Food Dehydrator: How Dehydrated Foods can Help in Case of Emergencies

Disasters became more prevalent as the Earth ages. Tsunami, wildfires, storms and flooding are just some of the disasters that have struck Earth in the last several years. Many people have died, however, not directly because of such disasters. On most occasions, unpreparedness became the reason for death for many people.


Experts suggest having an emergency kit prepared should a disaster strikes. The kit ought to include flashlights, batteries, water (good for 72 hrs) and non-perishable food. Of all these, food and water are the most important.

While many people prefer canned good, dehydrated foods is really a more sensible choice. They’re lighter and ready to consume - you don’t need to have a can opener for opening them. They’re also a lot healthier, particularly when you make them from home using a food dehydrator.

By far the most popular dehydrated foods is beef jerky although almost any meat could be turned into a jerky. Meat is definitely an important part of our diet and it’s a great source of your energy. Beef jerky is very simple to make, and they will last for a very long time. You could put it inside your emergency kit and forget about it. For jerky recipes, research on the web.


Another popular dehydrated food is called fruit leather. Obviously, they are produced from fruits and are a terrific treat. Foods like these contain glucose, which is also a great source of energy. The truth is, soldiers always bring a bar or two of chocolate in battlefields to enable them to contain their energy. Fruit leathers, of course, are a healthier alternative. There are plenty of recipes online in making fruit leathers, and they can be produced from nearly every type of fruits although best fruits to use include blueberries, strawberries, apricots and cherries.


A food dehydrator has a lot of uses, plus it really is a wise investment. For the greatest food dehydrators to meet your needs, I can recommend on the lookout for different features online. Read testimonials and user forums to find out which brand or model fits you.

We must always be prepared for disasters, and we should be prepared now. Go and prepare that emergency kit right now, and don’t forget to include dehydrated food in it. It’s healthy, natural and is real easy to prepare. Best of all, they’re light (who wants a heavy bag in a disaster?) plus they could last forever.

Problem Child: Tantrum and Anger - are They Connected?

Tantrums are common behavior problems for small kids. They normally start occurring at around two years old and start to decline by around 4.

Tantrums have numerous possible reasons. Perhaps the kid is frustrated (usually over the inability to express their feelings), or his needs are not being met such as hunger or sleepiness.Sometimes, children throw tantrums extremely. When a tantrum occurs more than 5x a day, lasts over fifteen minutes or when the child hits others or himself then this isn't normal anymore. Some people call these kids a “problem child”.

A problem child is uncontrollable, and often talks back when disciplined. They've got this concept that they are equal as adults, hence they don’t follow orders, does whatever comes to their minds and throws a fit when stopped.

In a lot of cases, experts discovered out that these children are actually angry. One of the most common the things that cause the anger include moving to a new place, losing a buddy or somebody close to him or her, parents who fights at all times or who just went through divorce, etc.


It was also observed that parents contribute to the child’s anger. If a parent is stressed over divorce, unemployment or illness, if the parent have difficulty controlling the child’s anger or if parents let the child to get away with angry displays it makes the kid feel that his behavior is okay. This actually encourages them to display tantrums or angry outbursts.


How should parents handle an angry child?


First, parents have to cope with his own anger first. In addition to the fact that we're our child’s role model, our emotions also reflect in our actions. When we’re angry constantly, our fuse’s short so we have a tendency to shout or spank our child even with just a little misbehaving. When we’re calm, we handle problems with a clear mind and handle conflicts better.


Distracting your kid out of his anger can also be effective. Unlike adults who want to confront their emotions in order to handle it, kids are better off forgetting about it. Let’s say you'd like your child to stop playing with the faucet in the kitchen, but rather than directly telling him to stop, you might like to lead him into the bathroom and let him to play in the tub instead. He can play with all the water he wants but not mess up the kitchen.


Don’t shame the child about being angry. I’ve seen countless of parents who actually turn their child’s anger into a joke. Whenever they see that their youngster is upset about something, they simply laugh it off and say “don’t be angry coz you’re just a kid” or something to that effect. Let your daughter or son know that you know he’s angry and that it’s okay to be. You should also teach him how to express his anger properly as an alternative to kicking, screaming or hurting others.

How to Use a Food Dehydrator for Drying Herbs

Herbs have a lot of purposes, specifically in cooking. Apart from adding more flavors to the food, it also brings an aroma plus it helps make the presentation look pretty too.


Herbs have been used for culinary purposes for a very long time, but they’re also used for medical purposes especially in Asian traditions.

For those who have an herb garden, you must be used to having a constant availability of herbs and having it obtainable whenever you need it. Problem is, herbs are unable to last into the cold season. Exactly what can you do to preserve herbs?

