Puracy Natural Dish Soap: Eco-Friendly, Effective, Made in the USA

Puracy Natural Dish Soap is an effective, safe and eco-friendly alternative to traditional dishwashing liquids whose cleaning power comes from caustic chemicals. In today's review, I'll explain why it quickly became one of my favorite cleaning products.

Looking For a Safer, More Environmentally Friendly, Yet Effective Plant-Based Dish Soap

Several years ago, my husband and I started hand-washing our dishes, pots and pans more often and using our dishwasher less frequently, as part of our effort to be more environmentally responsible and less wasteful. I also wanted to find a safer, “greener” dish soap, a plant-based cleaner that could cut through grease effectively on our dishes, pots and pans without the harsh chemicals used in most popular dishwashing liquid brands, such as Palmolive, Dawn and Ajax. Many of those chemicals may be not only harmful to humans, animals and plants, but also cause chronic aquatic toxicity, poisoning our rivers, seas, oceans and water supply.

Not So Green "Green Cleaners"

The two best-known brands of plant-based cleaners at the time were Mrs. Meyers and Seventh Generation. I tried Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Liquid Dish Soap, which was a Whole Foods Market Eco-Scale certified green cleaning product, but stopped using it after only a week or two. In addition to the overpowering scent, which gave me a headache every time I washed the dishes, I found out that the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment, had given it an “D” rating, which EWG defines as “HIGH CONCERN - Likely hazards to health or the environment.”

Next, I looked into Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid, Free & Clear, since I was familiar with the brand name and had seen numerous ads for the company's plant-powered cleaning products. The marketing was excellent and I was optimistic. Having learned my lesson, however, I decided to check out their EWG rating before trying out their product myself. The good news was that my caution paid off. The bad news was that EWG gave it a "C" rating, defined as "MODERATE CONCERN - Some potential for hazards to health or the environment. At least some ingredient disclosure."

Back to the Drawing Board

Unfortunately, neither Amazon nor any of our local stores sold the only dishwashing liquid with an  earned the EWG Verified rating, the organization's highest endorsement. So, I switched my focus to dish soaps EWG-rated “A," defined as “LOWEST CONCERN - Few/no known or suspected hazards to health or the environment. Good ingredient disclosure." Once I eliminated any product that wasn't carried by our favorite stores and or on Amazon, only a handful of potential candidates remained in the running.

After trying to learn as much as I could about the products and the companies that made them, I felt confident about my final choice.

Puracy Natural Dish Soap Checked All the Boxes

Puracy Natural Dish Soap is safe and gentle enough
to use as an alternative to liquid hand soap, if needed.
(Don't use traditional dishwashing liquid to wash your hands!)

Highly Recommended by EWG, Business Insider and Consumers

• Rated "A” for safety and environmental impact by EWG
• Chosen as the best dish soap overall by Business Insider: "Puracy Natural Liquid Dish Soap is our top pick because it's effective on grease, safe for the environment, and gentle on your hands."
• Thousands of 4- and 5-star customer reviews on their website and on Amazon

Safe for Families, Pets, and The Environment

• No harsh chemicals, sulfates (SLS, SLES, SCS), triclosan, formaldehyde, parabens, phosphates, MEA, DEA, TEA, chlorine, bleach, petrochemicals, animal by-products, allergens, perfumes, dyes, or caustics
• Hypoallergenic, non-toxic, gluten-free, vegan
• BPA-free, recyclable packaging
• Concentrated formula that requires less soap to clean more dishes
• Cleans effectively even in areas with hard water
• 99.5% natural ingredients, only 0.5% synthetic ingredients
• Naturally-derived scents that, to me, smell better and are much subtler compared to other plant-based cleaners I have used
• The Green Tea & Lime scent is my favorite, and I also love smell of the Citrus & Sea Salt. I’m looking forward to trying the Organic Lemongrass as well.

