September 11 has reached a strange place in American memory. For those of us who were old enough to remember that morning, it still feels close. We remember where we were when we heard the first report. We remember the television staying on for hours, the uncertainty about what might come next, and the sense […]
from Survivopedia
Friday, September 11, 2026
Remembering September 11
Remembering September 11, 2001 changed our nation forever. For those of us who lived through that day, the images are burned into our memory. We remember exactly where we were standing, what we were doing, and how our hearts sank as the news unfolded. For our children and grandchildren, it can feel like a distant chapter in a history book rather than something real. As families who care about being prepared and staying grounded in what matters, I believe part of our job is making sure the next generation understands what happened on 9/11, why it matters, and how we can honor those we lost. This post is meant to be a family friendly guide you can use at the dinner table, in a homeschool lesson, or simply as a quiet moment of reflection.
A Morning Like Any Other
September 11, 2001 began as an ordinary late summer Tuesday. Children were heading to school. Parents were heading to work. The sky over the East Coast was clear and blue, the kind of morning that made people comment on how beautiful the weather was. Nobody imagined that within a few hours, the world would feel completely different.
What Happened on September 11, 2001
That morning, nineteen terrorists affiliated with the extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes shortly after takeoff. What followed was one of the most devastating coordinated attacks in modern history.
At 8:46 in the morning, the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. At first, many people believed it was a tragic accident, perhaps a small plane that had gone off course.
At 9:03, a second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, struck the South Tower. At that moment, it became horrifyingly clear that this wasn’t an accident. America was under attack.
At 9:37, a third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., the headquarters of the United States military.
At 9:59, the South Tower collapsed. At 10:28, the North Tower collapsed as well. The images of those towers falling are among the most unforgettable in American history.
The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, had been hijacked with the intention of striking a target in Washington, D.C., possibly the U.S. Capitol or the White House. But the passengers on board learned, through phone calls to loved ones, what had already happened in New York and at the Pentagon. Understanding the danger, a group of brave passengers and crew members made the decision to fight back. Their courage caused the plane to crash into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at 10:03, killing everyone aboard but preventing the hijackers from reaching their intended target.
By the end of that terrible day, nearly 3,000 people had lost their lives. They were office workers, firefighters, police officers, flight crews, cleaning staff, financial workers, military personnel, and everyday travelers. Thousands more were injured, and countless families were forever changed. It remains the deadliest terrorist attack in world history and the single deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement officers in the history of the United States.
Stories of Courage and Sacrifice
In the middle of unimaginable tragedy, countless stories of heroism emerged, and these are often the most powerful stories to share with children.
Firefighters and police officers ran into the burning towers while everyone else was running out. 343 New York City firefighters lost their lives that day, along with 71 law enforcement officers. They went in to save strangers, knowing the danger, because that’s what they were called to do.
Ordinary office workers helped coworkers with disabilities down dozens of flights of stairs, refusing to leave anyone behind.
The passengers of Flight 93 chose to storm the cockpit rather than allow their plane to be used as a weapon against their own country. Their now-famous words, spoken before they acted, have become a symbol of courage in the face of certain danger.
Ordinary citizens in New York opened their homes, businesses, and hearts to strangers covered in dust and ash, offering water, shelter, and comfort.
These stories remind us that even in humanity’s darkest hours, love and bravery shine through.
How September 11 Changed America
The attacks of September 11 didn’t just cause immediate loss and grief. They reshaped our country in lasting ways.
Airport and travel security changed dramatically, leading to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration.
The Department of Homeland Security was created to coordinate protection against future threats.
The United States entered into a prolonged conflict in Afghanistan, and later Iraq, as part of what became known as the War on Terror.
Communities across the country built memorials, museums, and annual traditions to honor the victims and first responders.
Perhaps most importantly, in the days immediately following the attacks, Americans set aside political and personal differences to support one another. Blood donation lines stretched for blocks. Flags appeared on homes across the country. Neighbors checked on neighbors. That spirit of unity, even though it didn’t last forever, showed what our country is capable of when we choose togetherness over division.
Why Remembering Matters
I know some folks wonder why we keep bringing this up every year, especially as more time passes and more of our children weren’t even born when it happened. Here’s why it matters to me and to so many families like ours.
We honor the lives lost. Every person who died that day had a family, a story, favorite foods, inside jokes, and people who loved them dearly. Remembering keeps their memory alive rather than letting them fade into a statistic.
We honor the helpers. Firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and everyday citizens ran toward danger to help others. Their courage reminds us what selflessness looks like in its purest form.
We teach our children history they didn’t live through. Just as earlier generations taught us about Pearl Harbor or the assassination of President Kennedy, we owe it to our kids and grandkids to explain 9/11 in an age-appropriate way so the lessons of that day aren’t lost.
We remember how our country came together. In the days after the attacks, Americans set aside their differences to support one another. That spirit of unity is worth remembering and worth striving for again, especially in times when our country can feel so divided.
We build resilience and gratitude in our children. Teaching kids about hard days in history, alongside the helpers and heroes who rose to meet them, helps them understand that difficult things happen but courage and love can rise even stronger.
Teaching Your Family About 9/11 by Age Group
Every family is different, and every child processes hard topics differently. Here are some gentle guidelines broken down by age.
For young children, ages 4 to 7, keep the explanation simple and reassuring. You might say that a very sad thing happened many years ago, that some very brave helpers worked hard to keep people safe, and that our country came together to take care of each other. Avoid graphic details or frightening images at this age. Focus on the helpers rather than the attackers.
For elementary-aged children, ages 8 to 11, you can share a bit more of the timeline and explain who was responsible in simple terms. This is a good age to introduce the stories of firefighters, police officers, and the passengers of Flight 93. Picture books written specifically for this age group can be a gentle way to open the conversation.
For middle schoolers, ages 12 to 14, you can go into more historical context, including who al Qaeda was and why the attacks happened. This is a good age to start short documentaries designed for classrooms.
For high schoolers and teens, you can have a full and honest conversation about the political, historical, and emotional impact of that day, including how it shaped the world they’re growing up in. Many teens are ready to watch longer documentaries or hear firsthand survivor accounts.
