Thoroughness Has Its Rewards!
As life trundles on, change is inevitable. For the past four or five months, we have had to shift all of the gears in our kitchen due to newly found sensitivities. In the process, we have learned an expensive lesson on the value of thoroughness.
We all know that it is important to notate the contents of our various buckets, boxes, jars and mylar bags as to their contents. Whether the item was frozen, canned, dehydrated and dumped into a plastic bucket, I have always marked the contents, any instructions necessary and the date packaged. BUT, I now know that this manner of minimal labeling is not adequate. (Yes, you are welcome to learn from my mistakes and even snicker if you wish!)
When it became necessary to shift food preparation gears AGAIN, we were forced to go into a form of hyper-drive when it comes to which products can be used safely. Not only are we limited by category, but also limited when it comes to specific brands and packaging sizes. Sound confusing? Oh, it is, trust me. For example, I can cook with sugar but it must be pure cane sugar from one of three or four manufacturer’s. White flour can be used, but, again, it must be from only a few manufacturers. The same goes for everything from shampoo to toilet paper to tomato sauce to meat products to spices. Sound confusing AND time-consuming? It is!
And thus, we get to the importance of my newly discovered respect for those who thoroughly label all items stored. For instance, I may have hundreds of pounds of sugar stored, but I have no idea what brand it is or even whether it is cane or beet sugar. Therefore, at least for the time being, I have to purchase all new sugar and wash out every canister that it goes into. Multiply this by every item in your family store and you can begin to see the cost of skipping a few extra seconds of time in labeling each item.
What is a thorough label? For every product, you should include at least manufacturer, specific type of item, where you purchased it and the date purchased. Also include any expiration date and instructions. For instance, if I were thoroughly labeling canned beef, the correct way to label it would be:
Costco Rump Roast with water, kosher salt, home-ground pepper. 1/12/12
Flour might be labeled with: King Arthur unbleached white flour. Safeway. 1/12/12
Though it might take you a few extra seconds, this type of more thorough labeling may later help you in case your dietary needs change, there is a recall or you find you particularly like one brand over another. Whatever scenario you may face, add a bit more information to each item you label and you may prevent a lot of frustration, loss and expense later on.