Made in the USA

• All Puracy products are American made by a family-owned small business based in Austin, Texas

Trustworthy, Socially and Environmentally Responsible Company

• Transparent marketing and product labeling
• Every ingredient for every product and its function in the product formula is listed, described and explained
• Provides a clear, straightforward explanation of what Puracy means by "natural" ingredients and products
• Manufacturers frequently use the word "natural" in very misleading ways in their product marketing and labeling. Unfortunately, doing so is not against the law because, so far, the FDA has not provided a definition of "natural." So, the word "natural" can be used to mean almost anything the brand wants it to, unless the company is honest enough to spell out exactly what they mean by it.
• Gives back to the local community
• Puracy donates a portion of the proceeds from every purchased to local families in need
• Puracy’s packaging features original hand-drawn artwork that helps support local artists
• Cruelty-free
• No animal testing, certified cruelty-free by PETA and Leaping Bunny
• 100% biodegradable formula, easy to recycle packaging
• Bottles, pumps, sprayers, and caps made from PET(E), an inert, BPA-free plastic and the most widely recycled plastic worldwide (recycling logo #1)
• Liquid dish soap refills packaged in eco-friendly pouches

Superb Customer Service

• 100% money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied with a Puracy product for any reason—no hassle, no return required, no questions asked
• Superb, responsive, friendly customer service
• Questions answered promptly, helpfully and courteously
• One of the co-founders, Sean, often responds personally to customer questions on Amazon

I feel good that my purchases of Puracy's natural and safe cleaning products support a family-owned, American small business whose values are aligned with mine, and whose owners are proud and confident enough in the quality of their products to stand behind them with a no-hassle, 100% money-back guarantee if a customer isn’t a fan of one of their products, for whatever reason.

Puracy's Safe, Eco-Friendly Dish Soap Worked BETTER Than My Old Dishwashing Liquid - Without the Harsh, Toxic Chemicals! 

A Safer, Gentler, Greener Cleaner 

Puracy Natural Dish Soap’s formula is concentrated, so you need less of it compared to traditional dishwashing liquid. In my experience, it cuts through grease as well as, and maybe better than, the products with harsh, chemical-laden formulas I used years ago. And, while the lack of those harsh chemicals means it isn’t as effective at removing stubborn, burnt-on food from pots and pans, I find that adding a small squirt of Puracy liquid dish soap to the pans, filling them with very hot water and leaving them for 30-60 minutes usually is enough to loosen the food without needing to use a lot of elbow grease.

For decades, manufacturers of soaps and other cleaning products have been successfully brainwashing us that the more lather a soap produces, the more effectively it cleans. But the notion that more lather means more cleaning power simply isn’t true! If it were, how could dishwasher detergent and laundry detergent clean our dishes and clothes effectively, since both are specifically formulated not to produce lather or suds?

Yet, over many decades of misleading ad campaigns, manufacturers have psychologically manipulated consumers into believing that they can only get their dishes, pots, pans and even their hands and hair really clean by using soaps or shampoos that produce lots of lather. Of course, they fail to mention that the chemicals used to make these products lather abundantly are harsh, irritating and potentially harmful to people and animals, and potentially toxic to aquatic life.

It pains me when a reviewer occasionally complains about needing to use more Puracy Natural Dish Soap, compared to conventional brands, to produce the same amount of lather. My hope is that more consumers can become more knowledgeable about the effectiveness and safety of the ingredients in their cleaning products, as well as their effects on the environment and global ecosystem for current and future generations.

Save Money and Help Protect the Environment With Convenient 64-Ounce Refill Pouches

Puracy Dish Soap Refills:
Easy on the wallet,
easy on the environment

I bought the Puracy dishwashing liquid in a squirt bottle only once. Since then, I’ve been buying only the 64 oz. Puracy Natural Dish Soap Refills, which contain four times as much product as the 16 oz. bottles.

