Keep reading for eight tips on building a sustainable emergency pantry that minimizes waste and keeps supplies fresh. Follow these suggestions to prepare for the unexpected without sacrificing your values.

Inventory Your Current Stock

Before making any purchases, inspect your cupboards. You probably already have many items suitable for an emergency food stash. Make a list of what you own, including expiration dates. This way, you avoid buying duplicates, and you’re encouraged to consume food before it expires.

Practice First-In, First-Out

Set up a rotation system for your pantry items. When adding new supplies, put them behind the older stock. This approach, known as “First-In, First-Out” (FIFO), promotes using food in the order it was bought. Regularly rotating your stock helps keep your supplies fresh and reduces the risk of items expiring. Develop the habit of using your pantry first before going to the grocery store.

Focus on Multi-Purpose Ingredients

Fill your pantry with versatile staples such as rice, beans, oats, flour, and pasta, which serve as the base for many meals. These foods are easy to store and offer flexibility. Incorporating ingredients you already use regularly helps seamlessly integrate your emergency supply into daily routines, making rotation simple and natural.

Preserve Your Own Food

Home food preservation gives you control over what goes into your food and how it’s packaged. Methods like canning, dehydrating, and freeze-drying extend the life of fresh produce and reduce food waste. If you have a garden, preserving your harvest allows you to enjoy it throughout the year. Learning the difference between a freeze dryer and a dehydrator can help you choose the best preservation method for your needs.

Choose Long-Lasting Foods You Enjoy

Your emergency pantry should contain food that you and your family genuinely enjoy eating. Storing items nobody enjoys leads to waste. Focus on shelf-stable versions of your favorite meals and snacks.

• Canned soups, vegetables, and fruits
• Dried pasta and sauces
• Nut butters and jams
• Crackers and cereals
• Dried fruits and nuts

Having familiar, comforting foods on hand makes a stressful situation a little easier to manage.

Prioritize Water Storage

Access to clean drinking water is paramount in any emergency. Store at least one gallon of water per person per day, for a minimum of three days. You can buy commercially bottled water or store tap water in clean, food-grade containers. Water filters and purification tablets also serve as excellent backup options.

Reduce Packaging Waste

When possible, buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste. Items like grains, beans, and spices often come in bulk bins, allowing you to use your own reusable containers. This approach reduces plastic waste and can save you money. For items that require packaging, look for options that are recyclable or compostable.

Re-evaluate Your Pantry Annually

Set a calendar reminder to review your emergency pantry at least once a year. Check expiration dates, test your supplies, and identify any gaps in your plan. This annual check-up ensures your pantry remains ready for any situation. Following these tips for creating a sustainable emergency pantry helps you build a practical and responsible food supply.

Recommended: What Resources Are There for Public Emergency Response?

The post 8 Tips for Creating a Sustainable Emergency Pantry appeared first on Global Good Group.

Rich in Antioxidants

One of the standout benefits of honey is its high level of antioxidants. These compounds help combat free radicals in your body, reducing oxidative stress and supporting overall health. Some honey varieties, such as dark and raw honey, are especially rich in beneficial plant compounds like flavonoids and phenolic acids, which can reduce the risks of chronic diseases.

Natural Energy Source

Looking for a quick energy boost without turning to processed snacks? Honey is a natural source of simple sugars like glucose and fructose, which your body can easily absorb. These sugars provide an instant, clean energy boost, making honey a great option for pre-workout fuel or an afternoon pick-me-up. Unlike refined sugars, honey also offers trace amounts of vitamins and minerals, making it a smarter alternative.

Soothes Coughs and Sore Throats

A spoonful of honey can work wonders when you’re dealing with a cough or sore throat. Honey is as effective as some over-the-counter cough suppressants in providing relief. The thick consistency soothes irritated throat tissues, while its natural antimicrobial properties help fight infections. Use raw and organic honey for best results since processed varieties may lose some of these healing benefits.

Promotes Better Sleep

If you’re having trouble unwinding at night, honey could help you get a more restful night’s sleep. Consuming honey before bed supports the release of melatonin, a hormone that plays a key role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle. A small dose of honey can also help replenish the liver’s glycogen stores, preventing nighttime disruptions and contributing to deeper, uninterrupted sleep.

Supports Digestive Health

Honey is a natural prebiotic, meaning it helps nourish the good bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut microbiome promotes better digestion, nutrient absorption, and a robust immune system. Additionally, honey can soothe gastrointestinal issues such as indigestion and upset stomach. Raw and organic honey, in particular, retains these beneficial properties better than heavily processed varieties.

