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How to Choose Absorbent Towels

April 26, 2011 By 21 Comments

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I have a question about towels. Is there any way to tell when you buy a bath towel (or any towel for that matter) if it will be absorbent? I’ve purchased many 100% cotton towels over the years. Some are absorbent others and others repel water as badly as those hideous 100% polyester napkins you get at certain restaurants. The worst bath towels I ever bought were two 100% cotton, organic, unbleached towels I purchased from an expensive well-known “natural” products website. Would love to know if there’s any special trick to always finding the perfect towel.

Signed,

Damp on the Danford

Heather says:

You were totally on the right track choosing unbleached towels. I thought it was an old wives tale that white towels are more absorbent than colored, but there seems to be truth to that, at least according to The International Society Of Hospitality Purchasers (ISHP). When you think about it, those guys are going to be serious about the quality of their bath linens.

Check out this video; it is an excellent aid to visualizing the construction of a towel.

There are two main parts to your towel, the base weave and the pile.  The pile refers to the loops of the towel. The label on some towels may refer to 100% cotton pile or loops, if this is indicated, assume that the base weave contains polyester. In the video above loops are only created on one side of the fabric, in a towel the loops are on both sides.

The number of loops, the length of the loops, the thickness or coarseness of the yarn used,  and how tightly the loops are packed together all affect the absorbency of your towels. In the video, you’ll notice that not every pass through the warp yarns is turned into loops, in towels this gives the loops a bit of room to expand, but this is only helpful to a point.  The length of the individual loops increases the surface area of your towel, more surface area equals more absorbency. Another variable is the thickness of the yarn, thicker yarn means fewer loops per square inch and consequently less surface area for water absorption; many thin loops can out absorb fewer thick loops in the same square of fabric.

So when choosing a towel you want to look for a nice deep pile created with thin yarns. Make sense?

How do you know if your towel has a deep pile and thin yarn?

There is a standard of measurement for fabric called GSM or grams per square meter. The higher the number, the more material has gone into each square of fabric. Typically a GSM over 500 is a good indication of a quality towel.

Keep in mind that the heavier and more absorbent your towels are the more energy or time it’s going to take to dry when laundering.

What’s in a name?

Egyptian, Pima, Combed or Carded, what does it matter?

Egyptian cotton is grown -wait for it- in Egypt. Pima cotton is grown in the southern United States. Both strains of cotton are prized for their longer fibers.  The long thin fibers of Egyptian, Pima, and Turkish cottons can be made into thinner yarns than other types of cotton. Be aware that in the US labeling laws only require that 10% of the cotton be Egyptian to be labelled Egyptian Cotton. If you want to be sure you’re getting 100% Egyptian cotton, the label must say 100% Egyptian Cotton.

Combed cotton is more expensive, but has fewer short fibers than carded cotton, this has more of an effect on the durability and propensity for pilling than on the absorbency of your towels.

I’ve been told that towels made from Egyptian or Pima cotton tend to take longer to break in before they perform as desired, but I have no personal experience to evaluate that statement.

What about velour towels?

Velour towels are manufactured almost exactly like terry cloth towels, only they are sheared on one side. Velour is extremely soft, but it is significantly less absorbent than its terry cloth counterpart.

On a final note, never use fabric softener with your towels. The residue that gives the fabric a nice feel will also make your towels less absorbent.

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

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iRobot Roomba 530 Review

March 3, 2011 By 16 Comments

Heather says:

I shouldn’t have so much affection for a robot.

There, I said it.

I am far too fond of this vacuum, heck it even has a name. Internetz meet Gertie, my newest minion¹:

Roomba 530

Do you remember the story, There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury?

Nine-fifteen, sang the clock, time to clean.

Out of warrens in the wall, tiny robot mice darted. The rooms were a crawl with the small cleaning animals, all rubber and metal. They thudded against chairs, whirling their moustached runners, kneading the rug nap, sucking gently at hidden dust. Then, like mysterious invaders, they popped into their burrows. Their pink electric eyes faded. The house was clean.

Gertie IS my robot mouse. Now if we can just skip the nuclear apocalypse part, I am perfectly content to be living in the future.

Gertie is an iRobot 530 Roomba

The Good:

Would you believe I haven’t swept since February 22? Do you know how much time I have back in my life? I loathe sweeping, it’s one of my least favorite chores, because as soon as I’m done, it’s time to do it again, at least in our house where kids and the dog traipse in and out all day long².

I’m more inspired to make sure -read that as make the kids do this- that all the Legos and potential Roomba hazards are off the floor at any given time.  This in itself keeps the house looking cleaner.

