Friday, April 27, 2012

Sneak Peek into Summer Price List changes

I've been able to take a sneak peek at the new Summer Price list that will go into effect on Tuesday May 2nd. For right now, the Winter Price list is still in effect. I went ahead and did a break down of the changes in price... there are actually more things that went down in price rather than went up. Thanks Shelf Reliance!

Here's a copy of the breakdown I did. The biggest price cuts are on top. The items that will go up in price are at the bottom. Please note that I only did price comparisons for the THRIVE foods. There may have been price changes with Emergency Supplies and shelving not reflected in the table below. Also note that the old line of Entrees is being discontinued, and they are coming out with their new THRIVE Express meals in pouches instead. More info to come on those later. But if you want to see the full price lists, use the links above. And when you're ready to place your order contact me and I'll get you the lowest price (even if it means holding off on processing the order until after the May 2nd price changes).


Item (#10 CAN) Winter Q Price Summer Q Price Difference
Beef dices (FD) 54.79 52.09 -$2.70
Roast beef (FD) 50.69 47.99 -$2.70
Blueberry Yogurt  41.89 39.69 -$2.20
Cherry Yogurt 41.79 39.59 -$2.20
Vanilla yogurt 39.89 37.79 -$2.10
Pomegranite Yogurt 37.19 35.19 -$2.00
Strawberry yogurt 36.19 34.29 -$1.90
Passionfruit Yogurt 36.19 34.29 -$1.90
Melon berry burst drink 20.89 19.79 -$1.10
Mango passion drink  20.99 19.89 -$1.10
Orange Bliss drink 18.29 17.29 -$1.00
Peach drink  16.89 15.99 -$0.90
Powdered milk 19.09 18.19 -$0.90
Blackberries  34.39 33.79 -$0.60
White Rice 8.69 8.39 -$0.30
Whole eggs 20.79 20.69 -$0.10
Chopped chicken (FD) 33.79 34.19 $0.40
FD Onions  17.49 17.99 $0.50
Amaranth  11.69 12.19 $0.50
Millet 9.39 10.09 $0.70
6 grain (now 10 grain) pancake mix 9.89 11.39 $1.50
Macaroons 15.09 16.89 $1.80
Ground beef FD 40.29 42.29 $2.00

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Food Storage Noqui (Gnocchi)

Before I get to the recipe, let me tell you that Shelf Reliance has just launched a new line of Express Meals, for those of you who don't want to cook but want something healthy for your family to eat. I've heard great things about all 12 sides and entrees, so check out the new flier and let me know if you have any questions. They've also got a few new food, shelving, and emergency items as well. As always, when you are ready to place an order for any Shelf Reliance products of THRIVE foods, just contact me and I'll make sure you get the lowest price possible.

Also, a new price list will take effect on May 2nd, so be on the look out. Now on to the recipe!

For those of you who don't know, I spent over a year living in the Buenos Aires region of Argentina down in South America after I graduated college. I went down there to do missionary work for my church. Along with many lessons learned, friendships forged, and memories made, I also came home with a handful of souvenirs, including this little device:

It's a noqui maker. (There should be a little squiggle mark above the n, but I don't know how to type that in blogger.) It's pronounced nyoh-kee. You might know them by their Italian name: Gnocchi. (The cuisine in Argentina is as much Italian as anything else.) Noquis are a potato dumpling type of pasta dish, and are quite tasty.  One very practical friend down in Argentina showed me how to make them using instant potatoes instead of taking the time to boil and mash whole potatoes myself.  I have adapted that recipe to make a great Spinach Noqui using only THRIVE ingredients, and I am quite pleased with it, especially since it is such a quick and easy meal! (If you don't care for spinach, you can omit that ingredient, though you may need to add a pinch more flour to compensate if you do.)

Here's how to make it:


Bring a large pot of water to boil ( appx 3 quarts). While it is coming to a boil, in a small bowl, combine:
1 cup white flour
2 Tbsp THRIVE Whole Egg Powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Blend all the powdered ingredients with a fork.

In a larger mixing bowl, combine:
1 cup THRIVE Potato Beads
2 Tbsp THRIVE FD Spinach
1 1/2 cups of your boiling water (keep the rest boiling in the pot)

Let the water sit for a minute while potato beads and spinach reconstitute, then fluff with a fork.  You'll have spinach-freckled thick mashed potatoes. Not all of your beads may fully dissolve - that's okay. Do not add extra water.

