Q&A | paper products, overstocking, oatmeal rolls, and bacon tips
These first two questions come from RV Sarah (here's her Meet a Reader post!)
1) Do you include paper products (paper plates, napkins, toilet paper, paper towels, etc) in your grocery totals? Or, if not now, did you include those things when you had a house full of kids you were raising? Or do you keep those in a separate category in your budget?
Yup, I lump it all together into one budget item. However, I use very few paper towels, and I almost never have paper plates on hand. So, napkins and toilet paper are the main paper products I buy.
Plates are just so easy to wash in the dishwasher, I find it simple to forgo paper plates.
And generally, I prefer to use cloth dishcloths/towels vs. paper towels. I mainly use paper towels for things like draining fried foods or patting meat dry before cooking, so a roll lasts me a long time.
Going back to your question, though, I don't think it much matters if you divide edible vs non-edible grocery items in your budget. It's just a difference in categorization, not actual spending. 🙂
2) In one of your recent posts (Hoarding [Maximalism] Vs Minimalism) you mentioned that you try to simplify your food stock at home (I'm paraphrasing) by not carrying too much extra. Do you not worry about things like impending strikes that might impact merchandise stock or any of the other possible variables that could cause store shelves to go empty? It seems that, more often than not, if I hold off on buying something then when I DO go to buy the product, the price has increased significantly. That drives me batty! In fact, the way the online stores like Amazon constantly change the prices so drastically in either direction is enough to make a person nuts! When do you think it's worth it to have extra food/paper products/toiletries around?
More context is that I am a worrier (not extreme but maybe more than "normal" - - - whatever that is). And I grew up in a house where my mom was always either running out of things or going to the very last drop of something before replacing it. I have distinct memories of all 6 of our family members trying to squeeeeeeze a tiny drop of toothpaste out of the tube waiting for "shopping day" when my mom would pick more up. (Part of that was her extreme frugality and holding off on buying anything until absolutely necessary.) So I have an aversion to running out of things. And the final piece of this puzzle is that I now live in a place (Arizona) where, in the winter, we suddenly have a million extra people (snowbirds) and the stores have a hard time keeping up. I'm finding it really difficult to navigate my worries with what's a reasonable, rational mindset for the stock I keep. One of my intentions for 2025 is to simplify our food, overstock and grocery bills.
I think your history makes your feelings so understandable!
In terms of my own food stock at home, I try not to keep more around than I can reasonably use before it expires. But this is less about maintaining a minimalist pantry and more about trying to avoid waste. I try to buy what I will use, and I try to rotate through the food I buy so it doesn't expire/mold/etc.
I never run as low as it sounds like your mom did; I always have a decent supply of food in my pantry and my chest freezer. And in terms of non-edibles, I keep an extra pack of toilet paper, and a few extras of things like toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, floss, and bar soap.
Basically, I have enough of a cushion that if I don't get to the store right on time, or if a store is out of something for a bit, I'm not gonna go without.
And that also saves me from having to do things like a last-minute run to CVS and pay a super high price for toothpaste or toilet paper.
(Also when a snowstorm is in the forecast, I am never the person that has to scramble to the store to buy toilet paper and bread. Ha.)
As with almost everything else in life, the "right" amount of stock for you might not be the same as for someone else. Your own comfort level, your storage capacity, and the particular variations in your area (like your snowbird situation!) will need to guide you.
Molasses oatmeal bread, but as rolls
I made your oatmeal bread recipe and it was just delicious!!!! Wanting to make dinner rolls out of the recipe, but unsure of how many it would yield. Any suggestions on dividing the dough into rolls? Do you think 12 per loaf?
-Danielle
I'm so glad your bread was delicious. Yay you!
Here's how I'd guesstimate this: each loaf of oatmeal bread has about 3 cups of flour in it. My basic roll recipe has about 2 ¼ cups of flour per 12 rolls.
So by those rough proportions, I'd say 12 rolls per loaf might give you pretty big rolls. I'd be inclined to try 18 to start with.
Like I always say....these are opportunities to try it and see! You could make a whole recipe of dough (two loaves worth), divide one half of the dough into 12 rolls and the other into 18, and see which end product you prefer.
Then write it down on the recipe page, and you'll be all set for next time.
Cooking bacon
This is sort of a question for you guys! We had a little discussion in the comments the other day because Dori asked how I cook my bacon.
Since I'm making such small quantities these days, I usually just fry it up on the stovetop. I know baking bacon is super easy and produces delightful bacon, but turning on a whole oven for 2 servings of bacon seems a little wasteful to me.
So then I wondered about baking it in the toaster oven! I have never tried that, but it might work out great.
Have you guys tried that? And do you have any tips or tricks or warnings?
I batch bake a large pack of bacon even for a small household, to 90% done (I like it crispy). I freeze the whole batch in a larger ziplock (to skip the flash freezing step). When I need a bit of bacon, I either quickly pan fry to defrost and finish it (if I need the grease for eggs etc ), or in the toaster oven.
I really like this method since it minimizes oil splatter, saves time and oven heat, and makes sure bacon doesn’t go bad since we’re not using it often.
@Kat, I do almost the same thing, except I store it in a specific storage container in the freezer, separated by parchment paper. I save the oil (I strain it through a coffee filter) in a couple jam jars.
@Kat, I do the exact same thing!
@Kat, came to say this! I still have teens at home, so "leftover bacon" is a phrase NEVER UTTERED in this household.
But! This is how my mom handles the bacon situation when my dad isn't home (my dad could eat half a pack of bacon all on his own!), and it works really well! It's also a great way to meal-prep BLTs - bake up the bacon, prep the lettuce, then just fry up bacon on the stovetop so it's hot & crispy right before serving dinner while slicing tomatoes. 10-minute dinner!
@Kat, we do that at our house too, but with turkey bacon. We cook two packs of bacon at a time until slightly crispy, let it cool completely (so they don't stick together so much when frozen), and store it in a freezer-safe container. Then we just pull out however much we want at a time and reheat it in the microwave. Works great for us!
Bacon- we do it in the oven (on a rack set on a cookie sheet at 400 until it’s crispy) but we rarely have bacon. It’s a special occasion/company food, so we are always making a lot when we do make it.
Do you have a splatter screen? It’s a flat mesh screen that goes over top your frying pan to keep the grease from getting everywhere. I don’t know how well they work, I try to not fry stuff (not out of virtue- I just prefer going out for fried food.)
Paper stuff- we use paper towels the way you do. We use cloth napkins bc we think they work better. I don’t buy paper plates. We do buy toilet paper. It all goes in the regular grocery accounting. I’m too lazy to divide things out so if I pick were to pick up say, ladies exercise tights or a cat tree at Aldi, those things would go under groceries as well.
Stocking up- I think you’re officially supposed to keep three extra days of food on hand. I’m sure that we have more than that extra, but this is not something I worry about. There is just no way to be prepared for every scenario. I enjoy post apocalyptic fiction and even if people have EVERYTHING they need AND the semi-automatic weapons to defend it, they have to go to war to keep it all. If there’s a zombie apocalypse, I plan to die in the first wave.
Less catastrophically, we experienced shortages during COVID and it was ok, really. I remember sending DH to the grocery store and saying, just come back with food. The stores always had a ton of food, it just wasn’t always the most preferred food. But it was ok. We adapted.
@Tarynkay, “I plan to die in the first wave” 🙂
@Tarynkay,
I like your attitude in regards of stocking up. My government (Germany) gives the advise to have enough water, food, pets supplies, needed medicine etc for 10 days. So in the basement I keep enough water for 10 days (2l/person/day recommended). It is recommended to keep bought flat water in GLASS bottles. This keeps indefinitely. And having food for 10 days without shopping isn't a big deal really in my eyes.