It is the first appliance I’ve that has reduced the net amount of work in my life.  For the record, I’m counting appliances invented in my lifetime, washing machines and dishwashers have been around a lot longer than me.

Our other minions will someday be coordinated enough to take over some chores, but they have been mess makers from day one.

We have a large basset hound who plays an important role in our family. He is the shedder and he does it well, probably too well, but the iRobot is keeping up with him. We’ll know for sure in the late spring when he goes into his annual allergy-driven shed mode, but so far so good.

The Awesome:

I also have a new routine. Each night before I go to bed, I turn the barstools over on the counter -takes me back to my bartending days- and turn on the Roomba before I head to my room. Usually while I’m reading, I hear the congratulatory tones that mean “All done” and hear the Roomba send itself back to its charger. How awesome is that? A vacuum that tucks itself into bed? I admit it, I am totally anthropomorphizing a vacuum cleaner, but wouldn’t you?

Potential Cons:

Our home has solid flooring and an open floor plan on on the main level. I moved our Dyson upstairs to tackle the carpeting. In order to give a fair review, I  did give the Roomba a try on the carpet, but overall I still prefer our Dyson Animal for pure sucking power, even though it’s almost 7 years old. The thing about hard flooring is that suction doesn’t matter much at all, on carpet the Dyson rules. Now if they ever automate. . .

There are some people for whom I would not suggest a Roomba:

Clutterbugs – if you have a lot of junk on the floor, getting ready to set the Roomba is going to be just as big a pain as getting ready to use a regular vacuum.

The OCD – the Roomba does not make nice, straight traditional vacuum lines

People with lots of nooks and cubby holes to vacuum or several small rooms not on the same level – for example, a sunken living room, in a split level house would make the chore aggravating.

Finally, people with lots of carpeting and several pets. There comes a point where the small dirt collection bin on the Roomba would become annoying to empty. I don’t mind doing it each morning, but if I had to stop it mid job, to empty the vacuum it would grow tiresome.

I should note that if you have exceptionally deep recesses under your kitchen cabinetry, you may still have to get down there and whisk out the crumbs once in a while.

Pricing?

Would I charge a Roomba on a credit card? No. Absolutely not.

Would I qualify this as anything other than a luxury purchase? No.

Would I skip eating out and other treats for a while to save up? Yes. Absolutely.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

¹I received an iRobot 530 Roomba from iRobot gratis. I was not asked to do a review.
²Rarely noted drawback of homeschooling, the dirt trackers don’t disappear for 6 hours a day.

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Revisiting the Voluntary Ban on Phosphorus in Dishwasher Detergent

February 24, 2011 By 19 Comments

Dear Home-Ec 101:

A few months ago Heather wrote a post on the voluntary phosphorus ban in dishwashing detergent.  I don’t recall offhand if Texas is under that ban, but regardless I can’t buy phosphorus detergent anymore.  My cousin found a website that offers Cascade with phosphorus but hasn’t tried it out yet.  My only concern is that it says “for commercial use only”.  Is there any reason it couldn’t be used in home dishwasher?  I have an apartment sized dishwasher and I know commercial ones are much bigger but that is the only potential difference I see.

Signed,

Filmy in Fort Worth

Heather says:

Frankly, Filmy your question stumped me. You see, there are different kinds of commercial dishwashers, some are very much like home dishwashers. I put in a call to the Cascade Consumer Helpline – 1-800-765-5516 where I spoke with a very patient lady. Don’t worry, I didn’t say, “Don’t you know who I am?”

The only advice we can safely give is for you to call the manufacturer of your dishwasher and make sure the use of a commercial dish detergent would not void a warranty.

You mention that the appliance is apartment size. Are you a renter? Is this your landlord’s dishwasher? These factors would also have an impact on whether or not I chose to experiment with the commercial formula. I simply wouldn’t want to risk losing my damage deposit.

As a company Cascade is having to deal with many disappointed and even irate customers due to the change in regulations regarding the use of phosphates. All you have to do is look at the reviews of the products and this problem isn’t limited to Cascade. Some of these complaints stem from people using the detergent improperly, which must be frustrating for both the consumer and producer. Make sure you follow the directions exactly and use a rinse aid to help get rid of any film.

Additionally, set your water heater to 120°F at a minimum. Without phosphates to improve solubility, hot water is that much more important. Keeping your hot water at 120F or lower is actually in a temperature range that can allow Legionella to grow. What’s Legionella? Have you heard of Legionnaire’s disease? That. 140°F  is the temperature recommended to keep bacteria in check. As a side note, if you have young children or elderly family members in the home, it’s important to not keep the hot water heater too hot, to reduce the risk of burns. There’s always a trade off, isn’t there?

