The THRIVE Essentials Sample Pack!

This pack is made up of six #10 cans, filled with some of the most popular items that THRIVE offers. The winner of this giveaway will receive a can each of Whole Wheat Flour, Hard White Winter Wheat, Instant White Rice, Freeze Dried Strawberries, Potato Chunks, and Small Red Beans. All of these items taste great and have long shelf lives, so you’re welcome to store them for the future or to use them in your favorite recipes right away.  The deadline for entering this giveaway is noon (Mountain Time) on Friday, July 10th. At that time, I’ll contact the randomly-selected winner via e-mail and ask him or her to claim the prize.

You can earn up to five entries for this giveaway, and each entry must be represented by a separate comment on the official blog post on the Shelf Reliance blog.

(1) The 1st entry is earned just by leaving a comment on this blog. It’s as simple as that!

(2) The 2nd entry is earned by signing up to receive the Shelf Reliance newsletter. The newsletter is one of the best ways to stay up-to-date with all that Shelf Reliance has to offer, including sales, promotions, new products, and online tools. Receiving the newsletter is as easy as entering your e-mail address in the indicated box at www.shelfreliance.com. When you’ve done that, leave a comment on this blog post. This comment should include something like, “I signed up for the newsletter.” If you already receive the Shelf Reliance newsletter, leave a comment with something like, “I already receive the newsletter.”

(3) The 3rd entry is earned by subscribing to the Shelf Reliance blog. Simply go to the right-side column of this blog and scroll up or down until you see the section that says “Subscribe to our Blog.” You can then click on any icon you’d like in order to add Shelf Reliance blog updates to your RSS feed. This will notify you whenever a new post is added to the blog, giving you a great chance to learn about future giveaways and articles! Once you’ve subscribed, please leave a comment that tells us you’ve done so. For those of you who are already subscribed to the blog, you’re welcome to leave a comment that says something like, “I’m already subscribed to the Shelf Reliance blog.”

(4) The 4th entry is earned by following Shelf Reliance on Twitter! Twitter users can find us by searching “ShelfReliance” on their Twitter homepages. Once you’ve clicked the “Follow” button to receive updates from Shelf Reliance, just leave another comment! Those who already follow ShelfReliance on Twitter are entitled to this entry as well. Our Twitter updates will remind you of current sales and promotions that you can find at www.shelfreliance.com.

(5) The 5th entry is earned by spreading the word about this giveaway through Facebook. Just change your Facebook status to say a little something about this giveaway so that your friends can have a chance to enter as well! Once you’ve done this, let us know by leaving a comment on the blog post. The Facebook status  must remain posted for at least 12 hours, and it must include the URL of the Shelf Reliance blog, which is: www.shelfreliance.com/blog/

Remember, each of the five comments counts as a separate entry. If you just leave one comment that says you’ve done all five things, you’ll only be entered to win once, so be careful about that! Also, you don’t need to do all five things in numerical order (for example, you could just do options 1 & 3 if you wanted).  Only those in the continental U.S. are eligible to win. The winner will be chosen randomly, and we’ll be certain to verify that the winning entry is legitimate and fair. Any entries that aren’t in accordance with the giveaway rules will be disqualified and removed.

I’m excited to be involved with this giveaway! I hope that the lucky winner will benefit from adding these items to his or her food storage supply. Remember, there’s a great case lot sale going on at Shelf Reliance, so everyone has the chance to acquire more shelf-stable foods while saving a little money at the same time. Just visit www.shelfreliance.com to learn more.

Good luck to all who enter!

As someone who loves milk and drinks it with every meal, I really appreciate the dairy products that Shelf Reliance offers with THRIVE Foods. You can find two varieties of milk – Instant Milk and Non-Fat Powdered Milk – that are healthy and simple to reconstitute, as well as cheese and a great chocolate drink mix that’s perfect for hot cocoa. From now through the end of August, you can actually buy cases of these dairy products at a great discount! By using the code

CASE20

at checkout, you’ll get 20% off any case of THRIVE Foods. This kind of deal is perfect for items you’ll use all the time, such as THRIVE Powdered Milk and THRIVE Instant Milk.

Since I’ve been at Shelf Reliance, I’ve encountered a lot of people who wonder about the difference between Instant Milk and Powdered Milk. It’s a valid question to ask, and there are many possible answers I could give, but the most basic difference between the two is what they’re meant to be used for. In a nutshell, THRIVE Powdered Milk is great for cooking, while THRIVE Instant Milk is more of a drinking milk. If you’d like a more lengthy explanation, keep reading …

Instant Milk is made completely from dairy, so it’s more well-suited as a drinking milk rather than a cooking milk (though it works just fine with recipes, too). THRIVE Instant Milk also dissolves quickly (instantly, as a matter of fact) in water at any temperature; this makes the instant milk convenient to reconstitute. Instant Milk has a good amount of both calcium and protein.