May Improve Heart Health

One of the health benefits of adding honey to your daily diet is heart health. Some studies suggest that honey can help lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. It’s also thought to reduce triglycerides and improve blood flow, supporting heart health. Antioxidants in honey, particularly raw honey, may reduce inflammation, another factor in maintaining a strong cardiovascular system.

From improving sleep to supporting heart health, honey is a true superfood with impressive benefits. Incorporating it into your daily routine is easy; drizzle it over yogurt, stir it into your tea, or enjoy it straight from the spoon. Make sure you’re getting the honey you want because raw and organic honey are different. Explore all the honey types in your area and enjoy them with meals and snacks today.

Recommended reading: Ways To Encourage Healthy Behaviors in Your Kids

The post 6 Health Benefits of Adding Honey to Your Daily Diet appeared first on Global Good Group.

Master Efficiency in Your Baking Process

A big part of running a bakery from home is balancing your time and resources. Try to organize your workspace in a way that helps you optimize your operation. Invest in storage solutions for your ingredients, tools, and packaging materials to keep everything within easy reach.

Save time and effort by baking in batches so you can complete orders faster while reducing waste. You may also benefit from a physical schedule so you know exactly when you need to bake and decorate to ship things out on time. Consistency can reduce stress and help you deliver each product with the same quality standards.

Perfect Your Shipping and Delivery Methods

Because many at-home bakeries don’t have a physical storefront, shipping orders are one of the cornerstones of your business. Many baked goods require sturdy packaging that maintains its internal temperature to keep frosting and other components from melting during transit. Choosing the right thermal packaging for your goods can help keep them fresh and intact during transit, so it’s worth investing in high-quality options. For more on packaging, check out this post: Personalizing Packaging: Tailoring the Customer Experience

Do your research and choose a reliable courier service that offers trackable shipments to monitor the deliveries and send updates to your customers. Clear communication is a great way to manage the shipping process and avoid common or potential mishaps.

Focus on Marketing and Building Relationships

One of the most helpful tips for running an at-home bakery is understanding the importance of word-of-mouth reviews and targeted marketing. Try to build up your brand by developing an online presence using social media platforms.

Showcase behind-the-scene glimpses of your process and plenty of photos of your finished goods. Encourage your customers to share sweet stories of them enjoying your products to facilitate organic growth. Including customer reviews and sharing their posts showcases that you’re proud of your baked goods and value those who want to give your business a chance.

Running a business from home, especially one that involves food, comes with many challenges. However, it’s often very rewarding. Stand by your products while focusing on building quality customer relations, and you can grow your business into something more substantial.

Recommended reading: How to Incorporate Smart Packaging Technology

The post Helpful Tips for Running an At-Home Bakery appeared first on Global Good Group.

1. Online Ordering: Reduce Time Spent on To-Go Orders

In the past, restaurants had to take to-go orders from customers either in-person or over-the-phone. But now, online ordering makes it easy for customers to take their time ordering and check the accuracy of their orders themselves.

This process saves staff time, freeing them for other tasks like preparing orders, clearing tables, and helping out the waitstaff as needed. And since people can make online menu changes in minutes, you can avoid miscommunication with your customers and keep them up-to-date on your offerings, a great way to improve Restaurant’s Efficiency.

2. Point-of-Sale Software: Serve Customers Quickly

Decreasing your waitstaff’s response time is a way technology can improve your restaurant’s efficiency. You can do this through handheld ordering systems, which provide many benefits to your restaurant. They increase waitstaff efficiency by allowing servers to input orders immediately, accept payments, and produce receipts at customers’ tables. Processes that used to take minutes per table and require waitstaff to walk around the restaurant now take moments and require fewer steps.

With a handheld ordering system, staff can take orders more accurately, and orders arrive at the kitchen faster, helping reduce customer wait times. And these devices allow for faster payment processing, allowing staff to spend time on other duties and contributing to customer satisfaction.

3. Digital Loyalty Programs: Increase Customer Engagement

Digital loyalty programs make it easy for you to reward customers for their business and gather useful information about their preferences. These programs organize data and make it easy for you to tell what items are popular and when, helping you tailor your restaurant and stay focused on what brings the most business.

Not only do digital loyalty programs increase customer engagement, they also increase your interaction with your customers. You can quickly apply discounts and coupons to orders, too. And you can hear directly from your customers with reviews, giving you the opportunity to improve your business as needed and meet your customers’ needs. With a digital loyalty program, it’s quick and convenient for you to run the best restaurant you can.

Spread some goodness!

