How long does meat last??

From www.foodstoragemadeeasy.net

Just how long does meat last?

After finding a pork roast from about 18 months ago in my freezer I decided I needed to talk to my meat manager friend about how long meats remain fresh and edible.

I asked first about how you can tell if something in your fridge is still good. He made a good point in reminding me that bacteria cannot been seen, you have to use your nose. It is very heard to write what to smell for though, so next time you buy some fresh meat give it a smell and then you will know what fresh smells like. Once a piece of meat has been cut and then touches another surface the color can start to change -- so color is not the way to judge if something is fresh.

My next question was, "How long can you keep it in the freezer? Fridge?" This was the response he gave me: As far as fresh cuts of meats this depends on a lot of factors. Is the fridge at the proper temperature? That is the biggest issue. If the temperature is right 1 to 2 days max on ground meats, no more the 3 to 5 days for fresh cut meat. If the meat is vacuum packed you can get about 5-10 days in the fridge and you can get six months to a year in plastic freezer bags.

I personally use my food saver and vacuum pack everything and I believe that I can push my meats to at least a year that way. From what I understand from researching online many people will push vacuum packed meats two years.

Norbest says you can get up too two years if the original packaging is not broken.

So there you have it, some simple to follow guidelines. While everyone may have their own ideas as to what is acceptable, use your best judgment.

Read more: http://www.utahshoppingsecrets.com/2010/05/just-how-long-does-meat-last.html#ixzz0ot0Z66e8

16 days of summer from LDS Living

From www.ldsliving.com

16 Days of Summer Fun

by LDS Living Staff

Struggling to come up with a summer’s worth of activities? We’ll get you on your way in no time.

If "I'm booorred" is an all-too-familiar phrase around your household during the summer, you'll probably want to jump start the fun this summer with the following activities. Here at LDS Living, we've pulled together some ideas to keep your children busy, many of which can be done without even leaving home. Try them and you may find that not only has the monotony ceased, but your family has created traditions your children will look forward to for years to come.

Day 1
Have a pajama day. Start the summer right by letting the kids relax. Make your first day a fun family activity. Make a favorite breakfast, watch cartoons, and enjoy a day of relaxation.

Day 2
Hold a family reading competition. Make summertime learning fun! Challenge each other to read a certain amount of books before the summer ends, either aloud and together or individually, and then reward yourselves with a fun trip or other family activity if you succeed. Make a simple chart to show progress.

Day 3
Host a car wash. Let your kids choose if they want to offer their services free to your neighborhood, or if they think they are professional enough to charge money. Let the kids save their earnings for a fun trip or activity.

Day 4
Play with bubbles. There are many ways to get fun and creative that go beyond buying bottles at the store. Let your kids make their own soap (dishwasher soap and water) and wands (pipe cleaners, coat hangers). Also, using powdered tempera paints, dish detergent, and liquid starch you can make colorful bubbles.

Day 5
Host an Olympics. Get together with other parents and create a Summer Olympics for all the kids on your block. The kids can help create different races and events; let them spend a few days "training" and then let the games begin!

Day 6
Hold a no-electricity day. At this point in the summer, you might think your kids' brains have already melted from TV rays. Pull the plugs on all your electronics and drag out the board games, have a picnic in your backyard, and spend some time together the old-fashioned way. Use candles at night instead of overhead lights.

Day 7
Make an "anything goes" lunch. For just one day, invite your family to have anything and everything they want for lunch. From Oreos and pancakes to potato chips and marshmallows, they'll think you're the coolest parent in the neighborhood!

Day 8
Grow butterflies. For $20, your kids can watch the life cycle of a butterfly in your own home. Go to insectlore.com to purchase a live butterfly garden.

Day 9
Live outside for a day. The fresh air does the mind good, and enjoying a cool summer breeze can be great when compared with a hot house. Go fly some kites during the day. When night comes, pull out the sleeping bags and get cozy. See if a friend has a portable fire pit you can use for roasting s'mores.

Day 10
Organize a block party. People often choose to move during the summer, so there's a good chance at least one new family will move into the neighborhood. Why not host a potluck block party and give everyone a chance to get to know one another better?

