faith filled food for families · 2016-07-12 · faith filled food for families page 1 faith filled...

Faith Filled Food for Families

A Unique Devotional Guide to Frugal Home Cooked Meals

Copyright © 2014 Shari L. Dominick All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be

reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the

publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

The information in this book is based on the author’s opinion, knowledge and experience. The

Publisher of Author will not be held liable by the use or misuse of any of the information contained

herein.


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Introduction

I’m SO excited to begin a new and practical journey with you! Just to let you know, Faith Filled Food for Families is a two part book.

The first half of Faith Filled Food for Families will be a step by step guide to a more intimate relationship with God regarding our attitude and heart in the kitchen.

We will learn how this deep relationship will transform the way that we approach an everyday duty like cooking.

You will learn the secret to abundance and joy in the kitchen.

The second half of our journey will be how we put all that Christ has shown us into practice in the kitchen.

Whether you are a work at home or outside the home, you will learn to come to your cupboards with new eyes, a new perspective and a thankful heart.

You will enjoy peace knowing that you are providing nice healthy meals, while staying within your budget and being a good steward of your money.

You will be able to be generous and invite others to enjoy meals with you, even on the tightest of budget!

No more running to the Fast Food restaurant because your cupboards seem bare and there is nothing for dinner. Besides that, you can’t afford it! Been there!

Most of all…you will have a deep, new and abiding relationship with Christ which will fill those hungry soles and fill that empty cupboard, you will see.

Doesn’t less stress, less worry and knowing exactly what’s in your cupboards and how to be creative with it sound good?! Not to mention the amazing close walk you will have with Christ after spending some time in our SHORT study for the next fourteen days.

Inside you’ll find printable’s, prompts and practical tips for your journey, so let’s begin!


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Part I – Faith Filled Food for Families

Journeys must all have a beginning, so to get the most out of our journey we must begin with God because…

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” Romans 11:36

Christ is a part of all we do, including cooking. The secret to creative abundance and joy comes from God!

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” Jeremiah 33:3

Yes that means YOU!

Whether you have been walking with Christ for many years or a few hours we all need to seek God in the everyday because life can get just plain hard…even in the kitchen.

So here’s my story. I’ll keep it short!

When my husband and I decided that we would have more children we knew without a doubt that I could not work outside the home this time around. After all I would be a much older Mommy

We decided that we would do EVERYTHING possible to make it on one income. Now this was difficult in our situation because my husband was in ministry and not being paid much. By the time we had had 3 more children his total hourly rate was $13.80 an hour.

Sometimes I would become so depressed because I simply would go to the cupboards and well, you know the story:


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Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard,

To give the poor dog a bone; When she came there,

The cupboard was bare, And so the poor dog had none

Well I didn’t have a dog, BUT three hungry little baby dolls to feed. Oh and I wasn’t quite that old, but you get the idea!

There was very little in my cupboards, and while I was a very good cook, sometimes ideas for cooking something out of almost nothing would escape me.

And so I began to seek the Lord diligently on this matter…

He began showing me the littlest things to do with the most simple ingredients…I didn’t need expensive foods nor did I need a huge meal planning plan (although he showed me how to have a practical one).


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No, He taught me the secret to abundance and joy through seeking Him in the Kitchen!

I learned to use the term wants vs. needs in the kitchen…. something I did only with clothing, trips, and household. It took a little time to figure out the difference between wants and needs in the kitchen, but God was faithful to show us.

Think about that for today and prepare your heart for tomorrow.


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A HEART PREPARED We NEED food to survive, there is no way around it, but there is something far more important…

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and

the body more important than clothes?” Matthew 6:25

Although this verse speaks to worry it also speaks to the LIFE that is given through Christ, through his living word, through our Spirit led lives..

Your mission, should you choose to accept,… I guess I’ve watched too many movies, is this:

➳Is LIFE more important than food to you? The Spirit LIFE?

Let’s give honor where honor is due. You will be amazed at how God will honor and bless YOU!

“But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6:33

Please feel free to use this Journal Page for your own use. Honestly seek God and allow him to reveal himself to you. He will. Oh yes He will! I like to journal because sometimes I forget what God tells me…

Don’t shy away from jotting down the things that God shows you, it doesn’t have to be a book, just some insights that he showed you in the shower or something. That used to be the only place I could get some quiet time alone! This is between you and God.


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DAY 1 - FAITH

In order for us to feel free to come near to God we really need to trust Him. Trust who He is, trust what He’s up to in our lives.

Do you ever think to yourself “what in the world are you doing God?” “Why is this happening?” I have thought these things many, many times over the years. I still do sometimes, but not with as much panic!

Trusting is an ongoing process isn’t it?

Especially if we have had deep hurts in the past.

We want proof – proof that God is trustworthy!

The catch…

We can never know if God IS trustworthy if we don’t first trust Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

It’s something we can understand with our minds sometimes – but it must come from the heart.

Did you know that the very act of Faith is a gift?

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesian 2:8-9

Once we take just a small step of Faith, and God honors that small step, then we are built up and encouraged to take another step. So then, our trust grows as well as our faith.

As we begin to trust God in areas of our lives, it stands to reason that we will trust Him and come to Him for more and more of the little things.


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Food preparation is an area that God is interested in. Even when our cupboards “appear” to be empty, we can come to Him for inspiration and TRUST that He will give it.

Print out the following Scripture Verses and put them around your kitchen. Put them in the frig, on the frig, on the cupboards, in the cupboards, on your window sill. Anywhere in the kitchen and just meditate on them.

Think of how trusting Christ in the kitchen for inspiration and provision can change the way we cook…will we be content? Will we be more generous? Will we be more creative?

It’s a simple lesson today, but one worth seeking after…more than gold or silver!

I’ve purposely left a few spots open on this printable for you to write your own favorite Scriptures or Quotes…


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Day 2 – Faith

We last pondered God’s gift of faith and that trusting God without reason = faith.

Once again, do you believe that faith is a gift?

Why do you think God gives this gift without favor to anyone?

