This document provides an introduction to a 6-week course on freezer cooking, bulk cooking, canning, and making mixes. It discusses the importance of food storage and preparation according to Mormon teachings. It addresses common concerns and objections people have regarding these topics, such as not having enough time, money or storage space. The course will cover freezer cooking, pre-made mixes, canning, planning, grocery shopping tips and answering participant questions. Homework is to make a list of 10 staple meals.

1. Freezer Cooking, Bulk Cooking, Canning, & MixesWeek 1 : What am I getting myself into?

2. Getting to know you! Getting to know a-l-l-l about yo-o-u-u-u!Name: Situation:Fun Fact:Why you want to learn about OAMC:What’s holding you back?:

3. Why Freezer/Bulk/Canning/etc.?“If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” –D&C 38:30“The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary. …” –Gordon B. Hinckley“The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah” –Ezra Taft Benson

4. Why Freezer/Bulk/Canning/etc.?“[The pioneers] were taught by their leaders to produce, as far as possible, all that they consumed, and to be frugal and not wasteful of their substance. This is still excellent counsel” –Joseph Fielding Smith“How on the face of the earth could a man enjoy his religion when he had been told by the Lord how to prepare for a day of famine, when instead of doing so he had fooled away that which would have sustained him and his family” –George Albert Smith“… for it is required of the Lord, at the hand of every steward, to render an account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity.” –D&C 72: 3

5. Raise your hand of you would like more of the following: Let’s play a game!

6. TIMETo play with my kidsTo scrapbookTo watch a movieTo spend with my husbandTo read a good bookTo take a napTo make cookiesTo exerciseTo clean my houseTo develop my talentsTo do crafty thingsTo do non-crafty things

7. I need more time! The freezer is full of meals to the sky.How ‘bout lasagna or chicken sweet n’ sour?“Hurry quick, put it in, I have book club in an hour!” Now there’s one more problem left to be solved,Whose turn to clean up after everyone involved?“We’ll clear our dishes,” the kids say and dash.Mom grabs her book and is out with a flash.Dad looks around-all these empty seats.A familiar sight after everyone eats.It’s time for the game; Dad’s a huge football fanBut not ‘til he throws out the disposable pan. “What’s for dinner?” So you sayIt’s been another crazy day.Soccer, piano, homework, and more I didn’t have time to go to the store.“Let’s order out!” The kids say with a grin.“Pizza again?” says Dad with a cringe.Then what should we have? Something homemade for sure.None of this stuff in a box from the store!“Never you fear,” I say with a sigh

8. MONEYFor clothesFor giftsTo saveFor a well-deserved pedicureFor fast offeringsTo donateFor groceriesFor hobbiesFor school For goalsFor vacationTo burn a hole in your pocket

9. How can this possibly SAVE me money? How many times per month do you eat out? How many times do you eat out because:There’s nothing to eat at home.I’m way too tired to cook.We don’t have time to make anything before _____.

10. How can this possibly SAVE me money? How often do you throw away unused food?How often did you have a “plan” for that food that still didn’t happen?

11. DISHESFrom breakfastFrom lunchFrom dinnerFrom art projectsFrom snack timeFrom bakingFrom bedtime stallingFrom dinner prepFrom midnight snacksFrom the basketball game after work

12. No one wants more dishes?Dishes make my hands cold in the winter timeDishes stress me out when they make my kitchen dirtyDishes are never clean when I need themDishes will stain if I don’t soak themDishes make my hands stink if they sit for too long {please tell me I’m not the only one who has experienced this!}Dishes have the ability to make me puke if they stinkDishes often get me all wet before they get clean

13. How does doing dishes once a month sound?During your major cooking day, you will absolutely dirty every dish you have. But you will wash them once and put them away [or your awesome hubby/mom/friend will because they are in awe of what you have just accomplished] and then you will only have a couple of plates/glasses/forks to wash. Boom baby! No more stinky hands/overwhelming stacks of dishes/etc.

14. Raise your hand if hearing the following overwhelms you:Let’s play a game!

15. FOOD STORAGEWe need to have a year’s worth of food stored in our homes.

16. Food Storage & OAMCHow many of you find it hard to spend money on food you’re not sure what to do with? How many of you find it hard to figure out exactly what constitutes a “year’s supply?”How many of you are just totally overwhelmed with the whole idea and therefore put it on the backburner? [out of sight = out of mind]

17. SERVE MOREThat’s right ladies. After everything else you’re asked to do, the Relief Society also needs you to feed a couple of other families this week. Oh, and we need the meal before you take your kids to meet Santa at the mall tonight….in 3 hours.

18. Service & OAMCBring food by at a moment’s notice! You will ALWAYS have extra meals. I love that bringing a meal to a family in need is never a burden when I have food in the freezer. I know it’s fresh. I know it’s easy to prepare. I know it’s healthy. I know it’s yummy. There are very few [read: no] cons here.

19. COMPANY’S COMING!Your husband forgot to tell you that his aunt and uncle are in town and he invited them over for dinner. You haven’t been shopping in a couple weeks and the grocery budget has 17 cents in it. It’s also Sunday so the grocery store is forbidden. They’ll be coming over right after church.

20. Hostess with the Mostest! As women we constantly seek that “Nirvana Household.” This consists of:Hair looking sah-weet all the timeMake up on and looking fabulousHigh heels (optional)Beautiful home immaculately cleanedNutritious, colorful food on the tableAnd anyone from the outside looking in thinking that everything is “perfect.” When you have food in the freezer ready to go, you will not pull your hair out, cry until your mascara runs, tear your kitchen apart trying to figure out what to feed your guests, or have a complete emotional breakdown in front of the company. Win-win-win.

21. The next 6 weeks! What we’ll be covering

22. FREEZER COOKINGYes, you do have enough room!

24. PRE-MADEMIXESFor when you don’t have enough room

25. CANNINGTo give you more room

26. PLANNINGFoodRecipesBattle Plan

27. GROCERY SHOPPING TIPSSelective Couponing & Outsmarting the Store

28. Questions?Anything I missed?Anything you’re freaking out about?Anything I can help with?

29. HOMEWORK!Make a list of your staple meals. Stuff you cook on a regular basis. Try to come up with 10. If you have more “staples” keep things reasonable. Don’t make more work for yourself than there needs to be!