Whichever temperature you decide, be sure to give your dishwasher a jump start by running the water in the nearest sink until it’s hot before pressing start. This helps ensure the dishwasher has the hottest water possible to clean your dishes. Don’t waste that water, just fill the sink to clean the rest of the kitchen or catch it in a bucket to water plants -just let it cool, first.

Be aware that without the phosphates that help rinse away deposits aluminum cookware is more likely to discolor. It may be worthwhile to handwash these pots and pans.

Finally, Cascade recommends the Action Pacs for areas with very hard water.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

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The Thrifty Male

January 13, 2011 By 11 Comments

Brian says:

It’s hard, I know. Send a woman to any corner of the planet with just $50 and a dream, and she’ll come back with what seems like sacks of clothes, shoes and trinkets.

Send one of us to do the same thing and we’ll probably come back with one “really nice” pair of $49.99 jeans. That’s just the way of the world, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way all the time. There are a plethora of sites out there designed for the “every man” that have a generous selection and are easy on the wallet.

1. Topman.com

Having set up a US site not too long ago, Topman is the perfect place for the semi-industrial man with a purpose. Think: “the cool-with-everybody hipster”. A great deal of their collections tend to go on sale two to three weeks quicker than the competition, so you have to jump on it early. It’s the ideal site to snag a $200 military jacket or a $100 cable knit sweater for a fraction of the price.

2. Gilt.com

Boasting both a men’s and women’s section, Gilt is an online auction house on steroids. The rules are fairly simple: Everyday at 11:57 p.m., the site sends an e-mail notification to its members, giving the lowdown on the featured vendors for that day. At noon, the “auction house” opens and you’re given the opportunity to snag quality merchandise for much less than you’d find at the flagship store. You have until 12:10 to lock down your items or they’ll be released from your cart for the other vultures to scoop up.

On any given day, you’ll get offers from top-name brands like Jil Sander, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, to off-the-wall shops like Tan Ren Knives, Universal Studios and various hotel chains from around the world. The only catch? You have to be invited by a current member to join.

Perhaps I know someone who could arrange that for you…

3. Army/Navy surplus stores

An often overlooked location, military surplus stores are great for low-priced, utilitarian items such as windbreakers, pea and trench coats, chests and tons of other post-issued fodder from the Department of Defense. You have to scour your city or town for them nowadays, but they’re still around. I’ve picked up heavy duty gloves, belts and even long underwear from surplus stores in the past.

4. Uniqlo.com

A product of Japan, Uniqlo is, well, unique. They feature a lot of seasonal, hi-tech outerwear that’s also practical. Be prepared to stock up on lightweight cords, insulated parkas and comfortable sweaters for now, but their selection will change once this crazy weather does.

5. Family patriarchs, duh!

This should be a no-brainer, right? If it’s a situation where you and your old man remotely resembled each other in body type at some point, he’s bound to have a few things here and there that might fit you. There’s nothing better than getting a vintage watch or billfold, a jean or bomber jacket from the 60s, or even a full-fledged suit (extra points if it’s a three-piece). The best part is that’s it’s usually free and absolutely timeless. Anything like that is a great and economical addition to your wardrobe.

Brian Wilder is a writer for Home Ec 101. You can also find him at Things My Grandfather Taught Me. If you have a question you’d like Brian to answer send it to Brian@home-ec101.com.

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Cast Iron, Enameled Cast Iron, and Stainless Steel Oh My!

January 5, 2011 By 21 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

If you were going to replace some of your cookware with cast iron or enameled cast iron, including a large dutch oven, would you purchase enameled cast iron, plain cast iron, or stainless steel? I do cook a lot of acidic foods, is this a concern?

Signed,

Pot Likker¹

PS. I have a gas stove, I’m not sure this matters.

Heather says:

I have a smooth top electric range so I, like many others,  am limited to enameled cast iron and stainless steel. (I personally do not use non-stick pans, except for the electric griddle we own -it’s too easy to accidentally overheat an empty pan.)

Cast iron, enameled cast iron, and stainless steel each have unique characteristics, make your decision based on what best fits your needs based what fits your needs and appliances.

Stainless Steel Cookware

This is the set of stainless steel cookware I’ve been using for the past 6 years.

For the record, in this conversation stainless steel cookware refers to plain stainless cookware, as well as the cookware with an aluminum or copper core. Please do not tell me that the aluminum core of stainless steel will cause Alzheimer’s. Your food does not come into contact with the aluminum.