Once you've got your thick clumps of mashed potato, add your powdered ingredients and mix. It will seem too dry at first, but just keep mixing and the flour will all absorb.

You will be left with a dough that you can roll out into ropes (or "snakes", if your letting your kiddos help with this part). If the dough is too sticky to roll into snakes, sprinkle flour onto your hands and rolling area, and more flour will get worked into the dough that way. You want to avoid adding too much flour though, or your noquis will be too dense.

Once you have the dough rolled out, cut it into little bite-sized pieces. Then, run those pieces over your noqui maker, to add ridges. (I push it down with my thumb, then peel one edge up, so it rolls slightly) Since most of you probably don't have a noqui maker, (and I have no clue where to get one this side of the equator), you can use fork tines to create your ridges. You could skip this step all together if you're really pressed for time, but adding the ridges helps the sauce stick to them better, ensures the middles cook right, and makes them look much prettier! This is a great project for friends to help with, and even kids, so let others join in the fun.


Once they are prepared, the noquis go into your already boiling pot of water. They will sink at first. Within a minute or so, they will float to the top. That's how you know they are done, and you can remove them with a slotted spoon. It is best to cook them in smaller batches, so they don't stick together. I have one or two ropes worth of noquis boiling at a time, and while they are, I'm getting the next two ropes ready. The whole process goes quite quickly, trust me. I didn't watch the clock exactly, but I would say this is a 20-30 minute meal. Boiling the water is the longest step in the whole process.


When the noquis are all done, you can eat them plain, or you can top them with your favorite pasta sauce, some melted cheese, whatever sounds good to you. (above is some spaghetti sauce with ground turkey). They have a light, soft, chewy texture, and everyone in my family, my picky toddler and 14 month old included, gobble them up. This recipe makes about 3 adult servings, (or 2 adults and 2 kids).

Let me know if you have any questions, and if you try this recipe at home, let me know how it goes!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

What are you investing in?

In the last 10 years,  people have lost years of savings in the stock markets. Many people invested in real estate and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. While we are slowly coming out of this recession, and home and stock values are slowly rising again (or at least not dropping further),  it is hard to know where to invest your money to secure a safe future for your family.  

And while the value of our investments have been trying to crawl out of this hole, the cost of food has been on a steady rise. In Jan of 2002, the USDA average monthly cost of feeding a family of 4 (2 adults and two kids under 5), on a thrifty budget, was $399.50. Those on a moderate cost budget spent an average of $619.70. Ten years later, in January of 2012, those same averages have jumped up to $548.00 and $861.20, respectively. That is an increase between 37% and 39%! 


Most THRIVE foods last 25 years unopened on your shelves, and 1-2 years even after you’ve opened them, all without the cost of running a fridge or freezer. There is also no money being thrown away with food waste since you don’t have to worry about them going bad before you can use them. THRIVE foods have no added sodium, sugars or other preservatives, and freeze dried foods retain almost all of the same nutritional benefits as their fresh counterparts. Their convenience makes them easy to incorporate into your daily diet, helping reduce the amount of processed convenience foods and snacks your family consumes. Not only are THRIVE foods a great investment in your family’s health, but with the value of food rising 37% in 10 years, THRIVE foods are a great investment in your family’s financial future as well.



The Winter Price list will end this month and a new Spring Price list will take effect in May. With food costs on the rise everywhere, it is reasonable to expect to see some price increases on THRIVE foods next month. Even then, THRIVE foods will still be a great investment, but the sooner you start investing, the better.  Whether you want to make a large investment all at once, or you want to invest a little each month,  I have a package or a plan that will meet your family’s needs. So contact me today to start investing in a healthy, more secure future for your family. 

Friday, April 6, 2012

April pricing updates

Hello Everyone! I just wanted to let you know that there is a new price list that became effective April 2nd. Most items have remained the same price, but there were a few that went up, and one or two that went down. So make sure you check out the price list under "Links to Help you thrive" on the right hand side of this blog (or on the "new price list" link at the beginning of this post.

Also, here are the sale items for April. Apple Slices, Apricots, Lima Beans, Butter Powder, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Mango Passion Drink Mix, White Flour, Green Beans, all the Instant Beans, Green Peas and Sloppy Joe TVP. If you are having problems reading any of the information below, click on this link here. 

As always, when you're ready to place your order, just contact me so I can get you the lowest Q Club prices. Have a great Easter Weekend!