I really appreciate Puracy's decision to offer these large, money-saving, eco-friendly refill pouches for most of the products they make. By purchasing them and refilling my own, recycled bottle and the built-in soap dispenser at the back of the kitchen sink, my husband and I save more than 20% per ounce. Each refill pouch also saves 90% more plastic, water, and energy, compared to the equivalent amount of bottled soap (four 16-oz. bottles)!

And at a time when we're being urged to stay home as much as possible, avoid unnecessary trips to the store, and consolidate purchases as much as possible, being able to order these large refill pouches online, with free shipping for Amazon Prime members, is a great option. You can save even more with Amazon's Subscribe & Save option!

*Note: At the time of writing, the price of the 16-ounce bottles on Amazon was temporarily reduced, making the price per ounce the same for the individual bottles and the refills.

Refill Your Favorite Liquid Dish Soap Bottle or Dispenser

Like nearly all dishwashing liquids, Puracy Natural Dish Soap bottles have a squirt-type cap that must be pulled up before it will dispense the contents. Although the cap gets easier to pull up over time, both my husband and I prefer product containers that require less effort, like the pump bottles for liquid hand soap. So, after using up the squirt bottle of dish soap I bought initially, we now use the refill pouches for the built-in soap dispenser next to the kitchen sink faucet as well as a repurposed liquid soap pump bottle, since it's nice to be able to do dishes side-by-side without having to take turns accessing the dish soap.

If you're not a fan of squirt bottles, either, and don't happen to have kept an empty pump bottle you can reuse for this purpose, I suggest picking out an attractive glass soap dispenser bottle, preferably with a rust-proof or rust-resistant pump top, that you can fill with Puracy Natural Dish Soap from the 64-ounce refill pouches. I like this reasonably priced, textured glass liquid soap dispenser with a brushed nickel pump and a generous 16-ounce capacity, whose elegant but unpretentious design could complement nearly any style of kitchen decor, from contemporary to traditional, casual to formal.

Another option is a hands-free, automatic liquid soap dispenser. Most brands and models get mixed reviews and need to be used regularly and unclogged periodically, but if you're looking to take extra precautions to avoid spreading germs to other family members, you may want to consider something like the simplehuman 9 oz Liquid Soap Pump, Brushed Stainless Steel Touch-Free Sensor Dispenser, one of the better rated and more reasonably priced models from this well known, innovative product brand.

It's important to use Puracy Natural Dish Soap only in a dispenser designed for regular liquid soap, rather than in one made for foaming liquid soap formulas, which contain more water and are more dilute.

Puracy Natural Dish Soap: A Safe, Effective and Green Dishwashing Liquid Made in the USA reviewed by Margaret Schindel

Looking for more product reviews? You'll find many more on a wide range of topics from our Review This Reviews contributors at ReviewThisProducts.com.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

How to Make a Quilt Magic Kit Wall Hanging Reviewed

Last year I made a Quilt Magic wall hanging for each of my children for Christmas.  They turned out to be really beautiful gifts and a surprise that I hope my children will treasure.  

Quilt Magic Kits are awesome! They make a great beginner craft, as well as a unique project for more experienced crafters.  The kits take more time than you might expect, but that is part of the value of a finished project. 

I am well accustomed to working with fabric.  After all, I have been sewing since my early teens.  As an experienced crafter, I enjoy taking on new crafting challenges.  I tend to consider any new craft technique a call to action.  The Quilt Magic kits caught my attention immediately and seemed to beckon me.  Needless to say, I answered the call.

I immediately purchased a fabulous Quilt Magic wall hanging to make for our son.  However, I needed one for our daughter.  It took me two years to find the right kit for her, but as soon as I laid eyes on the elephant Quilt Magic Kit, I knew I had finally found the right one.  Then the fun began!

Quilt Magic Kits

The kits include almost everything you need.  You will also need scissors, an iron, and a punch tool for pushing the fabric into the form.  You can use a dull kitchen knife, but I highly recommend purchasing the Quilt Magic punch tool separately.  A standard kitchen knife doesn't have a pointed end, which you need for some corners.

