So, if you’re looking to make preparations for the unknown, what are some important tips for making that happen?

Organize & Plan Ahead

By preparing lists and making note of what sales you can shop each week to add to your pantry you can gradually add to your stock each week when you shop for your regular grocery items.

Helpful Link: 3 Month Pantry List (pdf)

Begin Shopping Now

Don’t wait for a windfall of money to get started on your storage shopping. Start buying extra now and gradually you will begin to see your supply build.

Helpful link: Baby Steps for Food Storage

Shop Smart

Use coupons, hit sales and buy in bulk for items that are a great deal in the bulk sizes.

Helpful link: Money Saving Tips for Food Storage Shoppers

Store Properly

Learn how to store items properly so you don’t find yourself wasting food over the course of time. Keep track of dates, come up with a system that works for your for budget and store your food to maximize longevity.

Rotate & Take Stock of Food Regularly

Come up with a system for noting the dates and be certain you are rotating food accordingly so there is minimal waste.

Look for our next article in this series where you will receive links to a variety of resources which will provide you with what you need to do all of the above in more depth – so be sure to check back for that!

Your homework for today is to make note of possible storage locations within your home. Think outside of the box if you live in a smaller space – you can make it work.

Image: Jesse Michael Nix

There isn’t a specific way to do it – no rules, no constraints. Some parents-to-be ask their technician to keep the secret, opting to carry a sealed envelope containing the information from the ultrasound to their favorite bakery. The baker opens the envelope and secretly creates a special cupcake filled with either pink or blue cream – a surprise to even the parents.

Other couples prefer to know ahead of time and the color found inside the cake is only a surprise to the guests at the party.

If you want to make the cupcakes yourself, it isn’t hard. Just bake your favorite chocolate or vanilla cupcakes (either from a mix or from scratch). Let them cool completely and then cut out some of the cake in the middle – just enough to leave a space for a filling.

Tint non-dairy topping either pink or blue, depending on the sex of your baby. You can also use vanilla pudding but it will not give you the clear color that the non-dairy topping will.

Cover the filled cupcake with your favorite chocolate or vanilla frosting so that the colored filling is completely hidden. Decorate the treats with pastel sprinkles in both pink and blue so that no one knows what color lies within until that very first bite.

photo credit: Theresa Iovcheva

Common Reasons to Store Food:

• Loss of income
• Unforeseen natural disasters
• Sick family resulting in job loss or inability to make regular trips to the store
• Allow for ease in creating last minute meals on busy days
• Religious beliefs

Whatever your reasons, it’s not a bad idea to have some sort of long term food storage, but without a game plan as well as resources for making it all work, the idea can seem daunting and quite frankly, overwhelming.

We’re here to help.

There are a variety of websites that can help you accomplish your goals for food storage whether you are looking to prep for three months, a year or longer. They offer everything from basic advice to get you started all the way to checklists, spreadsheets and video tutorials.

They all recommend the following:

• Organization - Figure out what you need and create a comprehensive list of the necessities, including toiletries.
• Plan Ahead - Plan ahead how you will store your items so you know where you can keep your supplies and how you will keep them.
•  Proper Storage - Understand proper storage methods to maximize the longevity of your supplies.
• Begin Shopping Now - Chip away at your list little by little, building up your supply.
• Shop Smart - Use coupons and sales to help you accomplish your goals in an economical way.

Here at Modern Home, Modern Baby we will be featuring a series of posts on food storage that will provide tips and resources covering all you need to know in small bite sized articles so you can digest this process a bit easier – so be certain to come back for those tips in the coming days.

What are you most uncertain about regarding long term food storage?

Main Image: Suzba

2nd Image: author generated

Another fantastic option for getting together is a wine and cheese tasting. It allows for lots of chatting, eating and the discovery of new wines and appetizing dishes. Truth be told, this party could be done with girlfriends or with couples, so run with it how you choose; just make socializing a priority!