The post 3 Ways Technology Can Improve Your Restaurant’s Efficiency appeared first on Global Good Group.

Video Overview

Use Proper Equipment

To carve vegetables into delicate shapes, you need the proper equipment. The history and different uses of Japanese vegetable knives are fascinating, and chefs still use these traditional knives to shape vegetables. If you want to carve your vegetables into flowers, swirls, and other lovely shapes, you’ll need to use a traditional Japanese knife.

Decorate with Color

Chefs decorate their dishes using red, green, black, white, and yellow. These five colors are present on every Japanese dish. Keep in mind, though, that you can still use other colors besides these five to decorate your dishes. In fact, these chefs enjoy placing hints of other bright colors onto dishes, such as bright pink or purple.

Organize Asymmetrically

If you’ve eaten at a Japanese restaurant, you probably noticed that the plates and cups all vary in size. The Japanese choose to use asymmetry in their dishes to make them more interesting and more appealing to the eye. Whenever you make a Japanese meal, be sure to use dishes of different sizes and to arrange the food asymmetrically.

Leave Plenty of Space

When you’re learning how to make your Japanese dishes visually appealing, you might be tempted to fill up your plate. However, the Japanese rarely fill a plate to its edge. Western cultures tend to fill plates completely with food, but the Japanese believe in leaving plenty of space. This makes the food stand out. This minimalist style is called ma, which focuses on using space to emphasize other areas of the plate.

The post How To Make Your Japanese Dishes Visually Appealing appeared first on Global Good Group.

Video Overview:

The goal is to have consumer awareness of these items in order to limit sales. This is perhaps the best way or phasing out these products that can cause harm. Furthermore, if you’re looking to protect you or your family’s health, reading labels is critical. Yes, it takes a bit longer when shopping, but the value is immeasurable. Learning about different toxic compounds on labels is the first step to getting healthier and protecting your family.

Here are a few of the most common artificial sweeteners on the market and the research associated with each:

Aspartame

Aspartame is one of the most well-known, well researched artificial sweeteners in the world. Yet despite dozens of condemning studies, it remains within over 5,000 products on the market to this day! Sadly, this is the case with many toxic ingredients.

Some of the negative studies on aspartame show links to heart problems, strokes, poor cognitive function, headaches, mood disorders, weight gain, cancer, strokes, neurodegenerative disorders, kidney disease, seizures, premature births, and so much more! Many health professionals wonder if a compound like this is still around despite such impugning evidence, what must it take to ban an ingredient?

Sucralose/Splenda

Sucralose is another popular sweetener that often carries the tagline “made from sugar so it tastes like sugar”. Contrary to that claim, it’s closer to the opposite scientifically. Sucralose is synthetic and is not recognized in the body as sugar. It has been found that when heated, sucralose forms a cancerous substance called chloropropanol. In addition, it has also been shown to disrupt the gut flora and has been linked to inflammatory bowel disease. Many artificial sweeteners have been linked to problems within the gut flora.

As science is discovering, the microbiome is incredibly critical to overall health, not only digestion. Furthermore, sucralose may cause shrinkage of the thymus and spleen, two organs critical to immune health and blood cell production. Animal studies have also shown aborted pregnancies, weight gain, enlarged liver, kidney damage, and more.

Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K)

Studies with acesulfame potassium show several problems according to animal research. One study with rats showed weight gain with males, but not females. Moreover, Ace-K shifted microbial populations in the gut, altered energy metabolism, and may increase inflammation. As we know, chronic inflammation is implicated in a number of diseases. Ace-K contains a carcinogen called methylene chloride, which may cause liver and kidney damage, headaches, and mental confusion.

Saccharin ( Sweet’ N Low, Necta Sweet)

Saccharin was discovered in 1879 at Johns Hopkins University and is one of the oldest artificial sweeteners on the market. It is made by a reaction caused by nitrous acid sulfur dioxide, chlorine, ammonia, and methyl anthranilate. Pretty appealing ingredients huh? It has been seen in animal studies to alter liver and kidney function, increase certain types of cancer, and negatively impact gut bacteria.

Neotame

Neotame is relatively new to the market, but appears to be  toxic just like the other artificial sweeteners. Unfortunately, neotame shares certain similarities to aspartame and may cause ill effects in the brain. Tragically, the research that allowed neotame on the market was haphazardly conducted and totally neglectful. It completely failed to look into long-term health problems that arise over time. Neotame also contains a neurotoxin called 3-di-methylbutyl that causes cell death at a rapid pace if exposure is too high.