Kits Include:  Pre-cut Form, Easy to Follow Pattern, & Fabric Pieces (to cut)

How to Make a Quilt Magic Kit Picture

I know you will be excited to get started on the project, but you need to iron the fabric first.  This is extremely important!  You will not want the fabric to be creased.  You need it to lay flat when "punching" it into the form. 

I cut out the pieces from each fabric, pinned their numbered pattern piece to the cut fabric, and placed them in a baggy until I was ready to add the piece.  I had a separate baggy for each fabric.

Start with the border & back.  The back piece is one large piece that you attach to the form by folding the ends over the front side and pressing the edges in the border grooves.  You will need to trim the fabric at the corners twice to make the fabric slip into the cut corner grooves.  Be careful not to cut too much off.  There is no extra fabric included for mistakes.

Note:  The corners of the form are not pre-cut deep enough to hold the fabric.  You will need to cut the corner form groove with a sharp knife per the enclosed instructions.  Otherwise, all of the grooves are pre-cut for you.

   

From here on, it is pretty smooth sailing.  You simply match the number on the piece to the number on the pattern and push the fabric into the pre-cut grooves for each section.

I opted to add the the pieces cut from each fabric all at one time.  However, you may prefer to add the pieces section by section, left to right, or whatever type of layout organization works best for you.  I have friends who would rather see the project come to life one area at a time.

 
The Quilt Magic no-sew kits are easy, but they do take longer than advertised to make.  Each picture kit took several days to cut and assemble, but the end results were definitely worth the time.

Quilt Magic Wall Hanging Gift for My Son

 

Quilt Magic Wall Hanging Gift for My Daughter

You may or may not wish to frame your finished Quilt Magic wall hanging.  Both of my children opted for a Quilt Magic Frame for easy hanging.  But, they are not necessary.

A Variety of Quilt Magic Kits Are Available

Quilt Magic Kits are available in many different styles, colors and themes. There are even holiday Quilt Magic Kits for those who enjoy holiday wall decor.

 Quilt Magic 12-Inch by 12-Inch Butterfly Kit, 11.75Check Price Quilt Magic 12-Inch by 12-Inch Happy Home KitCheck Price Quilt Magic Lion Kit, LionCheck Price Quilt Magic 10-Inch by 19-Inch Lighthouse KitCheck Price

 

See More Quilt Magic Kits by Clicking Here!

 

 Read More Crafts & DIY Reviews On
ReviewThisCrafts.com!

How to Make a Quilt Magic Kit Wall Hanging Reviewed  written by:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Favorite TV Show Cookbooks

I love finding new recipes and I particularly love finding home cooking family recipes! Cooking shows have become quite a business with channels devoted to cooking 24/7, but are the recipes good?

I separate TV Show Cooks from Celebrity Cooks as cooks who became popular because of their TV show versus a celebrity introducing a cookbook as part of their brand.

Defining a good recipe is of course subjective, but some of the main components for me of a good recipe include: easy, real ingredients, affordable and authentic. I'll never forget one of the first recipes I tried from a TV show tasted wonderful; however it was one of the most time consuming recipes I have ever made with expensive ingredients I had to search the city to obtain. Easy and affordable it was not.

However, I am now a more seasoned cook and recipe evaluator and always love a 'good' cookbook. There is still nothing like a full size cookbook to give or receive; the internet is quick and convenient to find recipes, but is not the same experience of reading a cookbook.

There are a few TV Show Cookbooks I regularly visit and find the recipes promise as deliver. I also am a fan of their TV Show and regularly watch their shows.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Home Cooking With Trisha Yearwood 

Love these recipes! I am a fan of Trisha's family recipes. I also enjoy watching the cooking show with Trisha.

Home Cooking is full of family recipes made with recognizable ingredients, but with their family tweak on
the recipes.

Yummy southern cooking!

