Our deep freeze went out and we lost everything…

Hi reader, Do you remember last year when we took an 8 week road trip to see 21 National Parks? Do you also remember that as we were getting ready to leave, we suddenly had an infestation of flying ants, pantry moths, AND mice… within THREE DAYS of us leaving? Well what I didn't tell you, was that also during that same week, the door to the deep freezer was left open for 24 hours. O.P.E.N. It was an accident. My son had pulled some chicken and one of the packages from the ground beef (in the door) got in the way of the seal when he closed the door. We realized it the next morning, when beef juices were puddled on the garage floor and we couldn't figure out what that putrid smell was. Fortunately, we didn't lose anything.  The meat juices were from a few ground beef packages that had small holes, and the FDA says as long as it's cold (and everything was), you're good to re-freeze. We ended up cooking a few items just to be safe, but it was scary nonetheless.  The time and effort and sacrifice it takes to build up a pot of money to make that type of bulk purchase is enormous… Can you imagine the excitement of the purchase, the proud moment of filling the freezer, only to have to throw it all away and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it? Well friends, no need to imagine anymore because the unthinkable actually happened. We came home from our recent trip to Florida to another puddle of beef juices on the garage floor and the tell-tale stink of rotten. But this time, it was BAD. B.A.D. We had to throw EVERYTHING away. The meat was warm, many packages were bloated with gas (caused by bacteria growth according to Google), and there was ZERO confidence that anything could be cooked immediately and saved. So all that time and effort and sacrifice we made for so long? Gone. Why do I mention all of this? Because things like this DO happen, and we need to be able to handle it with grace, see our mistakes, and move on with a good attitude. So here are the lessons I learned and want to share with you, in no particular order: If you have a deep freezer, invest in a lock. (or an alarm, or both. We're doing both.) If your deep freezer goes out, make sure your freezer is operational before you fill it again. You can use a pressure washer to clean a deep freezer (at least we did, LOL). Apple cider vinegar and open doors will combat the stink of rotten meat. You may have to use apple cider vinegar repeatedly, and you may have to keep the doors open for a while. You will need to wash EVERYTHING you wear when you're done cleaning up, including your shoes. If you suddenly realize your deep freezer has been left open, DON'T FREAK OUT. Give yourself 60 seconds to wander in "how did this happen" land, take a deep breath, and make a plan to move on. When evaluating what to keep and what to toss, err on the side of caution. Take notice of anything that's been in there a LONG time. Any foods you've been avoiding? Maybe you shouldn't restock with those again… Don't rush out to restock everything all at once. Look for deals (my Grocery Budget Bootcamp and Meal Planning Bootcamp students know EXACTLY how to do this!) and buy what your budget allows. Most importantly, seek out the positive. We have two deep freezers, and the other was fine (which meant we had meat for a few days). We're really good at saving, and we can buy another half cow again. We don't eat a lot of pork, so we wouldn't buy another half pig again. The freezer itself isn't broken. Freezer locks are inexpensive. It's ironic that this happens right before my Pantry Challenge happening next week. I had a few ideas on what to make, but I should probably go back and double check in case I had to throw some of the ingredients away, LOL!! ALL my best ♥, PS - There's still time to join the Pantry Challenge!  For 4 days straight, I'll walk you through the basics of a pantry challenge, including the rules, setting goals, and strategies for success.  I'll show you how to actually DO a pantry challenge (including the truth about expiration dates), how to turn random ingredients into meals your family will LOVE, and how to keep your kitchen organized so you can keep saving money when the pantry challenge is over. And even better news, it's completely free!! (and just in time to get ready for summer!) Click here to join the challenge, we start next week! Popular on the Blog this Week Mockmill Grain Mill Review Honest review of Mockmill 100 stone grain mill after using a Wondermill for years. I share the pros and cons of both – and how a grain mill saves you money! Use your freshly ground einkorn wheat berries to make my easy no-knead einkorn sourdough bread.  Read More Here  How to Cut a Pineapple Ditch the expensive pre-cut pineapple and use this super easy tutorial on how to cut a pineapple without waste or even using a corer! Cut in half or make it fancy – this hack makes cutting a whole pineapple quick & easy! Read More Here  Meal Planning Once per Month Five awesome tips for how to meal plan once a month! I share the method I use for monthly meal planning as well as other tips to make meal planning easy! Read More Here  Freshly Updated Mistakes to Avoid when Washing Hair without Shampoo Have you thought about going no 'poo? Avoid these common mistakes of washing your hair without shampoo and your hair will be beautiful every step of the way! Read More Here Stretching a Bar of Soap Looking for ways to make a bar of soap last longer? These 8 tips for stretching a bar of soap are exactly what you need to save money. Simple, practical, and they work! Read More Here The Best Blender Protein Pancakes Protein pancakes hit the spot after a good workout, or to fuel little bellies before school. Gluten-free, sugar-free, and delicious! Pairs wonderfully with a side of scrambled eggs or oven-roasted hash browns. Read More Here

Choose which emails you want to receive, or if you prefer, click here to unsubscribe from everything.
     Crumbs Media, LLC, P.O. Box 381, Kennesaw, GA 30156, US