Preparedness # 35

Preparedness#35–Flu Update & Tin Can Ice Cream

As you may have guessed by the articles in the newspaper and TV etc. the flu season starts on October 4^th this year. (Who decides these dates? Does this mean we can’t get the flu sooner, yea and the Hurricane season too!) Anyway, here is the latest from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta on how to keep the flu under control. Utah is listed as having ‘sporadic outbreaks which is normal for this time of year. Other states like Arizona for example have significant problems with this flu already. (next door)

Five Tips For Keeping Kids [young and old] Flu Free

Tip 1: Make sure your children get a seasonal flu vaccine and the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. This week, Secretary Sebelius announced the H1N1 vaccine will be ready in early October. But the seasonal flu vaccine is available right now! The best way to protect against the flu – seasonal or 2009 H1N1 – is to get vaccinated. Children older than 6 months are a priority group for the H1N1 vaccine, which means they will be among the first to get the vaccine when it’s available. For more information about the H1N1 vaccine, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination.

Tip 2: Encourage healthy hygiene in your home. Remind your kids to wash their hands and to cover their mouths with a tissue or shirt sleeve when they cough. Also, encourage them not to share drinks or eating utensils with their friends. For more guidance on hygiene tips for flu prevention, visit www.cdc.gov/cleanhands and http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/covercough.htm.

Tip 3: Make an effort to keep your kids’ play areas and toys clean. Use sanitizing wipes to wipe down toys, video games, and the computer. Visit http://nrckids.org for more information on cleaning in early childhood settings.

Tip 4: We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again - if your child has a fever or displays symptoms of the flu, including body aches, sore throat, headache or a cough, keep your child home from school.

Tip 5: Regularly visit www.flu.gov this flu season for the latest news about the flu and the vaccine, and for more tips to keep your family healthy this flu season.

To read the CDC’s Child Care and Early Childhood Guidance, visit http://www.flu.gov/professional/school/childguidance.html.

As promised, I have another way to use the empty gallon storage cans from the dry pack cannery or other sources. (This is my excuse for this being appropriate for the insert.) You will need a plastic snap on lid which you should have gotten with your order. If not, borrow or….. you will probably find it worth it to get a few extra.

Tin Can Ice cream

1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Half and Half – (add a little more if the milk is skim or 1%)
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Nuts or Fruit, as desired – We used frozen peaches(thawed) and peach yogurt

(I add a small container or 2 of yogurt in the flavor of the fruit added.)
1. Combine ingredients in a one quart Zip Loc Freezer bag.

2. Place inside a number 10 (gallon) food storage can like you get from the dry pack cannery.
3. Hold the bag upright in the middle of the can and Pack with crushed ice. Pour 1/2 cup rock salt evenly over ice. (Ice maker ice cubes work OK)
4. Place a tight fitting lid on the number 10 can. Tape with masking tape or Duct tape. (It is possible for the lid to come off and the contents to spill.)
5. Roll the can back and forth on a table or the floor or on the grass at the park or front lawn for about 15 minutes.

You may feel the bag inside rattling around like a thud in which case it has frozen solid and is ready to open. If you open and the ice cream is not firm, add a little more ice and a little more salt and roll some more. Don’t pour the salty water on the grass or plants or it will look like you had a very large dog visit your garden and it will last a long time!

It will be interesting to see what variations you come up with. M&Ms, gummy bears, okra? We will try Splenda instead of sugar and some other fruits. Let me know what works. Is this stretching preparedness? Nola and I reasoned that if we could dry whipping cream that there might be a reason for doing this! It’s fun and tasty and has no air or extra chemicals!

gv3grant@gmail.com 435 628-2739 http://rupreparedgv3.blogspot.com 9/20/09