Your comment to intend to die in the first wave in case of zombie apocalypse made me laugh and mirrors my attitude.
@Tarynkay, we fought food we never knew we liked. Seriously we used rice and beans befoe but not really togeter in a dish. But I grew up in a home where we were heavily encouraged to be flexible. "I am not a professional cook and this isn't a restaurant." She was right. Food is a need not a celebration.
@Amy cheapohmom, found food...trust me we aren't fighting food.
@Victoria, I laughed, too, because that's basically my mom's response to "what would you do if a nuke was dropped on your town?"
Mom: "I'd go outside when the alarm sounded."
@Tarynkay et al., I now have this vision of a whole bunch of us linking arms and marching outside when the zombie apocalypse or whatever strikes.
@Lea, You bring up another extremely important issue: Stocking up for emergencies, particularly given where you live in this country as there are more and more natural disasters impacting areas where you can go without electricity, water and more for days, even weeks on end.
The idea that you can just pop out and get whatever, whenever, doesn't really work when it comes to emergency prep. We always keep bottled water around for that reason, along with certain canned goods. (We have electricity as gas usage ended over a decade ago, which has turned out to be a blessing as the area we live in has now banned gas stoves in new buildings and has also encouraged folks to switch from gas to electric where they can for health reasons. I shudder to think of all the years we cooked on gas in our tiny apartment kitchen. )
You have to think ahead. What if you can't get out and have no one to shop for you. What if you're sick (the idea that even in our big metropolitan city that you can get whatever delivered whenever, has proved to be very untrue.) and need some basic stuff?
I guess as an older person, I think more about this. Not only do I keep an emergency prep kit, including food/water, but I have a hospital ER go bag after several unplanned visits that led to hospitalization and delays of days in the ER waiting for a room.)
I always remember the Scout's motto: Be prepared.
These days, you really do have to plan ahead unless you are OK with what can happen when you aren't.
@Biker Liz, I had a co-worker who didn't live far from a nuclear plant. She always joked they'd be dead as the siren at the end of her road would have been incinerated also. Ain't a bad deal to go fast. No sense winning a battle to lose the war.
Re: Stocking up, my general rule is to have enough extra household needs on hand for both cats (3) and humans (2) for a minimum of two weeks without shopping. (This includes medication for both cats and humans.) We live an hour from the largest city and in a state that has proper winter, so I always want enough of a cushion that we're not panicking if the roads are a mess, the supply chain is interrupted, etc.
For non-perishables and shelf-stable things like oat milk, we often have a month's worth, but that's very space dependent. Example: It takes us two months to use one roll of paper towels. They are used for cooking or cat messes, with cloth towels or rags doing the rest. Thus I only buy 1-2 rolls of paper towels at a time. The bulk package may be the better buy per roll, but I've nowhere (and no need) to store a dozen paper towels! Three six packs of toilet paper will fit in the bathroom cupboard, so I will stock up on that.
@N, Re: bacon, I cook it on the stove top unless it's a special occasion/recipe. (No joke--Snoop Dogg's "Billionaire Bacon" is FANTASTIC.) My husband prefers to bake bacon since we got our 1950s Dixie brand gas oven to replace the dying modern oven that came with the house. Our Dixie is only 15 x 15" on the inside and heats up fast! My husband usually bakes hash browns or something else at the same time, so the oven is seldom on for *just* bacon.
Oh and the toaster oven bacon! I haven’t tried this, but I would be concerned it might set the toaster oven on fire. DH once set ours on fire trying to roast coffee beans in there.
I definitely don't stock up as much as some people (partly because I don't have enough room!) but I try and remember to buy an extra of things. I've always appreciated it if I've got sick or am unable to go to the store for some reason, plus 2020 (need I say more!).
I cook my bacon on our Blackstone griddle outside so the house doesn’t smell. And then to not waste the grease I cook potatoes, veggies, and other meats in the grease.
@Faith, I remember this line from a set of comic instructions for Northerners moving to the South: "Always save your bacon grease. We'll tell you what to do with it later."
@A. Marie, I saw a tub of bacon grease for sale in my local grocery store.
I texted a picture to my sister with the caption: "Tell me your mom didn't grow up in the South!"
Bacon grease is just fat. It can be used pretty much anywhere you use other solid fats like butter or shortening (it tends to have a lower water content than butter, and a higher smoke point than shortening, so knowing the recipe conditions helps).
Bacon grease chocolate chip cookies are phenomenal. 🙂
@Biker Liz, I’ve seen that tub as well. A little mind-boggling, isn’t it? I always have some in the freezer, especially now that I either make my own bacon or buy only the good stuff. Often I’ll use the fat for recipes that call for cooking bacon/crumbling bacon/cooking in the fat.
Breadcrumbs or panko browned in bacon fat is amazing.
Do you clarify your bacon grease before baking with it?
@Biker Liz, I had never considered that combination but I guess it’s a little like salted caramel.
@WilliamB,
YOU MAKE YOUR OWN BACON??? (Insert drooling face) Do tell!!
@Liz B., It is surprisingly easy:
1. Dry rub the pork belly, 1-2 weeks in fridge, flipping every couple of days
2. Smoke the pork belly, 2-4 hrs in smoker
The dry rub requires a special ingredient - nitrite (now usually sold as potassium nitrite but classically was sodium nitrite), aka saltpeper, aka pink salt, aka cure #1. NOT Himalayan pink salt, which is regular old NaCl with some minerals. This is CURING salt. You have to be careful with curing salt. It is NOT culinary salt but IS necessary to properly cure bacon. It is sold as 5% nitrite and 95% NaCl and even so, is easily lethal at that concentration. Read the instructions and measure carefully.
The other ingredients are common, such as salt, pepper, garlic power, onion powder, etc. Many online recipes involve baking the cured belly in the oven but to me, what’s the point? I want mine smoked or not at all. I use a recipe from Michael Ruhlman’s “Charcuterie” for mine.
The longer you let it sit and smoke, the stronger it is. Mine is so strongly flavored that I eat less of it, which is a health win, right?
@A. Marie, why do people in the south think no one in the north uses bacon grease? Likely use it less as the north isn't called the stroke belt.
@Selena, I don’t think that the use of bacon fat in cooking is a function of where one lives. The use of bacon grease depends on one’s personal preferences and cooking style. As a life-long southerner, I rarely use bacon fat in my cooking. I just don’t like the taste. I also have never bought Crisco and I have never fried foods. Not everyone in the South eats poorly.
Oh and I am a stocker.
1.I find that Aldi is out of things quite often when I need them. So I have learned, with a family of seven, that I need to buy things 2-3 weeks before I need them from Aldi.
2. I stock up when things are on sale to save money later on (i.e. Currently I have 30 pounds of butter in my freezer that will last me a good long while, but it saved me $45 to buy it on sale at Christmas).
@Faith, your #2 - there are times you have to spend money to save money.
Stock-up: When I find things on a good sale, I tend to stock up (taking note of expiration dates) so that I rarely have to buy things at full price. The exception is perishables like fresh fruits and veggies, but even then I try to buy what’s on sale. We purchase some things from Sam’s and store non food items in our shed.
Bread: Kristen, I pulled up your original recipe for the Oatmeal Bread and realized I have that same recipe book which is well used, just never made that particular recipe. I’m going to try it. And btw, there’s a cinnamon roll recipe in there that is wonderful!
Bacon: Most of the time I bake two pans of bacon in the oven until almost done and then freeze it. I can pull out enough for a meal or a recipe and finish it in the microwave. Sometimes I cook bacon in the air fryer if I only need a smaller amount. (We get bacon from a local meat processing market… we go there quarterly and buy fresh local meat for the freezer.)
