What to Eat With No Electricity

Recently some close family members were left without power in their home for several days. This prompted the question, "what will we be able to eat?" With power out all through the county most restaurants were not open either, and many of the gas stations were unable to provide fuel--so people were hesitant to waste gasoline driving around looking for fuel and food!
You can keep a few things in stock at home in case of a power outage that will allow you to eat enough nutrition to keep you healthy and satisfied for several days without having to cook. The number one item on the list is to be sure you have a hand-held can opener that does not need to be plugged in! Most of the items you will be living off of come in cans, and not all of them have handy pop tops.
Once the power goes out, your refrigerator and freezer are still going to be keeping food at a safe cold range (below 40 degrees F for refrigerated foods and below 0 degrees F for frozen foods) for several hours. It's after going more than a day that these foods may reach the "danger zone" above 40 degrees that allows bacteria to quickly multiply and cause food poisoning. At this point they will have to be thrown away for safety reasons. Up until then, feel free to eat leftovers and food that is cooked: this includes meats and chicken, dairy products like cheeses and milk, perishable fruits and vegetables, and juices.
After the refrigerated foods have raised to unsafe temperatures, you may still be able to consume some of the frozen foods, as long as they are already cooked. Raw meats will have to be thrown away once they thaw. But if you have cooked prepared foods or leftovers (the package will tell you whether it needs to be cooked or not) you can eat these cold (as long as they remain below 40 degrees all the way to the center). So the second important appliance on your list will be a good kitchen thermometer. This will let you know what is safe to eat.
If you happen to have an outdoor gas or charcoal grill, you'll be able to cook the foods you already have. Be sure they are cooked to proper safe temperatures (above 155 for most meats and fish; 165 degrees for poultry and pork).
After the raw food is cooked or tossed, you're going to be resorting to pantry staples that are canned or otherwise safely packaged.
Here are some nutritious items to meet your needs for protein: peanut butter, canned beans, canned chili, canned stews and soups, tuna or chicken (which now also comes in pouches), sardines, canned meats and fish. You do not have to heat these foods up when they are already cooked. Cold soup might not taste as great as when you heat it up, but it's a nourishing meal that will provide the energy you need to keep you going.
For many vitamins and minerals when fresh fruits and vegetables aren't available, canned ones work just as well: canned peaches, pears, pineapples, applesauce; green beans, asparagus, peas and corn will give you some vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. Dried fruits are handy to have around as well, and will give you a more dense form of calories as well as fiber. Juice boxes will last without power. Any vegetables or fruits that are not consumed once the can is opened must be disposed of within a few hours if there is no refrigeration available.
Energy and B vitamins from carbohydrates can be obtained from canned white or sweet potatoes, breads, rolls, and crackers. Granola snack bars, and even pretzels and cookies are good snacks to keep around to give you a treat while you're living through life without power. They are good sources of carbohydrates and will give you the energy to help you get through another day.
If you have evaporated or condensed milk you can use these straight from the can in the case that your water supply is not safe to drink. Some stores carry ultra-pasteurized milk which is safe on the shelf for long periods of time, until the container is opened.
You can put together a surprisingly good meal with canned meat (chicken, or chili, or stew); canned potatoes or some bread or crackers; canned peaches and green beans on the side, and some cookies for dessert!
Print this out for future reference so you know what's safe to eat when the power goes out and you won't be able to look up safe temperatures for food on the computer :)

Can I eat food that might be spoiled if it smells okay?

This week's entries are brought to you courtesy of my brother who, as of today, is still living without power after severe storms passed through Southern Illinois several days ago. He and his wife came up to stay with us in the St.Louis area (just about 90 miles away) so they could enjoy the luxuries of hot showers, lights, internet access, and food that wasn't spoiled!
They had to return to their home before power was restored in order to get grades turned in for the semester end at Southern Illinois University where he is a professor. So after a lovely visit and some shared meals, we set about figuring out what they could bring home that would be safe to eat: without refrigeration, without electricity to heat a microwave dinner, or a freezer in which to keep any frozen; and without potable water (although they did purchase a portable camp stove so they could boil water and also cook in a pinch).
For now here are some facts on food safety, and tomorrow I'll bring you some ideas for what you can eat when you have no electricity. My brother had a great idea--he recommends you print this out now, while you have power for your printer and your computer, and while you have internet access. If you need this information when the power is out, you won't be able to access it!!
When Is Food Safe to Eat?
1) Never rely on smelling food to see if it's safe! Food does not always smell bad when it is teeming with bacteria. Yes, if it does smell funny you should throw it out. But just because it smells okay and looks okay, that doesn't mean you won't get food poisoning: There are more reliable ways to tell if it is safe!
2) Check the Temperature: Food has to remain within certain temperature zones to minimize replication of bacteria that are present. The so called "danger zone" (where you don't want the food to be) is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit; this is where bacteria multiply more quickly.
Notice that room temperature is in this danger zone, and so is picnic weather, and so is leaving it in your car while you do some more shopping and catch a movie! Food should be kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (which is the temperature in your refrigerator) or above 140 degrees (which happens when you cook it to the proper temperature and keep it warm until the guests arrive).
Your refrigerator should probably be at 36 to 38 degrees in order to be sure the food contained is all below 40 degrees. Keep a food thermometer on the top shelf or in the door to monitor this. After a power outage the foods in the fridge along with the insulation will keep it cool enough for several hours--maybe even overnight. So if the power outage is brief (say, six hours) you can check your trusty thermometer for assurance and as long as the temperature hasn't exceeded 40 degrees, you can keep all your food for safe consumption.