Simple Ways to Teach Your Family About 9/11
You don’t need anything fancy to help your family remember and understand this day. Here are some gentle, family-friendly ideas.
Talk age-appropriately using the guidelines above, adjusting based on your own child’s maturity and sensitivity.
Watch a short, age-appropriate documentary together. There are many resources designed specifically for classrooms and families that explain the events without unnecessary graphic content.
Visit a local memorial or fire station. Many communities have small memorials, and firefighters are often happy to talk with families about the sacrifices made by first responders. Some fire stations welcome family visits, especially around the anniversary.
Read a picture book or age-appropriate biography about a hero from that day. Stories help children connect emotionally in a way that facts alone often can’t.
Say a prayer together. Take a moment as a family to pray for the families who lost loved ones and to give thanks for those who serve and protect us every day.
Light a candle at dinner. A simple candle lighting with a short explanation can become a meaningful yearly tradition.
Do an act of service. Volunteering at a food pantry, visiting a veteran, writing a thank-you card to your local fire station, or simply thanking a police officer or firefighter in person is a meaningful way to turn remembrance into action.
Create a simple family memory box or journal entry. Ask older family members to write down where they were that day and how they felt, so future generations have a firsthand account to read.
Discussion Questions for Families
If you want to open up a deeper conversation with older children or teens, consider asking questions like these:
What do you think it means to be brave, and how did the helpers on 9/11 show bravery?
Why do you think it’s important to remember hard days in history, even when they make us sad?
How did Americans come together after the attacks, and what can we learn from that today?
What would you want someone to remember about you if you were one of the helpers that day?
A Note on Preparedness
Many of you know I spend a lot of time thinking and writing about being ready for hard times, whether that’s a winter storm, a power outage, or something much bigger. September 11 is also a reminder that we live in an unpredictable world. Having some food storage, a family emergency plan, a way to communicate if separated, and a calm, faith-filled outlook doesn’t mean living in fear. It means loving our families enough to be ready, no matter what comes. Just as first responders trained and prepared long before that terrible day, our own quiet preparation at home is an act of love for the people who depend on us.
Consider using this anniversary as a gentle reminder to check your family’s emergency plan, update your emergency contact list, and make sure your food storage and supplies are current. Preparedness isn’t about fear. It’s about peace of mind.
Visiting a 9/11 Memorial
If your family has the opportunity to travel, visiting the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, D.C., or the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania can be a powerful and moving experience for older children and adults. Many smaller communities across the country also have local memorials, including pieces of steel from the World Trade Center that were distributed to fire departments nationwide. A quick search online can help you find one near you.
Final Word
September 11 will always be a solemn day in American history. It’s a day marked by tremendous loss, but also by extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and unity. As moms, dads, and grandparents, we have the privilege and the responsibility of passing on the memory of that day to the next generation, along with the values of courage, unity, and faith that carried our nation through it.
Let’s never forget the lives lost. Let’s never forget the helpers who ran toward danger. And let’s never forget how, even in our darkest hour, we found the strength to stand together. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: American Flag Depositphotos_58153231_S, American Flag Smaller Depositphotos_6560735_S
The post Remembering September 11 appeared first on Food Storage Moms.
from Food Storage Moms
The Day Preparedness Changed: What 9/11 Still Teaches Us 25 Years Later
There are certain days that divide life into before and after. September 11, 2001 was one of them. I remember how quickly an ordinary Tuesday became something nobody understood. People went to work, dropped children off at school, boarded airplanes, made coffee, and started another normal day. Then normal disappeared. Within hours, air travel stopped, […]
from Survivopedia
from Survivopedia
Compostable Trash Bags: What You Need to Know Before You Buy
“Compostable” is one of the most misused words on a store shelf, and it’s costing preppers money and confusion in equal measure. People buy these bags assuming they’ll break down in a backyard compost pile, a buried hole, or just about anywhere organic matter goes, and in most cases that assumption is flat wrong.
This guide breaks down what compostable actually means, which certifications are worth trusting, and where these bags genuinely fit into a self-sufficient household. It also covers where they don’t belong, because getting this wrong wastes money and, in a real emergency, wastes time you don’t have to spare.
What “Compostable” Actually Means
The Federal Trade Commission requires that a compostable claim be backed by proof the material breaks down into usable compost safely and in roughly the same time as the other materials it’s composted with. That’s a specific, testable claim, not a vague feel-good label.
Here’s the part most buyers miss: if a bag can’t safely break down in a home compost pile, the manufacturer is supposed to tell you that. A blanket “compostable” claim with no qualifier implies home composting works. In practice, plenty of bags carry that label while actually requiring conditions no backyard pile can produce.
Compostable, Biodegradable, and Degradable Are Not the Same Word
The FTC draws a hard line here that’s worth remembering. Biodegradable means something breaks down when it’s exposed to sunlight, air, moisture, and certain bacteria, the way food scraps or leaves do. Landfills are engineered to block sunlight, air, and moisture on purpose, so something that would decompose quickly in the open can sit essentially unchanged in a landfill for decades.
Compostable is a narrower, stronger claim than biodegradable. It means the material becomes actual usable compost, not just smaller pieces of plastic. “Degradable” is the weakest term of the three and usually the least regulated in practice, so treat it as marketing language until proven otherwise.
The Certifications That Actually Mean Something
If a bag doesn’t carry a real certification mark, you’re taking the manufacturer’s word for it, and that word isn’t worth much. In North America, the certification that matters is the BPI Certification Mark, issued by the Biodegradable Products Institute. BPI-certified products meet ASTM D6400 or D6868 testing standards, verified by accredited labs and a third-party technical review, not just a claim printed on the packaging.
Here’s the detail that trips up most buyers: BPI’s core certification, the one on the vast majority of “compostable” bags on the market, only certifies a product for commercial or industrial composting, not your backyard pile. Industrial facilities hold sustained temperatures far higher than a home pile ever reaches, which is exactly what breaks these bags down within the tested timeframe.
BPI has started addressing this gap. Its newer Home Compostability Certification program, launched in late 2025 and based on a French testing standard, verifies products that genuinely break down under home composting conditions. Very few bags on shelves currently carry it, so don’t assume yours does just because it says “compostable” on the front.