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesian 2:8-9

You are right! Because it’s a gift! We don’t ask for gifts, they are just given, right? Well my kids ask all the time, but generally a gift is something that is just given.

This faith gift is given freely from God so that we may not boast of our own gifts and talents, including how much faith we have, but realize that all come from Him – the creator of all things. Then we may humble ourselves before Him and ask for his help.

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6

Let’s touch for a moment on pride. Yes, the big “P”.

Pride was a dominant force in my family while I was growing up – unfortunately it keeps us very far from God. I could write a whole book alone on pride – believe me. God has caused me to deal with it in my own life, through MANY hard circumstances.

What does this have to do with Christ in the kitchen? Well, do you want Gods help in the kitchen or do you want to go it alone… Me? I want, no I NEED Gods help…even in the kitchen.

Answer these quick questions:

Do you have pride? I’m talking about the kind of pride that is stubborn, independent and

defiant?


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Think about this before you move on. It WILL stand in the way of your relationship with God..

When we have pride we don’t need faith, do we? We count on ourselves to be capable of doing all things and we leave God out. This is not faith my friend.

In one sentence…What keeps you far from God? Talk to God about it, will you? Journal it out. Even if it is one sentence.

Need help with just getting started to pray or journal? Feel free to use the prayer below.


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Day 3 - Contentment

Believe it or not, contentment is a huge part of meal planning and creation. It is so easy to hop on the computer or look through fancy cookbooks and magazines and be overwhelmed and discouraged…

Why doesn’t my food look like that? I can’t afford all of those expensive ingredients I wish my family would eat that I don’t have time to cook a meal like that I don’t know how to cook a meal like that!

Discontentment always leads to defeat – it robs us of joy and it robs us of strength. It steals our peace and can even harden our hearts, if we are not careful. Discontentment focuses on others or other things rather than on God and us.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5

The process of creating and being creative is squashed, completely, when we are discontent.

So what are we to do? First things first…

If you are discontent, simply come to God and admit it. He knows our ❤

You have a wealth of creation welling up inside of you! Sometimes however, we must be emptied first of the impurities (discontentment) so that all of the good stuff, the pure stuff, can be poured out. The pure, creative, joyful and unique – YOU!

You may or may not have heard of this purifying process before, but for the sake of those that have not, I want to briefly explain the process of refining pure gold.

Gold is heated to extreme heat intensity and melts. The impurities then float to the top and are skimmed off. It’s like removing grease floating on top when cooking, leaving the most pure, valuable medal. Pure Gold.


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We must go through a process of refining about a lot of things. For the sake of this study I’m just focusing on discontentment and how it effects our attitude in the kitchen.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is

to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want”

Philippians 4:11-12

Please feel free to print and cut out these Contentment Cards to use for your personal use…


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Day 4 - Contentment

It is always good to examine our hearts; I hope you had a chance to do that yesterday with the Lord, to see if you are discontent in the kitchen.

For the sake of staying focused on cooking and the topic of contentment, I would love for you to ask yourself a couple of questions. Answer them honestly, I mean it’s just you and God right!?

What are the things you are most discontent with when it comes to cooking or meal planning?

Is it time, money, creative ideas? Maybe you are exhausted, maybe your family complains, maybe you just plain hate to cook?

After thinking about these things, journaling them if you are using the journal sheets, let me ask you this:

Can you change any of these things? If yes, what are some of the things you CAN change? Pick ONE thing if

there are too many difficult things. Ask God to help you think of creative ways to change things a little. You may not get ideas at first but as you ponder doing His will and are open to some changes regarding your meal planning and cooking, you will be amazed at the ideas that come.

Some examples may be…

1. Trying not to make meals that are too time consuming or complicated if you are limited on time.

2. If you need to be more creative maybe you could check out cookbooks or magazines at the library

3. If you are exhausted maybe you could learn to use the crockpot and have someone else do the cleanup. You might also try freezer cooking.

4. If your family complains…well.. Let them complain and don’t react. Once I didn’t make dinner because my family was complaining too much. Let’s just say there was a shift in attitude. Did they completely quit complaining? No, but there was a shift. HA!

If you hate cooking, that could be for several reasons..maybe attitude, not knowing how, fear of failing? That’s between you and God, but I do know that if you bring it before Him…He will show you how to change it.

AND I am willing to help you too!!


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Realize that some things can NOT be instantly changed, such as finances, and certainly you cannot change people. That’s Gods job. In the case of finances, we simply must accept that and learn to be creative and content with what we have.

“Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred” Proverbs 15:17

Being content is a daily challenge. It’s having a heart of thankfulness and gratitude for what we DO have. I didn’t say it was easy. It can be a challenge.

On the following page list all of the things you are grateful for today…regarding cooking, homemaking, food prep, meal prep.


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Day 5 - Provision

Now is the time to seek God and to ask for His will and His heart about your cooking, food prep and provision. Be honest with God (I know I say that a lot) – are you frustrated or a little depressed about it?

I realize that we just talked about Contentment the past 2 days BUT being content is a heart habit that takes time to establish. So if you are feeling down then simply tell God and ask Him to give you HIS heart concerning this matter.

So what do you think Gods’ heart looks like concerning the matter Provision?

“So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Genesis 22:14

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Psalms 23:1

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

God promises to provide for us doesn’t he? Sometimes it’s hard to walk in confidence in this matter, when the cupboards seem bare and we have so little $$.

Check out God’s amazing provision for Elijah, the woman and the son….

“Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him (Elijah): “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”


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She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”

I Kings 17: 7-16

Ok does that ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF or what?!

God is STILL in the miracle business! He still provides our daily needs! Today!

Are you in a financial drought right now?

Well guess what. That’s great, because God loves nothing more than to show you His great love by providing just exactly what you “need” at just the right time you “need” it.

Hop up now and go to your cupboards…do you have flour, water and oil? Here’s a little recipe for how to make bread.

Just for today…

Meditate on this story and Gods powerful, amazing provision. Journal your heart out to THE PROVIDER! Confess your lack of trust if need be and let’s move on….