A great way to help make herbs last (even for years) is via dehydrating. Dehydration is a popular process for preserving foods, and it can be used for various food types like meat, fruits, vegetables and of course - herbs.

The following are the steps for dehydrating herbs using a food dehydrator.


1. Gather herbs early in the day, and harvest them before the plants bloom for the most flavorful herbs. Choose leaves from the top of the plant. Employ a different container for each and every variety of herbs so you don’t get confuse which is which.


2. Place the herbs in a colander and wash the leaves under cold running water. Shake the colander appropriately after washing to drain off excess water.


3.  Grab the trays of the dehydrator and set the herbs in a single layer. It is advisable to place one type of herb per tray because they would change in look when they dry and you will be unable to distinguish the difference.


4. For the most suitable drying time, check the food dehydrator’s manual. However, herbs normally dry up within an hour when dried in a temp of hundred or so degrees.

5. Check the herbs after around an hour of dehydrating. The leaves should be crisp and ought to crumble with a soft touch. If not, extend the dehydrating time. At this point, remember to look into the herbs every a few minutes.


6. After it has cool down, put the herbs in separate plastic bags. Make sure to put a label on each to ensure you know what type of herb is inside the bags. Remove as much air from the bag as possible. For this purpose, I would recommend using a Ziplock bags.


7. Tip: Oregano, mints, basil, tarragon, parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary and lemon balm are only a few of the herbs ideal for dehydrating.

Places Parents Need to be Extra Careful about When Bringing a Problem Child

First, what is a problem child? Being a parent, I am aware that children misbehave at some point. Fighting over a toy, crying and shouting is all part of being a child - it’s natural for them to act this way.


A problem child is someone uncontrollable. Generally, they habitually lose temper, start fights with kids and argues with adults over every little thing. They've got this notion they are equal to adults; so they will not listen and will talk back when reprimanded.

Experts say, it is crucial for mothers and fathers to do something swiftly with a problem child. Don’t hold back to the point of not being able to take it anymore before reprimanding a child. This would take you at least twenty to thirty minutes before acting, when experts say you’d have to reprimand your son or daughter about the behavior within a few minutes or less from the moment he did it.


For your defiant kid, it's also essential that you be mindful when taking them to public places. That does not mean that you must keep them inside at all times, but you should be extra vigilant when they’re around others. Kids with this behavior are usually uncontrollable, and you don’t want them to push other kids in the playground, would you?


Playground - this is on the top of our list. Parents really need to be vigilant when bringing a problem child in a playground because a lot of other kids are also playing there. Add this to the fact that playgrounds can double a child’s energy and you’ve got yourself a deadly mix. You'll want to be close to your kid and to watch him all the time. This is to be sure that you catch him in time should he fight with the other kids.


Church - people go to church to pray in a solemn manner, but that doesn't mean you must stop bringing your kid to church completely. For toddlers, you could bring them something to get their attention just like a toy or food. For older children, it’s much better to go when there’s also a service being held for little ones so he gets entertained by stories and songs.


Daycare - daycare is yet another place where parents should be extra vigilant. Like the playground, children socialize inside the daycare center, boosting the odds of fighting over anything. It’s wise to go with your son or daughter for the first few days until he gets accustomed to this new environment.

Using a Food Dehydrator to Produce Beef Jerky

Turning meat into jerky is on the list of oldest techniques of preserving meat. While any meat can be turned into this tasty snack, beef is one of the most popular. It's not only tasty, but it’s healthy too. While getting the meat dehydrated, excess fat is removed together with the moisture and that’s why this is more healthy than beef that’s not dehydrated.

Though there are many ways of making beef jerky, using a food dehydrator is probably the most popular technique to do it. Since you’re utilizing a device, you do not expose the meat in the open compared to sun-drying. Food dehydrators have come a long way, and the modern ones have perfected the air circulation process which enables even drying even with a big batch of meat. When your food dehydrator comes with an automatic power-off feature, it is easy to dehydrate the meat in a set time and not be concerned about overcooking the meat.

Dependant upon your dehydrator’s capacity, you can actually dry roughly 10 kilos of beef jerky if you desire to. When drying out a big batch of meat, the most important thing to remember is to place the beef properly. They shouldn’t overlap to ensure that they cook evenly. In addition, you have to make sure to cut them in more or less the same size so that they cook at the same time.