There are a variety of ways you could do this. You can host the entire event yourself if you thrive in the creativity of that planning, or you can have guests bring items and it can be a potluck type event.

Self-Hosted Wine & Cheese Tasting

If you love to have the creative control of an entire event then here’s what you need to see this event through on your own:

• Have a white wine glass and a red wine glass for each person attending. Provide wine charms and rinsing water for ease of changing out wines.
• Choose 4-6 wines, half of which should be white and half red to meet the interests and palates of all attending. You may want multiple bottles of each wine depending on the number of guests…and whether or not you have lushes in your midst.
• Once you’ve chosen your wines, do your research as to which foods pair nicely with them and create your menu accordingly.
• Set up your spread with wines next to their complimentary dishes. Include labels next to wines and food items so attendees are aware of what they are getting and can make an informed decision both with dietary and personal taste in mind.
• Provide pre-printed score sheets with wine names and lines for personal notes. This will allow for guests to go home with their own reminders as to which wines they might like to purchase again in the future.

Pot-luck Wine & Cheese Tasting Party

• Instruct each guest to bring their favorite wine and cheese/appetizer pairing to the party.
• Provide blank label tents for guests to use for labeling their wines and food items on the food table.
• Have enough red and white wine glasses for each guest as well as wine charms and rinsing water.
• Provide pens, blank templates for scoring/notes for guests to make notes of what items they enjoyed for future reference.

Nearing the end of either of the gatherings, a discussion of which wines and food items went together well can happen based on the score sheets.

At the close of the evening, you’ll have had a relaxing evening with friends and you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle the kids again.

**Please enjoy your wine responsibly and have a designated driver – or a cab.

Websites for Inspiration & Pairings:

Rachel Voorhees is a blogger who is nearing the end of her wine connoisseur training (i.e. Sommelier School) and her website is chaulk full of information on wine pairings, wine destinations and all things wine, wine and more wine. She is also a wine columnist as Momtastic  – keep tabs on her and you have a one-stop resource for your  Moms Night In party.

Pinterest is great for menu inspiration!

Can’t Make it Out? 

Have Wine, Will Drink is a newly launched site that aims to provide you with information and socialization all centered around wine. So, if you can’t get out for wine time with your friends, then have a Mom’s Night In with your online gal pals.

Have Wine, Will Drink hosts regular twitter parties using the hashtag #winebuzz. So if you can’t make it out for a wine tasting party, head over to their website and mark your calendar to meet up with the gals for a glass of wine and giveaways! It’s always a ton of fun!

Would you host a Wine and Cheese Tasting or attend one? 

Image: meetusinghal

Hibiscus is a flower that gives a citrusy punch and a bright red color to lemonade, tea, and punch. You can usually find it in dried forms at health food and natural foods stores. It provides calcium, iron, beta-carotene, and vitamin C to your child’s diet – always a good thing!

Keep the hibiscus syrup around for a quick, colorful alternative to those other drinks kids love. You can also make popsicles with it. You can even add it to your favorite cocktails for a beautiful twist.

The hibiscus syrup will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for several weeks.

Hibiscus Lemonade

• 5 cups water
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup culinary hibiscus buds
• 5 cups water
• 2 cup lemon juice

Instructions

1. Bring 5 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Boil until the sugar dissolves.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add the hibiscus and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
5. Strain the flowers out of the sugar mixture by lining a colander with a paper towel or cheesecloth and setting it over a bowl. Carefully pour the liquid through the paper towel and into the bowl.
6. Add the strained sugar mixture to a pitcher.
7. Add 2 cups of lemon juice and 5 cups of water.
8. Stir and taste. Add more sugar as necessary.
9. Drop lemon slices and ice in chilled glasses and pour the lemonade over the ice.
10. Serve immediately.

Makes about 8 servings

photo credit: Marye Audet

Sometimes, when a child has a lot of, ahem, energy in her hands (and I’m not talking about my girl, noooooo) the teacher will jump up and say, “Have I got just the job for you!” Her excitement is infectious and both of them run to the bowl of apples.

