world becomes ever more urban, most of us have little experience in the skills our ancestors once knew: cutting firewood, building a fire, hunting, farming, etc. Today another basic skill is disappearing - cooking. Walk through a grocery store and you'll see precooked bacon, pre-sliced vegetables, instant meals and microwave meals.

During an emergency the no-cook food items will be quite useful; the microwave meals less helpful without power. Stocking up on precooked foods is a good idea BUT are you aware of the price premium you are paying for having someone else make your meals for you? Here are some prices for one year food supplies taken from the catalog Emergency Essentials:

• $ 800 "Traditional" Dehydrated Food Basics (12 cases of grains, veg, beans, dairy, fruit)
• $1,500 "Premium" with basics plus freeze dried meals, dessert mixes, flavored pancake mixes, etc,
• $2,400 "Ultimate" with 25 cases of "just-add-water" cooking meals including Western Omelets and Hash Browns.
• $3,400 MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) Year Supply

Bottom Line
There is a four times price difference between the Traditional combine-the-ingredients-on-your-own and the 100% MRE food supplies. Knowing how to cook meals from basic food stock will save you money when building your food storage.