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HOW TO MAKE BREAD DOUGH

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 Cups Flour 1 Cup Warm Water (little warmer than warm not hot) 1 Tbsp. Yeast 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (you can use white too) 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil (you can use other oils) 1/2 tsp. Salt

Put water into a large bowl, and then add sugar and yeast.

Stir up just a little to mix.

Then let sit for about 5-10 min. It will get foamy on top.

Add Olive oil, Salt and Flour and stir.

Now flour the surface of your counter and begin to

knead. It’s really just mixing the yeast up more to get

throughout your bread dough. Take dough out of bowl and

squish together, fold over toward you and push away with

palm of your hand. Turn about 1/3 of the way and do it

again. Continue this for about 5 minutes.

The dough will become less and less sticky and more

smooth. You can then shape it into a nice little ball to let

rise. Set it back into a bowl and cover to let rise for about 45

min. to an hour. It will be double the size.

Now you can shape into a loaf for traditional bread shape or

you can just plop it round on a cooking sheet. Bake @ 350

for 30 min.


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Day 6 - Provision

Now that you know how to make bread I have a fun little craft for you to do. If you want

Find a jar that will hold the dry ingredients for the above bread recipe. Layer it like so:

Sugar, Flour, Packaged Yeast and salt.

Then use the following pages to cut out and tie to the jar. The story can be glued onto the back of the bread directions.

I suggest that you make two of them and give one away OR you could use as a project for a Bible Study or Friendship gathering…you could even give to Shelters.

The point of this whole exercise? God ALWAYS Provides!

You will ALWAYS have something in your cupboards to make for your family..a loaf of bread.


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Day 7 - Made to Create

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You’ve heard it before, there have even been books written regarding this subject.. YOU were MADE TO CREATE! Really you are!

For many years I never saw anything creative in me. I didn’t have time to even think about being creative, or so I thought. I mean who has time when you’re a Mom taking care of lots of babies and kids!?

When other women would talk about being creative I would feel so discouraged and inferior. Some days I wondered how anyone could have time to even think about doing anything but getting through the day. Let alone be creative!

I suppose getting through the day has its own creative aspects doesn’t it?!

I had convinced myself that I had no creative talents…well, except being a Mom.

Over the course of many years, I began to become aware of how my family and friends would be in awe of something that seemed so easy to me. It was my cooking and meal creations! They marveled at how I could throw together a whole meal that was delicious and eye appealing out of seemingly nothing.

Sure it took work, but God seemed to give me these cooking ideas and I would be able to just create like something out of nothing.

It was even prophesied over me at a huge ministry retreat about my cooking creations and meals! Isn’t that crazy!

I began to see that my creativity laid in food and cooking. I know I’m slow. I really didn’t think cooking belonged in the “creative” category. I mean EVERYONE has to cook right?!

Then God led me to this verse:

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with

wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to

work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability

to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you.”

Exodus 31:1-6


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You see God is the giver of gifts and talents. He is the one that fills us with skill, ability and knowledge “in all kinds of crafts”!

Cooking is a skill, a craft!

Maybe you ARE creative in other areas but you feel you are not creative in food and meal preparation…the problem, we all NEED to cook don’t we. Yep we do.

What are your creative gifts?

Are you stumped? Ask others what they think you are creative at doing. It’s a good insight when we cannot see our own creativity!

Even your family can help with this. Including kids!

Use the worksheet at the beginning of this chapter if you like. With your family or friends at a get together, each of you do a sheet for one another.

It will surprise and bless you to see just how others see your gifts and talents as opposed to how you see yourself! It will be of great encouragement to each of you!


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Chapter 8 - Made to Create

When we look around, we can know without a doubt that God is a creative God! Nature, people, animals! He’s creative! Since we are made in the image of God, we can know without a doubt that we too are made to create!

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” Genesis 1:27

Although God created many things out of nothing, we of course must use something – He has given us the ability to bring about an amazing creation out of only a few ingredients – such as the potter with the clay, the artist with paints, and the cook with foods!

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On day 7 we thought about what our creative gifts are…you did didn’t you?

Name a couple:

Do you create something out of nothing? Seemingly nothing that is.

If you were to go to your cupboards, could you create a meal out of what seems like nothing?

I realize that we sort of did this on Day 6 but I’d really like you to go again and look in your cupboard and refrigerator…ask God to give you “new eyes” to “see what He sees. Ask Him to give you some ideas…

Here are some easy examples:

Do you have flour, yeast, sugar, oil, salt? You can make bread. So what can you do with bread? Oh my….

Do you have oatmeal, eggs? You can make Baked Oatmeal. Do you have Cream of Chicken soup? Chicken and rice? Make Baked

Chicken and Rice.

While you are poking around in your cupboards, try to think outside the box – what sounds good to YOU!

A can of chili w/cheese and Fritos on top? Rice a Roni and Chicken? (cut up cooked chicken and throw in while rice is

cooking)

Don’t be frustrated, this is all about learning and growing NOT perfectionism.

It takes time to learn to be creative – you have to be intentional about it. If you haven’t already, write down what you have in your cupboards using the following worksheet

…Now Create! Cuz you were made for it!


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Day 9 - Expectations

Today we are talking Expectations:

On yourself On your family On God

I get so red hot, jumping up and down, doing cartwheels excited about this!!

Pssst… did you know that God waits eagerly to hear from you? YES He does – Remember this scripture from the beginning of our series?

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3

These very words are true for us today – This is our expectation – That if we call to God with a pure heart – He promises to teach and show us things that we do not know!

Let’s EXPECT that if we call on God, He indeed will answer!

Yes, even in the kitchen! Yes even regarding our cooking!

Sometimes God doesn’t always give the answer we want to hear though. We may want a steak dinner-but our budget and cupboards say beans and rice tonight…many nights maybe.

Here again, we must decide and accept the difference between our wants and needs-not an easy task if it’s been a while since you’ve had a steak!

I love this scripture and I can’t tell you how many times I pray this for my heart…because I can get a bit miffed sometimes!

“Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.” Proverbs 15:17

We know what we can EXPECT from God, but I caution you not to have too high of expectations on your family as you begin this cooking journey.


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If they are used to fast food from the nearest burger joint or a pizza parlor – they are bound to be disappointed for a while with a pot of homemade soup and bread. (or maybe not!)

Expect some complaining, Expect some cooking failures…your cooking will not always turn out to look or taste like the magazines, Pinterest or big food blogs. Guess what, my food doesn’t always either!

Everyone is learning and growing. Try to set an example for your family…next we will get specific about just HOW you can deal with certain let downs..

But for today… use the worksheet in this chapter and Journal your true feelings about the subject of expectations in the kitchen….unrealistic or not. Talk to God about them.


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Day 10- Expectations

It’s really important to be in reality about your expectations – with God, Family and Yourself. Otherwise we will live in a bitter state of always wanting things to be different. We will have unrealistic expectations.

Today is a practical, get down to business type day.

Let’s tackle a few of the things that may be holding us back and then I’ll give you some solutions. Tried and true, but not perfect of course.

Answer these 3 questions:

What will your heart response be if you feel like you aren’t hearing from God regarding cooking and meal preparation?

What will you say to your family when you serve them something new? Something that you worked very hard on for dinner and they say “YUCK!” (before they try it of course)

How will you feel when you spend a good amount of time and possibly $$ on a meal and it turns out to be a flop?

These are things I have done in response to these questions:

1. Don’t panic! Trust God and trust me…He promises. Remember! It is perfectly ok to grab a cookbook, look on the internet, grab a magazine and allow God to speak to you through media – it does not mean He is not speaking to you – It is great inspiration for you and God can use anything He wants to speak to your heart!

2. It’s a good idea to have your husband back you up if you are married. Speak with him and pray with him about your new meal planning and cooking journey. When the family says ‘YUCK!’ he can step in and build you up in front of the children. Don’t allow it to hurt your feelings too much. Remember it’s an adjustment for everyone. Share your feelings with your family about how it makes you feel when you have worked so hard on a meal and everyone is dissatisfied. Also share with THEM your new cooking journey. Don’t allow others to discourage you.

3. DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP FOR A FAIL! Was I firm enough? One thing that I used to cringe and even cry about sometimes is when I spent a good amount of our grocery money on a recipe and it turned out a total flop. I’ve learned to laugh and eat it anyway. If you laugh, chances are that the rest of the family will laugh too. Throw on a can of soup and make toasted cheese sandwiches if your fail is

not edible…yep I’ve had those too Lighten up on yourself, remember, progress not perfection.


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Use the worksheet. Pray, seek and wait for answers.

I would love to hear how God is speaking to you!

[email protected]

I also created a printable that is without the questions for this little journey….well…just because it turned out pretty and I figured you might want to use it for something else, other than a worksheet! Enjoy!


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Day 11 - Perfectionism

Oh boy, I could write a whole book on perfectionism -

Our journey in homemaking and cooking is not going to be a perfect one. I’m sure you have discovered that one, but it’s what happens to us when we can’t simply accept that and perfectionism begins to set in.

Perfectionism comes from that feeling deep down inside of us that somehow thinks that the woman God made us to be is somehow not good enough. That if we could only be better at…. If our family was only… If only…

Perfectionism immobilizes us and keeps up from creating – yes even in the kitchen. We tell ourselves “Oh I can’t do that!” We have an idea in our head of how something “should” be and it keeps us from trying new things, including cooking.

We can easily get overwhelmed over a simple task, a simple meal – when we have unrealistic expectations on ourselves.

Perfectionism will push us to strive for the impossible. Yet it yields absolutely nothing because there is no such thing as perfect. So because we know this, we do nothing.

God did not create us to be perfect or we would not need Him.

For today, spend some time in prayer with God..

Ask Him to reveal if you are hiding perfectionism in your heart.

You can use these Journal Pages from Day 1 to write down your heart and thoughts if you would like…


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Day 12 - Perfectionism

Today is a simple day, a simple task…

Pray this for yourself:

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

Remember on Day 12 of Perfectionism, we talked about how being a perfectionist can immobilize us from doing anything. It keeps us from trying…

Today we are going to stomp on perfectionisms head and go for it!

So hop up and go to your cupboards and frig. See what is in there for a simple meal. For dinner or lunch. Even for a fun snack! Then just do it! Make it.

Use only a couple of ingredients or more if you like. Mac and Cheese, Chicken and Rice! The thing is, you just have to go for it.

If nothing sounds good, pick the main ingredient and look up a recipe in a cook book! The main thing here is just to do it and don’t expect a perfect outcome. I

have lots of easy recipes and you are welcome to use any of them

Perfectionism is a lie! Don’t buy into it!

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so

that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Hmmm if we are supposed to be perfect then why oh why does God’s word talk about our weakness?

I spent a lot of years with a lot of pride. Which led to perfectionism, something I could never achieve... obviously. So I became insecure and unsure and immobilized from trying anything new, because of course I might not do it “perfectly”. This led me down a path of destruction. I won’t go into that right now but it wasn’t pretty.

So let’s rejoice in our weakness. Let’s rejoice that we NEED God and we NEED each other. It’s ‘’perfectly” OK!

Cook for yourself, cook what YOU like…What sounds good to YOU!


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Create it!

On the next page is a worksheet that you can use if you get a little stumped and want to look up some recipes and keep track of where you located them AND how they turned out!

You Rock!

So that was simple wasn’t it?!

Think about how you stomped perfectionism into the ground? I’m so proud of you and you should be proud of yourself too!


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http://www.faithfilledfoodformoms.com/wp-content/uploads/I-can-do-all-thingsthrough-Him-who-1.png


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Day 13 - Organization

Organization is a heart matter when it comes to the kitchen because…

1 Corinthians 14:33 “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

So let’s just be honest with ourselves about this…

It takes time to be organized with food preparation and meal planning and only you can make the time for it. As with anything else worth doing, it must become a priority, if you want it bad enough you’ll do it.

Why even bother with being organized in the kitchen?