Then a polishing cloth is selected and reverently the teacher takes down the bowl and sets the child up polishing. I’ve seen this. With my very own eyes. It works wonders for dispelling hitting, kicking and otherwise unwanted energy. Wonders! It’s like an advanced ninja move for child handling.

So, if you, like me, have a teacher in your life that you want to thank, give this a try. It’s a recipe from Tree Top of applesauce land. And let me just add that all teachers, especially preschool and kindergarten teachers, deserve any and all gratitude we can give them!

Tree Top Apple-Dapple Cake:

Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Tree Top Apple Sauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cups finely chopped apples

Glaze:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Stir in apples.
3. Spread the batter in a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.
4. For the glaze, combine the brown sugar, butter, and milk in a small saucepan. Cook and stir until bubbly and all of the sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly. Drizzle warm over cake when it has cooled for 5 minutes, so it can seep into the cake and keep it moist and completely irresistible.

photo credit: lisaclarke

I’ll share with you some of her wonderful insights on life in her kitchen. Mostly, though, I’m inspired by how she handles fresh ingredients and all this cooking!

Why did you decide to take on such a large cooking role? Are you naturally Julia Child; did your mom or dad cook (or not cook) – what’s the impetus?

My dad is an exceptional cook. He would try different foods at restaurants and recreate it at home. And, he would also enjoy looking at various recipes and making his own version. He made our breakfast and prepared our school lunches before leaving for work. He would also cook dinners every night until we got a nanny (3 kids and 2 working parents), then he usually made dinners just on the weekend. He still loves cooking.

My siblings and I grew up around a lot of good food and cooks. Family gatherings for birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations were large and full of homemade dishes. You have a lot more choices and flexibility when you cook at home.

How do you plan menus? Or do you?

We have some regulars: Wild Salmon on Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, Fridays is Pizza & Movie Night (I don’t cook). And, on Sunday, I always make Judy Rodger’s Roast Chicken recipe. On Monday and Tuesday, we get home late from after school classes so I cook everything earlier and reheat for dinner. One of the other days, we have leftovers for dinner, sometimes I call it the “Thursday Mix” or whatever day it happens to be. Sometimes, we play restaurant where most leftovers make it on the menu.

I also keep a spreadsheet of our grocery list. I’m a visual person so, even if I forgot an item, the list is a good reminder. The list is modeled after a market that I frequently shop at so I’m more efficient with my time.

What is your inspiration? I see that you just posted about the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook! (oooh, can’t wait for that!!!!)

I have a massive cookbook and recipe collection to pull from. I also love discovering new flavors and finding seasonal dishes on food blogs like Smitten Kitchen, Roost, Chow, and Epicurious. Breathtaking food images are also very inspiring.

What’s the fastest meal you can make? What’s the slowest?

Fastest: 1 pound taco meat and all the fixings
Slowest: Recipes from the French Laundry cookbook

Do you use any shortcuts? If so, what are they?

If I don’t make pancakes in the morning, the kids eat frozen waffles. Sometimes, I don’t make kale chips on Salmon night so will use store-bought dried seaweed bits to sprinkle on the rice. The whole family likes Trader Joe’s Traditional Carnitas, and it’s easy to wrap in a warm tortilla for lunch or dinner.

How do you introduce new flavors and ingredients?

Not very well and it’s not often. New flavors or ingredients are introduced with new recipes or at a restaurant. I talk a lot about the new “food” and sometimes need research findings before they will try it. It’s a bit comical. I do put a very small amount on their plate for them to try. My daughter loves trying new foods and is comfortable explaining what she likes or dislikes. My son is picky if it’s not meat, pasta, salmon, rice or ramen. Our rule is that you must try it before saying you don’t like it.

Do the kids get involved with the cooking or planning?

