I think of Homesteading Hacks as little tidbits of knowledge that can be used to make our homesteading experiences more enjoyable. Sometimes that means a hack saves us money, sometimes it saves us time, sometimes it does BOTH!
This week’s hack is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. A few months ago I wrote on a window with my dry erase markers, hoping they would wipe off of glass without an eraser or cleaner. They did, so I was looking forward to using them at our health food store when I purchased bulk items. All you have to do is tare the container as you walk in and write the weight on the jar or lid with your marker. Then, when you fill it, write the PLU on the top so the cashier can ring you up. My new store in Easton, PA doesn’t sell as much bulk as my old one (I’m heartbroken) and they don’t seem to use PLUs as much either. I haven’t tried weighing my containers yet, but I will next time I make the trip up there.
Oh, I try to write the throw away date on my leftovers, not the date I put it in the fridge. That’s a great tip for making it easier to know what’s good and what’s not that I learned from my Auntie Kim – she got it from her days in the restaurant biz. Thanks, Aunt Kim!
*Sidenote: Yes, those are the plastic mason jar lids. I’ve been putting off buying them for almost a year, but I kept thinking, “man, I wish I had some of those plastic lids…” so I finally caved and got 8 regular and 8 wide mouth lids. I have lots and lots of Classico lids which I use all the time on the regular mouth jars, but I didn’t want to “waste” my rings and lids for the wide mouth jars. So far I’m okay with my decision. They are BPA free and they never come in contact with the food – mainly used for fridge storage. We’ll see how long they last before they go the way of most of the other plastic in my kitchen… :0)
Send me your Homesteading Hack and maybe I’ll feature it on the blog!
Email ideas to owlmoonfarms {at} gmail.com