Pros:

Stainless is versatile, it can be used on both electric and gas ranges. Usually the pots and pans are rated safe to 550°F, although the glass lids will have a lower rating. If a recipe needs to be cooked covered in the oven over the rated temperature, you simply use aluminum foil instead of the lid. Also keep in mind if the handles have any of that fancy polymer grip stuff, the rating will be lower.

Stainless steel heat does not heat evenly, but this is why good quality cookware will have an aluminum or copper base to aid in even heating which prevents hot spots and scorching. Since stainless steel is comparatively thin, it heats relatively faster than thick cast iron cookware despite having a lower thermal conductivity.

For the most part, stainless steel cookware does not react to acidic foods and is excellent for making pan sauces and won’t discolor white sauces.

Cons:

Stainless is more expensive than most aluminum, cast iron, or nonstick cookware. However the lifetime warranties that often accompany stainless steel cookware mitigates this factor. (Typically I recommend purchasing from a company that manufactures in the US when possible, but I hear good things about some brands made in France and Brazil, too.)

Stainless steel cookware is comparatively heavier than aluminum or most nonstick. Most adults (excluding those with health issues) get used to the weight over time.

What to look for / be aware of:

When choosing stainless cookware look for riveted handles, avoid any cookware attached with screws. Stainless steel can warp and scratch if not used properly. Never use metal utensils with stainless steel cookware as this can scratch the pan making food more likely to stick and making clean up more difficult. Do not use Brillo or copper scouring pads and never place a hot pan in tepid, cool, or cold water, as this can warp even sturdy cookware.

Bar Keeper’s Friend is quite inexpensive and makes cleaning stainless cookware a cinch.

Never purchase a set of stainless steel cookware without handling it. Visit a department store, open a box, check it out. Does the shape / angle of the handle make the pan easy to lift and pour from? Take a look at the lids, do they fit snugly? If not, the pot will not be good for making rice, unless of course you cook rice using the gentle boil method.

Cast Iron Cookware

Pros:

Cheap.

Cast iron is the original nonstick when properly seasoned.

It is probably the best cookware for blackening and searing. I’d recommend everyone have one cast iron skillet, even if it’s only for use under the broiler.

Cons:

Cast iron must be seasoned. It’s also quite heavy and you shouldn’t use it to cook acidic foods.

Now before someone goes nuts. Yes, it’s POSSIBLE to cook acidic foods in a well seasoned cast iron pot or pan. However, if the acidic food eats away enough of the seasoning it can come into contact with bare iron, which will cause a reaction. This will ruin your dish (the food) will be ruined with a metallic taste.

Cast iron can shatter if it is treated incorrectly. Never place a hot pan in water. Don’t place any hot pan in water

Cast iron should not be used on a smooth top range, it may scratch the surface making it very difficult to clean.

Cast iron has low thermal conductivity and it takes a relatively long time to bring a pan up to cooking temperatures.

If not taken care of properly, cast iron can rust and that’s a pain.

What to look for when buying cast iron:

Is the handle usable? Don’t waste your time buying a big pan with a stubby handle; you’ll be miserable. For dutch ovens, can you grip them? New cast iron often comes pre-seasoned. That stuff skeeves me out, majorly. Strip off the old seasoning and start over. Need advice? Read:  How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet.

Enameled Cast Iron

Pros:

Enameled cast iron is equivalent to stainless steel when it comes to relative non-stick. It is safe for acidic foods, and due to its thickness it has a high heat retention. Additionally, enameled cast iron is also oven safe (except for some knobs, we’ll talk about that in moment).

Enameled cast iron is usable on all stoves, in the oven, and on the grill.

Have I mentioned it’s gorgeous? Umm ’cause it’s friggin’ gorgeous.

Cons:

Enameled cast iron is heavy. It’s just as heavy as cast iron.

Enameled cast iron has lower thermal conductivity than its plain cast iron counterpart. I love my dutch oven, but I generally surf the web waiting for it to get hot enough to use.

Cost. Enameled cast iron is significantly more expensive than regular cast iron, especially when you consider some well known brand names. (I love my Le Crueset, but in the future I may be willing to try off- brands). In most cases, enameled cast iron is enameled cast iron. The pots and pans vary in their shape, the handles, and the knobs. Order replacement knobs for just a few dollars and your off-brand pot is now oven-safe.

Don’t use metal utensils in enameled cast iron, as it is possible to chip the coating, but in that case, you just need to season it. It’s only exposing cast iron and the pot or pan is still usable.

