What's in my fridge. . .Organizing tips!

[eachpeachpearplum]

Hey shine72 have you bought any Nalgene bottles yet? I know, I know I didn't provide enough info, so sorry!

[shine72]

No, not yet, but you'd have to email me privately to find out why. I've been a bbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddd girl!

[eachpeachpearplum]

TRAVELING RAW those words are enough to keep people forever in their own bakyards!!!

I was spurred to write this because of a thread by momma-Rawma asking for advice on traveling raw!

I do a bit of traveling and will be going home to the UK in the spring. Because of this I had already started a binder I keep in the kitchen for thoughts and notes on what to bring and how to function.

Here is what I have come up with so far:

1. Tribest personal blender: see far left of page and click on Appliances under Alissa's Store; great for traveling (if needing 220V go directly to Tribest website) If you travel to a location often consider buying a blender to keep there. If it;s a hotel consider asking them to provide a blender in your room or if you can use the kitchens.

1a. Just want to update that the Tribest Personal blender worked wonderfully!

2. Frozen green smoothies: I fill several Nalgene bottles with my liquid of choice and freeze. I put these in my main luggage so they go into the suitcase hold where it is very cold. depending on how many you pack they can last you a nice amount of time. Or at least keep you going until you have had time to shop.

3. Raw food delivery: For my trip home in the spring I am having some raw meals delivered to where we will be staying from www.purelyraw.com in the UK. I will also be having some snacks delivered from www.rawliving.co.uk.

4. Planning: I have already started planning what foods I cannot do without that will travel well and might be hard for me to get right away on the trip: Agave, untoasted nori, sea salt, nama shoyu, super foods, mana bread, nut butter etc.

I am also taking a list of recipes that are easy to prepare at the drop of a hat. When on unfamilliar territory you tend to have brain farts and forget basic easy things you can do.

Pate's and cheeses actually travel well. Again freeze and put in your luggage.

5.Dehydrates items: make up batches of your favorite crackers, flat breads, cookies, bucuits etc.

6. A few pre-made treat items: items you would normally only get as "treats" to yourself like raw chocolate or snack items from places like www.oneluckyduck.com. That way if you have temptation issues you can feel your can "reward" yourself with one of the treats.

7. Know the area: Go oneline and locate the nearest healthfood shops and juice bars. Find what grocery stores there are and where. Print off maps for these in relation to your lodgings.

8. Airport and Plane: Really plan for these areas and pack for each. Dont put yourself in the position of longing for the cooked food everyone else will be eating just because you are board from sitting around or because you are stressed from "airport issues".

At the airport if you desparatly want a coffee go ahead and go to starbucks and ask for a cup of hot water & lid (remember to offer to pay for the cup or leave a tip) and put in your own tea bag to have with the dehydrated buscuits your brought. That way the ceramony is still there just not the SAD food!

For the plane think of flavours & textures you will crave; sweet, salty, crunchy, fatty, etc and pack you lunch according to those. Have matching snacks to. When the trolly comes round and offers little bags of nuts or crackers have yours already packed up and ready to go. Already have in your head what you want to drink. Think over what the flight attendant may have: cups, straws, lemon, club soda, hot water etc. What can you do with these? Do you want hot or cold? Tea or club soda with lemon and a dash of the agave you have in your little traveling container. Or soup; have some miso past e in a conatiner, get your cup of hot water adding some cold to cool down a bit and stir in your miso. You may have even brought some copped scallions and sea veg to add!

Purse sized bottles for dressing, agave etc: http://www.containerstore.com/browse...3&PRODID=69233

. . . . . .You will have a hard time feeling sorry you are not having the SAD food. . . . . .

9. Knife and Cutting board: I just bought a paring knife with sheath for traveling and a mini cutting board. A set of travel cutlery would also be useful - I like the Hello Kitty sets. They are small and compact or try sporting good shops.

travel knife: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...?pkey=ccutnewb

I keep looking for a small cutting board with intagrated knife but no luck as of yet!

10. DRINK LOTS OF WATER WHEN FLYING!!!

11. I also found that when traveling with young children the "liquid" rules were looser as long as you took a sip of the items in front of security.

Happy travels everyone!

Cheers,

EPPP

PS: blog from a raw flight attendant Mel s12 - http://www.rawmelanie.blogspot.com/ - I love her reminder "Remember that on a plane, your digestive system explands so you don't want to bog it down with anything heavy. Eat as lightly as possible, and as minimum as possible."

Also link from mama rawma raw travel thread - http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=36406

[Vivafree2]

Excellent tips and inspiration - my fridge is getting better but it is rather messy or empty.

[Authenticme]

Wow! I'm definetely inspired. I work intensely (10hrs) 3 days out of the week, so it would be nice to have a well organize fridge so all I have to do is reach in for meals.

And love your travelling tip as well!

[shine72]

Bumping up.

This thread is a serious gem to so many of us. Thank you so much to EPPP for taking the time out to enrich our lives with all of your wonderful tips and tricks!

[eachpeachpearplum]

Hey Shine!:)

I've been thinking about you wondering where you've been I've just put up several posts WITH PICTURES on the kids food thread starting at post #89 to #100! You must try the Fig Newton - YUM!!

[DharmaGirl]

My gosh, EPP, thanks so much for the tips.... as previously stated, you are a true inspiration to all! Thanks for taking the time to post all those pix, too... Really gives me some better ideas on how to get organized. Could you tell me what nuts you keep stocked and I noticed you dont refrigerate them.... do you ever have a mold problem?