Before you buy, or before you trust a bag you already own, search BPI’s online product catalog. It shows exactly which items are certified for commercial composting only versus which ones carry the home compostable certification too.
The Mistake Most Compostable Bag Buyers Make
Here’s the fact that should change how you shop: the EPA’s own guidance for backyard composting explicitly lists compostable foodservice ware and compostable bags under materials to avoid adding to a home compost pile. The reason is simple. Backyard piles generally don’t reach the high, sustained temperatures needed to fully break these materials down, even though a commercial facility can handle them without issue.
Read that again if you missed it the first time. If you’re tossing a “compostable” trash bag into your own backyard pile, in most cases it is not going to compost there. It will sit in your pile behaving a lot closer to plastic than food scraps, which defeats the entire reason you bought it in the first place.
This isn’t a reason to write off compostable bags entirely. It’s a reason to match the bag to where it’s actually going, which is exactly what the rest of this guide covers.
Where Compostable Bags Actually Make Sense for a Prepper
If your municipality or a nearby facility collects food scraps for industrial composting, a certified compostable bag is a legitimate choice for lining that kitchen bin. Check with your local waste hauler or composting program before you buy, since acceptance varies widely by area, and a bag that isn’t accepted just ends up as contamination in someone else’s compost stream.
If you run your own backyard compost pile and want a liner that will genuinely break down there, look specifically for the newer home compostable certification, not the standard commercial mark. Without it, skip the compostable bag for this use and just empty scraps loose into the pile instead.
For camp sanitation or off-grid waste that you’re packing out rather than burying, compostability is close to irrelevant. You’re hauling the bag to a trash receptacle either way, so a compostable bag offers no functional advantage there over a standard one, beyond a marginally lower environmental footprint if it later ends up somewhere it can actually break down.
What About Burying Waste in a Compostable Bag?
This comes up a lot in prepper circles, especially around compost toilets and cathole waste disposal. The honest answer is that raw soil burial isn’t the same environment as either a backyard pile or an industrial facility, and there’s limited independent data on how these bags actually perform underground over months or years.
What we do know is that a plant-based film is more likely to eventually break down in soil than conventional polyethylene, which can persist for a very long time. But “eventually” and “faster than you’d expect” aren’t the same as “gone by next season.” Don’t plan around a compostable bag disappearing on any predictable timeline once it’s in the ground.
Durability and Cost: The Practical Prepper Concerns
Most compostable bags are made from plant-based bioplastic films like PLA or PBAT rather than conventional polyethylene, and they’re typically thinner and less puncture-resistant for the same price point. If you’re bagging anything with sharp edges, bone, or heavy moisture, expect more failures than you’d get from a standard contractor-grade bag.
Cost runs noticeably higher per bag than conventional trash bags, often by a wide margin, which matters if you’re stockpiling in bulk. There’s also a shelf-life problem worth knowing before you buy: the same properties that let these bags break down under the right conditions can make them more sensitive to heat and humidity in storage. A case of compostable bags sitting in a hot garage for a few years is a less reliable bet than a case of standard heavy-mil bags in the same spot.
How to Buy Bags That Actually Do What They Claim
- Look for the BPI Certification Mark specifically, not just the word “compostable” printed somewhere on the bag or box.
- If your goal is backyard composting, confirm the bag carries a home compostable certification, not only the standard commercial one.
- Check with your local composting program before assuming they’ll accept a certified bag at all.
- Treat unqualified terms like “eco-friendly,” “plant-based,” or “green” as marketing language with no verification behind them unless a real certification mark backs it up.
- Don’t buy compostable bags for long-term stockpiling if shelf stability matters more to you than end-of-life breakdown.
How Compostable Bags Are Actually Made
Most compostable trash bags are made from PLA (polylactic acid), derived from fermented plant starch like corn, or PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate), a biodegradable polyester often blended with PLA for flexibility. Neither is the same chemistry as the polyethylene used in conventional trash bags, which is why these bags behave so differently in storage, in use, and at end of life.
That plant-based origin is also why the bags cost more to produce. Bioplastic resins are generally pricier than petroleum-based polyethylene, and the manufacturing runs tend to be smaller scale, both of which get passed on in the shelf price.
A Note on Pet Waste Bags
If you’re a prepper who also keeps working dogs or livestock guardian animals, you may have looked at compostable pet waste bags too. Worth knowing: BPI has delisted pet waste bags from its US certification program entirely, specifically to keep composters confident that BPI-certified organics streams stay free of pet waste contamination. A bag marketed as compostable for pet waste in the US market isn’t backed by the same certification system covered in this guide, regardless of what the packaging implies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a compostable bag break down faster than plastic if it just ends up in a landfill? Not meaningfully. Landfills are engineered to block the sunlight, air, and moisture that decomposition depends on, so a compostable bag can sit there nearly as long as a conventional one. Composting only works the way it’s designed to in an actual composting environment.
Are compostable bags safe to use for raw meat or fish scraps? Check with whatever facility receives them first. Some industrial composting programs restrict meat and bones regardless of the bag, since those materials attract pests and slow the process even at high, sustained temperatures.
Can I tell a bag is genuinely compostable just by looking at it? No. Color, thickness, and a green-tinted plastic look are not reliable indicators. The only real signal is a certification mark you can verify, such as BPI’s, cross-checked against its product catalog.
Is it illegal for a company to slap “compostable” on a bag with no certification? A growing number of states have passed laws restricting compostability claims to certified products, and the FTC’s Green Guides already require evidence behind any environmental claim nationwide. Enforcement varies, which is exactly why checking for a real certification mark matters more than trusting the label.
States Are Starting to Regulate These Claims Too
This isn’t just an FTC issue anymore. A growing number of states have passed laws that restrict who can print “compostable” on a package in the first place, generally requiring a recognized third-party certification before the claim is legal to use at retail. That trend is moving in the direction of fewer uncertified claims making it to shelves over time, but it hasn’t caught up everywhere yet, and enforcement still varies a lot by state.
For now, the safest approach is the same regardless of what your state does or doesn’t require: verify the certification yourself rather than trusting the label to have already been checked for you.