Day 11
Play Uno. No matter your age, you will always enjoy this family favorite. Start an Uno tournament that goes all week, complete with tournament bracket and elimination game. The kids will have fun playing with Mom and Dad, and even more fun beating them every now and then.

Day 12
Paint crazy. Tie up large canvases or old bed sheets, buy some nontoxic paint, and let the kids express their creativity with paintbrushes or their hands.

Day 13
Take a day trip. Find a new destination - that's only a half a tank of gas away! Tripadvisor.com/tankofgas lets you choose how much gas you want to use on your road trip (quarter, half, or full tank) and then gives you suggestions for places to travel to.

Day 14
Be chef for a day. Teach your kids to cook a meal. It can be as simple as a peanut butter sandwich for young children, or a casserole or roast for older children.

Day 15
Volunteer at an animal shelter. If your family doesn't have a pet and your kids are animal crazy, they would probably love to take some of the sweet shelter dogs for a walk. Contact your local animal shelter for more information.

Day 16
Play night games. It's summer; let your kids have one night to stay up really late. Play family night games and end the night with some hot chocolate.

For LDS Living's entire list of summer activities, check out our May/June 2010 issue. From Day 1 to Day 77 of summer vacation, we've got you covered!

LDS Church launches new website

A new Church Web site sponsored by LDS Family Services,combatingpornography.org, offers useful tools for individuals striving to overcome pornography addiction and provides support information for parents, spouses, and Church leaders. 

Saving money from www.pinchingyourpennies.com

From todays entry at www.pinchingyourpennies.com


Saving money is not always easy, but of course it can be beneficial and fun. I have some simple steps I have found to stretch your budget AND have fun.

#1: Relax. Don't count each penny you save and worry about how much you save. Does it really matter if this week you saved $1.92 compared to $1.93 on a meal. Yes, every penny matters, but sometimes the amount is so minimal its not crucial. I find this especially true when shopping with coupons, I used to beat myself up if I forgot to had the cashier a coupon. My daughter once dropped a yogurt coupon on the floor and it went under a shelf where I couldn't get it. I started to freak out!! Then I realized .25 wasn't worth the stress and likely humiliation of having a hissy fit in the middle of Walmart.....

#2: Budget. Always good advice, sometimes harder to do. This is a rough one for my husband and I. We are learning (after 15 years of marriage) that we need to work together more and not have our own agendas.

#3: Make saving money detective work. If you look at it as money saved as a found treasure, you will find the process exciting! There's always a new way to save you have yet to discover. Search for it.

#4: Involve your kids in saving. Play games with them that shows them how to use money wisely. We have a board game called Shopping Spree that my daughter loves to play. Another way is to help them earn money save you money by encouraging them to cut coupons. I have heard of families that give the kids a percentage of how much money you save when you use the coupons they cut at the grocery store. For our family I just emphasize that when we save money we have more left over for the fun things. My daughter loves to help organize the coupons.

For me Pinching Your Pennies is a hobby. It's not a chore, it's just what we do in our house. It's very exciting too!

Read more: http://www.utahshoppingsecrets.com/2010/05/4-tips-for-having-fun-while-saving.html#ixzz0oDAipLzg

Free kids glasses at Target

From www.pinchingyourpennies.com

One free pair for household

FREE kids glasses at Target!




For a limited time, free kids glasses at Target Optical.
Must have a valid prescription (but it can be from anywhere; doesn't have to be from their Dr.)
One per household. Ages 5-12.
Choose from selected frames. Scratch-resistant lenses included.
You can add the extended warranty for $25, but it is not required.
Salt Lake Area only is what the sign says, but we did it yesterday at the Riverdale store.

It really is absolutely free. As of right now the promotion is set to run through December, but they said they may cancel it at anytime before then depending on how it goes.

New You Tube video on Solar Ovens!

Click on this link

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/products/sun-ovens


to watch a "how-to" video on solar ovens --- great info!

Looking for summer activities

Have any great summer activity ideas?  Looking for a group to head to the park or museum?  Please let me know so I can post on our blog.  If you plan on sharing some of your talents through activities, lessons, or field trips - please share!  Just email your info to me at:  polagmorrison@gmail.com