5 Simple Tips from the Pioneers You Should Start Using Today

As far as we’ve come in society and with technological advances, there’s something to be said for the wisdom our great-grandparents and the pioneers held. In the wave of genetically modified food and health concerns over chemicals in our homes and food system, many people are returning to their roots and embracing facets of the simple life.

You don’t have to sell your home and go live in the woods to experience the benefits and put into practice modern homesteading and living simply. There are various ways that you can bring the “old way” into your family today. Sometimes, the old fashioned way is the best way! These tips will help your family stay healthier, save money, and bond more.

Try out these five tips from the pioneers that you should start using with your family now.

Stock a Basic Pantry

Extra trips to the grocery store will blow your budget, in both time, gas, and impulse items. Making sure you have a well-rounded pantry stocked with basic items on hand will allow you the freedom to prepare a meal without worrying about if you have specific ingredients. Not only is it much more frugal, but it helps when the store isn’t open or we can’t get to it and saves time by allowing us to shop from our pantry instead of the store shelves.

Think about all of the different things you can make with flour, water, oil or butter, a bit of baking soda or yeast, and salt. From a no-knead bread, biscuits, sandwich bread, tortillas, rolls, and pizza dough.

Tomato sauce can be turned into barbecue sauce, ketchup, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and added to chilis, soups, and stews.

Cook from Scratch

With today’s mainstream society and the convenience of store-bought or processed ready-made food, cooking from scratch is becoming a lost art. Even many cookbooks contain processed foods in the ingredient list, like a can of condensed soup or packet of such-and-such mix. Our great-grandparents cooked before there were mixes for everything, and the only canned foods they used were those they’d canned themselves.

Many people assume making things at home is going to take way too much time or skill. But there are many foods you can make at home faster than a trip to the grocery store, cost a fraction of the price, and are much healthier without preservatives.

Decide you’re going to make one item at home that you normally buy from the store. You can make a homemade replacement for condensed cream soups in literally just 4 minutes with three ingredients for as little as $0.30.

You don’t need to be a chef with fancy or exotic recipes. Pick some of your family’s favorite foods or meals and master making them at home. Double the recipe and stick one in the freezer for nights when you need supper fast. Bread items freeze exceptionally well.

Grow At Least One Food Item Yourself

People imagine you need acres of land and a large barn in order to produce your own food. Even with just a large yard or patio, you can produce quite a few items. Anyone, even those who live in an apartment can grow some window sill herbs. Basil is easy to grow and can even be done in large jar with water. No dirt needed!

For those of you with a bit of a yard, start growing a few summer vegetables. Beans and tomatoes are an easy crop that give you lots of produce per plant. Make sure and use heirloom seeds to you can save them to plant next year. The pioneers were the ultimate seed savers and never having to buy garden seed again is pretty awesome. Plus, you’ll discover a much larger variety and depth of taste in heirloom varieties.

Preserve Food at Home

You may not be able to grow it all, but what you do grow and what you get from other sources should be preserved for future eating. Knowing how to preserve food when it’s in season for use throughout the year is one of the most frugal and rewarding things you can do. While there are certain safety factors one needs to adhere to with home food preservation, it is an old-time tradition every home should learn and practice. There are many ways to preserve food at home from freezing, canning, dehydrating, fermenting, root cellar, and even in alcohol or oil.

Home canned food is frugal, especially when you grow it yourself, and makes cooking from scratch extremely easy because all you have to do is open a jar and heat on those nights you’re pressed for time or plain don’t feel like cooking.

Homemade pickles, jams, and jellies are easy intro recipes for canning. All you need is some lids, Mason jars, and bands with a large pot to begin water bath canning. You’ll need a rack in order to keep your jars up off the bottom of the pot, but in a pinch you can use extra canning lids or a rolled up dish towel.

Pickled food, jams, jellies, and fruit can be safely canned using the water bath method. Make sure to follow a trusted source for canning recipes.

Once you get started, you’ll quickly find yourself wanting to expand into vegetables, soups, and combination recipes which require a pressure canner. Any low acid food, such as vegetables and meats, will require a pressure canner.

One of the easiest foods to freeze are whole lemons and limes. Simply put them in the freezer whole and then take out to use later. You can still use the rind for zest and they will release their juice easier after being frozen. Homemade lemonade has never been easier!