Self-Reliance Is About Knowing What Actually Works
A label on a package can promise almost anything. But when you’re trying to build a truly self-sufficient household, knowing how to do things for yourself is far more valuable than trusting what you’re told.
Our grandparents didn’t have an endless supply of specialized products for every problem. They knew how to preserve food, make things last, repair what broke, grow what they needed, reuse what they already had, and solve everyday problems with practical skills passed down through generations.
Many of those skills have nearly disappeared.
The Lost Skills of Independence brings them back.
Inside, you’ll discover old-fashioned, practical knowledge designed to help you become less dependent on stores, fragile supply chains, and modern conveniences, whether you’re building a homestead, preparing for emergencies, or simply trying to become more capable with what you already have.
The next time something isn’t available at the store, or the label doesn’t tell you the whole story, you’ll be glad you learned how to rely on something much more dependable:
Your own skills.
Final Thoughts
Compostable trash bags aren’t a scam, but they’re also not the simple, throw-it-anywhere solution the packaging implies. Most of them are built and certified for industrial composting facilities, not your backyard pile, and definitely not a hole in the ground with a predictable timeline.
Match the bag to where it’s actually going. If you compost at home, hunt down the newer home-certified products or skip the bag entirely. If your area runs an industrial composting program, a standard BPI-certified bag does its job well. And if you’re stockpiling for durability and shelf life above all else, a conventional heavy-duty trash bag will outperform a compostable one every time.
You may also like:
Mushroom Compost – The Prepper’s Guide to Building Soil From Waste
The ‘Superweed’ That Saved Large Communities During The Great Depression (VIDEO)
7 Pieces of Junk That Could Save Your Life When SHTF
25 Reasons to Hoard Dental Floss
The post Compostable Trash Bags: What You Need to Know Before You Buy appeared first on Ask a Prepper.
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
7 Pieces of Junk That Could Save Your Life When SHTF
There’s a corner of my garage I kept meaning to clear out for about six years. Dead appliances, a bin of bicycle parts, and a stack of newspapers my wife has asked me twice to burn. Then one February the power went down for four days. I ended up walking out there with a flashlight at eleven at night, and I came back in with a coffee can and a hacksaw.
Stuff already rusting in your garage has one advantage nothing on a shelf can match. You already own it. So nobody will be fighting you for it when the stores empty out.
7. Broken Solar Garden Lights = Free Panels And Batteries
Those solar path lights line half the driveways in America, and they quit after two or three seasons without much warning. Almost nobody bothers looking inside before tossing them, which is a shame considering what’s sitting in there.
Cracking one open turns up four useful parts, since every one of them holds a small solar panel, a rechargeable NiMH cell in AA or AAA size, an LED, and a tiny circuit board. That means six dead path lights hand you six rechargeable batteries and six panels for the cost of walking to the curb.
Wiring three or four of those panels in series with a bit of speaker wire gives you a charger that runs all day in a south-facing window. I’ve kept a headlamp and a radio going through a long outage that way, without touching a drop of generator fuel.
The LEDs earn their keep as well, because each one will run for hours off a single cell. And the whole assembly still works as designed if you simply stake it back in the yard, which marks the path to the woodpile so nobody wanders out there with a flashlight.
I pull these out of neighbors’ trash every spring, since they come out with the yard waste like clockwork.
Worth Knowing: Those little NiMH cells are the same chemistry as the battery packs in your cordless drill and your old power tools, which raises an interesting question. Most batteries we throw away aren’t actually dead, and the method for bringing them back to life at home turns out to be fairly simple. This video guide walks through how to recondition the batteries most people give up on, covering car batteries, deep cycle, and the smaller rechargeables.
6. The Empty Barrel
Mine sat empty for eleven years, and I finally understood that a barrel is one of the most useful thing in a garage.
What you want is either a wooden barrel or a food-grade plastic drum, and the marking to look for is HDPE with a number 2 stamped in the recycling triangle. Wooden barrels breathe and last generations, though they need to stay wet or the staves shrink and the hoops drop off.
The Amish stay away from those commercial blue drums. Their reasoning is that hose barrels hauled solvents, detergents and chemicals, and the plastic absorbs whatever sat in it long enough that scrubbing never truly gets it out. A drum that shipped pickles or olives is a different animal, since food went in and food comes out.
Once you have a clean one, it earns its keep in a lot of ways:
- Rainwater catchment off a downspout, with a screened top and a spigot fitted near the bottom
- Dry goods storage for rice, beans, flour and feed, sealed against mice and damp
- Composter if you drill it through and mount it sideways on a frame so it turns
- Emergency water reserve parked in the basement, filled and treated, holding a couple hundred gallons
- Root washing and butchering station cut in half lengthwise, which gives you two deep tubs
But the most interesting use is building a hidden underground mini root cellar. That one is a soul project for me. I built it together with my son over a weekend, working from a plan I found in The Lost Skills of Independence, and the thing turned out better than I expected. It sits buried in the side yard now, holding vegetables and part of the stockpile where nobody crossing the property would ever spot it.
5. Rusty #10 Cans = A Rocket Stove
What you end up with is a rocket stove from 3 cans, and it boils a quart of water on twigs and pencil-thick sticks in eight or nine minutes.
The fuel savings are the real prize here. You can cook for a family for weeks on deadfall gathered from your own yard, so the propane stays where it belongs, which is winter heat.
Here are the steps to build it:
Smaller cans do other jobs around the place:
- Char cloth from old denim, made in a coffee can with a tight lid over coals in about twenty minutes
- Rain gauge or seed starter from a can with nail holes punched through the bottom
- Rodent-proof scoop for grain out of the same can, lid on when it goes back in the bin
- Cooking pot for the stove itself, since a smaller can nests right on the notched rim
One caution before you light it. Burn the thing outdoors or in a doorway with air moving through, because a stove like this puts out carbon monoxide that you cannot smell coming.
4. That Dead Chest Freezer Is Rodent-Proof Food Storage
The chest freezer that quit on you is a sealed steel box lined with several inches of foam. Hauling it to the dump costs money you don’t need to spend.
