How to Create Healthy Pantry Mixes Using Essential Food Storage Items

There are some words that are hard to pronounce—not to mention the MSG found in many of the packaged and processed foods. Who needs all that? Well there is a better alternative!

Making your own preservative-free homemade mixes for things like cheese sauce, biscuits, and cake is not only healthier, but cheaper as well.

Anitra Kerr tells us how we can learn how to make these simple mixes without getting stressed out. She shares some of her ideas on how to be organized and efficient by creating your own mixes.

Homemade mixes are great to have in the kitchen, especially for kids. Many of them only require adding water. Kids can get involved and help make their favorite recipes. By doing this, they learn to be independent in the kitchen. If you make these mixes ahead of time, you can make delicious foods like cakes, cookies, breads, pancakes, and even creampuffs in a short time. You will save time by planning your meals ahead. Preparing homemade mixes also provides you the opportunity to rotate your food storage.

Here are three basic pantry mixes:

1. Biscuit Mix

9 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups shortening

3 tbsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. salt

Store mix in an airtight container until ready to use.

To make cream puff shells, simply combine 3 cups water with 1 1/2 cups biscuit mix in a saucepan, and mix vigorously on medium heat until a soft ball forms. Transfer dough ball to a food processor, adding 6 eggs, one at a time, mixing until dough is gluey and thick. Transfer dough balls by 2-tbsp. full to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking 40 minutes more, or until cream puff shells are lightly golden. Cool completely, then stuff with chicken salad or pudding.

2. Cake Mix

7 cups flour

3 1/4 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups dehydrated butter

1/3 cup dehydrated milk

3 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

Store mix in an airtight container until ready to use.

To make oreo cookies, simply combine 2 cups cake mix, 2 tbsp. cocoa, 1/4 cup oil, and 2 eggs. Beat into a thick batter, then place by tbsp. full onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are done. Cool completely, then spread frosting between two cookies, and enjoy!

3. Frosting Mix

8 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups dehydrated butter

1 cup cornstarch

Store mix in an airtight container until ready to use.

To make frosting, combine 1 cup frosting mix with 2 tsp. water or milk, and a drop of vanilla and almond extract. Add more water if necessary to make a creamy frosting.

Anitra Kerr is a wife and mother of four boys in Holladay, Utah. She is the co-founder of the website www.simplylivingsmart.com. She has taught principles of food storage, home organization, and healthy eating for many years. She teaches weekly food storage classes in her home and presents web-based training for audiences around the world. She is the author of “Simply Living Smart-Everyday Solutions for a More Organized You”. She is currently writing her second book, “Eating Gourmet the Food Storage Way”, which will be released in the summer.