Fun snack recipe >> Sweet And Saltines Recipe

In The Kitchen With David: Comfort Foods That Take You Home

David Venable is QVC's Foodie and cooking show host. I stumbled upon David's show and the show became a favorite as I love to look at the new kitchen gadgets; unfortunately for QVC I am a watcher not a buyer, but did purchase and enjoy David's cookbook.
All recipes are easy and true comfort food.

When I am searching for an old or new comfort food recipe I turn to this cookbook for ideas.

David's classic recipe >> Mashed Potatoes Three Ways

Pioneer Woman A Year Of Holidays

I am a fan of the Pioneer Woman. Real ingredients with no apologies. There is a place for real butter, real cream and all things comfort food (in moderation of course!)
What is nice about this cookbook is the organization by holiday.

A Year Of Holidays is a great resource for traditional and perhaps new ideas for your holiday menu.

All meals of a holiday are covered in each chapter which is so clever and reader friendly.

A favorite Pioneer Woman recipe >> Perfect Pot Roast Recipe






Any of these three cookbooks make a great gift for your favorite cook! Bon Appetit!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

5 Steps to Help You Pre-Plan Your Dorm for Maximum Organization and Comfort

5 Steps to help you maximize space in your dorm

If you're planning to live in a Dorm, you already know that managing space is critical to creating a comfortable, livable room.

Step 1 - A Checklist of Needed Items

Before deciding upon how you'll furnish your dorm room, you'll need a college checklist of things to bring. If you don't have a list, there's a convenient ready-to-use list at BigFuture. Their list breaks down suggested items you'll need by category.

Here's a Summary of the Categories on the BigFuture Checklist:

•  Items for the Room's Décor and Storage Considerations
•  Linens and Laundry Supplies
•  Your Office and Desk Supplies
•  Electronics
•  Items You'll be Sharing with a Roommate
•  Toiletries and Clothing 
•  Household and Kitchen Items

Be sure to head over and check out their ready-to-use checklist, it's very detailed. You'll find the site a helpful resource for your college planning.

Step 2 - Acquire a Layout of Your Dorm Room

Take a dorm room photo or acquire a floor plan layout from your college or university. Get or take the measurements of the room itself. Be sure to mark or know where the main door, closet doors and windows are located in the space. Mark them on your photo or floor plan.

Step 3 - Do You Have a Roommate?

You'll know the answer to this fairly quickly. As basic as it sounds, it's critical to maximizing space in your dorm. Determine which items you'll both share and where the dividing line in the room will be. Is the window centrally located and accessible to both or will one of you have the side with a window? How about the closet or hopefully closets?

Step 4 - What Furniture Comes with the Dorm? Can It be Replaced With Your Own?

Is there a bed and a desk in the space? Do you like them? If not, can the school's items be removed and replaced with your own? Does the Dorm come with a mini-fridge and or microwave? If not, can you bring your own?

Step 5 - Where Can You Maximize Storage Space?

Traditionally in dorms, you create storage under the bed or by going vertical. If you want to see how some of the pro's have done it, check out these designs. You'll see ideas for mini-fridge and microwave storage, raised beds to create storage space and hutches above the bed and over a desk.

What Size and Style of Storage Bins or Containers Will Work Best?

Bringing a bunch of storage containers without knowing where they'll go and if they'll fit is unwise. Double check what will work for your dorm's design. The way to do this is by measuring your space, your furnishings, and knowing ahead of time the bed you'll be using.

Here are options for different types of storage items:

•  Over-the-door storage hanging units
•  Under the bed storage containers (what size, how big - check under the bed height)
•  Benches that double as storage
•  Hanging wall storage items
•  Cabinets with storage
•  A hutch over the desk for storage
•  Shelving units for the wall
•  A bed headboard with storage

View a collection of the above items plus many other storage product ideas here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Cabinet Door Spice Gripper Clips Strips Reviewed

Sometimes the simplest things are truly the best solutions! 

I have spent months trying to find a spice rack for my kitchen that would be pretty and convenient.   I looked at shelves, counter-top carousels, cabinet shelf risers and more.   I even considered converting one of my kitchen drawers into a spice holder.  But none of those ideas were the solutions I really wanted.