Leave it unplugged in a shed or a garage instead. It holds a couple hundred pounds of rice, beans and flour in a container mice cannot chew into. Mice have taken more of my stored food over the years than any thief has, so this one isn’t theoretical for me.
That insulation keeps working as well. Bury the box to the lid in a shaded spot with the door on top and you have a root cellar. It holds potatoes, carrots and cabbage about twenty degrees cooler than the air above it. Some folks run them as coolers with a few frozen jugs inside, and the temperature holds two or three days at a stretch, because there’s so little air in there to keep cold.
Make sure you take the lid latch off before you store anything. A sealed freezer is a genuine hazard for children, so leave the lid propped whenever it isn’t in use.
3. Moth-Eaten Wool Sweaters Beat Synthetics When Wet
Wool with holes in it is still wool. And wool is the only common fiber that keeps you warm after it soaks through.
So a sweater your wife has already written off can be cut down into gear worth having. The sleeves come off at the shoulder and slide straight onto your calves as gaiters. They work over your forearms under a coat too. The body cuts into mitten liners and sock liners, and neither one asks for much sewing skill.
From there, the ribbed hem makes a watch cap that pulls over your ears. The scraps stuff into boot toes when you’re sitting still in a stand. Wool also holds up next to a fire without melting into your skin, which is more than fleece will do for you when a spark lands.
Anything too far gone for clothing still has a use. Pack old wool into the gap around a window frame or under a door. It cuts a shocking amount of draft in a house you’re heating with one stove.
2. Old Windows = A Winter Proof Garden
Nobody throws away a window on purpose, which is why yours have been piling up since the remodel and leaning against the garage wall while you figure out what they’re good for.
You can use them to build a winter-proof garden. Four cinder blocks or a couple of straw bales arranged in a rectangle against your south-facing wall will hold a window flat across the top, tilted a few inches toward the sun for runoff and light. That arrangement gives you a cold frame, and the soil inside runs 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the bed sitting right beside it. Click here for the step-by-step instructions.
The season gain is what you’re really after here, because you can start greens in late February and keep pulling spinach and kale into December. Your winter-proof garden ends up working six extra weeks at each end of the year, and your seedlings harden off out there instead of crowding the kitchen counter every spring.
That spare glass has other work in it if you have more panes than one frame needs:
- Storm window screwed over a drafty original, which cuts heat loss about as well as the store-bought unit
- Cloche from a smaller pane leaned over a single plant, and it beats any plastic milk jug you’ve tried
- Solar dehydrator lid over a shallow screened box, good for drying herbs, apple rings and tomatoes
- Seedling shelf glazing on a lean-to frame against the house, which turns a wall into a small greenhouse
- Rooting bed cover over a sand box, where cuttings hold humidity long enough to take
Two cautions are worth respecting before you get started. The lid needs propping open on any sunny day above 45 degrees, since a closed frame will cook tender plants faster than you’d believe. Older frames also tend to carry lead paint, so the wood wants sealing or stripping before it sits over anything you intend to eat.
1. The Dead Water Heater = 40 Gallons Of Emergency Water
The water heater standing in your basement right now holds 40 to 50 gallons of clean drinking water, and it has been sitting full this whole time without you thinking about it once.
Here’s how to get the water out in 10 minutes The power breaker or the gas valve comes off first, because an element that fires in an empty tank burns out within seconds. Then the cold supply valve on top gets shut, which stops fresh water from pushing in behind you while you work.
Do you have a broken garden hose? Well, you can learn how to patch it after this easy method and thread it onto the drain valve at the bottom, with the far end running into a bucket or out a window below tank level. Once air is moving, gravity does the rest on its own.
The dead heater in your garage is worth even more than the working one. Elements and thermostats fail long before the tank does, so a heater that quit heating is usually a perfectly sound steel vessel. Standing it upright on a platform gives you gravity-fed water for a shower or an outdoor sink, while laying it on its side turns it into a rain barrel that rodents cannot chew through.
If the tank itself is genuinely shot, an angle grinder opens up a whole other set of options. You can end up with an Amish meat smoker that draws better than most store-bought units, a fire pit that will outlast any burn barrel you’ve owned, or a stove body for a serious rocket stove build.
A stored tank does need flushing before anybody drinks from it, since sediment collects in the bottom over the years and nobody wants that in a glass. Repressurizing a rusty tank is the other thing worth avoiding, because a failure under pressure gets dangerous in a way an empty tank never does.
Go Look In Your Garage Tonight
Every one of these seven things sat in my house for years while I was reading catalogs and adding gear to a wish list. So take a flashlight out to the corner you’ve been avoiding and go through it item by item, asking what each thing is made of rather than what it was sold as. A dead appliance stops being an appliance and turns into steel and copper, and a flat inner tube stops being a tube and turns into three minutes of fire in a wet wind.
Then set aside what’s worth keeping and put it somewhere you’ll find it in the dark. The night you need a coffee can and a hacksaw is not the night you want to be hunting for them.
Seven items is only where this goes, though, because a man who thinks this way stops buying preps and starts building them instead. These 25 projects are a must-know for preppers like you and me, and every one of them comes out of scrap and salvage rather than a catalog order. You get the root cellar that doubles as a bunker, a generator built out of used car parts, and an underground greenhouse that grows food straight through February.
So clear that corner out this week, then have a look at the most common items your neighbors are throwing away. They might be more valuable that you think.
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The post 7 Pieces of Junk That Could Save Your Life When SHTF appeared first on Ask a Prepper.
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Edible Landscaping: The Complete Plant-by-Plant Guide to a Food-Producing Yard
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The post Edible Landscaping: The Complete Plant-by-Plant Guide to a Food-Producing Yard appeared first on The Survival Mom.
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Inflation In 2026 Is Already a Slow Disaster And Your Budget Should Treat It Like One
Most disasters announce themselves. A siren goes off, the river crests over the levee, or the transformer down the road pops and the whole street goes dark at the same moment. You know how to respond because the event has a shape, a start time, and an end. Inflation in 2026 has none of that, ... Read more...
from Prepper's Will
from Prepper's Will
Street Tacos Baked In The Oven
Street Tacos Baked In The Oven. There’s something about street tacos that makes people stop what they’re doing and pay attention. Maybe it’s the smell of seasoned beef filling the kitchen, or maybe it’s the way a small tortilla piled with just the right toppings feels like a little handheld celebration. Whatever the reason, street tacos have become one of the most loved foods in America, and today I want to share why they’re so popular, along with a baked oven version your whole family can make together without needing a stovetop full of pans.