Sometimes, they like make our breakfast on weekend mornings. This usually consist of yogurt, cereal, milk, granola, blueberries, and Wheetabix. They love grating (cheese, carrots), chopping (veggies), and mixing (pancake batter, cookie dough). They also love creating what they call “potions” out of the various herbs, spices, and liquids found in our kitchen. I like when they experiment with different smells and textures, but it’s priceless seeing their expressions when they taste their creation.

How do you handle it when they don’t eat?

I grew up in a loving home where homemade meals were very important. We’re spoiled with the amount of food available so wasting was not an option. We needed to finish whatever was on our plate or go to bed hungry. I’m a bit softer on the next generation. Fortunately, the children are good about eating full meals. However, there have been occasions where my son didn’t like what was served. My approach is first getting them to eat by adding another flavor but, if that fails, I tend to add veggies & protein to their breakfast (e.g. pureed carrots in pancakes) and their lunch (e.g. chicken on multigrain pasta).

photo credit: JD Hancock

Here are some tips to make it all work, so you can leave with your sanity still intact:

Set the Stage for Behavior 

Before you enter the restaurant, set the stage for good behavior with your kids. For those who are old enough to understand specific directions and expectations, a quick reminder as to proper behavior in a restaurant setting is always a good idea.

Be clear as to noise level when talking, what you expect them to do if they want to get out of their seats, how they should address a waiter or waitress (please and thank you should be included in there somewhere) and that you expect they will eat what they order.

This is especially important if your child happens to have a friend along. It’s easy for your child to forget when they are in the midst of kid shenanigans what your expectations are – additionally, it’s a good opportunity for you to let the friend know what your family expects when out to eat so the boundaries are set out the gate.

Be an Early Bird

It pays off to be at the restaurant early when they have first seating for dinner. It will allow for you to be one of the first families seated, you will be hitting your child’s dinner hour right away so their patience will be at it’s best and you are likely to get food promptly due to the light load in the kitchen.

While it would be nice to linger over a meal, we all know that dinner with kids isn’t like date night without them in tow, so following the above early bird suggestions is wise.

As soon as you are seated consider ordering for your littlest family members food first. Additionally,  if it’s a place where they have a standard bread basket or chips and salsa option – be certain to have that on the table to appease your little one who may not be able to communicate so well that they are hungry.

Bringing standard snacks is another good idea to help hold off hungry tummies. Impatient toddlers often do not understand that it will only be a couple of more minutes before they’ll have their food ready from the kitchen in the back, so having something to offer them is wise – worse case scenario you’re taking home some leftovers because they ate those snacks but you avoided a meltdown, which is a bigger win in this mama’s book!

Bring Entertainment

• Crayons and Paper – I have sets of these in each and every bag that I carry. Am I the only mom that has several different bags depending on the length of time I’ll be out of the house?
• Wikki Stix are sicks that are bendable, adhere to smooth surfaces and come with pattern cards for creating different designs and shapes for endless creative play.
• Books

Choose a Kid-friendly location

• Buffets are a great way to allow for independent choice as well as the ability to eat immediately when you have kids that, for one reason or another, may need to eat right away.

• Outdoor seating allows for a more relaxed approach to noise. If the weather is seasonable or you are fortunate to live in a place where the weather is nice year around, choose a place where you can eat outdoors to offset and unforeseen circumstances that may come up.

Image: Flickr bowler1996p

I know they’re healthy options, I know they’re tasty in my food (especially the coconut oil in homemade waffles), and I also know that there’s a lot of options.

Particularly when it comes to olive oil. There’s straight olive oil, virgin, extra-virgin, cold-pressed … the list goes on and on.

The most common varieties are obviously virgin and extra-virgin. But what’s the difference?

One difference is in quality; virgin is a slightly lower quality that extra-virgin. Both are tasty when it comes to things like dunking bread, dribbling it over foods, and making salad dressings.

When heated, the taste and aroma of the olive oil loses its flavor and but many chefs still prefer to cook with either virgin or extra-virgin, despite its higher-quality and bigger price tag.