Hopefully this information will help you choose which cookware is right for your needs. I personally have a mix of stainless and enameled cast iron (I love my dutch oven and would really like a larger one) and I’m looking to pick up a new cast iron skillet for use on my grill and in the oven the next time I see one. Good luck in your purchasing decision!

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

¹Definition: Pot likker is the liquid left behind after boiling greens, like collard greens and contains many vitamins. Also? Yum.

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Common Sense and Glass Cookware

December 8, 2010 By 21 Comments

Heather says:

It has just been brought to my attention that Pyrex cookware has been receiving some attention from Consumer Reports via the Consumerist. I love glass cookware and I will continue to use my glassware for baking, however there are a few precautions one should always use. Glass, even tempered glass is fairly rigid and doesn’t conduct heat like metal, therefore it’s subject to what’s called thermal shock. If the glass is exposed to uneven temperature extremes, it will try to expand or contract  unevenly and can crack or shatter.

Some of you are sitting there going, gee Heather this is all common sense. Maybe for you it is.

A lot of people have only used metal cookware, which can warp, but doesn’t have that tendency to shatter. Since this is Home Ec 101, I try to cover all the basics. Heck, I remember shortly after I graduated high school one of my roommates attempting to make macaroni and cheese in one of my glass dishes, on the stove top. It didn’t go as she planned. To be fair, I did more than my fair share of stupid things in that phase of my life.

Glass is fragile¹.

It’s like it’s made of glass or something. . .

Do not use cracked glass bakeware. Do not bang metal utensils on the edge, do not juggle your cookware, drop it on the floor, and expect it to be good as new. Glass doesn’t heal.

Never use steel wool on glass bakeware. -Thanks Mike!

Got it?

To avoid breaking your glass cookware through thermal shock:

Never pour boiling liquids into cold or room temperature glass cookware.

Never pour cold liquids into hot glassware. This includes, trying to rinse the item out. (You also shouldn’t do this to cast iron or stainless steel, either).

Don’t immerse hot pans in cold water.

Never take a glass casserole directly from the freezer and place it into a pre-heated oven.

Do not take a glass dish straight from the oven and place it on a granite counter top. Use a hot pad to protect the dish.

Never heat a glass dish directly on a stove burner.

Don’t place glass cookware on a cold, wet towel. Use dry hot pads, cloths, or towels.

Finally, cut yourself some slack we all screw up. Sometimes we don’t see the puddle of water on the counter or act without thinking. A broken dish is a pain, but not the end of the world. If your glassware breaks after cooking. Do NOT serve or eat the food it contains. Broken glass fragments can be tiny and hard to see, it’s just not worth the risk.

¹Ever notice how words can appear misspelled when you look at them too closely? Fragile, just looks bizarre to me.

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Tips for Reducing the Cost of a Healthy Menu

December 3, 2010 By 10 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

I just got back from the grocery and I’m despairing. I’m trying to be frugal these days, but still I don’t want to intake HFCS and I like to choose organic eggs and milk when I can. And I feel like it’s a balancing game to keep my family healthy but still be able to put money in the bank.

I know I need to plan meals around sales, and currently I’m actually trying to clean out my freezer because we have a ton of frozen meat, but I’m talking about foods that you buy every week, perishables that you can’t stock up on, when you want to be cruelty free or organic or just not eat HFCS.

Signed,

Math is Hard

Heather says:

A family’s grocery budget is based on a series of compromises.. While my personal motto is know better, do better, I also realize that there comes a point where you just have to let it go.You could read articles, blogs, and papers about every ingredient, process, and dietary ideal for the rest of your life and still be confused about whether or not you’re making the best choices for your family.

You could also be hit by a bus tomorrow.

If you wanted to, you could wander down a path of fear and forget that food is meant to be savored and enjoyed.

Personally, I believe you are making good choices, wanting to avoid HFCS and choosing organic when it’s possible. My point is to make your choices and then quit worrying about it. Nutrition, is a developing field, new ideas are promoted one week and retracted the next. No one has it perfect, so there’s no reason to kill yourself pursuing perfection. (There’s never a time for that anyhow, the stress alone will undo your efforts).

Heck, there are many times where I don’t even manage to make the organic choice.

Here are a few suggestions to help reduce your bill without compromising your dietary principles.

Eat Seasonally

When you tailor your diet around seasonal produce, you’re taking advantage of produce at the peak of its flavor and nutrition.