Street Tacos Baked In The Oven
Why Street Tacos Are So Popular
Street tacos started as humble food sold from carts and small stands in Mexico, and their popularity has spread worldwide because they’re simple, affordable, and endlessly satisfying. Unlike a big, heavy taco loaded with everything under the sun, street tacos are built on the idea that less is more. A small tortilla, a well-seasoned filling, and a few fresh toppings create a bite that’s full of flavor without being overwhelming.
Part of the appeal is their versatility. Street tacos work for a quick weeknight dinner, a fun Saturday lunch, or even a casual gathering with neighbors. They’re easy to customize, so picky eaters and adventurous eaters can both build a plate they’ll enjoy. They also feel special without requiring an effort for a special occasion, which is exactly what busy families need.
Baking street tacos in the oven takes the tradition one step further by making them even more convenient. Instead of standing over a hot skillet to brown meat and warm tortillas separately, you can layer everything together and let the oven do the work. This method is perfect for families who want that authentic street taco flavor with a fraction of the hands-on time.
A Closer Look At The Ingredients
Small Flour Tortillas: Street tacos are traditionally made with small tortillas, and that size matters more than people realize. A smaller tortilla holds a smaller portion, which keeps the flavors balanced instead of diluted. Flour tortillas also bake beautifully in the oven, becoming soft in the center with slightly crisped edges. They fold easily, hold their filling well, and give you that classic street taco bite in every mouthful. Taco Holder-I love these!
Ground Beef: Ground beef is the heart of this recipe. It’s affordable, easy to find, and takes on seasoning wonderfully. When browned and simmered with spices, ground beef develops a rich, savory flavor that forms the backbone of the taco. It’s also a familiar protein that most kids and adults already love, which makes this recipe an easy win for family dinners.
Onions: Onions add natural sweetness and a little texture once they soften in the oven. They help round out the beef’s flavor and add more depth to the filling. If your family prefers a milder taste, cooking the onions down before baking softens their sharpness even further.
Pinto Beans: Pinto beans bring heartiness and fiber to the dish, stretching the meal further while adding a comforting, creamy texture once baked. Beans are also a wonderful food storage staple, since dried or canned pinto beans keep well and are budget-friendly, which fits right in with a self-reliant kitchen.
Green Enchilada Sauce: Green enchilada sauce is what gives these baked street tacos their signature tangy, slightly smoky flavor. It moistens the filling, ties all the ingredients together, and bakes into the tortillas, so every bite is full of flavor rather than dry. This sauce is also a wonderful pantry staple to keep stocked, since it can be used in so many other recipes.
Green Chiles: Diced green chiles add a gentle warmth and a little zip without being overly spicy, which makes them perfect for a family-friendly recipe. They pair beautifully with the enchilada sauce and give the tacos a little extra personality.
Cheese: A generous layer of melted cheese is what makes baked tacos feel indulgent and comforting. As the tacos bake, the cheese melts down over the filling, helping hold everything together while adding that irresistible gooey finish everyone looks forward to.
Sour Cream: Sour cream is added after baking as a cool, creamy topping that balances the filling’s warmth and spice. It adds a smooth richness that finishes off each taco perfectly.
Chopped Lettuce: Finally, a handful of chopped lettuce adds crunch and freshness to the warm tacos. It lightens up the dish and gives a nice contrast in both texture and temperature, which is part of what makes a street taco so satisfying to eat.
Ground Beef Substitutes For These Baked Street Tacos
Ground Turkey
A leaner option that still browns up nicely and takes on seasoning well. It gives the tacos a lighter feel while still being hearty enough to satisfy the whole family.
Ground Chicken
Like turkey, ground chicken is mild in flavor, so it soaks up the green enchilada sauce and spices beautifully. It is a good choice for families who prefer a lighter taste overall.
Shredded Chicken
Instead of ground meat, a rotisserie chicken or slow-cooked chicken breast, shredded, adds a different texture and works especially well with the enchilada sauce, almost like a taco-meets-enchilada flavor.
Shredded Beef
Slow-cooked chuck roast or brisket, shredded after cooking, delivers a richer, more tender bite than ground beef. This is a wonderful option for a weekend meal when you have a little more time.
Ground Pork
Ground pork has a slightly sweeter, richer flavor than beef and goes nicely with the tang of the enchilada sauce and green chiles.
Carnitas Style Pork
Pork shoulder, slow-cooked until tender and then shredded, gives a more traditional street-taco feel, since carnitas are a classic street-taco filling in their own right.
Ground Bison
A leaner red meat option with a slightly deeper, earthier flavor than beef. It works well for families wanting something a little different while keeping that classic taco taste.
Sausage
Mild ground breakfast sausage or chorizo-style sausage adds a boost of flavor and spice directly into the meat, reducing the need for extra seasoning.
Any of these can be swapped in using the same amount called for in the ground beef, and the pinto beans, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and toppings will still complement each one beautifully.
Street Tacos Baked In The Oven Recipe
Street Tacos Baked In The Oven
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 12 Flour Street Taco Tortillas (approx. 4-1/2 inches in diameter)
- Butter (to butter one side of each tortilla)
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Chopped onions
- 1 10-ounce can of Green Enchilada Sauce
- 1 cup Sour Cream (Combine with 1/3 of a can of green enchilada sauce to use as a topping after you bake the tacos).
- 1 16-ounce can of Pinto Beans, drained
- 1 4-ounce can of Green Chilies
- 3-4 cups Shredded cheese, I used Mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F = (190°C)
- Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
- Butter one side of each flour tortilla; set aside.
- Brown the ground beef with the onion, and drain any excess grease, if applicable.
- Drain the pinto beans, add them to the frying pan with the cooked ground beef and onions. Mash some of the beans to thicken the mixture.
- Add the can of green chilies to the frying pan mixture.