Here’s a suprisingly simple recipe for making smoky honey-glazed beef jerky:


You will need 2 1/2lbs beef, 3 finely minced garlic cloves, 1 cup of soy sauce, ¾ cup of honey, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke and 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

Begin with slicing the meat into thin strips. Be sure that you cut them in roughly the same sizes. You may also freeze the meat before slicing. This makes it simpler for cutting them into thin slices. Proceed with putting all the ingredient into a plastic bag (preferably a zip lock) or a bowl. Add the meat and then mix. Close the bag or cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Marinating allows the meat to absorb the taste, making the jerky more flavorful.

Dry the meat according to the instructions on the food dehydrator’s manual. Generally though, it'd tell that you place single layers of meat on the trays and turn the machine into its lowest setting. Allow the meat cook for a few hours. Again, consult the manual for this to know how long it takes to cook meat.

Dealing with a Problem Child in a Formal Setting

Occasionally, we will have to take our child to a formal occasion like a cousin’s wedding or our in-law’s anniversary party.

Usually, this is a recipe for disaster. Kids just weren’t meant to mingle with people, not to mention people they don't know. They’re also not designed to be seated still for more than a few seconds, so don’t expect them to quietly take their dinner while the rest of the visitors have fun. Throwing a tantrum in a party does not automatically make someone a problem child.


Fits during formal occasions are bound to happen, so, just how must we handle a screaming child whenever we need to take them with us to a party?


The first thing to do will be to take the child away from the situation. Bring him in a place he could freely cry and shout. The bathroom’s the perfect spot for this - your car second. As a result, you avoid disturbing the other guests with your child’s crying. Admit it or otherwise, it could be pretty annoying particularly when it’s not your son or daughter that’s throwing a fit in public places.


Often, a tantrum is a case of letting the child get-over the frustration by crying. There’s no sense hushing a mad child. Besides, no person has ever died of crying so it’s actually okay to allow the child cry until he’s tired. Sure, its going to break your heart but you’d just get frustrated making your little one stop crying - believe me.


If you need to attend the occasion during your child’s nap time, get him to take a nap prior to going. Hunger, boredom and being sleepy is among the major causes of tantrums. Anticipate what your son or daughter will be needing as a way to reduce tantrum. If you know that he’ll get thirsty from playing around, bring your own water. If he routinely have a snack at 3:30pm and you will have to attend the party at 3pm, then bring a pack or two of cookies.


Make sure that your child’s as relaxed as possible. A tux isn't really great for a child, but he’d will need to wear one if he's going to be in the wedding’s entourage. Why don’t you bring him an extra cotton polo shirt for after the ceremony? This helps to ensure that he’s comfortable throughout the reception while still looking presentable.


Remember that each child is hardwired to misbehave occasionally. Again, misbehaving does not necessarily make him a problem child. Unless your daughter or son hurts himself and other people, is being destructive or gets mad for no evident cause then there’s no reason to get alarmed.

Why a Food Dehydrator is Perfect for Hunters

Hunting and spending time outdoors can do miracles to improve your health. Instead of spending your day glued in front of the TV while consuming junk food, why don’t you work out by spending your day taking walks while breathing fresh air and enjoying the scenery?


If hunting is already an interest, then you should purchase a food dehydrator. It will give you a great deal of advantages!

How frequently have you tried going home with more good catch than you can actually manage? If the hunting went great, we very often end up with a problem - how to deal with all the catch? If you have a dehydrator, it is possible to preserve anything. You can try fish and all sorts of sorts of meat. If your spouse likes greeting-card making, she could also use the device for drying flowers, leaves and ferns and use these to style and design the cards with.


I have constantly used a dehydrator to produce fruit leathers for my children, and so I suggested it to a hunter friend of mine. After tagging two elks and a dear one day, he proceeded to dehydrating the meat in his new machine. He ended up with plenty of jerky, so he sold a few to family and friends. He continued doing it, till the jerky he sold covered for the food dehydrator and also for his hunting licenses.


How quick can it be to make a jerky by using a dehydrator? Real quick.


Just cut the meat into pieces and place it in a casserole dish. Pour soy sauce over the meat or you can also use barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, beer or maybe even wine - whatever you like. Add pepper, lemon, onion and garlic to add flavor to the marinade. Marinate the meat for around 4 hours by putting the dish in the fridge. Dehydrate the meat as outlined by your food dehydrator’s manual.


Why not just buy jerky from your grocery? That’s a great question.


First, they cost a lot more. It does not take a genius to understand that everything from the supermarket is more expensive than if you make or grow them yourself.

In addition, you don’t have control over the flavour of the jerky. Making the jerky at home allows you to make it sweeter or saltier - whatever your choice is.


Lastly, and the most important - commercialized jerky contains all types of preservatives. Don’t even make me start on the negative impacts these preservatives bring. When you make the jerky at your home, you’re sure that the meat doesn't contain any preservatives and they’re as healthy as they possibly be.