@Addy, I find with some veg (obviously not all!) that freezing the bags means that they are just fine for ages. This works for: brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips and for potatoes I just peel, parboil for about 5 mins, let them dry properly then freeze and they are perfect for roasting or mashing or whatever.
@Addy, bacon from a meat processor/butcher shop is the way to go. Butcher shop we patronize has 5 lb bag sales of bacon (and bag sales of other meats, with limits on how many you can buy). Kiddo buys is then repackages it. We cut it in half as the bacon barely shrinks.
I have a lot of food on hand. And other stuff. For obvious reasons living here, but I'd probably tend to be more of a stocker-upper even if I could get a store more conveniently. It's just my personality, and I don't like to shop frequently.
I have never once cooked bacon in the oven. I feel like I'd probably burn it if it's not in my line of sight, and also I don't like pouring things like hot grease off of a cookie sheet. I always use the grease to cook eggs afterward the bacon, so it might as well already be in the pan.
@kristin @ going country, I agree about hot grease so I let the grease cool in the pan, then scrape out with a spatula.
@WilliamB, Thanks for this tip!
@WilliamB,
But, I read somewhere that you should strain it, to get all the bacony bits out....?? Is this really necessary? Thoughts?
@Liz B., I never strain it. Any bits will sink to the bottom if the fat is liquid when you put it in a bowl or whatever.
@Liz B., Depends on what you’re using it for. For cooking, as opposed to baking, I don’t bother. It generally sinks to the bottom of the container - remelt the bacon if necessary - and if not, I don’t mind bacon bits in my food.
The only time I’ll strain it is if the bits are overburnt. Or I let them sink to the bottom of the container, see above.
For baking, I defer to our online expert.
@kristin @ going country,
I am like you and tend to be a stocker-upper. I don't live in town although I don't live nearly as far from shopping as you do. So I, too, have to plan carefully and accordingly because I can't just easily run to the store if I need a couple things. It's funny because as a full time Rv-er, I am more minimalist and love living this way. But when it comes to food, TP and other household essentials, I have a stock up mentality. I think that's how my question to Kristen originally started to form.
I feel I understand where the stocking up person is coming from in asking what is “rational”. I start to worry when I get to my last 9 pack of toilet rolls!
I don’t think you can do anything about price changes, that’s just the way it is now.
Maybe if you focus on food and less used toiletries (the expiry issue) but, if you have the space, give yourself a pass on paper products and toothpaste. Keep more of those to calm that part of anxiety and reduce decision fatigue, and focus efforts on reducing the stockpiling and loss of food.
I have similar thoughts so I know it’s not as easy to do as writing it down, but I’ve found it helpful when my partner supports me to say that there’s no harm in an activity, even if other people think it weird, so let’s save energy for the stuff that matters more.
@Victoria, This is great advice, especially "let's save the energy for the stuff that matters more."
Are you also a Lazy Genius fan, by any chance? ("Be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don't.")
@Biker Liz, I love her podcast & just signed up for her newsletter!
@Diane,
Same, I love her podcast! I'm thinking about trying her newsletter.
@Biker Liz, I just reserved her book from the library.
@Victoria,
I like what you had to say about this. Thank you for that! This has recently come to the forefront for me because I'm looking to make some changes in this thinking/over thinking, stock up mentality in 2025. I knew that this group would have some helpful thoughts on it.
Just this week, I tried to convert a loaf into English-muffin-style buns, but baked in the oven instead of cooked in a skillet. I used an adapted version of King Arthur Flour's whole bread, which has 3 1/2 cups of flour. It's our standard bread machine loaf.
I divided it into eight pieces, each about 90-100 grams. The buns were ENORMOUS!
The method was solid, though. You divide the rolls after rising, shape them, and put them on a pan, then put a large piece of parchment paper on top, followed by another baking pan to keep the tops flat. You let them rise, and then bake with the pan still on top.
I made them because the only English muffins I can get are expensive and not great, but a regular bun or roll can't fit in the toaster. And I'm not standing at the stove to cook real English muffins. Anyway, happy experimenting!
@Meira@meirathebear, This sounds awesome!
Also: my bagel recipe (King Arthur's "Martin's Bagels") adapted for my family's preference for smaller bagels still comes in at 90g/bagel, and that dough is pretty dry, so I can only imagine how huge those 90g buns are! 😀
@Biker Liz, they're like jumbo burger buns, but flat! A bit too high for a 1-egg and cheese breakfast sandwich haha
I'm very impressed that you make bagels at home. That's a real commitment!
For bacon, I do the pan fry if its just a couple slices. But I used to love making it in the microwave - 3.5 minutes and done. I have a special back cooking thingy for this and cover it with a paper towel so it never made a mess. As for food storage, when my boys move out (soon!) my pantry will have more space for me to store long term food storage items like shelf stable items and canned goods. I think it will be helpful for me for those times I am tired, ill, or not wanting to brave bad weather to shop.
@Gina from The Cannary Family, I agree with microwaving. Especially if you only need, say, six slices, this is really a great answer. My rack disappeared in a move a really long time ago, but two or three layers of paper towel under as well as the one over will suffice. 🙂 One of the rare cases where paper toweling is the actual only answer.
The main thing I stock up on in the winter is water, both drinking water and water for flushing toilets because our house has a well, which doesn’t work when the power goes out. Last winter I was caught completely by surprise when we lost power for 5 days. I keep toilet paper on hand, both because I buy it in bulk and because I really don’t want to run out!
@Hannah, have you looked into a small generator and/or a battery power backup? I have one of the latter for my sump pump and it paid for itself in the first storm we lost power in.
I'm thinking about getting a backup solution for my furnace, fridge and a few lights / chargers etc.
@Battra92, we have a generator and separate service box that can run well, furnace, frig, freezer, some lights, TV, office. We can go in the basement if it is hot (some lights/TV work down there). Wood stove can keep us warm. Going to replace the pull start with an electric start however. I still want a whole house generator, which will likely happen if husband dies first.
Being the child of a neatnik, hyperorganized father and a packrat mother, I'd describe my stocking-up and storage approach as "organized packrat." I don't keep quite as much stuff on hand now that I live alone--but I do live alone in snow country, so it's advisable to keep the pantry and freezer pretty well stocked. (A truth that I have rediscovered this past week!)
As for paper products, I too use as few of these as I can manage, except for toilet paper. (I know there are those who even go for reusable toilet wipes, but I'm not one of them.) Rags and cloth napkins are the order of the day here.
And bacon? Heck, I just fry it on the top of the stove in a cast iron pan, pour off the grease for storage, and scrape/wipe the pan. Wasn't there an old double-entendre song called "Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy"? 😉
@A. Marie, Woody Guthrie. I'm surprised Julia Lee didn't cover it.
@A. Marie,
I managed to find the most beautiful fabric napkins in thrift shops, for practically nothing. I have about 24 in all, including fine white damask, some coloured ones, bigger and smaller ones, and even four with weaved in Christmas pattern and gold stitches. All have been in the laundry several times and keep well. I use them also when we are serving finger food to visitors - it does not matter that there are several types of napkin if they are all ironed 😉
In my 20s, I worked as a line cook in several restaurants. Every morning, loads of bacon were cooked off for salads, sandwiches, etc. One place I worked used a convection oven, another used the four foot flat top grill (where the bacon grease also seasoned the grill). In my own home, I find baking bacon yeilds more consistently crispy results (esp with thicker cut product). I put the bacon on a parchment lined sheet at 375 for 15-20 min. The oven is forgiving/flexible -- you can put the bacon in before the oven is fully preheated, its much less likely to burn, and the bacon stays flatter. Sometimes I put the oven on convection setting for the last few minutes for extra crisp. You can also make it in advance, drain off the fat, leave it on the sheet pan, and rewarm right before serving. Since I live in the South, I also have a mason jar in my fridge for my bacon drippings 🙂
I rarely cook bacon on the stove top. I cook small quantities in the microwave. Larger quantities are cooked in oven. I have also used the air fryer.
