I've been waiting a month to say number two and FARTS in the same sentence! Sorry fuddy duddy who commented on my last FARTS post.
F.A.R.T.S stands for Frugal Actions Related to Sustainability, i.e., little things you can do to live a more sustainable lifestyle that are also at a low price-point.
I'm sure you all know about the drought that hit the Midwest, and the East Coast, and oh, everywhere but Washington this summer. With the drought came dying cereal crops (wheat, corn, soy, etc.) which happen to be use in a lot of processed foods. Now we all know that processed foods aren't good for us, but they're oh so tempting, and convenient, and "cheap". With the drought this summer, those items are likely going to cost more at the grocery stores in just a few months.
I say cheap in quotes because the low upfront cost of the items end up costing you in the long run with crappy health side effects. Now, don't think I'm sitting here in judgement. At this moment, I'm eating licorice from Costco that is not only dessert, but also dinner. Hey, I worked a 12 hour day, then came home and canned 5 quarts of tomato soup.
I like to eat healthy, but I still buy certain processed items, and I don't feel bad about it. Overall, we eat pretty cleanly and call it good. I've replaced tons of store-bought items with homemade stuff, and yes, it takes more time, but in the end it is also so very much cheaper and tastier.
This month's FARTS challenge is for you to try you hand at one, just one homemade replacement for a processed item that your family enjoys. You might find that you love your version, or meh, maybe it wasn't the recipe for you. Start with a small thing; spending a lot of time on this won't endear you to homemade from-scratch cooking, and I don't want you cursing my name after you've been spending 3 hours on homemade crackers.
A few suggestions: ranch, hot cocoa mix, hummus, ricotta, or be daring and try marshmallows or graham crackers. One of my favorite cookbooks is The Homemade Pantry; check it out from your library and try a few recipes!
So, what do you say? You in? Have any items you want to try out? Let me know and I might have a recipe for you!Labels: F.A.R.T.S.