In our previous home, I had a gorgeous spice cabinet that I absolutely loved.  However, when we moved into our current house, that rack was too tall to hang on the wall between my cabinets and counter.  While I welcomed the taller kitchen cabinets, I really did hate to say goodbye to my lovely spice rack, but life moved on.  

At that time, I settled for an ugly, plastic carousel that would fit in my panty which was meant to be a temporary solution.  Now, nearly 20 years later, I am still using that carousel, except over the years it has been shoved further and further back into the pantry so I don't have to look at it every time I open the pantry door.  The spices I used most often sat on the front of the pantry shelf for easy access, but when I needed something behind them, it was a major pain to move everything around. 

This past Thanksgiving highlighted how desperately I needed a different spice storage solution.  With at least 4 cooks in my kitchen, too much of my own time was spent searching for the spices we needed back on the old carousel.  If anyone else tried to find a spice, they inevitably knocked jars off the spinning carousel.  

Truly, enough was enough!   And, so the search begin.  You can see my solution pictured on the right.

Pantry Door Spice Holder Installation

I resolved my problem with a set of Spice Gripper Clip Strips.  These strips were extremely easy to put up.  I cleaned the door with the alcohol pad that was included, removed the back tape protector strip and pressed my new gripper clips in place.  I did not use the included screws.  They were not necessary.   

My new spice holders are lightweight and plastic which means they will probably break eventually with daily use, but they are so inexpensive that I am not sweating that eventuality.  The convenience of having my spices hung on the pantry door is well worth any downside in the future.

Viola', instant spice rack inside my panty door and extremely convenient! 

I will be the very first to tell you how shocked I am that I love, I mean absolutely love my new spice gripper clips.  I should have done this decades ago.

 

Pantry Door Spice Holders Description

 SimpleHouseware 30 Spice Gripper Clips Strips Cabinet Holder - 6 Strips, Holds 30 JarsCheck PriceThe gripper clip strips have 5 clips per strip.  However, you can separate them into shorter strips if so desired.  The 5 clip strips are perfect for my pantry door, so I didn't need to shorten them.  

I was originally concerned that the space used when the door closed would be basically the same if the spices were still sitting on the shelf.  But, I was amazed to see that less than an inch of space is required to remain bare on the shelf in the front to accommodate the hanging spices.  Fabulous!  Not only do I have new convenient spice holders, but they are also space-savers.  Even better!!!

The strip package is a combination of white hangers and black hangers.  I used both.  Mixing them does not bother me even though I thought it would.  Perhaps, I am just grateful to have a spice holder solution. 

The only negative that I have found is that I will be required to replace each spice with the size spice jar on each clip once I use it the first time.  Since the hangers are plastic, they won't spring back to a smaller size once they are stretched out to hold a wide bottle.  Again, I can live with that.  After all, there are no nail or screw holes in my pantry door and I prefer that mild downside over holes in my cabinet door.

 

 Simple Houseware 30 Spice Gripper Cabinet Holder - 6 Strips, Holds 30 JarsCheck Price

    

Reviewing Plastic Bag Sealing Clips

 Click to Buy a Set of 38 Plastic Sealing Bag Clips
One of the cheaper, yet indispensable items in my kitchen are my plastic bag clips. We use these without even thinking about it and yet I don't think I've ever seen them reviewed - until now that is!

Have you ever tried them? They usually come in packs, often consisting of different size clips and they are an absolute godsend in my kitchen let me tell you.

I thought everyone used them until one of the young accountants I work with came out holding a small one and asked 'do you know what this is?' Even after telling him what it was used for he looked at me as though I was from another planet - so maybe NOT everyone has them!

Why Do You Need Plastic Bag Sealing Clips?  

To keep your food fresh of course!  Seriously I use these bag clips for lots of different things.  People who know me (or have read some of my posts on kitchen organization) would know that I do like to use containers to store things in, but sometimes that's not always possible.