I think that choosing to stock up is dependent upon many things - where you live, how many people are in your family, and food preferences to name a few. Personally, I shop at Costco once a month and buy many non perishables in bulk. Most things only need to be purchased every 3 - 6 months. Since I live in Florida, I keep perishables at a minimum during hurricane season. I begin eating down my small freezer in May. It is terrible to have to throw away a freezer full of food.
I do have more non perishables on hand during hurricane season. Since I don’t often consume the items needed during storm season, I do not buy these until we are under a hurricane warning.
2 things leap out at me. The first, and pettiest by far is the paper plates thing in the first question: is it... common to use paper plates as normal? Seriously? I find that so difficult to grasp, outside of very particular circumstances because... why?
This is kind of like when I realised that even people in quite warm climates use the tumbledryer as their usual method of drying laundry.
Anyway. The question about over-stocking really resonated. It was not an extreme thing at all (and yes, anxiety was part of it) but my mum, a war child who lived through UK war rationing for all of her childhood, definitely had a worry about ''running out''. She maintained a sensible approach and did not allow it to take over, but food and home supplies was a thing for her, bless her and she had to really mentally work to not hoard, and was fairly successful at that.
I have vaguely inherited that trait - not excessively - but my general rule of thumb is that if something with a long shelf life that I will definitely need / can be easily stored / frozen safely is on a big discount, I will stock up but then BUT THEN, I must have opened the last pack or be ready to eat the last whatever-it-is before I can re-add it to the list. Take toothpaste. I might buy 3 packs on a buy 2-get 1 offer. Once the second pack is done and the third pack is getting opened, THEN I can go and get more.
It's a tough one though and so much hangs on your personal home circumstances.
@Caro, I relate to so much of this! And agreed on the paper plates.
I know some people use paper plates as a convenience, but to me, real plates aren't inconvenient at all. I have a dishwasher, and loading plates is so easy.
Same for plastic utensils; real silverware is very easy to throw in the dishwasher.
I feel the same way about dishcloths and kitchen towels; to me they are just not very hard to use.
Also, I personally just do not like the experience of eating on paper plates or using plastic utensils. That's why I always pack real silverware in my lunches for work and school. It elevates the eating experience!
That said, I do use my clothes dryer very regularly. 🙂 I tried line-drying clothes and I really hated the whole experience! Everyone's mileage varies.
@Kristen, Given your feeling about dishcloths vs. paper towels, it's interesting that you still prefer paper napkins. I guess I just assumed you use cloth napkins. But they know what they say about the word "assume," I guess. 🙂
I have dabbled in cloth napkins, and I guess considering there are just two of us here, I should consider dabbling again!
Any suggestions about where to start?
@kristin @ going country, Make sure to get all-cotton ones--polyester is nasty in many ways and stains horribly with napkins--and I find it's better to get colored ones with patterns if you can. Hides stains better. :-)There are lots of options on Etsy. Or Amazon or wherever.
Oh, those are helpful tips. Thank you!
I wonder if these can be found at Goodwill too. Hmm.
@Kristen, I've gotten all of our cloth napkins at thrift shops, definitely worth looking for! Just scored an 8-pack of Pottery barn cotton/linen napkins for $4. Now I'll rotate out some of our older napkins to be paper towels since I find it really handy to have some smaller sized wipe-up options along with the towel size.
@Kristen, yeah, people seem to think that washing dishes has to be this horrible, life draining task that must be done by hand or something. I embraced the dishwasher ages ago and it's been great.
Though I'm 100% opposite on line drying. I just prefer it for a host of reasons.
@kristin @ going country,
We use cloth napkins, all of which I have found at thrift stores, yard sales, and church rummage sales. Some came from my mother in law's house when she moved into a nursing home.
@kristin @ going country, Oh yes. Definitely look at thrift shops. Now that I no longer have access to them, I kind of forget about them. I would also think that napkins would be easy to make if you have a sewing machine, maybe using something like worn-out cotton bedsheets? I don't sew, so I don't know about that. It's probably not worth the time for you right now, either, but they seem like they'd be pretty easy.
@kristin @ going country, Oh, and eBay! I bet there's tons on eBay.
@kristin @ going country,
We use microfiber cloths for napkins. They soak up anything and wash easily.
@kristin @ going country, You can absolutely get cloth napkins at thrift stores - i see them there all the time, and nice ones too!
@kristin @ going country,
They are super easy to sew and cheap if you aren't fussy about material. Cut out a square. Hem or overcast raw edges. Or, cut out a rectangle (say, 12" x 24"), fold in half, right sides together. Sew, leaving a 2" turning hole. Turn. Edge-stitch and close the hole while stitching.
Having said that, many of mine were bought at yard sales, thrift shops, or gifted to me. I sewed some, though. Yes, to prints helping to hide stains and yes to cotton or at least cotton/polyester mix.
@kristin @ going country, I have two sets of colored linen napkins that are my workhorses. I found one at a synagogue rummage sale back in pre-COVID times (sadly, synagogue rummage sales have become a casualty of the pandemic). I got the other at an interactive event at our local art museum. The event featured a bale of clothing/fabric of the type that regularly gets shipped to Third World countries, and on the last day of the event, the bale was ripped open and attendees were invited to help themselves. I got not only the napkins, but a set of coordinating linen placemats--as well as further education in what we Americans routinely toss, as described in the 2002 NYT Magazine article by George Packer I referenced recently either here or at the NCA.
@kristin @ going country, I find cotton napkins at yard sales and sometimes an upscale resale store near by. Interestingly, the best ones are usually plaid.
@kristin @ going country et al, I have a lot of cloth napkins - all patterned and all from thrift stores, estate sales, and Buy Nothing. The only paper product I buy is toilet paper.
@Caro, I do agree about paper plates; however, my Mom was a diehard paper plate user! When she lived alone or there were just the two of them, she couldn’t fill the dishwasher fast enough. She’d always bring a stack with her when she came to visit me.
I do use paper plates when we have a large family gathering to help my husband and myself with clean up. It’s just easier and makes us less cranky. I sort of say a prayer of penance when I retrieve the paper plates for these events, but at the end of the day, I’m always glad.
For our camper van, I bought those “diner style” plastic baskets at the Dollar store. I have a package of the big basket coffee filters and use those to line the baskets for our lunches or whatever. It’s a good alternative.
@Caro,
Paper plates can be useful during power outages, especially if the outage lasts several days. People who have well water (and do not have a generator) have to use bottled water during power outages because the household water supply is unavailable. I keep paper plates at home “just in case”. We normally don’t use them, though.
That is a very good point! I've never had a well, so I always have access to water even when the power is out. I'd hate power outages so much more if I had a well!
@kristin @ going country,
I bought a set of 6 vintage damask linen napkins 35 years ago from a yard sale. I use them daily, and there is only 1 with a slight stain. I have a dozen cotton ones too ( I bought them at Winners about 4 years ago).. but i like the damask ones the best!
@PNW Casey, my dishwasher has a half load option. I've yet to use it but just might come holidays next year. I don't have the proverbial set of "good dishes" so I need every dinner plate and cutlery I have if hosting 8. If hosting 9, I use a smaller plate/dessert fork. I have it on my list to replacing the missing dinner plates (yes, Corelle does break). Some cutlery too - I don't care if it matches or not. If a guest notices it and is offended, said guest can be someone else's guest next time. But I doubt it, we have the space and do most of the cooking and clean-up. My sibling always asks if we want some money (sibling brings at least one dish, if not two) - I say no. Sibling carpools with our dad (neither live far away).
