OFF GRID - Basic Foraging Tips for the Novice

Wild Blackberries on the bush

Unless you reside in the middle of a large city, you can usually find areas in the nearby countryside where you can forage for certain foods and herbs.

By foraging, you get the advantage of having natural grown foods, without any added chemicals, that are free for you to collect and use at home.

Click on the link below to read a very good article by Beth Eaglescliffe a fellow HubPages writer. You will find a wealth of excellent information to help you get started in foraging.

Forage for wild plants and herbs.

How to Grow BROCCOLI in a pot, indoor gardening tips for year round foods

Broccoli Blossum

Broccoli is such a healthy food for us all. And, its sad to say, Broccoli is actually a seasonal plant and is normally not available year round.

OK!  Yes, these days, you will find Broccoli in supermarkets throughout the year, and even though you might squirm a little over the price, you will pick it up and take it home for your family.

Herbs and Foods you can Grow INDOORS

Potted Tomatoes

The interested Survivalist will often start small in their quest for more control of their life and lifestyle.

One popular way to start small is for the Beginner to grow certain of their Herbs and some plants indoors.

Whether you live in an apartment or a home, there is always room for a few well-placed pots that can contain nutritious and healthy food items.
Doing this is not only a good way to save money it also gives you small amounts of these foods year-round.

To be successful growing foods indoors you only need a few items and you are on your way to a better eating experience. Go to a few of your local Garden supply stores and talk to one of their gardening “experts”to get the appropriate Planting Supplies you will need.

Supermarkets and Meats, know how to protect your self when purchasing and handling

Fresh Supermarket Meats

Regardless of how hard the VEGANs and VEGETARIANS might complain, Americans are a nation of Meat-eaters.
So, we should all know at least a little something about those cuts of the different meats we purchase every day, then prepare and serve to ourselves and our families.

Just so you know, there are some basic federal standards on meats such as how to handle them, how they are graded and even recommendations on when to remove them from the shelf and we should take the time to understand these basics about the meats we eat.

But the bad news is that you might be surprised at how few real and enforceable standards actually exist.

By knowing the real standards, you will have a heads up over your fellow shoppers in your search for the best meats you can buy.

Understanding Food FRESHNESS and Sell By Dates

Product with Expiration Date on the bottom

Its a Reference Date, not "will Spoil By date"

First of all, you need to realize that many of the foods you see in supermarkets with a "sell by date" (aka Expiration date, Best By date, etc.)on them don't actually go bad on that labeled date.

In fact, for the majority of foods, these dates are set as guidelines for the store itself and are often there just to provide a reference for the customer.

Even though the ”sell by date” is important and should be checked on all food purchases, there is still some room for you to take advantage of those sale items that have dates that expire soon.

And, some foods are not labeled with “sell by dates” at all. But there are some standards you can follow with these foods to assure you are still managing your older foods properly.

Actual Life Expectancy for different Foods

Here are some of the realities that you can use to your advantage when handling your stored foods or reading those Sell By dates on your food labels:

CHINA and FOOD QUALITY Issues - Things to know before you Buy or Eat

Salmon Filets

I received most of this information from a friend last week in an email and honestly, I hesitated to pass it on because I had not researched it all myself.

But, as I read through it again, I realized that I had read about over half of these myself from other sources.
So, I present it here for you to read and think about.
If any of it concerns you, it should be easy for you to check it on the web.


DID YOU KNOW that:

SMITHFIELD FARMS:  

Smithfield Farms, the largest pork producing farm in
the USA was sold recently to China with the  unanimous support of
its stockholders.  The hogs will still be raised here, but slaughtered
and packaged for sale there before being sent back here.
This includes labels: of Morrell, Eckrich, Krakus, Cudahy, Premium Hams,
Cook's, Gwaltney.

GMO - Genetically Modified Organisms and your Foods

Corn in Field

The business of genetically modifying foods has drawn criticism for decades and still there is no clear-cut data that can totally condemn this practice.

Agri-Business is the largest proponent of GMO’s as they focus on changes that allow for larger production volumes of certain foods.

On the other side of the fence are the people who can show that, unchecked; many of these modified foods have been proven as being dangerous to the health of the consumer. More and more of us will need to take a position as this practice expands around the world.

Understanding Food LABELS and using them to eat healthier

In our modern world, if you are concerned about what you and your family are eating then you really need to read the labels on those cans and bags in your Supermarket, very closely.

Once you pick up a can of your favorite beans or a bag of potato chips, and actually read the labels will find that you have opened up a new world of information.

NUTRITION Information

The USDA requires the listing of the nutritional information of a packaged food. It will include the percentage of the official Minimum Daily Requirement (MDR) that is based on a 2000 calories a day diet.

The nutritional data table will include such data as serving size; servings per container, and then for each serving it will list percentage of the MDR of Fats, Total Fats, Saturated Fats, and Trans Fats.

It also lists the percentage of the other nutrients such as Cholesterol, Carbohydrates, Sodium, Protein, Salt, Sugar, Calcium, Dietary Fiber and Iron as well as any Vitamins present.

Using this nutritional data can help you select healthier food options and select your foods for a better diet.

ORGANIC, NATURAL or Mystery Foods? What do these words mean.

In today’s world of mass produced food, the consumer is at the mercy of the producers when it comes to how the food or meat is grown and what chemicals can be used in its production.

Pick up a can of beans or grab a bag of chips or crackers and you quickly realize that you need to be a chemist to figure out what some of the ingredients are and what they are doing in your food.