This is why -

To stay on budget To feed your family a well balanced meals To feel in control over food choices and meal planning To learn to be content To have peace To be confident that no matter what, you will always have something in

your cupboards you can cook up. To be prepared for the unexpected

If organizing in the kitchen is not your strong point, it’s perfectly ok. It is really a matter of training ourselves and starting some new habits.

We need to ask God to help us in our time of need. Remember we don’t have to be perfect.

I didn’t start really planning meals and being organizing in the kitchen until I really NEEDED to financially. We all have our reasons for avoiding organization in the kitchen, but once your kitchen habits are in place you will find joy in cooking and confidence in being prepared.

Use the following sign and put into your cupboard for those days when you don’t feel like being organized and just flying by the seat of your pants!

What are the reasons that YOU feel you need to be organized in the kitchen? What is the area of your greatest need?


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http://www.faithfilledfoodformoms.com/wp-content/uploads/Organization-finding-Christ-in-the-kitchen.jpg


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Faith Filled Food for Families – Part 2

Budgeting: You need a food budget! Budgeting is a huge part of the journey w/God in the kitchen. It has to be a priority to know exactly what your food budget is, especially when there is not one penny to spare. No matter who does your finances, you’ve got to figure out the amount you can spend each month on food. I am not going to give you a lesson on how to budget. There are amazing resources out there for you to learn how to do this. Here is a couple that I highly recommend if you are having a hard time getting on track: Crown Financial DaveRamsey.com What I will share with you are my little secrets for staying ON that food budget. One way you might figure out how much you are spending each month, is to use the Super Duper Grocery List Planner. It’s free to my email subscribers but because you have bought Faith Filled Food for Families you can have it for free too!

The Super Duper Grocery List Planner is at the back of this

book because it is a whopping 6 pages!

This list can give you a good idea of just what you are spending your money on and how much you are spending. It also doubles for making your shopping lists more precise so that you don’t overspend.

http://www.crown.org/

http://www.daveramsey.com/home/


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After you have a food budget then you can break that budget down into even more specific categories if you like: Daily Meals Eating out- you may choose to put this under your entertainment

portion of your budget but I put it under my food budget Special Food Purchases for trying new recipes Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Snack Food Entertaining

Using the Layout below, think about how many meals you make a month, week, day whatever works best for you. It will be different for everyone because of paydays and finances. How much do you eat out a month…yep I mean Fast Food Chains too. It adds up in the food budget and it is a meal! Cooking can become super boring if we don’t try a new recipe now and then. However there may be a new spice or something that you need to buy, which can also add up fast. Budget for $10 or more a month to try a couple new recipes with new ingredients. I have Fresh Fruit and Veggies in its own category because these are foods that are eaten throughout the day many times, not just with a meal. In Chapter 2 we will figure out approximately how much each person in your family consumes a day. Snack Foods can add up fast, especially if you have many children. We are going to talk about portioning and what that might look like in Chapter 2 also. Entertaining should also be part of your meal plan. Even if it is only 1 meal per month OR you have kid company a lot, you need to add some extra $$ into the food budget for this.


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Chapter 2 - Know your Family and their eating habits Part of staying on budget and feeding your family healthy meals is to know just how much each person eats. What do I mean by this? Observe your family. How much do they typically eat in a day? How much Fruit How much Vegetables How much Dairy (cheese, eggs, milk, etc.) How much protein (meat) How much snack food

This may sound a little overboard but you really need to know what the intake of your family is. Then you need to decide if it is in keeping with each member’s nutritional needs. For example an adult obviously eats way more than a small child. We’ll take a look at that in Chapter 3. Another reason it’s great to break things down, is to take a good look at just what your family is really eating. We will be looking at the Food Pyramid and then deciding if they are getting all of their daily required foods? Let’s get honest with ourselves here..sometimes it’s hard to see just what we are consuming as a family. Food portioning shows us just ‘HOW’ much we should be eating of what kinds of foods. How much is needed for each person.

Use the following worksheet for a couple of days as you observe your family.


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Family Food Intake

This does not need to be perfect. It is simply an exercise to give you an approximate idea of what your family food intake is. Name: _____________ Fruits Veggies Proteins (Meats) Dairy (Eggs, Cheese, Yogurt etc.)

Name: _____________ Fruits Veggies Proteins (Meats) Dairy (Eggs, Cheese, Yogurt etc.)





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This is not meant to be a super strict guideline. The reasons for taking a good look at this area are as follows: You may be overbuying food for a child – trying to feed them an adult

portion. To make sure we are serving all food categories throughout the day

for a healthy balance and to make sure our families get the proper nutrition to keep them healthy.

Sometimes we just plain forget what our bodies really “need”. Remember at the beginning of Faith Filled Food for Families:

“I learned to use the term wants vs. needs in the kitchen….

Something I did only with clothing, trips, and household. It took

a little time to figure out the difference between wants and needs

in the kitchen, but God was faithful to show us.

http://www.faithfilledfoodformoms.com/finding-christ-in-the-kitchen-the-secret-to-creative-abundance-and-joy/


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Food Intake Adjustments

This is not meant to be set in stone and please be aware that each family is different. You will need to take each individual family member’s overall health into consideration. The most important thing is that you be honest with yourself about what is appropriate. Remember Needs vs. Wants Name: __________ Needs Adult or Child portions Adjustments according to Portion Chart? Cut back or add to create a

healthy diet. Name: __________ Needs Adult or Child portions Adjustments C Adjustments according to Portion Chart? Cut back or

add to create a healthy diet. Name: __________ Needs Adult or Child portions Adjustments according to Portion Chart? Cut back or add to create a

healthy diet. Name: __________ Needs Adult or Child portions Adjustments according to Portion Chart? Cut back or add to create a

healthy diet. Name: __________ Needs Adult or Child portions Adjustments according to Portion Chart? Cut back or add to create a

healthy diet.


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Chapter 3 – Food portions and Food Pyramids - Are we eating healthy balanced meals and snacks? To better get an idea of just what the nutritional needs are of each person, it is helpful to look at a food pyramid chart.