@Liz B.,
Yup, that is where I got mine - bought some new initially, was given some, and now only buy ones in thrift shops.
I buy my napkins at yard sales or make them from fabric scraps. I'm not particular about what they look like. I haven't bought napkins in years.
@Caro,
I should clarify my question about paper products. I didn't actually mean that I necessarily use all those paper products myself but just listed them as examples to give Kristen an idea of what I meant. I don't use many paper towels BUT since I live full time in an RV, I do use pair plates. The way Rv-ers "entertain" when hooked up in the RV Resorts is to have guests over to their patios to eat outside picnic-style. Most Rv-ers don't keep table settings for 12 in terror RVs (many only keep enough for 2 or 4) so paper plates are the way to go. Sometimes we just tell everyone to bring their own place setting but sometimes it's just understood that paper plates will be provided. So there are actually some GOOD reasons that some may keep paper plates on hand. I certainly don't think it's petty seeing as we all live different lifestyles.
For the record, I haven't used a dishwasher (or microwave!) for 15 years. I've hand washed dishes for years now and since I cook and bake A LOT, I hand wash loads and loads and loads of dishes every day. So, honestly, it's a relief now and then to use paper to save me the work.
Regarding any other stocking up, I definitely keep close track of expiration dates and rotate my food regularly to be sure nothing is sitting for too long. But I got to thinking about it and wondered if I may be spending just too much time on this and if I can simplify this in 2025. I see how low Kristen's grocery bill is for 2 people and know that I'm spending quite a bit more for 2. It's why I was curious to know if it included the paper products or was strictly food.
We don't eat a lot of bacon, but when we do, I usually just microwave a small batch. If I have the airfryer going, I'll pop it in the airfryer. I wouldn't do this unless I'm already using the airfryer.
@Sarah,
I second bacon in the airfyer. There is not easier clean up except when I do it in an instant pot. I use the saute function for that and it is usually when I make 13 bean soup with it. Love it. So easy and flavorable.
I use plastic baskets with wax paper in them, a lot. I started because the dishwasher was already running and I didn't want a lunch dish sitting until after dinner. The schedule was off and set when we all worked outside the home. It was what we had at the time and the only time we really wash the baskets was after coleslaw or something wet was on the wax paper. After we went through all of the wax paper I bought a box of 500 at GFS for half price.
@Amy cheapohmom,
There's just two of us and our dishwasher does a good job so we put unrinsed dishes in the dishwasher all day. Run it after dinner then let it sit open so dishes air dry overnight. Empty it first thing in the morning and it's all ready to stuff again.
RV Sarah,
Sometimes, just understanding what's driving your habits/behavior can be a really good step forward.
One thing I learned during the pandemic, when it was almost impossible to find toilet paper where I live, and flour was so scarce I ended up ordering some Very Expensive flour online from King Arthur (there was a 2-bag limit, which also meant paying a LOT in shipping - I think I spent something like $20 for just 2 5-lb bags of flour!), is that I can live a lot closer to the wire with paper goods than I thought. If all of our bathrooms are "fully stocked" (new roll on the holder, 3 rolls in the storage place), we're good for over a month before we're truly out.
(On the other hand, flour is a non-negotiable - we go through at least one 5-lb bag a week, and that's if I'm not making something to take to church like muffins or scones.)
You could try doing things like writing the date of purchase on a package of something, then seeing how long it takes you to actually open the package (and if it's something like a 36-roll of toilet paper, how long it takes to actually use the last roll!) while also maintaining your current stocking habits. Then, you'll have some actual data to fall back on.
Observing your behaviors, and keeping records, might be that little reassurance your inner child needs to let the larder get a bit lower between restocks!
@Biker Liz,
I have IBS so having a huge backup supply of toilet paper is a must! We did install a bidet on our toilet so as to not use as much paper but still...
@Biker Liz,
This is an excellent idea! I'll try writing the date of purchase on the items that I question whether I need so much. I'm a data person so that really speaks to my personality. And I agree that knowing the "why" of our habits can be one link towards trying to heal or change the habits. Thank you!
My general rule for non-perishables is to always have at least one extra on hand. When I’m low, I watch for sales to restock. I consider my allotted storage space, how long it will take my family to use something, how important that item is, how often it tends to go on sale, how difficult it is to get the product, etc. For example, I’m fine with one extra deodorant or toothpaste on hand, because it takes a long time to get through either and they are easy to get locally and on sale. In a catastrophic event, I also would not consider them to be my highest priority. On the other hand, I’ll buy several of my son’s allergy safe loaves of bread or his packages of noodles at a time, because I have to order them, he goes through them quickly, they offer infrequent coupon codes, and free shipping only applies with a $50+ purchase. Also, safe food is an essential.
I do admit, I keep more toilet paper on hand than necessary. I don’t use a lot of paper towels, but like to keep 1-2 rolls around for extra gross messes. We don’t use paper plates or paper napkins. For me, paper goods are in the toiletries and household items portion of my budget.
I keep things in stock somewhat but not overboard as a rule. I might buy extra when something is on a good sale, so that I might have 8-12 cans of tuna, for instance, but normally I have 4 at most. I do keep toilet paper stocked up - I normally re-buy when I reach my last four rolls these days with just me here - but I don't buy paper towels, paper napkins or paper plates. The only time I buy paper plates is to take something to an event or someone else's home. Plates are the easiest and fastest thing for me to wash/scrape/load in the dishwasher/whatever, and besides, I like my patterned real plates! And paper plates take up so much room in the trash. But if someone here buys them and considers them worth it, that's fine with me. To each his own.
My biggest stock up triggers are 1) a really good sale 2) an item I use a lot and don't want to run out, plus I know it will get used up before expiration and 3) HURRICANE SEASON.
I usually fry a large amount of bacon in a skillet, but I also will cook just 2-3 slices in my microwave when that's all I need. I have a little round microwave pan with ridges on one side for bacon and a microwave splatter cover, so I don't even need paper towels for cooking bacon in the microwave.
My mother used to make oatmeal/molasses bread as a treat on occasion for us for after school. It was sooooo good. She would time it to be warm and ready for some softened butter and honey when we got in from school. Doesn't that sound like Leave It to Beaver or something? My mom at home baking and we kids all walking home unattended from our respective schools. Anyway, that bread never made it past the next day. We would wolf it down. I imagine any rolls from that bread dough would be delicious.
I cook my bacon in the air fryer. 400 degrees for about 12 minutes...cut the pound in half so the half slices fit in the air fryer basket. I can fit about 10 halves...I usually cook two rounds of bacon (half a package) and leave the leftovers in the fridge for a quick weekday breakfast addition. It is easy to pour out the grease too.
I always cook my bacon in the toaster oven. Turns out terrific; use the same method as you do with your oven.
My stocking-up method is to stock up when things are cheap and if I have the storage space. (I’m good at tetris-ing so I almost always have the space.) Very little packaged or frozen food actually goes bad. I always, always keep a spare on hand, even if I have to pay full price for it, so I don’t run out. I ran out of jarred garlic once, it was just short of traumatic.
In terms of stocking up for emergencies, how much depends on what sort of emergency you’re likely to face. The standard recommendation is 3 days of supplies but I recommend a week or more, to deal with supply issues after the emergency has passed. For sheltering in place, the most important item is water - that’s the hardest to hack and we use more of it than we realize. The next is shelf-stable food you can eat without cooking, in case the electricity or gas goes out.