- Add 2/3 of the green enchilada sauce to the frying pan. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Place one tortilla butter-side down, sprinkle with cheese, and place a small scoop of the meat mixture in the center. Fold in half. Repeat until all 12 flour tortillas are filled and placed in the casserole pan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese bubbles and the tops are slightly golden. Do not cover.
- Sour Cream (Combine with 1/3 of a can of green enchilada sauce to use as a topping after you bake the tacos). Place a dollop on each taco.
Why This Recipe Works For Families
This baked version of street tacos is a wonderful way to bring a beloved street food tradition into your own kitchen, using easy-to-find, affordable ingredients to keep on hand. It’s a great recipe to make with children, since they can help fill tortillas, sprinkle cheese, or add their own toppings once the tacos come out of the oven. It also reheats well, making it a smart choice for meal prepping or feeding a hungry family throughout the week.
Final Word
Street tacos remind us that good food doesn’t need to be complicated to bring a family together. With simple ingredients like ground beef, pinto beans, green enchilada sauce, cheese, and fresh toppings, this baked version brings all the comfort and flavor of a street taco right to your own table with very little fuss. I hope this recipe becomes a regular favorite in your home, one that fills your kitchen with good smells and your table with happy faces. As always, may God bless this world. Linda
The post Street Tacos Baked In The Oven appeared first on Food Storage Moms.
from Food Storage Moms
How to Sterilize Canning Jars – The Complete Guide
Get this step wrong and you’re not just risking a ruined batch of jam. You’re risking a jar that looks sealed and safe on the shelf but is quietly breeding something that can kill you. Sterilizing canning jars is one of those steps that gets treated casually by a lot of home canners, and that’s exactly the kind of complacency that leads to spoilage, seal failures, and in the worst cases, botulism poisoning.
This guide walks through exactly when you need to sterilize your jars, when you don’t, and the correct method backed by the USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP), not internet folklore passed down without a source.
What Sterilization Actually Does
Sterilizing means killing off the bacteria, yeasts, molds, and spores that are naturally present on glass surfaces, even glass fresh out of the box. A quick wash with soap and water knocks down most of that microbial load, but it does not eliminate it entirely. Heat is what finishes the job, which is why the only tested sterilization method for empty jars relies on sustained boiling rather than scrubbing or rinsing.
This matters most in recipes with short processing times, where the canner itself never gets hot enough for long enough to sterilize the jar during processing. In those cases, the jar has to already be sterile before the food goes in, or you’re relying on hope instead of a tested process.
Tools You’ll Need
- A boiling-water canner or any deep stockpot with a rack that keeps jars off the direct heat of the pot bottom.
- A jar lifter, which grips the neck of a hot jar without slipping the way tongs do.
- Clean canning jars, free of cracks, chips, or deep scratches.
- New flat lids for each batch, since the sealing compound is single-use.
- A reliable thermometer or a timer, so you’re not guessing at boiling time.
None of this is specialized or expensive gear. If you’re already set up to water-bath can, you have everything you need to sterilize jars correctly.
Choosing the Right Jars in the First Place
Not every glass jar in your kitchen is fit for canning. Regular and wide-mouth Mason-type jars built specifically for home canning are the safest choice, since they’re tempered to handle repeated heating and cooling without cracking.
Commercial jars that held mayonnaise or salad dressing can sometimes be reused with new two-piece lids for acid foods, but expect more seal failures and breakage. Their glass is thinner and the sealing surface is narrower than a true Mason jar. Skip them entirely for pressure canning, where the risk of breakage climbs sharply.
With careful handling, a good Mason jar can be reused for years, through dozens of canning seasons, as long as you replace the flat lid every time and retire any jar that develops a chip or crack. The jar itself is the long-term investment. The lids are the consumable.
Do You Even Need to Sterilize Your Jars?
Most canners over-sterilize because they were taught to always boil the jars without being told why. The truth is more specific than that, and knowing the rule saves you time and propane.
According to the NCHFP, jars used for vegetables, meats, and fruits processed in a pressure canner do not need to be pre-sterilized. The same goes for fruits, tomatoes, and pickled or fermented foods processed 10 minutes or longer in a boiling-water canner. The high heat of the process itself does the sterilizing job for you.
Where pre-sterilization is actually required is jams, jellies, and pickled products with a processing time under 10 minutes. If your recipe calls for a boiling water bath under 10 minutes, sterilize the jars first. If it’s 10 minutes or more, or you’re pressure canning, skip this step and just wash your jars.
Wash Every Jar First, Regardless
Sterilizing and washing are not the same thing, and skipping the wash step because you plan to sterilize anyway is a mistake. Wash empty jars in hot water with detergent and rinse thoroughly by hand, or run them through the dishwasher. Washing removes food residue, dust, and grime, but it does not sterilize.
Hard water leaves a mineral film on glass that can interfere with a clean seal. Soak jars for a few hours in a solution of 1 cup of white vinegar, 5 percent acidity, per gallon of water to strip that scale off. Rinse well afterward so no vinegar smell lingers.
Inspect every single jar before it goes anywhere near your canner. Run a finger around the rim feeling for chips, cracks, or nicks, especially on the sealing surface, and toss any jar that fails inspection. A damaged rim will not seal properly no matter how well you sterilize it, and a cracked jar can shatter under heat.
How to Sterilize Canning Jars: The Boiling Water Method
This is the only method backed by USDA testing, and it’s simple enough to do every time you can jam or a short-process pickle.
- Wash your jars first in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
- Set the clean jars right side up on the rack inside your boiling-water canner.
- Fill the canner and the jars with hot, not boiling, water until the water sits at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars.
- Bring the water to a full rolling boil. At elevations below 1,000 feet, boil for 10 minutes.
- Add extra time for elevation if you live higher up. See the altitude chart below.
- Once the time is up, remove the jars one at a time using a jar lifter, draining the water as you go, and keep them hot until you’re ready to fill.
- Do not dump the hot water. Save it, since you’ll use the same canner and water to process your filled jars.