Powdered Milk is made from part dairy and part soy. Since it’s non-fat, it will taste similar to any skim milk you might be used to. It’s best used for cooking, although, of course, it’s completely safe and fine to drink. THRIVE Powdered Milk also costs a bit less than Instant Milk, and as a good source of calcium and vitamin A, it’s a great choice for your food storage.

There you have it! Including milk and other dairy products in your food storage will mean greater health and greater variety for meals and recipes, and now that you know how to best use both Instant and Powdered Milk, you’re ready to use them for all your future dairy needs.

Have a quick question about food storage or emergency preparedness? Let me know! You can leave a comment on this post or e-mail me at sara.hanks@shelfreliance.com. If there’s anything that’s causing you just a little confusion, I’d love to help. Believe me: the chances are that someone else is wondering about the exact same thing.

Thanks for reading, and have a happy Dairy Month!

At 12:00 pm, there were 3,303 entries for the giveaway. I went to www.random.org and used the Random Integer Generator to select a winner. Without any further ado …

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

706

Timestamp: 2009-06-26 18:28:43 UTC

The winning entry was #706, which was posted by Christie Austad. Christie said: “Just became a fan on Facebook!” I checked our roster of Facebook fans, and Christie was among them! She’s been notified via e-mail. We at Shelf Reliance are so thrilled to be able to offer this prize to her, and I’m certain that she and her family will get a lot of good use out of the new Harvest 72″.

Congratulations, Christie! Again, a big thank you to EVERYONE who entered this giveaway. Our next prize will be introduced on Monday, June 29th, so be sure to check back for your next chance to win.

ROTATING YOUR FOOD STORAGE

Our first topic was a source of much confusion to me when I began at Shelf Reliance. I knew that we sold things called Food Rotation Systems, but what were they for? What was the good of rotating your cans? I have to confess, I was imagining something along these lines …

Somehow, I’d gotten it into my head that “can rotation” meant people needed to keep their cans of food constantly spinning if they wanted the food to last as long as possible. I had visions of ferris wheels and spinning tops.

Of course, this makes no sense. I don’t know where this misconception originated, because now that I reflect on it, it sounds so ridiculous. Try not to judge me too harshly.

“Rotating your food storage,” as it turns out, is really just code for “using food storage items in your regular cooking.” This means that you should look for opportunities to integrate your food storage supply into weekly meals rather than keeping it locked away for a rainy day or a natural disaster.

At first glance, cooking with food storage can seem a little counterintuitive. Won’t that mean that you have less food when you need it most desperately? However, rotating your food storage and using it often will actually lead to greater preparedness and peace of mind, and it can also save big bucks.

First of all, if you draw from your food storage on a regular basis, you’re sure to learn how to use it. You’ll find out how it works in your favorite recipes, and you may even use it to develop totally new dishes that you never would have come up with otherwise. Eventually, if and when you have to use your food storage as a primary source of nourishment, you’ll be prepared to make meals that you love without a lot of stress or confusion. Instead of thinking, “I can’t make this dessert because I’m out of sweetened condensed milk,” you’ll know just how to whip it up using the THRIVE Instant Milk, White Sugar, and Butter Powder that you already have in your pantry. Instead of looking at THRIVE Cornmeal, Cheese Blend, and White Flour without a clue, you’ll be able to take a quick glance and say, “Sweet! We’re having homemade cornbread with dinner tonight!” Rotating your food storage will prepare you to actually use and enjoy your emergency supply.

Another advantage of food storage rotation is the money it saves. Let’s consider canned corn, just as an example. A hypothetical shopper – let’s call her Marjorie – might buy a can of corn for her food storage and a can of corn for dinner that night. The first can sits in the pantry, and the second can gets eaten. Later, when she want more corn for dinner, she goes out and buys a few more cans. Marjorie does this for months and months and months, until – lo and behold – the can she bought for her food storage in the beginning is no longer as delicious or nutritious as it would have been if it had been eaten before its expiration date. The money spent on that corn was pretty much a waste. However, if Marjorie had rotated that can of corn into a regular meal, she would have enjoyed it thoroughly. The money would not have been wasted. She’d be able to replenish her food storage supply just as often, and every can of corn would have gone to good use. Using food rotation systems from Shelf Reliance help even more by making sure you can use the food you’ve had the longest. This cuts down on expired food and, therefore, wasted dollars.