So where does “regular” olive oil come in? Olive oil comes in to play if the pressed oil is highly acidic or not of great quality, it will be refined and mixed with the virgin or extra-virgin varieties to make the “regular” olive oil. This is what most of us “regular” cooks use in our home kitchens and it seems to work out just fine.

Regardless of what type you choose, the heart-healthy benefits are almost all the same; however, virgin and extra-virgin have extra antioxidants.

photo credit: rob poulos

It wasn’t a big deal when it came to things like bread, because I often bake my own, but when it came to things like pasta, I got nothing but flack.

So, how do you make the switch?

Start at Cooking Light, which has an extensive section on whole grains that explains which ones are best and what they can be used for.

Parenting.com has some excellent ideas on how to start the switch to whole grains. Easy things like making a sandwich with one-half white and one-half whole wheat or making rice pudding with brown rice instead of white.

Here’s 6 Surprising Ways to Sneak in Whole Grains by Mary Squillace at Fitbie. She includes everything from adding oats to meatballs and cornmeal to homemade waffles.

And check out GrainMealRecipes.com for who knows how many different recipes that cover everything from breakfast, to dinner and dessert. Yum! There’s a recipe for Whole Wheat Nutella Fudge Brownies that I’ve totally got my eye on.

Have you been making the switch to whole grains? What are your tricks of the trade?

photo credit: cooking light

The raclette method of cooking, while it may seem like a new and emerging trend, has actually been around for hundreds of years. It was one that began in Switzerland and has in recent years made it to other parts of the world. The raclette is fantastic for dinner parties because it’s a form of cooking that allows socializing while eating slowly throughout the course of an evening.

How Raclette Cooking Works

A table is set with 1-2 raclette grills depending on the size of your dinner party. The host prepares a variety of precooked meats like chicken, sausage, ham, shrimp etc., as well as vegetables, potatoes and breads, in advance and places them in dishes around the table. These items are then reheated on top of a raclette grill throughout the course of the evening.

While guests reheat their items on the top, they are also melting Swiss cheese in small pans underneath the griddle and that cheese is dripped on top of the breads, potatoes, vegetables and any other items. Guests may choose to create layered items such as bread with a piece of shrimp topped with cheese.

Source

This cooking goes on throughout the course of the evening as guests chat, sip beverages of their choice and generally enjoy a lengthy dining evening. It truly is a great way to entertain and enjoy the company of great friends, all while keeping the cook out of the kitchen.

Additional Tips and Tricks for Raclette Entertaining:

How to Host a Raclette Party

Raclette Menu & Party Tips

Is this a dinner party idea you would consider trying?

Image: kerolic

How to Use Pinterest to Plan Your Weekly Menu

1. Use Pinterest as a Search Engine

Pinterest can easily be a one-stop shop to find and curate your weekly menu. The first image above is an example of a weekly menu board on pinterest. It contains the following 6 dishes:

• Chipotle Lime Fish Tacos
• Chunky Avocado Salsa
• Steak & Spinach Salad
• Spinach and Cranberry Salad
• Pizza Muffins
• Chicken Piccata

This is a menu I created with a week of dinners in mind. We usually do breakfast and lunch on the fly. We eat cereal and sandwiches during the week and on the weekends, our breakfasts consist of pancakes, eggs and bacon as a general rule so, when I plan on a weekly menu, it usually has a primary focus on dinner.

As you can see, by doing a simply search of things like, “Fish Tacos,” “Steak Salad,” “Pizza Recipes”  - I was able to put together a tasty board of items for my week and from that. I have the ability to click over to the recipes on the respective sites and build my shopping list. Done.

2. Pin Your Favorite Recipes From Around the Web

Another option is to use Pinterest as a place to curate and keep track of your favorite recipes as you come across them online. Love that pulled pork recipe from the Pioneer Woman? Pin it on your Pinterest “Dinner” board. Can’t wait to try that new dish you came across from your favorite food blogger? Pin it and go back to it later when you’re ready to put it into action.

