Pantry Wisdom

Healthy Snacks That Support Simple Living (and Happy Kids)

April 18, 2025 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Why I Don’t Believe in Snacking (Most of the Time)

I don’t usually snack. I’m also not in the habit of eating after 6 p.m. But last night? I gave in to my body’s craving for something nourishing and fell into bliss with peanut butter stuffed dates. They hit the spot. Healthy snacks for the win!

Truth be told, I consider myself lucky. In the grand sweep of history, the habit of snacking is a relatively new one. For most of human history, people didn’t eat between meals—not because they were especially disciplined, but because they didn’t have the option.

Snacking is a byproduct of food abundance, industrialization, and clever marketing. And while I appreciate a good homemade snack now and again, I try not to make it a habit.

Snacking: A Modern Habit

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9 Ways to Give Vanilla Bean Scraps A New Life

April 24, 2023 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Don’t toss those precious pods in the compost after scraping out that fragrant black gold — get everything you possibly can out of them!

Maybe you finished up a pastry project that has left you with vanilla pod fragments. Perhaps you have spent vanilla beans from making homemade vanilla extract. Either way, one of these ideas is bound to inspire you to turn something from what’s often considered nothing.

If your pods are coming from a near-empty jar of extract, then yes, the alcohol has extracted everything good from those fragrant orchid beans. However, they’ve been marinating in their own extract which makes them fair game. Don’t let them go to waste!

WATCH THE VIDEO

If you’re more of a visual learner, here is the accompanying video for this post. I’m more active on YouTube these days than I am on here, so be sure to subscribe to my channel if you consider yourself old-fashioned at heart and would like to follow along.

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20 Rationing Tips from WWII (in case you need them)

January 17, 2022 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Rationing tips were plentiful during WWII. Here are twenty vintage pointers that might help you, too, if you ever find yourself in a pinch.

Source: World War 2 Ration Books And Stamps D. D. Teoli Jr. A. C.

In 1940, Britain began rationing; in 1942, Canada and the US followed suit. Goods that had previously been taken for granted either became scarce or cost dearly.

Ration stamps were distributed to every household, granting families a purchasing allowance for meat, butter, sugar, coffee, tea, dairy and preserves. Needless to say, this changed the way folks ate.

Since resources were being focussed on the war effort, there was a massive shift from importation to local production and consumption. To do their part on the homefront, women had to be creative in the kitchen, making do with what they could buy for their families. There’s a lot we can learn from them.

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30 Foods Our Great-Grandmothers NEVER Bought

September 6, 2021 by Sylvia Rose 6 Comments

Making these foods from scratch is not only healthier, but it’ll save money, too! How many of these staples are you making at home?

I’ll admit it. Making food from scratch isn’t always the easiest thing to do, especially when you’re balancing multiple plates. Work. Kids. Cleaning. Meals.

In the case of my own great-grandmother, she stayed at home to take care of her family.

It was pre and post-war Germany, so food was scarce and while some of the things on this list weren’t within her scope, everything she placed on the table was homemade.

I personally stay at home, so I have the time to make food from scratch, but if that’s not you, don’t worry.

I’ll explain how you can start making some of your own pantry staples without getting overwhelmed.

Because at the end of the day, food prepared at home not only tastes better, but it’s healthier and cheaper, too.

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Hate Grocery Shopping? Stock up the Pantry this Fall!

September 3, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 3 Comments

Do you hate grocery shopping as much as I do these days? Here’s how to preserve the summer harvest this fall. Let’s fill up that larder!

stocking up the pantry with homemade salsa

STOCKING UP THE PANTRY THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY

Once upon a time, grocery stores weren’t the primary destination to put a meal on the table.

Soup didn’t come out of a can, a helper didn’t come out of a box, and fast food had to be caught.

Families worked long and hard together to store up enough food to last them through the winter, and the majority of that supply was produced on their own land.

Before the dawn of modern refrigeration, almost every home had a root cellar or some sort of cold room to store their goods.

Potatoes, carrots, cabbages, and other hardy vegetables were carefully packed away.

There were bushels of apples, large crocks of homemade sauerkraut, and cured meats.

In the attic, there might be braids of onions and garlic and herbs hanging to dry for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

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Making Homemade Vanilla Extract (Edible Gifts)

July 3, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Making vanilla extract from scratch is a reward all on its own. Whether it’s to save a bit of money, enhance your baking experience, or make a thoughtful handmade gift, there’s something special about extracting your own vanilla flavour.

MAKING VANILLA EXTRACT FROM SCRATCH

To some, making a vanilla extract from scratch seems out of the realm of possibility. The truth is, it couldn’t be easier to make!

No matter how many different ways you roll the dice, vanilla is expensive.

Taking the DIY approach, however, will save you a few bucks and give you a cool kitchen project. All you need is a handful of vanilla beans, a half-pint mason jar, 80-proof alcohol, and six months’ worth of patience.

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