While the Food Pyramid shows us “WHAT” we should have in our healthy diet, Food portioning shows us just ‘HOW’ much we should be eating of what kinds of foods. I’m sure that opinions will vary on the Food Pyramid but I like to use it as a guideline for providing healthy balanced meals to my family.


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What is in each food group? Grains/Bread/Rice/Pasta – largest group Vegetables/Fruits Protein – Meats/Beans/Nuts/Tofu Dairy – eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt (these all contain protein too!)

Lots! Fats – As little as possible, try to keep them as unprocessed as

possible. It’s good to have some healthy fats in your diet though Portions - How much is needed for each person? Now everyone is different and not everyone will eat JUST as the chart shows, but it gives a pretty close target to how much a portion looks like. It is about half of each portion for a small child.


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Most have learned about the food plate/pyramid and nutritional requirements somewhere along growing up, but it is always good to keep this in the back of our minds as we plan our meals. I am not a dietitian so I will not go into great detail about each food group..but I will share some of the ways I use these food groups to make a complete meal using less and combining groups. Keep it simple-there is a ton of detailed descriptions of food groups on the internet and in books but we are keeping it simple. I always plan my meals around the food groups..maybe I’m old fashioned but I think eating a balanced meal is the way God created our bodies to function optimally. There are tons of ways you can combine each group! It’s not like you have to sit down and plan each meal with separated lines for each food. Here are some quick ideas on how to do this: Rice and Beans together make a complete protein (you’ve now taken

care of two groups) Casseroles are a great way to combine food groups. Such as an egg

dish. Combine Eggs, Milk, Veggies, Cheese and a little seasoning and you have a protein power packed meal.

Pasta dishes with a little meat are another great way to combine

foods. Pizzas too!

Hot Pockets! (homemade)

Salads with some Nuts, Meat, Cheeses, veggies, fruits…YUM!

Food doesn’t have to be boring to get the proper nutrition our bodies need.


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Chapter 4 Time to take Stock! Now that we’ve prayerfully and honestly taken time to evaluate our families needs, it time to take stock of what we have in our kitchen cupboards. In order to save money, time and eat healthy we need to have foods on hand for a delicious homemade meal. Use the printable below and go through your cupboards, freezer and frig and write down what you have and what you need. The printable below is only a guideline. Once you create your own meal plan it will change a little. You will find your own favorite foods to stock your pantry with that will be perfect for your own family. I have found I need only to have the minimum basic ingredients on hand to make delicious meals for my family. Gather your pantry items slowly at first, so as not to overwhelm your budget. Among a circle of cooks you will find varying opinions of what is really needed in a well-stocked pantry. My personal opinion – only buy what you will use and what you will need. It makes no sense to buy pantry items that will simply sit in your cupboards collecting dust for a year, no matter what “experts” say you need.


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Pantry Check List

Canned Goods Have Need ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ Baking Goods – This would include Oils, Flour, Sugar, Yeast etc. ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ Spices ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ Prepared Pantry Food ie. Boxed Foods – Minute Rice ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________


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Canned Sauces ie. Spaghetti, Alfredo, Creamed Soups ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ Rice and Grains Have Need ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ Freezer Stock – Frozen Foods ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ Pasta ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ Refrigerator – Butter, Salad Dressing, Catchup etc. ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

Now that you know what you have on hand you can decide, based upon your menu plan, what you need to buy.


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Chapter 5 - Creating a Master Menu Creating a master menu is a HUGE money and time saver. It frees you up so that you don’t have to think about what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. “Wait a minute!” You may say, “That is too controlling and too confining!” NOPE it’s not! Once you have a master meal plan for the month in place and you have gone shopping for all of your meals, you then have the freedom to fix these meals on any day, at any time of your choice. The whole point of this system is that you have the food on hand. This frees you up for a lot of flexibility. Say you wanted Spaghetti 3 nights out of the month. You don’t have to plan which nights or lunches you want these to be on, unless of course you want to. The plan is to have these on hand so that at anytime you can go to the cupboard or freezer and know that you have all the ingredients on hand to make these meals…3 times! If you want. Are you getting what I mean? It is super helpful to have a plan on what night to cook what..but with this type of meal planning it leaves room for flexibility…lot’s of it! Use the printable to make your master list…


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Monthly Meal Plan

Breakfast: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Lunch: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Dinner: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Snacks: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Special Meals – Companies Coming: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________


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Tips for making meal planning easy.. Don’t get caught up in creating 30 separate breakfast, lunch and

dinner meals. Make it easy on yourself to begin with. Make some of your dinners 2 to 3 times a month..say Pizza. If you spread them out over a month then it doesn’t seem as though you are having it every single night.

Start with your family favorites.

Only have a few new recipes the first time you do your meal planning.

This way you will know how much you will be spending on average for you meals.

Mark out a couple hours for your first Meal Planning session. It does

take time at first to create your first Meal Plan and Grocery list..but after that..you just grab your grocery list and go..

If you write down a new recipe, be sure and mark where you got this

recipe (like which cookbook, magazine, website) Better yet print it out. It’s pretty frustrating to make a meal plan, add the recipe, shop for the recipe and then find out that you can’t even FIND the recipe to make it one night…guess how I know that! HA! Yep I’ve done that more than once!

If making a whole month’s meal plan is too overwhelming then start

with one or two weeks to start.

Recruit your family to help you make your meal plans. That way you are sure to have meals that your family enjoys. Once again there is no use planning out a meal plan, only to have your family not even eat it. Waste of time and waste of money.

Don’t try to make the perfect meal plan the first time you try it. It will

take a few times over a few months to tweak it and get it the way you want it. To stay on budget and plan meals that everyone will like.