Personally, I keep paper plates and bowls on hand mostly to use when I give people food. I can’t remember the last time I bought them though, there’s always leftovers at work events, pot lucks, etc.
My main use of paper towel is to oil cast iron after cooking. I use cloth to dry meat and almost never fry. When I do, I use one layer of paper towel on top of newspaper or other waste paper.
A typical roll is 1.5 oz of dough, give or take. Oatmeal bread is denser than white bread, so it's probably on the heavier side.
@WilliamB, I heard someone call jarred garlic “jarlic” & I cannot call it anything else now!!!
@WilliamB,
You are so right. And if I may add a hard-won bit of information about shelf-stable food: it must be remembered that when the power is out, you can't put the leftovers in the refrigerator. If it's a winter storm, you might be able to manage keeping the food safe, but during warm weather outages, whatever isn't eaten is going to have to go to the dogs or out the door. So it is better to stock up on small sizes of shelf-stable foods, unless one will be feeding several people during the outage.
Ok, so spatter is not a problem in the toaster oven? I don't know why, but that worried me!
@Kristen, Never been a problem for me. Maybe if you never clean yours?
Such interesting discussions today.
I bake the whole package of bacon at once, then freeze the cooked slices (I undercook them just a tad). When I want bacon, I take out a slice or two and put it in a pan to crisp. Before I started doing this, the uncooked bacon would often go bad before I could use it all.
There are just two of us in this house, but I have a pretty hefty food storage. This is primarily because when we were in super-saver mode I determined that buying in bulk was the cheapest way to go and have continued this habit. I bake all our bread, so I buy flour in 25 lb bags and we go through it quickly enough I don't worry about spoilage. I buy fresh produce from farmers in summer and can or freeze a year's worth of corn or green beans or peaches. I like to have at least one extra on the shelf of everything I use a lot. To make this work you have to be mindful of cycling through everything. I live in a rural area and it's 45 minutes to the grocery store, so just running out to get one thing isn't an option. This works for me but I'm pretty diligent about not wasting. In the past year I threw out one carton of almond milk that was too far past the sell-by date for my comfort and that's it.
Our good old Kenmore gas stove does a fine job cooking bacon on low broil. I do have to remind myself to watch it, but it beats splattering grease all over half the kitchen. There is no such thing as leftover bacon with my guys at the table.
I am a stocker-upper of stuff, but also regularly rotate the pantry to use stuff up and regularly inventory the freezer.
@Ruby, is there such a thing as leftover bacon, anywhere??
Overbuying fresh veggies makes me nervous and then I stop buying them. I was forcing myself to buy six heads of Romaine at Sam's and our empty nest household couldn't process them fast enough. Now I allow myself a quick trip to the "shi shi" store if I need lettuce; a bell pepper or a shallot. It is easy since I am retired. Also, the shi shi store carries Fairlife milk and Bummel and Brown yogurt butter which are my only brand allegiance and which I try to have on hand for my incredibly easy going hubby.
All other meals and stock ups start with 70%- 90% knock downs at Grocery Outlet ( 1st stop) then loss leaders.
Yes, a bulk purchase of produce is not frugal if you can't eat it all! And with lettuce, it's not like you have a bunch of options to do things like freeze it.
Kristen, I love seeing your walking photos on insta! How do you stay warm on hikes? Especially frugally!
I wear a lot of clothes! lol Right now, since there's pretty deep snow on my paths, I'm wearing Darn Tough socks, snow boots (bought on clearance back in 2012), leggings, snow pants (from Costco), a long sleeve tee, a hoodie, a jacket (bought on clearance one spring), a Turtle Fur neck gaiter (had since I was a teen), and a knit headband (which I found abandoned on the road and brought home to clean up).
I usually end up removing some layers as I heat up on the walk (walking through fresh snow is making me warm up fast!).
I’m definitely an outlier here regarding bacon. I buy the pre-cooked bacon if I really have an urge for a BLT when tomatoes are in season. I freeze what I don’t use.
I had acid reflux so bad for a number of years and just the smell of bacon could cause me GI distress. So I don’t feel the need to cook with bacon grease and I certainly don’t like the greasy mess of cooking bacon for one.
I do admit to getting a few slices if I order breakfast at a restaurant occasionally.
@Dee in AZ, a valid reason for buying pre-cooked bacon if you ask me.
I appreciated the woman sharing her family history and how it is influencing her present day approach to stocking up. But you don't have to have had that kind of experience to want to stockpile certain items to save both time, money and ensure you have what you need.
As we learned, painfully, during the pandemic, things out of stock and unavailable can be truly problematic. Not just practical items along with discretionary but things you must have (Prescription and OTC drugs, etc.)
The space you have, the $ you have available to set up a pantry will vary as will the amounts you need. When you are one person, it's hugely different than a family of three or four or more, for example.
Decades ago, I read an article by an economist who advised folks to consider stocking up on some of the basics that were used regularly (I particularly remember canned tuna, pasta, rice and beans being mentioned as well as paper products.) I started doing that with maybe a handful of items because, back then, I could just walk to a nearby supermarket and get whatever, whenever.
But times have changed in many ways, particularly in big cities where supermarkets have gone out of business in our neighborhoods and now you need to get stuff delivered from distant food retailers or travel to a store out of the neighborhood to get many items.
And then, for some of us, mobility becomes an issue, when you literally cannot walk around in our small, crowded food shops let alone carry anything (and lots of places, like Trader Joes, do not deliver). For others, it's the prices. OMG the last year is a nightmare. It started last February when a Stop/Shop that we could order for delivery stopped delivering to our area. It had good regular pricing and seriously great sales. (Which is how I started a true panty for a lot of items.) That same store's products are now only available via Instacart delivery and even the sale prices are much higher than what the regular prices were (talking from last February through today). You are literally paying 30% and more for the same items. I and others can't afford that.)
Thankfully, there is the option of Amazon Fresh and Fresh Direct (seriously selective because prices are high but they have good quality produce and some good sales). And the Amazon Subscribe and save option can be a real money saver on all kinds of items.
We had a truly wonderful fresh produce stand on the corner up the street from us that we all shopped from because of wide availability of products and prices. But after over 40 years, it recently closed. Now there is only one mini supermarket a few blocks away to buy produce and it has raised its prices, no surprise with the competition gone.
I admit to spending more time than I like monitoring food stocks and prices but it's necessary to get the most for your dollars. I turned the hallway entrance to our apartment (which is as big as our mini-sized bathroom) into a real food pantry (one that I use for neighbors and friends as needed. I am happy to share) with room for paper products, etc.
I keep a master list of items I purchase and that makes it easy to search the sales each week online. When local stores have sales, I have someone who takes a list and can shop for me, when they are available as I can't get out to shop.
Subscribe and save at amazon has really paid off as has the $4.95 a month charge for amazon fresh, where you need only order a minimum of $35 for free delivery and you can order as many times as you want. That was a huge change from the prior $9.95 per delivery with a minimum of $100. For once, Amazon got it right.
I live in a major city and I would say, some things are more expensive, others less, than the burbs or rural areas. I would kill to have a garden or even a patio to grow stuff on (tomatoes, zucchini and squash as I did when I was a kid and our apartment had a balcony big enough to put out pots of growing stuff. BASIL before I knew what it was and how much fresh would cost.)
Somewhere between overstocking and not using stuff and having to run out at the last minute, is a place where you have what you need, as you need it.
I would KILL to have the ability to have one of those big freezers that so many of you have. Our fridge's freezer is small and it's a constant battle to "eat" it down in time to take advantage of frozen food sales. But we have neither the space nor the available electric capacity (1923 building and NOT upgraded wiring for today's needs. Thank goodness for USB powered lights, fans and electronics!)
