Emergency Pantry Supplies

Two new boxes have been added to our pantry.  One is convenience food for when mom can't cook and one is for illness.  I will have to make sure I rotate the contents to prevent the items from expiring, but it will be worth the effort.  It's like having a little pantry insurance since illness always hits in the middle of the night or when Kevin is not home.

The food box contains boxes of Tuna Helper, purchased on sale.  (Tuna because it doesn't involve browning any meat and canned tuna has a long shelf life.)  Cans of beef stew, granola bars, breakfast bars and cola for mom's headaches.  I usually have some food prepared in the freezer but it isn't always enough if I have a long migraine.

The illness box contains Pedialyte, Pedialyte freezer pops, cans of peaches (peach juice is supposed to  help mitigate vomiting, thanks Helene!), apple sauce and saltine crackers.  I also will add rice milk as dairy should be held off well past the length of the stomach virus.  When children cannot keep anything down, acetaminophen suppositories  are a life saver.  (These are a fantastic deal if you have several small children.  This box is the dosage for older toddlers).

I use a combination of cloth diapers and disposable diapers.   For disposable I buy whatever brand I can get a good deal on.  So I happened to have most of the big name brand diapers in the house.  In case anyone wants to know, Pampers do the best job at containment of 'toxic, stomach virus diaper situations'.

When a family is in the middle of illness, that means mom doesn't get much sleep, making it hard to think clearly and assess the sick child.  I printed off pages from Dr. Sears website, inserted them in page protectors and put them in a binder to be kept in the sick box.  His information seemed to be the most practical and helpful in assessing sick children.

Maybe, most importantly, I printed off this prayer for a sick child  to help me remember to pray in a sick crises. 

 

Comments

[Barbara Stein]

Great tips. Love that peach juice one. I need to get my migraine box together, too!

[Theresa]

Those are great ideas, Bridget. Thanks!

[Rebecca]

Thanks for taking the time to post these ideas, Bridget. I'd like to put something similar together for our closet. Once the sickness starts and spreads through the family, it is hard for mom or dad to get out of the house for the necessities. Great idea to have it all on hand from the get-go.

[Mary Watson]

I like what you have done. You are a good wife and mother. Your family is blessed to have you.

I am glad you are all on the mend.

[Suzanne Temple]

The peach juice really works here, too. In flu season, I can't get along without it
--Helene's sister.

[Lisbet]

What a wise idea Bridget. Praise God we have been spared of any really tough viruses this year. It would be so helpful to have it all on hand whenever it does hit. Thanks! I am SO glad you are all on the mend.