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Chapter 6 - Creating a Master Shopping List Look at each meal you have on your Master Meal Plan and write down each ingredient you need to make the meal. You can use the Super Dooper Grocery List Planner from Faith Filled Food for Moms if you would like. I purposefully created this huge 6 page Grocery List Planner with spaces in between so that you could add your own ingredients and customize it to meet your own needs. If you already have surplus (extra food) for a recipe in cupboards then you of course you don’t need to buy that item or put it on your grocery list. For example: Say for lunch you have on your list Tuna Sandwich’s. If you have Mayo..then obviously you don’t need to buy it. Or If you have Spaghetti on the list for Dinner and have cupboard full of Pasta..then you don’t have to buy.


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Chapter 7 - How to Save at the Grocery Store on your Meal Planning Now that you have your meal plan and grocery list..you need to stop and check the grocery store loss leaders. These are the ads that you get in the mail from the grocery stores. If the stores near you are having a BIG sale on a certain meat or canned goods..stock up AND readjust your menu. This can save you really big money.

Five things to consider when shopping Loss Leaders and Sales: Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean you have to buy it or

that it is a good deal. If your family doesn’t like it, it’s not a good deal. Yes, you may have to revamp a few of your meals for the month, but

remember, once you have your master menu and master shopping list..it’s only going to take a few minutes to read adjust and add a couple of new meals with what’s on sale.

Loss Leaders only come out once a week. So you may want to save

money in your food budget for buying some extra things that are on sale.

If you have a very limited budget, look at the loss leaders through the

eyes of “need” only. Don’t adjust your whole healthy menu plan just because pasta is on

sale. Only adjust your menus for high priced food items like meat, seafood and things like that.

The biggest money saver: Make your Food Budget Make your Menu Make your Grocery List

Stick to it!


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3 Cautions when Shopping Loss Leaders:

1) Do NOT adjust unless the sales at the store are irresistible. Seriously,

there will always be great sales at the stores (weekly) and if you run out every week to buy the latest sales items you will not be able to maintain any of the above.

2) Your menu will go out the window, along with your grocery list, along

with your budget. Oh and your sanity!

3) Only read the front page of the loss leader. These are the biggest sales and the most money saved. Then only you can decide whether you want to buy and adjust.


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Chapter 8 - Couponing I am going to keep this chapter short and sweet…sort of honestly there are so many websites and classes for learning how to coupon that I won’t reinvent the wheel. BUT I was using coupons long before it ever became so popular. I’m simply going to share with you my personal boundaries for using coupons, in order for me to stay on budget and in control of my meal planning. Only use coupons for things you are already going to buy

I don’t use coupons that require me to buy more than 1 item. Like

Buy two and get 1 Free. This kind of couponing can cause my budget to go way over!

Coupons are very enticing – It’s fun to try new products and new

foods, however MOST coupons are for prepared foods and meals.

So ask yourself –

1) Does this fit into my budget?

2) Will I ever buy it again?

3) Will it feed more than 1 person (ie. Is it single serving?)

4) Ask yourself “do I really ‘need’ it?” The bottom line is this..make coupons work for YOU and not the other way around.


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Chapter 9 – Stockpiling: Don’t do it..much I feel I need to touch on the matter of stockpiling because it seems to be so popular these days. First a little story..I hope it makes you laugh and think.. Remember Y2K? Well I stockpiled because I was sure that the world was going to end as we know it. Great biblical scholars that were well respected had many warnings about the collapse of America financially, especially our computer systems. They had predicted that computers would not know how to reset from the 1900’s to the 2000’s. It seems so silly now but back then..scary stuff. I had small babies at the time and so I had decided that I would do everything I could to be prepared. I was also pregnant with my 7th child. So I did not want to be caught unprepared for who knows what? I learned to grind my own wheat in a grain mill and learned how to bake my own bread. I started gardening and canning and stockpiling grains and beans. I began dehydrating all that I grew and freezing it. Now these are all fantastic ways to save on the food budget BUT I spent money I did not have on bulk items that we probably wouldn’t have used in two years! My kids were just tiny little guys, so really would not have consumed that much food. I bought a lot of other items too in case of emergency, although we couldn’t afford it. I was driven by fear. I had a hard time understanding some friends that were choosing NOT to stockpile and umm just trust God! Well I trusted God..but God gave us a brain didn’t he? I thought to myself “well they are just being naïve so we will share our food with them” ..because of course that is what God would want us to do with all that food..right?!


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Y2K came and went without incident. I had all of this food that I had totally gone overboard on and although we would of course eat it..sooner or later..It was just plain too much! Now there is a spiritual application in this whole thing…of course! Trust God! HA! I stockpiled out of fear…and fear is not from God. So here is my take on stockpiling… I believe it is VERY IMPORTANT to have extra food on hand in case of an emergency, or unexpected circumstances. It’s important to have extras on hand for sharing with others. With that being said, my philosophy and budget allows for doing this slowly but surely. Gathering items a little at a time. I feel it is unwise to stockpile 50 boxes for Mac and Cheese but forgo the butter – just because it was on a huge sale. Mostly I wouldn’t want to sacrifice a healthy meal for 40 boxes of Mac and Cheese when I could have bought some fruits and vegetables. Now if there is a huge sale..buy a “few” extras. Stay on budget and stick to your menu plan. Make a list of foods your family needs for emergencies for 3-5 days and stock up for this little by little. It will grow quicker than you think. I’m afraid that 150 tubes of toothpaste and 40 air fresheners will not feed a family when a disaster strikes or company comes over for dinner. Ask yourself this.. While stockpiling is ok if dong it in a reasonable and prudent way..why do you think it is not wise to hoard?


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Matthew 6:19-21

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.