3) The Test of Time: Sometimes food will come into the danger zone and that's perfectly fine for a short period of time. For instance, while you are eating dinner, if you notice, as you reach for a second helping of meatloaf and mashed potatoes 15 minutes after it was set on the table, the food is not steaming hot. Testing the temperature with a food thermometer will show you that it has fallen below 140 degrees and is now in the "danger zone". But it does take time for the bacteria to multiply--you won't get food poisoning from food the instant it falls into this temperature range.

The safe guideline is to get food back to below 40 or above 140 degrees within two hours. So it's perfectly okay to have a leisurely dinner and put the leftovers back into the refrigerator 45 or even 90 minutes later.

This is why a brief power lapse will not affect the safety of refrigerated food. A four hour outage is no reason to dump all the contents of your refrigerator: It takes a while for the temperature to rise when everything inside is cooled. Certainly, though, after 24 hours or more the temperature is likely to have risen above 40 degrees inside the appliance, and the food will likely be creeping up into the danger zone. Having a thermometer in the refrigerator will be most helpful to determine at what point it's time to throw out the refrigerated foods.

Once power is restored to your neighborhood and your refrigerator is humming along, realize that it may take several hours (probably at least 12) for it to actually cool back down to below 40 degrees. Do not stock the refrigerator until the internal temperature is back in the safe zone. Use your thermometer to show you when you can safely purchase more milk, meat, spreads and sauces, and other perishables . . or you will have another load of spoiled food on your hands.
4) When in Doubt, Throw it Out! If you aren't sure about the safety of a food as a result of power outage, a questionable thermometer, or leftovers inadvertently left out for too long, just throw the food away. It's a shame to waste food, but it's even worse to make someone ill over eating something you aren't certain is safe. Food poisoning is uncomfortable at best, and can even be fatal in small children, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems.
So there you have it: after a power outage, mind the time that perishable food stays within the safe range below 40 degrees; take your time re-stocking the refrigerator when power is restored; and just toss anything that gets up to room temperature for more than a few hours. Be safe!

New Healthy Peanut Butter Product Coming Soon!

Hearts&Minds® “No-Stir” Peanut Butter with Olive Oil and Omega-3 is about to hit your local market! They take one of America ’s favorite comfort foods and make it even better by giving it what consumers want: great taste and better nutrition. Using heart-healthy olive oil to replace 40% of the peanut oil and adding 100mg of EPA/DHA--omega-3’s important for heart and brain health--results in a delicious combination of premium ingredients, exclusively made for you, with your heart in mind.

This incredibly unique product is formulated with rich peanut taste and a superb creamy texture that minimizes oil separation. And more importantly this is the first and only peanut butter in the market that offers a nutritional profile that takes advantage of the latest in nutritional science.

The product will retail for $5.99 for an 11.3 oz jar. The product is also available online where shipping is free! Right now you can order using Special Code “AD0509” and receive a discount of $1 per jar for online purchases. The website address is http://www.hearts-n-minds.com/.

Mini Clif Bars

Now Clif energy bars come in a "mini" size which provides only 100 calories, so you can get the energy you need without overdoing it! The same yummy product as the larger one, it lets some of us who aren't running marathons enjoy a snack in the afternoon. The mini bars also provide essential nutrients: they deliver more than 10% of the daily value for Vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Right now they're available in chocolate chip, chocolate brownie, and crunchy peanut butter flavors. While the regular sized bars often go for over $1.50 apiece, these are easy to find for under a dollar.

How To Have a Great Day!

Have you ever heard the philosophy that you can expect three things to go wrong every day? Some days we get frustrated when things go wrong and forget about all that went right!

Take a new perspective: When things don't work out as you expect, plans go awry, or tires get flat, tell yourself "That's one--now only two more things will go wrong today".

So, this morning I was making my coffee--which I was really looking forward to--when I noticed coffee and grounds spilling all around the pot. Somehow I had rinsed the filter and forgotten to put it back in. I cleaned up the area and put on a fresh pot, thinking about how ready I was to sit and enjoy my nice, steaming cup of java. You see, it was before 7 am on a Saturday and I had been awoken early (about 5:30 am) to the sound of my cat throwing up. Unfortunately, before I could get it cleaned up, my dog ate it. So just as I was drifting back to sleep, the dog threw up.

Well, here I was, looking back on the morning that had already been off to a bad start when I realized, "There were three things that already went wrong today. This can only mean that the rest of the day will be glorious!"

There's no telling what will actually happen and there aren't really any rules of the universe saying exactly three things go wrong every day. But I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of this Saturday has in store for me, and I believe it's going to be a great one.

