motherearthproducts

With the state of today's economy being on shaky ground, most of us want to make sure that we have a firm foundation and an efficient back-up plan for our Home emergency Food Storage to fall back on. When planning your home storage, make sure you follow these easy guidelines:

•    Select the Long Term Food Storage you and your family enjoy. Make sure you are storing the foods that your family will eat! Of course you will want the staples; wheat, sugar, salt and milk. However, you will want to supplement that with other items as well - such as pasta, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, hot and cold cereals, and other kinds of drinks, and water of course. There is also a wide selection of dehydrated meats to choose from. In addition, it is important to store 'fun' items as well. If you are going to be utilizing your food storage for an extended period of time, you would want to have different food items that are easy to prepare and fun to eat, such as pudding, candy, Jell-O and brownies. Remember, if your food storage consists of items that your family cannot or will not eat, then even the most carefully planned menus will be useless.

•    Baking and Seasonings. A few items that are usually overlooked when putting up food for a rainy day are the 'Other Staples' that are needed. Don't forget the oil, shortening, baking soda, baking powder and assorted spices you use in your everyday cooking. Yeast and powdered eggs are also important additions to everyday cooking and baking of even the most basic recipes. Make sure you have a good cook book so that if you are unsure how to proceed in creating a menu, you have step by step directions. Just because you are eating bulk foods, it doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor! Once you get used to using dehydrated foods in recipes, you can take your own favorite recipes and make substitutions.

•    How to Store your Bulk Foods? When you purchase your bulk foods, chances are it is in bags or large boxes. You will want to transfer your food to regular food storage containers that are easily stored and stacked. Make sure the containers are marked and dated for easy rotation. When your dehydrated foods are correctly stored, you don't have to worry about moisture, rodents or insects getting to your groceries before you do. Don't stack your containers too high, you don't want the lid to break open or have them to fall and crack. Trash bags are not to be used, as they are usually treated with pesticides. The best containers to use are the #10 cans that most food storage companies package their bulk foods in.

If you follow the above easy steps, preparing and using your food storage will be a lot easier. Be prepared and when the time comes, you will be ready and organized to take care of your family and loved ones.

When it comes to health and nutrition, vegetables are the most vital element. Textured vegetable protein, is one of the most popular meat substitutes for people who don’t eat meat. Since vegans and vegetarians can’t eat meat but their body still needs meat content to fulfill health needs, this acts as supplements with the required nutrition.

TVP is prepared using a mixture made from soy flour which is then processed to create different shaped pieces which are deprived of moisture for long-term storage and to extend their shelf life. The dehydrated pieces have an extensive shelf life and can be rehydrated and used easily.

Protein is important for our body as it contains amino acids for growth and repair plus it helps in energy production.TVP is available in solid form and is crumbled as well. It is widely used in dishes for vegetarians to add taste of meat in meatless meals. However, it’s not natural. It is produced and manufactured and packaged for consumption. Textured vegetable protein has many characteristics:

Protein Content

Protein is the main element in TVP. Vegans and vegetarians get bored of beans and lentils and search for an alternative. TVP fulfills their needs as a small amount of it contains 8 grams of protein. Since it’s made from defatted soy flour or soy protein isolates. It provides all the amino acids required by the body since the vegetarian diet is low on protein content.

Low Carbohydrates and Fat

The vegetarian diet is good for dieting and weight loss but may rely on healthy fats to keep calorie consumption sufficient and it is possible to gain weight. TVP is the easiest way to reduce calorie consumption and fat, plus it’s low on carbohydrates than other vegetarian food sources.

Usefulness and Convenience

TVP is readymade and ready to eat as it is produced that way. This is feasible and reduces the time required for meal preparation to a minimum. It can be cooked easily straight out of package rather than soaking beans overnight or boiling for hours and seasoning them. Consumers can buy and eat anytime they want.

No Gas Content

TVP contain no gas, as is they are made from soy beans that are legumes and have great importance for nutrition conscious vegetarians. It produces gas and then affects the body during digestion. TVP has low carbohydrate content and this clears the gas content plus sugar content is also siphoned off during manufacturing.

You can find more information about Dehydrated Peas on their website.