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Chapter 10 - Freezer Cooking Freezer cooking is an amazing way to prepare ahead for those days when life gets hectic or you’re just too tired for cooking. It’s a great way to be prepared for company at a minutes notice and it also serves as a way to be prepared when life has a major down turn. Freezer cooking is in essence another way to “stockpile” meals. Each family is different and each method different. Each budget is different too. You will need to decide which is best for you! I’m all about freezer cooking and have done it for many years. I’ve tried every system out there to see which one meets my needs the most. Here is a little run down of the methods of Freezer Cooking and there Pros and Cons. Once a month cooking: This is where you have a meal plan and grocery list for a month worth of meals. Then you shop one day, then cook up all your meals in one day sometimes two. In my opinion if you do this method it is best to do it with a friend as it can become quite exhausting. Pros: You are done in a couple days then you have a whole freezer full of

meals for the month. Yay! Cons: If you are on a limited budget sometimes it’s hard to come up with a

full month’s finances for this freezer meal system. It is very exhausting (this is my opinion) it takes a day or two just to

recover from this kind of cooking. You need a lot of stamina. If you have small children it is a MUST that you have someone help

with them in order to accomplish this sort of task. I have done the Once a Month Method several times..It’s too much for me personally. But that’s just for me! Once every two weeks: Exact same thing as above but only cooking for two weeks..same pros and cons..but of course not quite as exhausting.


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Recipe bulk cooking: Well I made that term up but it’s when you cook one batch of a recipe and make several meals out of it. For example you make a HUGE batch of Spaghetti Sauce and make several different kinds of meals out of that. Pros: This is a great way to create many meals out of one recipe.

Cons: Have to be creative with what you make - that’s not really a con

though in my opinion but it could be for some. Bulk Meat Cooking Is when buy a large amount of meat that may be on sale or bought in bulk and you use it for many different kinds of meals and freeze. Say like ground beef. (see what you can do with ground beef.) Pros: A great way to buy and cook one type of meat and then freeze in many

different recipes. You don’t necessarily need to totally prepare a meal out of the meat.

You can marinate for later, or say cook up ground beef plain and freeze in freezer bags for later for tacos, spaghetti etc.

You have many options for different meals at a moment’s notice when the meat is already bought and halfway prepared. So it’s quick and easy

You save money when you buy in meat in large amounts, bulk buying. Cons: It will take an initial investment of money in order to buy this large a

quantity of meat. However it is a money saver in the long run. You need to have sufficient freezer space in order to do this.

http://www.faithfilledfoodformoms.com/buying-in-bulk-zaycon-foods/

http://www.faithfilledfoodformoms.com/easy-ground-beef-recipes-for-the-freezer/


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Cook a meal and save a meal.: This is my favorite way to build up my Freezer Meals as it takes very little effort. It’s simple! While creating your meal plan, plan on purchasing the ingredients to make one or two more of your favorite meal. Say you love a certain casserole, double or triple the ingredients and then the day you are going to have this meal, make 1 or 2 extras and freeze. Pros: Very little effort since you are already making the meal for dinner

anyway. Saves time. After doing this a few times you have 4-6 meals ready at a moments

notice and you can just keep adding every week or two. Cons: None! That of course is my opinion

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. Below is a partial list of foods that will freeze well. I freeze everything!

Fruits

Vegetables

Dairy – Eggs – Crack and put into ice cube trays - freeze. Or scramble then freeze ( also cheeses, yogurt, milk)

Meats

Baked Goods

Pizza Dough

pie dough batter

Bread Dough

Pasta – Yes you can! Just under cook a little and freeze

Rice - cooked

Herbs

Pantry Items

Broths/Soups

Sauces

Full Meals – Of course!


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Super Deluxe Grocery List Planner

This is simply to use for your planning, most wouldn’t take pages to the grocery store.

However this list will help you to double check what you need to get and what you

already have in your cupboard.

Meat

Poultry

Beef

Pork

Other

Breads

Loaf

Rolls

Muffins

Bagels

Sandwich Roll

Other

Fruit

Apples

Apricots

Avocado

Banana

Blackberry

Blueberries

Cherries

Cucumber

Grapefruit

Grapes

Kiwi

Lemon


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Lime

Mango

Melon

Nectarine

Orange

Papaya

Peach

Pear

Pineapple

Plum

Pomegranate

Prunes

Raspberries

Strawberries

Tangerine/Clementine

Watermelon

Other

Veggies

Lettuce

Carrots

Tomatoes

Onions

Broccoli

Cabbage

Celery

Leeks

Mushrooms

Potatoes

Peas

Asparagus

Green Beans

Spinach

Corn

Cauliflower

Garlic

Sweet Potatoes

Other

Herbs and Spices


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Frozen Foods

Meats Breads Juice Ice Cream/Popsicles/desserts

Side Dishes

Dinners

Other

Canned Goods

Fruit

Vegetables

Sauces

Other

Dairy

Milk

Butter

Cheese

Sour Cream

Cottage Cheese

Yogurt

Eggs

Other

Mexican Foods

Beans

Salsa

Tortillas

Taco Shells

Tostadas or make your own

Enchilada Sauce


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Sauces/Spices Other

Asian Foods

Rice

Sauces

Seasonings

Noodles

Tamari/Soy Sauce

Italian Foods

Pasta

Sauces – Spaghetti, Alfredo etc.

Pre Prepared and Packaged –

Macaroni

Pasta Noodles w/Sauces

Rice a Roni

Other

Baking Items

Flour

Sugar

Yeast

Other

Laundry Items

Soap

Softener

Fabric Sheets

Bleach/Non Bleach

Other


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Paper Goods

Toilet Paper

Paper Towels

Napkins

Paper Plates

Other

Toiletries

Soap

Toothpaste

Other


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Top Store Sales:

Store………………………………………………..

Store………………………………………………

Store………………………………………………..

Store………………………………………………

Store………………………………………………..

Store………………………………………………

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Store………………………………………………..

Store………………………………………………

You can use this list in many ways:

Put into Sheet Protectors and use a dry erase marker to check off and write extra

things down.

Print out every time and simply mark off.

Use it to double check that you haven’t forgotten anything. Check against your

meal plan.

My one BIG tip that saves me LOTS of time when I am done Grocery Shopping and I

have to put all those Groceries away:

When putting your groceries onto the conveyer belt at the store be sure and

group with like items….such as…

all the frozen things together, all the canned goods together, all the boxed foods

together, all the fruits together and so on.

That way they will get bagged that way…well hopefully and when you get home it

makes it much easier to quickly get things put away when they are all grouped

together!

faith filled food for families · 2016-07-12 · faith filled food for families page 1 faith filled...

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