Stick To Your List: You Can Resist!

Surely you've heard the advice, "Don't go to the grocery store hungry!". It's good advice. When you are walking around all the aisles of food it's too easy to grab something you feel you want at the moment, and regret leaving the store with it (or eating it while you finish up your shopping)! Here are five more strategies to be sure you exit the store with what you know you wanted, and don't end up at home with bags full of junk foods that were calling your name and blurring your determination to eat healthier:

1. Shop with a list. The reason for this is twofold: You make a list of what you need before you leave the house so you don't forget anything, and you do not buy anything that is not on the list. Strolling through the aisles wondering, "what else might I want later" is a certain way to end up with unwanted high calorie foods in your pantry, calling your name late at night. Remember, if it's not on your list, don't buy it!

2. Resist impulse buys. The stores know how to market. They'll put displays out where you'll see them even if you didn't want to--a display of cookies on the end of the paper products aisle; a collection of salty snacks by the fruit section... yes, they know you might try to avoid the snack aisle, but they'll get those tempting treats in front of you somehow. You can resist. Check your list.

3. Realize the attractive and yummy foods will be at eye level. Check out the arrangement of the foods next time you shop--the more tasty foods will be place just at your eye level. Just as the foods tempting for kids will be at their eye level (Dora fruit snacks and Sponge Bob cookies are just about at the height of your knees!). Know that the job of the supermarket is to sell food, and they know if you see it there's a great chance you'll buy it. See number one.

4. Beware the check-out displays. Here is an especially dangerous place! You've made it through the store, pushing by the displays that called to you, sticking to your list, resisting impulse buys and tempting treats and have even saved some money this time. Now you're stuck. Stuck in the line while the people in front of you take their time, deciding on their method of payment, chatting with the cashier, demanding a price check, or waffling between "paper or plastic". And what is there to do while you wait? Either look at gossip mags or eye the candy bars. Candy and mints and chocolates and all things tempting. It's easy to fail now because you can't keep walking, and this standing and waiting is stressful. But this is your final challenge--you can do it! Do not give in and buy a candy bar--see number one.

5. You don't have to buy ten to get them for one dollar apiece. Now you will find out as your cashier rings you up, you do not have to buy all ten to get the "ten for $10 deal" or three to get "3 for $4". Almost 100% of the time, this is a way for the store to get you to buy more, but you do not actually need to get more than one to get the sale price. A product may just be on sale for a dollar, and the sign will say "five for $5" so you instinctively buy five. No need! Just take as many as are on your list (ask a manager if you like) and be sure to check when they are ringing up at the check-out line... if the sale price does not come up, you can ask. But I don't remember a time in the past five years that the sale price didn't show the same for one item as it was advertised for buying larger quantities.

Now relax as you unpack your groceries at home knowing you have made the healthy choices you planned and have a kitchen stocked with foods to keep you on target with your weight loss plans!

How To Save Calories In Your Coffee Drinks

Most people are aware that coffee itself has almost zero calories. Add a few ice cubes to cool it off and you're adding no calories. A little milk to lighten it up and a few teaspoons of sugar to sweeten it, and you're only talking about 50 calories--no big deal, right? But do you have any idea what's in the popular coffee drinks at the famous coffee chain, local coffee bars, or even the new fast-food coffee drink competitor? A lot!

For example, there are over 300 calories in the fast-food version of a medium iced mocha, and almost 600 in a name-brand frappuccino! In the hot drinks you can expect to consume about 300 calories in a serving of a latte. Where are these calories coming from, and is there any way you can still enjoy your coffee drink without sabotaging your dietary calorie balance?
Relax! Any of these places will make your coffee drink special-to-order so you can reduce the calories by hundreds!

First, let's take the milk that's used, whether it's heated or foamed. For every eight ounces of whole milk in your beverage there are about 9 grams of fat--close to 80 calories. Non-fat milk (also known as skim milk) has virtually zero fat so you can save 80 calories. And remember, that's for eight ounces--many of these drinks are using 12 ounces of milk, saving you up to 120 calories.

Now, look at the syrup that flavors your coffee--maybe hazelnut, vanilla, caramel, or chocolate. Many coffee bars put three or four squirts of sugary syrup in. How can you reduce the calories? They usually offer sugar-free varieties of any flavor. Personally I like the regular flavor, but can do without the extreme sweetness, so I'll ask them to cut the amount of syrup in half. Either way, you can save up to 80 calories by reducing the sugary part of the flavoring.

Finally, most coffee drinks--whether hot or cold--are topped with a rather large dollop of whipped cream. This can be easily adding more than 50 calories, depending on how generous the barrista! So, ask for less or do without, and save some more calories.

You've now found three ways to reduce the calories in your coffee drink: less fat in the milk, less sugar from the syrup (by using sugar-free or reducing the amount) and less (or no) whipped cream. Use your judgement and run a few trials to see what works for you and your taste.

A coffee drink needn't have more calories than a glass of skim milk (90 calories) with a little sweetener, and all the calcium and riboflavin you can get from what contributes as a serving of a dairy product in your daily diet!