Floods cause more damage in the United States than any other
weather-related event and can happen anywhere in any of the states or
territories in any season. Floods happen fast; winter storms and
snowmelts can cause mild to extreme flooding. Here are some tips for
staying safe in a flood and getting prepared for a reduction or halt of
normal services due to a flood emergency:
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If you did
n’t
eat Ramen noodles in college we’re happy for you. Unfortunately, some
of us did. Also unfortunately, we’ve learned that Ramen noodles and
fast food are still staples of dorm room living. In fact, forty-four
percent of college students eat fast food at least once a week, despite
growing evidence that it’s a habit we all really need to break.
Still, fast food is cheap, it tastes good, it’s accessible and,
well…it's fast. With these perks, it makes sense that kids can be
tempted to trade a little health (hey, it’s only one meal, right?) for
time and money.
Except, you can’t live like that. Well, you can – but you can’t function well
like that. People who skip meals or eat unbalanced meals experience a
25% drop in productivity. Add that to the inevitable sleep deprivation
and you’ve got a college student operating at half-capacity.
The reality is that most college kids are low on cash, are busy, and
aren’t going to spend a lot of time considering nutrition. With that,
we’re going to let college students (and their parents) in on a little
secret that hikers, climbers and outdoors people have known for years.
You can have tastier food that’s faster and cheaper and healthier
than anything you can get in a drive through or in a noodle packet. Our
gourmet freeze-dried meals cost about $2.25 each (that’s two servings),
are ready in 12-minutes, are very tasty, have good nutrition, and don’t
require you to choose between health, time or money.
Here are some tips for creating a small dorm-room “pantry” of fast
and healthy meals that don’t require refrigeration, won’t add to the
dreaded Freshman Fifteen, and will beat a diet of noodles any day:
- Wise freeze dried entrees (two to four servings per packet)
- Small pop-top cans of fruit, or our freeze-dried fruit packages
- Cans of 100% vegetable juice such as V8 or fruit juices
- Walnuts for critical Omega-3
- Apples for antioxidants
- 75% dark chocolate cacao bars (it’s brain food, we promise!)
- Small coffee maker to make hot water to rehydrate food, as well as to make tea or coffee
January may mean back to school but it doesn’t have to mean another semester of bad food.
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In 2006 a USA Today poll caused a stir
when it revealed that the average lunch “hour” was not an hour at all
but 42 minutes. In 2008, it was down to 35 minutes. In 2010, it was down
to 29 minutes. A recent poll revealed that 76% of workers now say they
take no break at all. Many said that lunch takes a backseat to meetings;
some said they prefer to “graze” throughout the day 
instead
of interrupting their momentum and some prefer to skip a lunch break in
order to arrive late or leave early so they can drop off and pick up
kids from school.
Whatever the cause, the lunch “hour” is endangered, if not on the
brink of extinction. Still, skipping lunch all together can cause
drastic dips in energy and blood sugar, which affect productivity.
Skipping lunch can also lead to eating anything you can get your hands
on as soon as you hit the kitchen at night. Which undermines that great
American pastime:
Dieting.
80 million of us are doing it – in fact, we’ll spend billions of
dollars on diet programs this year. Several of these programs work by
delivering pre-made food in controlled portions to busy people who don’t
like to cook but want to eat healthy food and lose weight. Though these
programs take the guesswork out of meal planning, they cost around $600
per month, or around $7 per entrée. (Note that you have to add your own
fresh fruits and vegetables.)
Why not use gourmet freeze-dried food to survive the 12-minute lunch
“hour”, ease the burden of meal prep and take the guess work out of
dieting? And the tastiest news of all: It could cost you as little as a third of what the national diet food programs cost!
Here’s an example of three balanced meals from freeze-dried Wise meals that come in around 500 calories each:
Breakfast – Crunchy granola (add 2% milk or low-fat yogurt)
Lunch – Tomato Basil Soup (add salad and low-fat dressing)
Dinner – Teriyaki & Rice (add roasted or steamed vegetables)
These three meals would cost you nearly $30 per day if you order them
from a diet program. The three meals above cost under $10 a day, even
adding in fresh vegetables and fruits. A variety of entrees, soups and
breakfast choices are available so you won’t get bored and each packet
costs a little more than $2. As always,
Photo credit: cohdra
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Stuck, Stranded, Safe
If
your part of the world endures winter storms, or you have to travel
through winter storms this season, a little preparation can go a long
way toward keeping you and your family safe. In addition to carrying a
bag of sand, rock salt or non-clumping kitty litter to combat ice
should you get stuck, the Red Cross recommends that your car is always
stocked with warm coats, gloves, hats, boots, extra blankets, and warm
clothing for all household members. It is also wise to carry emergency
fool and water, and an alternate heating method such as a small wood or
coal burning stove.
Prepare your car
If you must drive during or after a winter storm, prepare your car:
- Check the tires for good tread and if you use snow chains (not a bad
idea to carry a set), make sure they fit and that you know how to
install them
- Get a winter checkup – battery, belts, lights, brakes, wipers and heater
- Keep your gas tank at least half full at all times
- Program the local emergency station into your radio
- Ensure your cell phone is charged before leaving hitting the road
Create an emergency kit for your vehicle that includes:
- Flashlight with fresh batteries as well as a spare set of batteries
- Warm blanket
- Warm snow boots with good tread
- Heavy gloves
- First-aid kit
- Ice scraper
- Jumper cables
- 72 hours of dehydrated food for two to three people
- Water in an insulated container
- Road flares
- Spare cell phone battery or car charger
If you get stranded, call for help, put on your flashers, light a flare and stay in your car
while you wait. You are more likely to survive in your car for an
extended time than outside in the elements for a shorter time.
After a storm
- Stay indoors if possible, but do keep an eye on elderly or disabled
neighbors Ensure pets and service animals are indoors and livestock has
access to shelter, food and water
- Never use a generator, gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal
burning devices inside a house or car. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes
over 2,000 deaths and 10,000 injuries every year
- Take care of your pipes by keeping garage doors closed, but opening kitchen and bathroom cabinets that contain
Photo credit: ZeroSilence3