Photo by Lou of Lou's Designs

Let me give you two examples - if you look at the photo you'll see I have a bag of spiral pasta and a bag of brown rice with sealing clips on them.

I usually have dried spaghetti and dried penne at home and I keep them in containers, but I wanted to try a recipe using spiral pasta.  Now I could have found a container and used my favorite pink labelling machine to label it spiral pasta, but I didn't know if I'd be buying another packet so I just used a bag clip.

With the brown rice I had a container with basmati rice in it and one with long grain white rice.  I have just brought a new container to use for the brown rice, but for the last month (the previous brown rice I had came in a resealable bag) I've used a bag clip as you can see.

How to Keep Chips Fresh After Opening The Bag?

You simply grab some bag clips!  I love my bag clips when it comes to corn chips as when making nachos using corn chips I usually have some left in the bag.  Now we used to just snack on them until they were finished, but by saving them (we usually have nachos on the weekend instead of takeout) I find that I'm saving myself one bag of corn chips a month on my grocery bill!

We haven't been having nachos as much lately and I realized that I'd had a bag of corn chips in the pantry (sealed with a clip) for three weeks and you know what - they were still fresh!  Need I say more.

Now chocolate is my downfall, but my husband's weakness is potato chips and it's often cheaper to purchase large bags than smaller ones, but I really don't want him to eat a large bag - I also don't want to waste any.  Since we've found that our bag sealing clips work so well with corn chips we've tested them on potato chips and they keep them fresh too - win/win!

Can You Use Plastic Food Clips in the Freezer?

Photo by Lou16

Absolutely!  I don't know how you store your packets of frozen peas or frozen sweetcorn once you've opened them, but I use food clips.  I figured if they were plastic they would be fine and I was right!

Are There Other Uses for Plastic Bag Sealing Clips?

Probably, but these are the ones I use them for and I think that is plenty.  Let me know if you have other uses for them in the comments.

For an inexpensive 'gadget' this is one kitchen tool that everyone should have in their kitchens.  I know some people say well I use ziplock bags and I admit I use them too, but seriously if you can use the bag it came in why waste more plastic bags for storage?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Organizing Your Kitchen Cupboards - Where to Start?

Organizing your kitchen cabinets!

I don't know about you, but my kitchen cupboards get messy (and we won't even talk about the odds 'n ends drawer!).  I think in my mind I believe I should have a walk in pantry, but in reality I don't which means that it's not big enough!  Back in the real world I'm sure that my pantry is big enough for my household, I just need to review how to organize it better!

I did buy an expandable metal shelf for the cupboard that houses my mugs and teas and this was fantastic, but I didn't think it would work the best for my pantry.

Problem number one is herbs and spices.  Now the old spice racks that I used to have would be great except I have no where to put them and also I have a couple of herbs and spices that I buy in larger containers as I use more of them.

Problem number two is cans.  I buy quite a few canned goods especially when they're on special, but I have to stack them on top of each other to see what I have and if I want to use something it can no longer be stacked so it sits behind something else and get's doubled up.

A solution?  I came across a three tier cabinet organizer and thought yes, this could be it!  I tested it out with my herbs and spices and then with my cans and went back to get a second one.

Now I know you can get can organizers that you can fit lots of cans in and they just roll out, but I just didn't think that would work very well in my home.  With this three tier organizer I can pop on my cans and see at a glance what I have.  Now you might look at the image and think well I can't read what the label says, but I pretty much know what the cans I buy look like so I can see enough to know exactly what's there.

Click image to go to Amazon and check the price of this awesome organizer (and buy it if you want to!)

As far as my herbs and spices go I find it works well, but it may not be the best organization solution for you as you don't really see the names on the spices.

Photo by Lou16

Check out my image to see what I mean.  Now this is fine by me because I keep my herbs and spices in alphabetical order except for the the larger containers which aren't showing (they're to the right if I had a better photo to show you).