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/aspartame-poisoning#potential-dangers

A Sweet Life: Health Effects of Splenda

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5464538/

https://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/article.htm

http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/05/25/neotame-the-new-artificial-sweetener-more-

The post Artificial Sweeteners: Are They Safe for Consumption? appeared first on Global Good Group.

Video Overview:

What’s in the box?

I had so much fun taking everything out of the little baggies or jars and following the directions to create a fantastic meal for my husband and me.  I actually felt like a chef even though they basically prepared everything for you.I did have to chop a few things and have a few different pots going for one of the meals, all easy peasy though.
The first one I made was barramundi fish with a peppercorn sauce, a garlic butter cauliflower mash, and Haricots Verts with shallots and garlic. This the finished product of that.  My mouth is salivating looking at it again!  The total time cooking all of this was about 15 minutes.

The second one I tried was sirloin steak with summer squash in a chipotle pesto sauce.  This is the cooking process (because duh…wine!) and the finished product. Talk about flavorful! And again only 15 minutes and that one was 1 pan!
I have 2 others to make today and tomorrow and seriously contemplating getting a subscription.  There are so many to choose from so of course, I will do my research, but from what I have tasted so far, Gobble is delicious and an easy meal delivery kit!   

Cheers to making dinner!

~Angela

Check out our website for other articles on food and drinks.

The post Meal Delivery Boxes appeared first on Global Good Group.

 Your Favorite Food Brand Just Got Better With Pizza Crust

When we first heard about Pillsbury’s pizza crust offering we were super excited. The same brand that always ensures a smile on Easter with their delicious Pillsbury Crescents and Cinnamon rolls. When you are looking for something fun to do, don’t forget Pissbury and your kitchen! There are some amazing recipes we had to go through when choosing out what to make during this post. While looking online we were able to find some really creative ideas such as mini-pizza’s and personal pizzas not to mention mini pizza squares. At the end of the day a pizza can be as simple as dough and cheese or as complex as you want it to be with multiple toppings and baking styles.
Pillsbury is really forward thinking along with health conscious and even has a gluten free dough out there for those who need to watch their health or have certain problems, yet want to eat what they want. For everybody else there is still a classic pizza crust container you can get at your local store that looks similar to other Pillsbury products. If you want to go all out you can also get the Artisan Pizza Crust for a super nice pizza crust that is on whole-wheat dough. If you go online to the Pillsbury website you can actually get free shipping on orders of $25 or more to truly make your pizza as awesome as it can be. 
Some of the amazing recipes we saw online that made our mouth water included the Garlic Butter Crusted Margherita Pizza and the Parmesan Crusted Chicken Alfredo Pizza. As long as you can string together a small budget for some cheese, perhaps tomatoes, garlic, some form of meat such as steak or chicken, you can have yourself a deluxe pizza in no time!
 There are many ways to Grill a pizza which can also include your oven itself. Once you have rolled out your dough onto something that is oven safe you can put some toppings on it such as our recommendations earlier like cheese, tomato, garlic, perhaps pineapple, and some meat and then put it in your oven once it has heated up. We recommend a temperature around 350-400 depending on your preference and what types of toppings you put on it, how you like your pizza. Keep checking on it throughout a 10-20 minute period to see when it is ready and then take it out and enjoy! You can have a very fun family night with the Pillsbury Pizza Crust and also have some fun placing all of your custom toppings on it as well! 

 We love Pillsbury here at Global Good Networks and appreciated the opportunity to review their pizza crust, thank you!

With summer here, Pillsbury knows you and your family want to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. So at your next BBQ, why not grill pizza for a family fun night. Go to http://www.pillsbury.com/Cooking-Occasions/Occasions/Outdoor-Eating/How-to-Grill-Pizza
Check out Pillsbury on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pillsbury
Connect on Instagram: http://instagram.com/Pillsburyideas
Follow On Twitter: https://twitter.com/pillsbury
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by General Mills via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of General Mills.

The post Yummy Pillsbury Pizza Crust appeared first on Global Good Group.