Adjusting Sterilizing Time for Altitude
Water boils at a lower temperature the higher you go, which means a 10-minute boil at sea level does not deliver the same sterilizing power at 4,500 feet. The NCHFP rule is straightforward: boil 10 minutes at elevations below 1,000 feet, then add 1 additional minute for every additional 1,000 feet of elevation.
- Below 1,000 ft: 10 minutes
- 1,000 to 2,000 ft: 11 minutes
- 2,000 to 3,000 ft: 12 minutes
- 3,000 to 4,000 ft: 13 minutes
- 4,000 to 5,000 ft: 14 minutes
- 5,000 to 6,000 ft: 15 minutes
- 6,000 to 7,000 ft: 16 minutes
- 7,000 to 8,000 ft: 17 minutes
If you don’t know your exact elevation, check a topographic map or a reliable elevation app for your location before you start canning season. Getting this wrong in either direction either wastes your time or leaves your jars under-sterilized.
What About the Oven, Microwave, and Dishwasher Methods?
You’ll find plenty of canning veterans who swear by warming jars in the oven, and plenty of recipes, including some of our own, that mention it as an option. Here’s the straight answer: the NCHFP does not recommend using conventional ovens, microwave ovens, or dishwashers to sterilize or process filled canning jars. Manufacturers of canning jars don’t recommend oven use either, and there’s a real risk of jars shattering from uneven heat or thermal shock.
That doesn’t mean nobody has ever gotten away with the oven method. It means it hasn’t been tested and standardized the way the boiling-water method has, so if something goes wrong, you have no safety data to fall back on. If you’re canning for long-term storage and not just convenience, stick with the boiling-water method described above.
Steam canners fall into a similar gray area. The NCHFP has been researching processing times for atmospheric steam canners, and some updated guidance now exists for specific products, but this is a newer development, not the long-established standard. If you use one, make sure you’re following current, tested times for your specific food, not a guess.
Do You Need to Sterilize the Lids Too?
This trips up a lot of experienced canners because the guidance changed. Older instructions, including some still floating around online and in print, tell you to simmer lids for 10 minutes before use. Manufacturers changed the sealing compound on modern two-piece lids years ago, and boiling them is no longer recommended and can actually cause seal failures.
Wash lids in warm, soapy water and rinse them just like you would a jar. Keep them warm, not boiling, until you’re ready to use them, and always check the manufacturer’s instructions printed on the box, since not every brand made the same change. Screw bands never need sterilizing at all, since they never touch the food directly.
Why This Step Actually Matters
Improperly canned food is a leading cause of home-canning-related botulism in the United States, and it’s entirely preventable when you follow tested procedures. Clostridium botulinum spores are everywhere in soil and on produce, and they thrive in the low-oxygen, low-acid environment inside a sealed jar if that jar wasn’t processed correctly.
Sterilizing when it’s called for, and skipping it when the processing time already handles the job, is part of a bigger system: clean jars, tested recipes, correct processing times, and proper storage. Cut a corner anywhere in that chain and you’re gambling with something that can genuinely kill you or someone you’re feeding.
If you ever open a jar that looks off, smells bad, spurts liquid, or was bulging or leaking, do not taste it. Throw it out immediately, and do not feed it to pets either.
Botulinum toxin has no smell, no color, and no taste that reliably warns you it’s there, which is exactly what makes it dangerous. You cannot inspect your way to safety after the fact. The only real safeguard is doing the process correctly on the front end, jar prep included, every single time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sterilize jars a day ahead of time? No. Sterile jars need to be filled while still hot, right after sterilizing. Once they sit out and cool, or get handled, they’re no longer sterile, and you’re back to square one.
Do I need to sterilize jars for freezer jam? No. Freezer jam isn’t heat-processed at all, so sterilization rules for canning don’t apply. Wash the jars well and make sure they’re freezer-safe, but skip the boiling step.
What if my altitude is between two rows on the chart? Round up to the next elevation band. When it comes to processing and sterilizing times, erring toward more time is always the safer direction.
Is it safe to reuse jars that held store-bought food? Only if they’re true Mason-style jars with a standard two-piece lid design. Jars from mayonnaise, pickles, or sauce are generally not built for the pressures and repeated heat cycles of home canning.
Common Mistakes That Undermine Sterilization
- Sterilizing jars, then setting them on a cold counter to cool before filling, which invites recontamination and risks cracking from thermal shock.
- Reusing old, chipped, or scratched jars without inspecting them first.
- Forgetting that screw bands and lids need their own prep, not just the jars.
- Using the microwave just to save time, a method with no tested safety data behind it.
- Assuming a pressure-canned batch needs pre-sterilized jars when it doesn’t. You’re wasting fuel and time you don’t need to spend.
Quick Reference: Sterilize or Just Wash?
- Pressure canning any food: Wash only, no sterilization needed.
- Boiling water bath, 10 minutes or longer: Wash only, no sterilization needed.
- Boiling water bath, under 10 minutes, most jams, jellies, and some pickles: Sterilize first using the boiling water method above.
Canning Is Just One Skill Our Grandparents Knew by Heart
Knowing how to sterilize a jar correctly might seem like a small thing, until you realize what it represents.
For generations, families knew how to preserve a harvest, stock a pantry, repair what broke, make what they needed, and stretch their resources instead of depending on a store for every little thing.
Those skills meant something far more valuable than convenience.
They meant independence.
Today, much of that practical knowledge has quietly disappeared. But it doesn’t have to stay forgotten.
The Lost Skills of Independence brings together the old-fashioned, hands-on skills that helped previous generations become more capable and self-reliant, from preserving and storing food to making better use of the resources already available around the home and homestead.
If you’re learning to can your own food, you’re already taking a step in that direction. Why stop with one skill?
Build a pantry you can depend on. Learn practical skills you can actually use. And become a little less dependent on fragile modern systems every time you master something new.
Final Thoughts
Sterilizing canning jars isn’t complicated, but skipping the nuance costs you either wasted effort or real risk depending on which direction you get it wrong. Know your processing time, know your altitude, and follow the boiling-water method when it’s actually called for.
Your pantry is only as safe as the weakest step in the process. Get this one right every single time, and you’ll never have to second-guess a jar on your shelf.
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The post How to Sterilize Canning Jars – The Complete Guide appeared first on Ask a Prepper.
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