If you have a Farmer’s Market in your area (and that stupid bill never makes it out of the House) get as much of your produce as possible from there. See if any of your local grocery stores buy locally and patronize them. Offhand I know that both Bi-Lo and Piggly Wiggly try to source produce locally when possible, but it’s still a good idea to check with your store’s manager. If your grocery store does source locally, in-season produce will likely be priced accordingly. (I can’t control for all factors, but this one is usually a given, since it’s in line with the economic principle of supply and demand).

Also don’t assume that certified organic is the only choice. Many small farmers have not been able to pursue the certification for some reason that actually doesn’t have an impact on how the produce or animal is grown. Sometimes the produce or animal producer is in the process of being certified. Find your supplier and talk to them. From what I know, many agricultural professionals are looking to open the channels of communication. It can’t hurt to try.

When seasonal produce is limited hit the freezer section for the next best option.

Don’t go for the fancy steamer pouches -who wants to bet the ads this post triggers are for exactly those?- Look at the fancy options and write down the ones that pique your interest. Typically you can make the same recipes with little extra effort, much more cheaply at home. I will admit that the coupon gurus may be able to beat me at cost per serving in this department.

Steam your vegetables and toss them with butter or olive oil heated (infused) with your favorite herbs.

Treat vegetables or legumes as the entrée.

I’m an unapologetic carnivore, but I put a lot of thought into our sides to keep our consumption in check. I know that both in the health and cost department vegetables and legumes are often much cheaper per consumable ounce than lean protein. Compare cabbage at $0.39 a pound to ground beef at $3.45. It’s easier to limit the our consumption of protein to recommended amounts when the accompaniment is not a pile of canned, overcooked soggy green beans.

On a tight budget, watch how much your recipes rely on cheese and butter.  (I am not suggesting you choose low fat options, just watch the number of cheese heavy recipes you serve in the course of a week).

Learn how to make stock.

Stock is a great way to increase the flavor of your recipes while taking advantage of items that would normally just go to waste (chicken bones, vegetables on the verge).

Watch your waste.

As a nation, we Americans (I can’t speak for our Canadian and European readers, I haven’t seen your studies) waste a LOT of food. For one month keep track of how much food was thrown away. Were leftovers in the fridge too long? Did the milk go sour? etc

There’s the possibility that you’re unintentionally buying more than your family consumes.

Try these suggestions and understand that inflation and time constraints take their toll. There is a point where you won’t be able to cut your budget any further without compromising your principles. If you can afford your principles, keep them and let the worry go.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

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How to Use Powdered Milk to Save Money

November 17, 2010 By 33 Comments

Heather says:

The ideas in this post may not be of immediate use for you. Many of you will say, it would take more time than the savings provide. That may be true for where you are today, but you never know what information you may need in the future. Just mentally file it away for reference.

Regardless of cost, powdered milk should be a part of your emergency pantry. It really doesn’t matter whether the emergency is caused by a personal crisis like a job loss or a national disaster. There might be zombies wreaking havoc outside, but by golly no one is getting rickets on my watch.

There is a big difference between nonfat instant dry milk and whole dry milk. The fat in whole dry milk can go rancid quickly, making storage impractical.

Nonfat instant dry milk has a shelf life of approximately one year, there will be a slight degradation in taste and nutrition after this time, but it’s not dangerous to consume. Dry milk should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Both vitamins A & D break down with exposure to light, keep this in mind if you choose to divide a large box of dry milk into smaller quantities.

How much money can you save using powdered milk?

It depends. Just like regular milk, the price of dry milk fluctuates, but having several boxes in the pantry can offset the occasional, temporary price spike.

Since powdered milk is cheaper to ship and store, the price difference can really become dramatic when oil prices increase. If however grain has a price spike, both powdered milk and fresh milk will experience an increase due the cost of feeding dairy cattle.

Prices are as of November 16, 2010, they will be updated quarterly.

Currently I can buy a 640z or 4lb box of non-fat dry milk for $15.63. The box of dry milk is the equivalent of 5 gallons of milk after it’s reconstituted effectively costing $3.13 per gallon.  Right now a gallon of milk is currently running between $3.75 and $4.22 a gallon.

At this time, each box of nonfat instant dry milk represents about $3.10 in savings.

Yes Heather, we get that, but powdered milk is disgusting to drink.

I tend to agree, which is why we don’t drink dry milk as part of our daily diet. In an emergency we’d switch.

Do not expect to make an immediate conversion from drinking fresh, whole milk to reconstituted milk overnight without a mutiny. It’s not the same thing.

If your food budget is extremely tight, a gallon of whole milk can be stretched with nonfat instant dry milk. For best results, use a 50:50 ratio of whole milk and reconstituted milk. You’ll need to mix the two in a clean, empty gallon jug. (2 quarts each, shake well, and keep very cold)

But what about right now, how can I save some money with powdered milk?