Ultimately, rotating food storage items into everyday meals just makes good sense. Having a healthy supply of extra food won’t help very much if you don’t know how to use it. Luckily, new options like THRIVE Foods are great-tasting and extremely easy to work with, so rotating them and eating them often is no problem.

I hope this first installment of the Food Storage Scholar has helped! I doubt that anyone out there was more confused by the concept of food rotation than I was, but, as you can see, it’s actually a really simple concept and a very important one to understand.

What terms, ideas, or questions would you like to see in future Food Storage Scholar posts? Please let me know! No question is too big, too small, or too obvious. Just leave a comment here or send me an e-mail at sara.hanks@shelfreliance.com. Also, if you have any suggestions or insights into food rotation, I’m sure other readers would love to know about them, so be sure to leave a comment.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

The fine print you need to know: this offer is not valid on previous purchases. Discount applied to MSRP. May not be combined with any other offer. Excludes purchase of multipacks. Only one per household. Does not apply to past orders. Free standard shipping within the contiguous U.S. only. Offer ends June 20, 2009

As the person who’s been reading through and monitoring all the giveaway entries, I can definitely say that the response has exceeded our expectations! So many people have entered (over 1,700 at this point), and I just thank my lucky stars that I don’t have to pick the winner myself! Everyone wants to win; everyone would benefit from having the Harvest 72″ at home. It would be impossible to for me to choose the most deserving entry, so it’s a good thing that the winner will be chosen randomly by our fancy-schmancy technical application. There’s still plenty of time to get your entries in! I’m seriously excited to learn who the winner will be. Stay tuned! More great giveaways will be coming your way every two weeks!

As many of you may know, the Harvest 72″ is one of our favorite products here at Shelf Reliance.It’s a beautiful thing. The unique first in - first out design will cut down on expired food and, therefore, wasted money. The Harvest means less mess, less hassle, and fewer bruises from cans that fall all over the place if you look at them the wrong way. And the best part of all?

One of you lucky souls will be given a Harvest 72″ on Shelf Reliance’s dime. No cost to you. No strings. No joke.

This giveaway is the first installment of a new feature here on the blog. We’re calling it “Free on Friday,” and it’s exactly what it sounds like! We’ll be offering new giveaways every two weeks, and the fortunate winners will be announced on Fridays.

I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Here’s how the Harvest giveaway will work:

Anyone who comments on this blog entry will be entered to win the Harvest 72″. Each comment counts as a separate entry. The winner will be chosen at noon (Mountain Time Zone) on Friday, June 26th, so get your comments in before then!

(1) The 1st entry is easy as pie! Just leave your first and last name in a comment on this blog post.

(2) The 2nd entry is earned by signing up to receive the Shelf Reliance newsletter. The newsletter is one of the best ways to stay up-to-date with all that Shelf Reliance has to offer, including sales, promotions, new products, and online tools. Receiving the newsletter is as easy as entering your e-mail address in the indicated box at www.shelfreliance.com. When you’ve done that, leave a comment on this blog post. This comment should include your first and last name, along with something like, “I signed up for the newsletter.” If you already receive the Shelf Reliance newsletter, leave a comment with your name and something like, “I already receive the newsletter.”

(3) The 3rd entry is earned by becoming a follower of the Shelf Reliance channel on YouTube. This channel has so many videos showing you how to make delicious and creative recipes from your food storage, and our chefs will be adding even more in the months to come! Simply go to http://www.youtube.com/user/ShelfReliance and click on the shiny yellow “Subscribe” button. Then leave a comment on this blog post. This comment should include your first and last name, along with something like, “I’m following you on YouTube!” If you’re already subscribed to the channel, leave a comment with your name and something like, “I already follow the Shelf Reliance channel.”

(4) The 4th entry is earned by writing a blog post about this giveaway on another blog, whether it be a personal blog, a family blog, a business - whatever! Just include a few sentences about the giveaway, along with a link back to the Shelf Reliance blog. In this comment, you’ll need to leave your name and the URL address of your post.