Fresh Ideas for Food @ Starbucks for Vegans

>Ever since it’s inception, Starbucks has been the place to go for high quality gourmet coffee drinks. For many people, a visit to Starbucks is a weekly treat, and with so many great options, it can be difficult to decide what to purchase. Unfortunately, those who adhere to a vegan lifestyle may be confronted with a dilemma that most people do not have to deal with. For vegans, it can be difficult to know which offerings may contain animal byproducts. Many Starbucks items can contain animal products, even in those options which seem unlikely to contain much more than coffee and flavored syrup. Fortunately, Starbucks also has a wide range of delicious options which do not contain any animal products. For vegans who enjoy Starbucks, this article will highlight several delicious vegan friendly options which are offered at most Starbucks locations.
Fortunately, most of the vegan friendly offerings at Starbucks are some of the healthiest items on the menu, offering delicious flavor with fewer calories. There are several drinks which fit a vegan’s lifestyle, including their full range of Tazo teas, which can be served up hot or cold, and mixed in with a sweetener of choice, for the perfect way to quench one’s thirst in the summer, or warm up on a cold winter’s day.
Most people go to Starbucks for the coffee, and there are many great coffee items which prove to be vegan friendly. Black coffee is the perfect eye opening breakfast drink, and with their wide range of premium coffee selections, it is sure to please the senses. Steamed soy with syrup is also another great breakfast drink selection. For that ultimate “pick me up”, try an expresso macchiato with soy. Soy lattes offer a great creamy coffee taste which can be enjoyed with or without syrup. Frappuccinos with soy milk made for delicious dessert drinks, but skip the whipped cream, as it contains dairy.
For those who enjoy eating at Starbucks, there are also several great options for vegans, including their “perfect porridge,” made with soy milk and dried fruit. Pair this healthy option with a soy latte in the morning and one will be fully energized for the day ahead. Many Starbucks also offer fresh fruit salads, made fresh daily, and served chilled. To quell the munchies, there is usually a variety of fresh fair trade fruit such as bananas, and other snacks such as roasted almonds, fair trade chocolate bars, and sea salt chips.
Starbucks has been widely regarded as a progressive, “forward thinking” business, which embraces the concept of adhering to an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Because of this, they have always made a conscious effort to offer consumers a wide variety of vegan friendly options; And most baristas will go out of their way to provide customers with the best service possible. Because of their principles and customer service, Starbucks has become the nation’s leading coffee house, and will continue to grow and expand it’s line of high quality, vegan friendly options.

The post Starbucks Vegan Options appeared first on Global Good Group.

Video Overview

What do I mean by superfood? They are very healthy for you, the more natural or as close to their original state you can eat these foods the more that the catchy name ‘superfood’ reigns true. If you see that term on a packaged/processed food…it is more of a marketing ploy than anything else. And all vegetables are super and but really benefit the most from any one aspect of your diet, you need to be eating a balanced diet.  Just one of the benefits to growing these fruits and veggies yourself is that you KNOW that they are organic! To receive the most nutritional content from your veggies as possible you should do one of the following: eat raw, sauté, or steam. Eating raw is the best, I love snacking on a peeled raw zucchini while cooking dinner (it’s an acquired taste though). It fills you up and is PACKED with nutrients! Eating raw provides your body with all of the nutrients from that food. Sautéing is the next best if you cook it dry, you can add a splash of olive oil after cooking. Steaming is the third best. Steaming keeps a significantly higher amount of nutrients than boiling does. This is true as long as you use the least amount of water as possible while steaming. When you’re done steaming, incorporate the water from the steamer into your meal or use later as vegetable stock. Get creative! Try not to boil, microwave, or fry anything if possible…kills the nutrients! My family had a medium sized garden on our property when I was a young girl that was left from the previous owners and I was the only one interested in maintaining it…if I could do it at 8 years old (with no instruction), you can too!

5 Fruits and Vegetables to Grow Yourself!!

  1.     Edamame (name meaning young soybeans)!
Superfood Qualities: Protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Tips: Summertime crop (for warm weather), takes about 90-100 days to mature. Once mature, pick immediately! Their window for picking is about 1 week, so when you see the pods plump and green pick the whole thing! Cook and freeze whatever you won’t be eating that day.
   2.    Bluberries!
Superfood Qualities: Antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
Tips: Grow in average soil, not alkaline. If needed grow in a container. You can now grow different types of blueberries that grow best in all different types of climates, check to see what kind you have and what the recommended conditions are for it.
    3.   Goji Berries!
Superfood Qualities: Vitamin A and antioxidants.
Tips: Grow in warm weather and grow in areas where it will have some room, these tend to expand. Prune as necessary to control the size. Once picked, let dry until they’re wrinkly like raisins. Great as salad toppings!
   4.    Kiwis!
Superfood Qualities: Major vitamin C!
Tips: Kiwis do best as two, plant a male pollinator and a female vine.
   5.     Kale!
Superfood Qualities: Major amounts of vitamin K and vitamin A.
Tips: Cool-season crop. Tip for serving: Can be hard to chew, cut in to small pieces, add a small amount of salt and massage in a separate bowl before serving.

The post What Fruits and Vegetables to Grow Yourself! appeared first on Global Good Group.