To save money with instant dry milk, use it for cooking.

It’s a straight substitution with reconstituted dry milk and regular milk in recipes.

When building a food pantry, it often makes more sense to purchase ingredients in bulk rather than single servings of convenience items. Use the following recipes to reduce the variety of items you need to store in your pantry, while saving money.

Examples:

A generic label, 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk is $1.99. You can make your own sweetened condensed milk with $0.59 worth of dry milk and $0.46 of other pantry staples.

Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe

Equivalent to 14oz can, generic label =$1.99

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar  ($0.22)
  • 3 TBSP butter ($0.24)
  • 1 cup nonfat instant dry milk powder ($0.5)
  • dash salt

Briskly whisk the ingredients together and bring to a full boil (start over low heat and gradually increase). Remove from heat and allow to cool before use or storage.

Evaporated Milk Recipe

Equivalent to 12oz can, generic label = $0.84

  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 1 cup nonfat instant dry milk ($0.59)

Place the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously.

Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

Use 2 – 3 TBSPs in place of a single packet of hot chocolate mix

  • 2 cups nonfat instant dry milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 tsp salt

Mix thoroughly.

If you toss in mini-marshmallows, put it in a cute, glass jar with a label, this makes a great, inexpensive Christmas gift.

Did you know you can also make your own cottage cheese with nonfat instant dry milk? I’m going to experiment with that this week. If it works well, I’ll add the recipe here. Have you tried it?

Do you personally use powdered milk, whether as part of an emergency pantry or to cut costs in the kitchen?

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How Does Your Food Budget Compare to the US Government Averages? A Home Ec 101 Ask the Audience

November 4, 2010 By 41 Comments

Heather says:

Food prices fluctuate all the time. How can the average American (sorry Canada and Europe, I don’t have a frame of reference for you) estimate what they will be spending on food from month to month? The USDA publishes a monthly food price index based on four spending levels: Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate, and Liberal. While there will always be some regional variations, this is a handy reference for analyzing your household’s food budget.

What I really like about this tool is it doesn’t just have adults and children, because we all know that children’s appetites vary widely based on age. Yes, I know that they can vary within these bounds as well, but this seems to have reasonable expectations.

For example in our household, when my stepdaughter is here, we should expect to spend about $169 a week on the thrifty plan. Our actual weekly grocery budget is closer to $140. There are directions for calculating a family’s food budget and a couple of quick suggestions such as 2 adults with 2 children 5 and under and 2 adults with two school age children.

There are also separate tables for Alaska and Hawaii which would otherwise skew the averages.

Have you ever used this tool?

Do you feel it is an accurate reflection of what families in your area spend on food?

Knowing our family’s food budget falls below the thrifty level, while we maintain a healthful diet is encouraging.

Did you also know that there are free meal planning tools available, too?

Just for transparency’s sake, I wasn’t paid to mention either of these resources, I just thought they might come in handy for some families. I know the food pyramid is far from a perfect nutritional guideline, but it is a drastic improvement for many Americans. Remember, here at Home Ec 101 we’re all about meeting people wherever they are on their nutritional journey. Any step in the right direction is progress.

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Bissell® Steam & Sweep Hard Floor Cleaner Review and Giveaway

October 25, 2010 By

Heather says:

Let’s kick this off by making the FTC and other officials happy. I was sent a Bissell® Steam and Sweep Hard Floor unit for the purposes of review. Bissell has also provided a second unit which will be given away by random drawing to a reader of Home-Ec101.com at the end of this post. Links to products in this post are affiliate links.

We’re cool now right?

Great.

Why was I interested in reviewing this product?

Due to my allergies and our general taste or lack thereof in decorating, the main level of our home and the master bedroom are all hardwood or tile and eventually the children’s rooms will be, too. Just as an FYI this post will trigger the carpet company defender army o’ robot spammers who will comment saying that carpet really isn’t all that bad for those with allergies. Whatever. They are welcome to talk to my allergist, I can only go with my anecdotal evidence which says he’s spot on.

Hardwood flooring has its own set of issues, one of which is that most chemicals for sanitizing are a definite no and vinegar falls into a grey area of maybe, but not too much, and rinse again after use. Yet when it comes to flooring, into everyone’s life a little crap must fall. I do mean that quite literally. If you have a pet, accidents happen. If there are children lurking about, under a certain age they just don’t get that a shoe should come off before walking all over the house to report the accident. Why yes, for those of you who can remember one of my kids is very Calvin-esque. It’s almost impossible to resist the urge to whip out some kind of chemical in these cases, despite recommendations to the contrary.