(5) The 5th entry is earned by becoming a fan of Shelf Reliance through Facebook. Our Facebook page is a great place to read unique company news, network with other food storage & emergency preparedness enthusiasts, and - perhaps best of all - discover promotions that are only available through Facebook. To find the fan page, simply search for Shelf Reliance in the search bar on Facebook or click here. Once you’re a fan, leave a comment on this blog post. This comment should have your name and something along the lines of, “I’m a fan on Facebook.” And - you guessed it - if you’re already a Facebook fan, the comment should include your name and something like, “I was already a fan on Facebook!”

Remember, each of the five comments counts as a separate entry. If you just leave one comment that says you’ve done all five things, you’ll only be entered to win once, so be careful about that! Also, you don’t need to do all five things in numerical order (for example, you could just do options 1 & 3 if you wanted). The winner will be chosen randomly, and we’ll be certain to verify that the winning entry is legitimate and fair. Any entries that aren’t in accordance with the giveaway rules will be disqualified and removed.

If you don’t win this time around, don’t sweat it! Every two weeks, we’ll bring you a new chance to win a great prize. Check back often or subscribe to the Shelf Reliance blog by using the buttons on the right side of this page.

Savvy person: Holy moly! Have you heard about the great deal at our favorite store?

Friend: No, I have not. What is it?

Savvy person: It’s only the best thing that’s ever happened! Hop in my car right now and I’ll show you what I mean!

It’s just part of being a charitable soul: if you know about something awesome, you spread the word. For me, the most recent example is www.utahdealdiva.com. I’ve been telling all my friends and family about this site, which, perfectly enough, is all about finding and sharing information about excellent deals that will save you money.

Jessica, the “deal diva” herself, is dedicated to finding the best deals in Utah and passing them along to you. I’ve been working with her lately on a giveaway (which you can totally enter, by the way), and let me tell you: this woman is on top of her game.

I’m pleased to feature Utah Deal Diva as the first official Blog We Love. More will be introduced in the coming weeks! Do you know of a blog we should consider featuring? Do you want to share a blog like this that promotes deals in your area? Leave a comment, friend!

Hi there! I’m Sara Hanks, and I’m here to blog.

I’m newly married …

… and, also, newly graduated from college.

I have an affinity for oversized sunglasses and the outdoors …

… and cheesy smiles, apparently.

I came to the Shelf Reliance team a few weeks ago, bright-eyed and ready for anything! Since then, my eyes have become even brighter and wider as I’ve learned how much there is to discover in this world of food storage, emergency preparedness, and self-reliance.

I want this blog to be a source of solid information and great ideas that will make your life a little easier. I want to include things that will make you laugh, make you improve, or make you feel pleased with all you’ve accomplished. And I’ll let you in on a little secret: I want to learn stuff, too! There’s a lot to soak in, and I’m ready to start. I sincerely hope that you’ll join me, wherever you’re at in the process.

We’ve got giveaways, guest posts, and Q&A sessions in the works, so there should be something for everyone. And, hey, if you’ve got something to add or suggest, leave a comment!  I’ll do whatever it takes to turn this blog into something that’s helpful, fun, and undebatably awesome. Your input will be much appreciated.

Anyhoo, it’s a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to seeing you again.

Visit http://www.youtube.com/user/ShelfReliance to check out everything from scones and smoothies to burgers and soups. You can even subscribe to the channel, making it super easy to know when brand new videos are posted. Enjoy!

… to come from your food storage?

Yeah, me neither.

These recipes were all created by people who have figured out how to make their food storage work for them.

Food storage is meant to give you peace of mind and flexibility. It’s meant to ultimately make life easier. It is not meant to induce fits of rage, nor to be a source of intimidation, and it should never result in meals that are only good for heightening your gag reflex. Still, it can be a hard lesson to learn. Most of us have a little baggage when it comes to food storage. Maybe you’ve got wretched memories of being forced to can peaches when you were a young’un, or maybe you’ve only recently been introduced to the concept and are embarrassed to find that everyone and their dog has gotten a head start. Whatever your story is, everyone has a different path to journey on before they get to the perfectly-organized, flawlessly-planned food storage future that’s somewhere in the distance, and if you’re lucky, you might find some folks along the way to lend a helping hand. That’s where the Shelf Reliance blog steps in.

We’re looking to find people who are Making It Work - people who’ve got a handle on this food storage/emergency preparedness thing and are willing to share their tips, tricks, and encouragement with the rest of us. If you think you know someone (or if you are someone) who fits the bill, please send an e-mail to: sara.hanks@shelfreliance.com. Include the words “Making It Work” in the subject line.

We’re looking to start a recurring feature here on the Shelf Reliance blog dedicated to profiling these awesome people and getting the scoop on their techniques, so your nominations will be much appreciated!