Pinterest is a great way to save those favorites for a time when you can get in the kitchen and see it though.

3. Create Dish Specific Boards

We all know how to bake chicken and grill chicken and we all know how to throw a piece of fish into the oven or throw a roast into a crock pot, but can we expand on that? Pinterest is a great way to start putting together recipes that extend beyond basic cooking practices and ingredients if you are interested in expanding your abilities by creating boards for specific dishes.

Make a board just for chicken and one for fish and one for steak. Or, you can create boards for Italian, Mexican and Seafood dishes if you prefer to organize your boards in that manner.

4. Create Meal Specific Boards

Create Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner boards to keep your meals organized. If you’re like me, when you have company coming for the holidays, you plan out each and every meal.

Having meal specific boards would come in hand for when these visits come up during the year. Flavorful dish options could easily be chosen on the fly because they had previously been organized on meal specific boards.

5. Create Dietary Specific Boards

If you have family members sensitive to gluten or those who are diabetic or lactose intolerant, having recipes specific to their dietary needs comes in handy. Pinterest is a fantastic way to organize those specific recipes as you find them.

One final note: make sure to download the Pinterest app to your smart phone so you can access your boards at the grocery store if you forget your shopping list. This will ensure that recipe can be clicked on, even while on the go.

Bon Appetit!

Do you think you’ll use Pinterest in this way? Are you a Pinterest addict already? What tips am I missing here?

Image: Pinterest

1.  Participate in Preparations

Depending on the age you started letting your little chef into the kitchen, that will determine exactly when they are ready for different aspects of the preparations. Additionally, each child matures, listens and follows directions in a different way. It’s up to you to decide what they’re ready for.

Where one child might lack impulse control and precision, another might be ready to tackle the task – use your best judgement and allow them to gradually take on more and more responsibility for the steps within the recipes.

2. Make Lunches

From the time the child begins school throughout the span of their high school years, they can be participating in the lunch making evolution. Whether they are fetching fruit snacks out of pantry or making the entire lunch themselves, they are capable of participating in some capacity.

This is not to say that there isn’t oversight necessary. Case in point, a friend of ours was letting her child pack their own lunch without much oversight. The dad decided one day to join their daughter for lunch at school only to find that she had packed several bags of chips as her lunch and nothing else. So, hang around as they pack their lunch and talk about what should go into their bags.

Additionally, you can work on the packing of your own lunch alongside them if you work outside of the home. This can work as a modeling tool to show solid nutrition and quality eating habits.

3. Load the Dishwasher

This is an activity in the kitchen that will require growth over time and oversight, but it’s one that many elementary age kids can join in on. They can rinse plates and hand them to you as you pack the dishwasher or vice versa.

Handling of certain delicate dishes or knives should be done by the parent until you feel confident they are responsible enough to avoid breakage or harm, but otherwise, this is a responsibility they can grow into and do with you as you converse over the happenings of the day.

4. Set and Watch Timers

A lesson in math and time can be implemented by having your child act as timer for the cooking process. This can be one of several jobs they take in the kitchen during the act of preparing a meal.

You can use it as a teachable moment where you discuss the number of seconds within a minute, minutes within an hour, etc. You can also teach them how to work the oven and microwave timers and controls if you feel they are responsible enough to learn those things.

5. Put Away and Set Up Serving Dishes

Clean dishes can be put away and dinner tables can be set by your elementary school age child. They will be glad to set the table for the family and prepare it for a meal together. Use the opportunity to teach them proper etiquette for table setting – a past time that is fast being lost.

Additional Quick Tips:

• Gather materials together in advance of cooking time.
• Communicate ahead of time which tools and equipment they should be using.
• Set expectations at the beginning.
• Make tasks short and sweet due to short attention spans.
• Involve children in the clean up as you go along to prevent mess as well as injury due to mess.

How do you involve your kids in the kitchen? 

Image: Theodore W. Lee

Quick Tips Source: Everyday Food Storage