Also, it is important to consider the time we live in where many foods that we buy (fresh and otherwise) are imported from countries that will now have tariffs. Prices are sure to rise (Looking at you my beloved Mexican imported avocados, which dominate in our marketplaces.)
There have been some great posts by $ watching vloggers on items that will surely go up in price. You can't stockpile fresh produce but...you can start paying more attention to where you can save elsewhere.
Yes, occasionally items do get tossed but I have set up a monthly check of inventory where I pull in advance the next to months to a special shelf to be sure to use before items expire. (IT's still hard because one person just can't eat so much food.)
It's a pain that one cannot rely on local food stores (excluding TJs which has some great values and very much enjoyed products) and must plan ahead for deliveries but you do what you have to do. Also, I believe that no matter how much money you have for disposable income purchases, you pay the least possible. It's just a mentality. In doing that, it allows you, on occasion. to buy something at a price you're not thrilled with but it's a treat item. You don't really lose anything.
One issue with pantries: Way too many people judge others as being "hoarders" when it comes to maintaining a pantry. This is especially true if you live in an apartment with limited space versus a home. As a friend who'd been judged by another friend said: The amount of items she had in her apartment seemed like a lot but it would actually not even fill a section of a home's garage and we all know people in homes who store food in a basement, in a kitchen pantry, in an extra room, in the attic and in the garage. Is that less "hoarding" than storing whatever where you can in an apartment?
It's a luxury I and others can't afford to not shop for the best prices. (And fyi, I know some seriously well off folks and you should see them shopping. They will drive to three or more stores to not pay more for items!) But it's also a commitment to not wasting our dollars as well as our time and committing to living with more respect for our resources.
If you're not paying attention and shopping for a pantry of your own these days, given what's going on with food prices, you're paying more than you should, even if you can afford it and that's wasteful of your money.
@Irena, spending money on gas to save a few pennies is not frugal IMHO. A grocery store in the small town where my father lives has a surcharge. The village does not lack for idiots but one was a recent move-in. The surcharge on $200 is the cost of a gallon of gas. Closest other grocery store is 20 minutes each way. If your car gets decent mileage. a gallon of gas. So do feel free to spend more time to perhaps break even. And we get winter proper here too.
I cook bacon in the microwave normally. I only cook it in the oven when we have a large crowd.
I always keep a full pantry and freezer. I find it makes it more simple to prepare meals at home but I am aware that this requires some work in order to avoid waste. I clean out and purge my pantry several times per year in order to keep inventory rotated and use up things before they expire. I do find that my stock is a bit lower when I am meal planning very diligently but even then there are certain things that I always keep on hand - Flours, oats, sugar (white & brown), cornmeal, honey, maple syrup, spices of all varieties, vegetable oil, olive oil, butter, breadcrumbs, dried beans, rice, pasta of all shapes and some basic canned staples like tomatoes, certain beans, green chilies, and broth. All of the above are sometimes things I put up myself from my garden but seasons & harvests vary - sometimes we use up all of the canned tomatoes before the year has ended so this list is flexible.
As a vegetarian, I have no bacon tips. 😉
As a minimalist, I don't overstock as having too much on hand makes me jittery.
BUT, as a data nerd, I have much to say about categorizing costs! Here's my process: I save all my receipts in one folder and at the beginning of every month, I download the previous month's transaction data from my sole credit card site (rhymes with Chase) into my Excel expense spreadsheet. I assign an expense category to every transaction (sometimes using the category that Chase has provided). For the grocery store transactions, I visually scan the receipts to see if there are any household or personal items to pull out of the total and I put those on a separate line. It sounds complicated but it's a quick process. Then I can filter and parse the data to my heart's content. At a glance, I can see that last year we spent $6,603 - $6,332 on food, $88 on household items, and $183 on personal items. The food amount doesn't include restaurant meals; I won't share that total as I don't want to get kicked out of this group! My expense spreadsheet is for a rolling 12-month period of time and also serves as the basis for anything to copy into my separate Household Inventory spreadsheet (which came in VERY handy when we met with our insurance agent after a tornado many years ago).
@MB in MN, I too love keeping track of every dollar in my own excel spreadsheet. It's quick once I figured out the system that works for me. And it's gratifying to know exactly what we spent.
Recently, I started tracking yarn projects and what a delight - I no longer have to struggle to remember what pattern or yarn I used in the past. I even made a spreadsheet for my crochet hooks and knitting needles, mainly so I don't go out and buy more when I already have some stuck in not quite finished projects around the house.
@MB in MN, I am a sushi fanatic - we can bond virtually over our restaurant bills.
@WilliamB, We had business in another town today and included carry-out sushi in the trip!
@Book Club Elaine, so much of life can be improved with a spreadsheet!
"Things Kristen Has Never Said" lol
@WilliamB, let the bonding begin!
Considerations when you live alone and don't have a dishwasher and only paid (expensive) access to washers and dryers:
We use a lot more water and energy when we don't opt, at times, to use disposable utensils and paper plates instead of hand washing our dish and cookware.
I'd love to use fewer paper towels, and use cloth towels, but we have to time when we do our wash (based on the amount we have) to not overspend on what is already very expensive and we tried using dish clothes and ended up with a lot of smelly and dirty towels waiting a week or more to be washed. No, thank you.
I refuse to feel guilty about paper towel usage. Too much else in life to worry about. We already protect our health and wallets by limiting what we buy in terms of packaging, food itself (I am amazed at how many commentators make bacon. I love, love, love bacon but cannot eat it for health reasons. I will NEVER stop missing it. To smell our neighbors cooking it, is to be in heaven. I swear I'd purchase a spray that smelled like home-cooked bacon but it would make me miss it even more! Cooking with bacon grease. Oh, yes, the good old days!)
We do also use bottled water as our tap water is no longer safe to drink (no matter what we are told; if you can see stuff in your water and it tastes off, you know not to drink it.) We have tried various filter systems (portable and sink-based) over the years with results that didn't warrant the problems associated with them. I have to laugh remembering how long it took us to run, and waste, our tap water until it was cold enough to start up the individual filters with the pitcher. WASTE!)
I don't have the time or energy to boil water and store it or to waste time with those pitcher filters with individual filters. Aside from price, even on sale, water still wasn't as filtered as needed to ensure water was safe to drink.
We "save" the planet in other ways.
One other thing to mention about food spending and stocking up. Over the years, for health reasons, we have had to become better educated about what is in our food (there is a great vlogger on this who even has a free app that helps you determine if a product is free of bad and unhealthy ingredients). That means we have often ended up having to spend more on certain items to ensure, for example, that they do not contain harmful ingredients and are non-GMO products.
In the process, we've really streamlined what we eat and cut back in some types of foods to be able to buy healthier versions of others. It's tough $ wise but essential. What we put in our bodies has a huge impact on our overall health, and it's not about weight or our BMI. Investing in good health is how I look at it.
I'm not alone in having health issues that require us to take a good, long look at what we're eating and educating ourselves and adjusting. I haven't met many who have perfected all that they eat but more and more, we're realizing that how we feel is impacted by the hundreds of bad-for-us ingredients (not just sugar and salt) that permeate our products.
You can still eat stuff you like and enjoy, but, yes, some stuff (BACON) must no longer be on the menu. I remind myself that my overall risk for certain serious health problems decreases when I choose to eat more healthily and realize that this may cost "more" in some ways.
@Irena, paper towels are biodegradable, so no environmental guilt.
@Irena, a reverse osmosis system is not an option?
One package of bacon is enough for three people with leftovers for the following night or for breakfast.
Not cooking a whole pound of bacon at once is just a foreign concept to me.
100% cook bacon in the airfryer!