Thanks for the awesome travelling tips, too. I'll be heading out to Colorado this summer, and now it give me hope that I don't have to give in to the SAD way the people I will be with eat. THANKS SO MUCH

[eachpeachpearplum]

DharmaGirl:

Sorry for the late reply, I did not see the post :) !

Firstly, no I never have a problem with mildew. I live in Seattle and it does rain a lot but we do not really get humidity. My nuts are kept in the pantry in glass jars with a paper towel inside to absorb any moisture that may get in - actually I put a paper towel in all my glass jars for this reason especially dehydrated items. I do keep high oil nuts in the fridge and I only buy what i need of these: macadamia, Pine & Brazil nuts.

Dehydrated items if NOT FULLY DEHYDRATED do go moldy if not kep in fridge/freezer. For this reason I keep flat breads and cookies in the freezer and take out a 6-10 at a time.

I just went downstairs and made up a list of my current pantry items for you.

In pantry in larger quantities:

cashew
carob (from alissa's store)
sunflower seeds
walnuts
hazelnuts
almonds
dates, Majool & Honey
sucanat - dried cane sugar
sun dried tomates
pecans
raisins
sesame seeds, wht
oat groats
Raw chocolate bars with super foods, www.rawliving.co.uk
raw bars, big jar of assorted types & flavours

In cupboard in smaller amounts (D = dried):

Irish moss (for Cafe Gratitude recipes)
Spelt & Kamut wheat grains
buckwheat
nutrtional yeast
lentils
gogi berries
sesame seeds, blk
physillum husk powder
D - apricots
D - figs
D - blueberries
D - pineapple
D - mango
D - cherries
D- cranberries
garlic & ginger
cocoa powder (from alissa's store)
cocoa nibs (from alissa's store)
wild rice
gold flax, whole
brown flax, whole
vanilla beans, whole
D - coconut
maple syrup
agave
honey
liquid lecithin, non GMO
seseme oil
olive oil
nori sheets
vanilla
herbs / spices
sea salt
wasabi powder
cocoa butter (from alissa's store)
almond butter
peanut butter (used only in one recipe, almon butter cookies w. 1T. of PB added for flavour)
maca
He shu Wo (bought a good sized bag loose from www.rawliving.co.uk for only 9GBP)

rolled oats (from alissa's store)

In Fridge:

coconut butter, scented
coconut butter, unscented
mana bread (for kids)
sprouted tortillas (for kids)
miso, wht yellow & red
seseme tahini paste
wheat free Tamari, cannot use Nama Shoyu
apple cidar vinegar
mac nuts
pine nuts
brazil nuts
ground flax

In outside freezer:
blueberries
cranberries
mixed berries
tropical fruit blend
peas
corn

In (no car) GARAGE in fall/winter/spring:

All veggies from store in paper bags or in cups of water
All fruit

My fruits & veg keep SOOOO much longer in the cold garage than they ever do in the fridge so I really look forward to being able to store foods this way. The mice managed to eat through all the wireing in my engine but never come into the garage when the weather is cold.

This list does not include the always on hand prepared items written about in and earlier post like cheesed, dressing & pates etc. Hope this helps,

All the best,

EPPP

[RawSweetie]

EPPP, I am absolutely AGOG at your BEAUTIFUL organization!! What an inspiration! I so want to be you someday!

I want the books, the containers, the paper veg bags!

All that gorgeous food. You make your CRUSTS ahead of time and a monthly menu?! That's a lucky family...

I am going to study this thread like it's a graduate course in raw food organization. How fun!

Hugs!

[eachpeachpearplum]

RawSweetie:
Thank you sooo much! I really want to help make this amazing journey as easy as possible for everyone! So glad you got to have looksie! Cheers, EPPP.

[DharmaGirl]

I second what what raw sweetie says; definitely lotsa great info on getting organized..... THANKS so much, EPPP for taking the time to put all these lists together... you're very generous and kind ;) sending rawsome cyberhugs ((((((EPPP))))))))

[English Tracy]

EPPP,

Where are you travelling to in England and when?

The weather has been pretty good lately down south - very sunny but cold. Please don't bring any Seattle rain with you!!

Tracy

[eachpeachpearplum]

EPPP,

Where are you travelling to in England and when?

Tracy

Hey Tracy,

I will be there from the 1st of April for 2.5 week I think. We will be in Whiltshire nr Salisbury then on to Wales and back over to Chesham, Bucks.

If I am near you is there anything I can bring over for you; if so you can have it mailed to me and I will just bring it in my luggage :) ?! I am SOOO excited, I miss it over there very much!

There is a raw foods delivery service I am going to order from and you guys have a huge range of raw chocolate bar producers over there

Cheers,

EPPP

[English Tracy]

Hi EPPP

You aren't going to be particularly close to me - I live in Surrey (south of London) although I do travel to Caerphilly in Wales for my work every couple of weeks.

I'm working from home for the next 6 weeks though as I had a foot operation last week and have to stay off it. So no driving down the M4 for me until maybe 2nd week in April at the earliest.

I know what you mean about the raw chocolate here. Shazzie and Raw Living do excellent bars and I'm sure there's more out there I haven't tasted.

If you get a more detailed itinerary of your UK trip, do let me know and I'll see if I will be mobile enough to meet up with you for a bit.

Best wishes.

Tracy