Enter the Bissell® Steam & Sweep Hard Floor Cleaner.
My first impression of the BISSELL® Steam & Sweep:

Useful? Yes.

Life changing? Probably not.

Assembly? Easy as pie.

Effectiveness as a cleaning tool? Good.

Chemical free? Awesome.

If you are in the market for a steam cleaner that can be used on sealed hardwood floors -provided it does not void your warranty- linoleum, and tile, then this ~ $140.00 (I’m not sure why it’s 152.00 on Amazon) unit may fit the bill. If you are looking for a steam cleaner expecting it to make your life sprout sunshine and daisies with a kid like Calvin running around, you may be disappointed.

Don’t expect to move your couch or refrigerator after months or years and have it get everything in one pass. It’s not going to pick up crayons or marbles, but it will do an adequate job on pet hair.

If you regularly sweep your floors, then the combination sweep and mop mode will do a fine job.

If you like to wait until you’re wading through pet hair, this may not be the tool for you or you’ll just have to use a broom or vacuum before running the steam and sweep.

If you are looking for a chemical free way to sanitize your hard flooring, this tool may be exactly what you’re looking for.

You must follow the instructions properly to get the sanitizing effect from the unit.

The steam and sweep unit weighs about 10 pounds. While this isn’t heavy, it’s not quite the same as pushing a dust mop around. Then again, I stand in at six feet tall and part of the issue may be the handle height. I have the feeling product designers take a more average (5’7″ish) height into account when mass producing products that will be used mainly by women. The Bissell Steam and Sweep has a swivel head, but I found it worked best with a straight path.

I liked the footprint of the steam vacuum. It is wide enough (12″) to not have to make 952 treks across the room, but not so wide as to make storage or maneuverability an issue.

I really like that the Bissell® Steam and Sweep comes with two microfiber pads for the base. I’m not always on the ball about getting my cleaning rags through the laundry in a timely fashion and it is very nice to have a spare. I also like that the pads are not disposable. This is my main beef with Swiffer™ type products. I have a big issue with products that are disposable just for convenience sake. (That said for a few years I did use a Swiffer™ with my own hemp cloth pads with great success).

I should note that the unit wasn’t particularly great at getting the edges of a room. So, if I were to clean up a spill that had gone under cabinet or up against a baseboard in a corner, I’d still need a rag or towel to finish the clean up. That said, if a floor is fairly well maintained most edges and corners don’t get too bad.

I did not find that using the Bissell® Steam & Sweep radically changed the amount of time it takes to sweep and mop my flooring. What I did like was the lack of dirty water reservoir to empty. We currently have a Hoover FloorMate SpinScrub and emptying the reservoir lurks somewhere around cleaning toilets on my list o’ favorite chores. I really like that the Bissell® Steam and Sweep is a fill, plug in, and go appliance. I should also note that even though the water reservoir isn’t huge, it goes a long way; much further in fact than my SpinScrub, even though some spots require an extra pass or two. This is mostly around where my kids have spilled or splattered something sticky.

It is recommended that you use distilled water with this product. The reason is minerals from hard water will deposit on the internal (and therefore not cleanable) heating element making it less efficient over time. There is a replaceable filter included to help reduce this problem.

Overall? I like the appliance.

Short list of Pros and Cons for the TLDR¹ types.

Pros Cons
  • Chemical free
  • No disposable pads
  • No special cleaning solutions
  • No dirty water reservoir to empty and clean
  • No battery to charge
  • Footprint
  • 2 year limited warranty
  • Not especially labor or time saving
  • Handle may be a little short for those on the taller side
  • Corded
  • Cost? I might be less concerned about this, if I didn’t already have an appliance that fulfilled a similar role.

Would you like a chance at a Bissell® Steam & Sweep Hard Floor Cleaner of your very own?

You’re in luck, I have just that. I will be giving away a new Bissell® Steam & Sweep Hard Floor Cleaner to a lucky reader in the United States (sorry rest of the world). Each Home Ec 101 reader has up to three chances to enter the giveaway. As usual those chances are:

  1. A plain, old-fashioned how you doin’ style comment.
  2. A comment with a link to a tweet on Twitter sharing this post.
  3. A comment with a link to a blog post or Facebook entry referencing this post. (just copy the url of the timestamp for Facebook)

This contest will close at 10pm Eastern on October 31, 2010. (I had to give myself time to get home from trick-or-treating to close the contest).

Best of luck to you.

¹Too Long Didn’t Read

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