We have taken to cooking full batches of bacon in the skillet until 3/4 done. Drain and freeze in meal portions.
When we want some we take out only one portion and microwave for 1 minute. My dad told us about this for camping. But we do the same at home. Minimal cleanup at use.
I like making bacon in the oven, less splatter and I can do it all at once.
This is good. I'm going to be random here.
I live alone, I hand wash dishes. I do not use disposable plates because, I am worth the time and trouble to eat off of a real plate. I do use seasonal paper napkins because I like the pretty. But I also have cheap ones and use paper towels for messes, fried foods. More often than not a cheap paper napkin ends up wiping my nose.
Bacon: Would you believe I have a skillet on the stove that I fried bacon in, and have dipped grease from for other things to cook in smaller vessels to season? I'm saving the pan to cook in because of the endless possibilities. I saw a recipe the other day using bacon grease instead of butter in Chex mix, and I thought....Whoa!!!!
My cabinets are full, my freezer is full, my refrigerator freezer is full. And I have runover on the back porch pantry area. My problem is border line hoarding, or my brain/taste buds are full of good ideas that never come to fruition. Sadly, there are things I need to get rid of because of expiration date. I also don't like to be out of anything. I would love to go through and get rid of the excess but food pantries do not take anything expired, and I have weird stuff. I can check for little neighborhood food pantries for some of the stuff as they are "RTU" or "convenient".
I order from Grove Collaborative so my TP comes at eight rolls at a time. And the rolls seem big.
@Chrissy, I use holiday napkins, usually from yard sales or clearances, to liven up my house, especially during the winter.
We are not Mormon but we have about a year's supply of food and paper goods. Part of this is growing up with parents and grandparents who told stories of having no food heat or toilet paper after the Communists (grandparents) and Nazis (parents and grandparents) took over. Now, Alaska is at the end of the supply chain and, just this week for example, there were a few days with no milk anyplace in town because of trucking issues, so my adulthood has experienced shortages but obviously for different reasons than my parents experienced. (And living in the bush meant ordering a year's supply of food for the once a summer barge delivery of supplies, and/or ordering from Fairbanks or Anchorage grocery stores since they all have bush order departments that will pack and delivery supplies to the appropriate airline shipping department. And where we live now is an earthquake zone so we always have bottled water and food that can be eten out of the can without heating them...So pretty much my entire life has been one of always being prepared for food shortages!) I have to say that recent political events in our country have triggered more of those concerns so I have been stocking up even more. I find it less anxiety provoking to have most of our furniture made of solid wood for burning if oil was not available and we needed heat. I have plenty to cook over those fires. We have beds on risers so a lot of stuff is stored under our beds. My husband has become very adept at finding places to store things; he has also built some of our furniture so I know they are made of wood not particle board. My husband was raised in California, with an abundance of fresh food year round, and he used to tease me about being overly concerned about food shortages. Then Covid happened and HA!! we never had to go hunting for toilet paper or food.
@Lindsey, my spouse had what is best described as a tantrum when I had bulk ordered paper goods pre-pandemic. Like having to recycle ALL the boxes in ONE WEEK was mandatory. I'll be doing the same thing again here soon or making a few local trips (combined with other errands). We are rural but not too far from stores. But that has nothing to do with the supply chain.
I like real wood furniture too but we have acres of woods (with standing dead trees which we leave for the purpose of emergency firewood). But I totally get your planning for a dire situation.
The feral I've been feeding and caring for (well as much as he'd let me) for over 2 1/2 years has likely crossed the Rainbow Bridge. So my recent order of cat food will last longer. Well, at least until the next dumped animal shows up, I live in a high dump area sad to say. "Rural farms, the former house cat can fend for itself" idiots.
I cook bacon (pork or turkey) in the oven.
Preheat oven to 350
Lay slices directly on cookie sheet
Bake for 10 minutes
Drain off grease and flip slices
Continue to bake to desired crispness
@Kim from Philadelphia, I had read to not pre-heat the oven for bacon; start it in a cold oven.
On the other hand, if you are using a George Forman grill, heat it before putting bacon on. (Sorry if this is a repeat-- I haven't made it through all the comments!).
We cook bacon in microwave with special pan that collects the grease and is microwave friendly. Especially if it is for a recipe. Extra stored in sealed container at room temp for couple days til used up. Room temp keeps the flavor.
@RV Sarah, not so sure your mother had not so much of a frugal mindset as cheap. Using up all the toothpaste is frugal, not having enough toothpaste for 1 to n people is cheap IMHO. I hope she wasn't that way with feminine hygiene products..
@Selena,
No, she definitely wasn't that way with feminine hygiene products, thank goodness! The situation with the toothpaste didn't happen every week but I do remember it happening a couple times and it obviously had an effect on me. She was definitely very frugal but I'm sure it actually bordered cheap in some cases!
I’d draw a line from North Dakota down through Texas. If you live east of that line you only have to go a few miles in any direction to find a place to get food water gas and any supplies. West of the line except for coastal states is empty and barren and lacking resources. Even a lake or stream is hard to find so better stock up. Last May when a mesocyclone wreaked havoc thousands of people were without power for 6 weeks and more. Their houses and cars were mostly fine just no utilities because power lines and trees had been ripped up everywhere. You could drive less than 10 miles to another town and buy all the groceries and stuff you could ever want just no way to store it or cook it. People were camping out in their houses I don’t know if they had cold running water. The couple of fast food places that happened to have electricity had lines blocks long of families getting something to eat. I happened to go in a Neighborhood market that had partial power and they were throwing out every single item in the freezers and refrigerated areas. They were even throwing out fresh produce because it was hot and they had spotty air conditioning. Restaurants were bringing in huge wood or propane cookers and cooking everything in their freezers and cold boxes before it went bad and giving free meals to anyone. I’ve been in tornadoes since I was a kid and I’ve never seen anything like this. There must have been 5 thousand trees ripped out of the ground. The clean up was staggering. Piles of trees multi stories high were systematically cut up and put through massive wood chippers into multi story piles of wood chips. I don’t know where they hauled it off to.
Floods, Fires, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, fortunately no big earthquakes or volcanoes yet but honestly the potential exists. I remember turning on the tv to see what the weather was saying and the poor meteorologist was nearly ripping his hair out saying what is happening, this shouldn’t be happening lol.
Some deals turn up again and again, such as Buy 1 Get 1 for toothpaste and other toothcare , huge reductions for washing powder, coffee and more. Whenever an item has long shelf life I try to buy what I expect to need until the next offer comes up. We do not have such extreme conditions that I would need to store for months ahead, but also I do not like to be reduced to the last roll of TP.
A question to you Kristen as a nurse - whenever I have recovered from a severe throat infection, I prefer to take a new tooth brush to prevent re-infection (If no illness I have a new toothbrush app. every 3 months). Am I being overcautious?
(I used to microwave my toothbrushes in a bowl of water after sickness in the past. But we did not replace our microwave oven after it broke down. I only ever used it for that purpose and an occasional cup of hot milk. Not worth the money and space).
What I have been taught is that it is recommended to change your toothbrush once your infection has resolved, just out of an abundance of caution. 🙂
However, I don't think this is a super high priority action; as I understand it, the odds of reinfecting yourself from your own toothbrush are fairly low. Still, toothbrushes are not terribly expensive, so it's a pretty low-cost way of trying to make sure you don't get sick again.
If you have germs on your toothbrush and your toothbrush is stored near another family member's toothbrush, though, perhaps germs could spread that way.
@Kristen,
Thanks for answering. So I am not alone in erring to the side of caution.
If I am pretty sick I temporarily keep my toothbrush in my study which is to the other side of the bathroom. Also if other family members are coughing badly for instance. I am a bit more careful now than pre covid.