If that sounds a little OCD - it's not, I just worked retail for a decade and in my mind alphabetical for herbs is the way to go!

I also know exactly what herbs and spices I have - someone coming into my kitchen may have problems using my organizer, but you know what?  I don't care, I just want to have it organized for me (and my husband as he's a great cook)!

I have a few other problem areas that need to be organized and I'm working on them.   I need to organize my cake decorating stuff - I have an idea on how to do that so stay tuned!

Another problem area is all of the bulk foods that I have especially since my daughter turned vegan.  I also think I have a solution for this problem too so there will definitely be a follow up post on organizing your kitchen cupboards.

Do you use anything special to organize your pantry?

One thing that my entire home lacks is enough storage so I've tried lots of different ways to keeping things organized, I hope to share more with you in the future.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Reviewing Recipe Cards on Zazzle

Professionally Printed Recipe Cards on Zazzle 

I love the recipe cards on Zazzle!  The recipes are awesome, of course, but I love being able to purchase the recipes printed on postcards with the photo of the prepared food on the front.

They are especially great when they are associated with articles with lots of photos or videos of the recipe being prepared.

It is really cool to discover a new recipe online and to also be able to purchase the recipe card for my own personal recipe binder.

Because these recipe cards are professionally printed on heavy weight card stock with glossy photos, they also make a lovely presentation suitable for gift giving.  Wouldn't they be perfect for a new bride or someone setting up their home and kitchen for the first time?

Here are a few of my personal favorite recipe cards from Zazzle.

Easy Banana Pudding Recipe Postcard by susan52z

Easy Banana Pudding Recipe by Susan Deppner

 

Banana Pudding is one of my favorite desserts!

My own mother makes a banana pudding for me every year for my birthday because I actually prefer it over a birthday cake.  Mom usually cooks her pudding, but Susan offers a faster, easier way to prepare Banana pudding.

This is one recipe card that I had to add to my own personal recipe binder!

Susan originally published her recipe on Hubpages. 

Blackberry Cobbler Recipe Card Postcard by Sylvestermouse

Blackberry Cobbler Recipe Card by Sylvestermouse

This is my own recipe for Blackberry Cobbler.

The recipe was passed down from my mother, who happens to be my all time favorite cook. Mom knows how to make the best of everything!

Our recipe for Blackberry Cobbler is quite delicious, as well as easy to make.

The associated article is also currently published on CookingfortheHolidays.com where I show a step by step photo tutorial.  The recipe is so easy that the photo tutorial is not really necessary, but it is still fun to look at.  Be sure you watch for the featured mouse!

Lemon Cookie Recipe Postcard by mbgphoto

 

Lemon Cookie Recipe by Mbgphoto

These cookies are definitely a "savor the flavor" cookie!

I know you will love this recipe as much as I do.  Oh, perhaps I should tell you what a delicious companion these lemon cookies are with a cup of coffee.  They make the perfect combination of hot, sweet and delectable.

The associated article on Mary Beth's lemon cookies can be found on Hubpages by simply clicking this link.

More Recipe Cards on Zazzle 

Here are a few more recipe cards that I personally offer on Zazzle.  The Peach Cobbler recipe is a real crowd pleaser and the Peanut Butter Fudge recipe makes the best ever fudge!  Both of these recipes are from my own family recipe binder.

They were also given to me by my mother and are true family traditions in our homes.

 Peach Cobbler Recipe Postcard Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe Card

Creating Your Own Recipe Cards on Zazzle

Creating your own recipe cards on Zazzle is actually very easy. You simply choose to "create a postcard", add the photo of the food on the front and the recipe on the back. As you can see, we each chose different fonts when we made our recipe cards. You select the font that you think looks the best or that is most legible. You do not have to offer your recipe cards for sale on Zazzle to create and purchase your own recipe cards for your personal use.

You may also enjoy reading Discover the Ease of Recipe Card Organization

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

FOLLOW US ON: