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Ignore Your Oven, Fire up Your Grill

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commissarysaleinJuly

Grill your dinner tonight.

My monthly meal plan took a nosedive last week. For the majority of the year, my family eats home-cooked meals consisting of a meaty main dish, two colorful vegetable side dishes and a fruity dessert. Once I flipped the calendar to July, this mother decided to lighten up on dinner.

During the summer we take advantage of the long and lazy days by avoiding the hot stove and quickly preparing dinner on the grill. When it’s hot, I don’t feel like cooking. When it’s hot, my family doesn’t feel like eating. It’s a win-win.

Our favorite summer meal? Hot dogs.

I will proudly repeat that. We eat hot dogs. A lot of them. But not just any hot dogs. We are strictly a Hebrew National family. The no-filler, no-artificial flavors of Hebrew National All-Beef Dogs taste delicious with or without ketchup and mustard. They are also twice the size of your average hot dog. That’s why Hebrew National dogs are the Nats Dog at Nationals Park near the Navy Yard. I filled up on just 1 jumbo hot dog at a baseball game on Mother’s Day 2013.

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July 23 is National Hot Dog Day. Celebrate with pigs in a blanket or a more traditional wiener. The choice is yours. But whatever you do, buy your Hebrew National Beef Franks at your military commissary. Regular, bun-length and jumbo are all on sale this month at your military commissary.

Do you know what else is on sale during the month of July? Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil! An essential component for grilling. I like to partner my hot dogs with Corn with Chili Lime Butter, Roasted Garlic Asparagus or Grilled Stuffed Zucchini. Once you start grilling, you can’t stop. Keep the Reynolds Wrap on hand … you never want to run out during the summer grilling season.

grilledcorn

Combine corn on the cob with hot dogs for a complete summer meal.

Finally, if you ignore every food holiday during the year, you don’t want to miss July 20. It’s National Ice Cream Day. It’s the 1 day of the year when my 2-year-old gets her wish fulfilled: ice cream for breakfast. Since it is breakfast, I try to keep it healthy with Outshine Fruit Bars. Then I can also sneak in a bit of vegetables. We save the Lil’ Drumsticks for desserts. Both are on sale right now at your military commissary.

nationalicecreamday

July 20 is National Ice Cream Day. Do you want a cone or a dish?

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The Right Way to Select Ripe Produce

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Use this guide to select ripe, not rotten, produce.

Choose fruits that are free of flaws and firm.

Choosing perfectly ripe produce can feel like a game of Russian Roulette. There’s nothing like picking up a beautiful looking watermelon to find it mealy inside when you cut into it.

One of the main things to remember when handling produce is to be gentle. If you bruise it, you buy it! I’m kidding. That would be a horrible practice.

A good rule of thumb when selecting produce is to check the surface of the fruit or vegetable for flaws, gently squeeze and use your nose to guide you.

Avocados should have a darker skin and should be soft– but not too soft– when you gently squeeze them. If they’re too hard, you can always speed up the ripening process by putting them in a paper bag for a day or two. On the other hand, you can keep them from ripening too fast by placing them in the refrigerator.

If you’re shopping at a farmers’ market, don’t be afraid to ask for a sample.

Berries can be tricky, especially during the summer months. Mold is the thing to watch for when choosing berries, especially raspberries or blackberries, which are more delicate. Use your nose to detect unseen mold and try to buy berries in paper containers during peak season.

Cantaloupes and other melons should have a scent to them. If you push along the end opposite where the stem or vine was, you should be able to tell what type of melon it is by its scent. Watermelons are a bit different though, as they don’t have a scent. Look for ones that are heavy and avoid flat sides.

Citrus fruits that are too hard will probably not be juicy. Look for ones that are heavy and have a bit of give to them when you squeeze them.

Guide to buying ripe, not rotten, produce at your military commissary.

Buying produce in paper containers keeps away mold.

Tomatoes should be brightly colored and firm. Storing them at room temperature keeps the flavors from going bland.

Peppers should have a smooth skin and be firm. They should not feel rubbery if you squeeze them gently.

Choosing perfectly ripe produce can feel like a game of Russian Roulette.

Wrinkles and sprouts are signs of a bad potato. If you can, buy potatoes individually instead of prepackaged, so you know what you’re getting. Store in a cool, dark place.

Zucchini should be firm and smooth. You can tell how fresh or not, a zucchini or summer squash is by examining the tip. Don’t buy them if they’re squishy or dry.

If you’re shopping at a farmers’ market, don’t be afraid to ask for a sample. Many farmers are willing to let you taste before you buy. If you’re at the grocery store, seek out an employee or the produce manager if you have questions or print off this handy guide from Martha Stewart.

Get more tips from the University of Maryland Extension:

What are your favorite tips for choosing perfect produce?

Click2Go Services Available at Commissary

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Information about the Click2Go service at military commissaries.

Click2Go services allow commissary shoppers to buy groceries online and pick them up curbside.

Recently I heard about a new service at certain military commissaries that is going to make life a lot easier for commissary shoppers.

Click2Go services!

With this type of service you can order your groceries online, choose a time you want to go get them, pickup your food and head home. You will be able to pickup your food curbside. What a great convenience.

This type of service is ideal for the military community where most families have to bring all the children to the store with them. It also will be handy for those with special needs. I would have loved to have something like this when my kids were younger. It would have saved time and a lot of stress.

Unfortunately, it is currently only offered at 3 commissaries: Fort Lee, Offutt Air Force Base and Travis Air Force Base.

How does Click2Go work?

You create an account, log-in and then virtually browse through all the foods. Add the foods you want to your online cart. When you are ready to check out, you can do so by reserving your pickup time. You can also tell the system if you are OK with replacement orders if they are out of stock of one of the foods you have put in your cart. Once you submit your order, you should be able to pick it up at your selected time.You must place your order at least 6 hours before you want to pickup your food.

How do I pay with Click2Go?

Most grocery items will be offered with this system. There will be a limited amount of meat, bakery, deli and seafood items. You will not pay for the groceries online. You pay when you pickup the items. You will be given an estimated total but the actual total will be based on the prices at the time of pickup.

What you need to know about the Click2Go services at your military commissary.

New Click2Go services are ideal for military families.

Should I tip with Click2Go?

It is also important to know that you are not allowed to tip the person that brings out the food.

You can visit the Click2Go website for more information.

I think this service could be a good one. I think time will tell if it works out the way it should. I am sure if it is going to come to other commissaries, but that will not happen for a few more years.

Here is one military spouse’s review of the Click2Go service.

Have you or would you use the Click2Go service at the commissary? Have you used a curbside grocery service similar to this one?

 

Deployed Spouse Causes Distraction, Worry

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Untitled-2Dear MilitaryShoppers,

My husband is currently deployed. I feel lucky to have a job that keeps me busy, but honestly I‘m distracted at work. I am constantly checking my phone to see if my husband called and I’m not sleeping well at night. I feel like I might quit my job. What should I do?

Signed,

Distracted Milso in Virginia Beach

 

Dear Distracted Milso,

I can totally understand always wanting to check your phone to see if you missed a call. I also know how hard it can be to not be able to sleep at night.

One thing that might help is writing your husband letters as well as writing in a journal every night. By writing him letters you will feel like he is more connected to you and you can write them at anytime. You don’t have to wait for him to be online or call you. By writing in a journal each night you will be able to fall asleep a little easier. If you can get all your worry out on paper, it will make you feel a little better and more likely to sleep.

How to Keep Busy When Your Husband is Deployed

Try to keep your phone in a drawer while you are at work.

As for if you should quit your job or not, I think it depends. What would you do to fill the time that you would normally be at work? You want to stay as busy as possible so if you know you would be bored without a job, it is not a good idea to quit. You might want to make a list of pros and cons about your job to see what would be the best decisions for you.

If you feel comfortable enough you could talk to your boss about what is going on and see if he or she has any suggestions to help make work a little easier for you. You could also try to keep your phone in a drawer or out of sight while you are at work.

Good luck to you. Remember that as hard as deployments are, they don’t last forever. It is just about figuring out the best way to make it through them.

Do you have a military community question? We want to hear from you. Submit your question today.

Accepting PTSD as Normal, Not the Exception

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The 4 letters that could destroy your career: PTSD.

One of the biggest misconceptions in the military right now is that seeking help for PTSD will ruin your career.

Only, it won’t.

I can understand why this misconception is believed. Our service members are trained to be tough and strong to go to war and while not expressly stated, it’s insinuated that seeking help for any kind of distress (mental or physical) is seen as “weak” and “broken.”

That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Seeking help takes an incredible amount of strength and courage.

Here is the saddest part. Studies have shown that our service members WANT help. Researchers asked 2,500 soldiers in Georgia to fill out the standard Post-Deployment Health Assessment twice– once on record and a second time anonymously. Over 68% took part in both surveys and the results nearly doubled for any questions about PTSD and treatment. How insane is that?

Soldiers are tailoring their answers to the questions about their health based on what they think their supervisors want to see.

But at what cost? A rise in suicide attempts, domestic violence and divorce.

No matter what your relationship is to the military– a spouse, active-duty service member, veteran, parent, family member or friend– each one of us has been touched in some way by the effects of PTSD and non-treatment.

And when something horrible happens, we wonder what we could have done, how we could have prevented it and how sad it is that they couldn’t get help.

It’s a vicious cycle that needs to end. There should be no reason why our service members continue to suffer in silence.

Because when you think about it, they aren’t suffering alone. Their families are suffering too. One study showed a tie between PTSD and a higher rate of domestic violence.

While that isn’t a very big surprise, imagine the family whose service member returns home and begins verbal or physical abuse that wasn’t there before. While the spouse may suspect PTSD, any urging to get treatment is met with more violence because who are they to question the person who just lived through hell?

PTSD and combat stress affect nearly all of our military members.

PTSD and combat stress affect all of our military members and families.

It’s a no-win for everyone.

What’s the solution?

Stop glorifying war and start treating war as the traumatic situation that it is. Because until we begin to expect PTSD to be the norm, instead of the exception, we will continue to miss a diagnosis.

That is unacceptable.

 

Your Turn: What barriers exist for PTSD treatment for today’s active duty?

No Crying at the Commissary

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3 Tips to Entertaining Your Child While Shopping at the Commissary

Never take your child to the commissary right before naptime.

Grocery shopping with your children can be a real challenge. As a military family, many times I have had to head to the commissary to buy groceries with my children in tow. When your spouse is away for a deployment or training, you really have no other choice.

Here are 3 ideas on how to entertain your kids at your military commissary.

Old Fashioned Entertainment: Toys

Bring small toys that your children can play with while sitting in the cart. Make it something that they enjoy and that will keep them entertained. Cars, Legos and dolls work well for this. It might be a good idea to keep a bag of toys in the car just for this purpose.

Helper Entertainment: Give Them a Shopping List

When my oldest was a lot younger and I took him to the store with me, I would give him a “list” and told him to help me get everything on it. This kept him busy and gave him something to do. It can be a great way for your kids to feel like they are really helping you, even when they are too young to do so.

Edible Entertainment: Pack Snacks

Bringing a snack can go a long way when shopping with a child. If they are in the commissary and see food all around them, they are probably going to want to eat too. Bring a little sack of something they enjoy and give it to them when you start shopping. You might want to bring extra in case the shopping trip goes a little long or you get stuck in a line that takes forever. Don’t forget to pack a snack for yourself to curb any impulsive purchases.

You can also make sure to time your shopping trips so that your kids are rested and are less likely to act cranky or upset. Going right before nap time is not the best idea. I know for myself that sometimes you just have to go when you have to go and you just have to work around it. Try to prepare as much as possible and do what you can to keep your kids occupied while you make your shopping trip.

3 Tips to Entertaining Your Child at the Commissary

Pack a snack when shopping at the commissary

Remember too that having to entertain your children at the grocery store is not going to be something you have to do forever. Your spouse will come home and you can run out and do the grocery shopping without the children. Your kids will get older and be able to really help you with your shopping which will be a wonderful thing.

What are your strategies for entertaining your children at the commissary?

Commissaries Support ‘Feds Feed Families’

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commissary
NEWS RELEASE
Defense Commissary Agency
Public Affairs
1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800
Tel: (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105 DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105
FAX: (804) 734-8248 DSN: 687-8248
www.commissaries.com

Release Number: 32-14
Date: June 19, 2014
Contact: Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist
Tel.: (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
E-mail: kevin.robinson@deca.mil

Commissaries support ‘Feds Feed Families’
By Jessica Rouse,
DeCA public affairs specialist

FORT LEE, Va. – Commissary employees and customers are working together again this year to collect donations for the Feds Feed Families campaign.
The campaign, which began June 1 and runs through the end of August, collects much-needed items for local food banks. Customers and employees can donate nonperishable food and personal hygiene items to the campaign using marked bins located at the entries or exits of participating commissaries.
“Contributing to the communities that surround our stores is important to the commissaries,” said Vicki Archileti, DeCA’s executive director of infrastructure support. “Times are still tough for a lot of families, and with commissaries and our patrons working together we hope to lessen that burden.”
Last year, commissaries collected almost 740,000 pounds, or 39 percent of the Department of Defense’s total, of items for local food banks. In 2013, DOD collected over 1.9 million pounds, and donations from the entire federal government totaled 9 million pounds.
Commissaries will again serve as collection points for the campaign. Once the items have been collected the installation will pick up the items and deliver them to a local food bank.
Some commissaries also sold prepackaged donations packages, which allowed customers to purchase the bags and then drop them in the collection bins before leaving the store.
The most-needed items for donations include:
• Canned vegetables – low sodium, no salt
• Canned fruits – in light syrup or its own juices
• Canned proteins – tuna, salmon, chicken, peanut butter and beans
• Soups – beef stew, chili, chicken noodle, turkey or rice
• Condiments – tomato-based sauces, light soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing or oils
• Snacks – individually packed snacks, crackers, trail mix, dried fruit, granola and cereal bars, pretzels and sandwich crackers
• Multigrain cereal
• 100 percent juice – all sizes, including juice boxes
• Grains – brown and white rice, oatmeal, bulgar, quinoa, couscous, pasta, and macaroni and cheese
• Paper products and household items – paper towels, napkins, cleaning supplies
• Hygiene items – diapers, deodorants (men and women), feminine products, toilet paper, tissues, soap, toothpaste and shampoo
Although no goals have been established for the 2014 campaign, the commissaries are confident that with the help of its patrons and employees the 2013 totals will be exceeded.
“For the last three years our patrons and employees have never failed to make this campaign a success,” said Archileti. “We are looking forward to another great campaign year.”
-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. By shopping regularly in the commissary, patrons save an average of 30 percent or more on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

Stay Connected to Your Commissary Benefit
COMMISSARIES.COM: Visit www.commissaries.com to learn more about the Defense Commissary Agency: check out the latest news, find a store near you, see what’s on sale, create a shopping list, learn of food and product recalls, scan employment opportunities, read frequently asked questions, submit a customer comment form online through DeCA’s Your Action Line and more.

COMMISSARY CONNECTION: Stay connected with the latest news about your most valued benefit, Hot Links to additional savings, shopping sprees, contests, commissary promotions, events and more, go to www.commissaries.com/subscribe.cfm and subscribe to the Commissary Connection newsletter.

FACEBOOK: Visit www.facebook.com/YourCommissary, DeCA’s Facebook page, where you can post comments and share news, photos and videos.

YOUTUBE: To see DeCA’s latest videos, visit www.youtube.com/DefenseCommissary.

TWITTER: To see DeCA’s latest “tweets,” visit www.twitter.com/YourCommissary.

FLICKR: To see DeCA’s latest photographs, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/commissary/.

MILPAGES: To see news about DeCA on this forum for members of the U.S. military, their families and supporters, visit www.milpages.com/pages/defense-commissary-agency/.

40 Stores to Offer Carts for Special-Needs Children

By

commissary
NEWS RELEASE
Defense Commissary Agency
Public Affairs
1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800
Tel: (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105 DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105
FAX: (804) 734-8248 DSN: 687-8248
www.commissaries.com

Release Number: 33-14
Date: June 19, 2014
Contact: Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist
Tel.: (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
E-mail: kevin.robinson@deca.mil

40 stores to offer carts for special-needs children
By Cherie Huntington,
DeCA public affairs specialist

FORT LEE, Va. – Forty commissaries across the United States will soon offer a grocery cart designed specifically for special-needs children.
Called “Caroline’s Cart™,” it enables special-needs children – or even adults under 250 pounds – to safely and easily accompany parents or caretakers on commissary shopping trips. The cart provides the option of using one basket instead of pushing both a wheelchair or stroller and a grocery cart when shopping.
“Many retailers and malls are now offering these special-needs carts,” said Randy Eller, DeCA’s deputy director of logistics. “Placing these carts into our commissaries will provide a valuable service to many military families at these installations.”
Eller said some commissaries have already received the carts. “Once we roll out the first 40 and gauge response, we’ll see if we should deploy more to the field,” he said.
Slightly larger than a traditional shopping cart, the special-needs carts have handles that swing away to allow easy access to the seat, and a platform below the seat serves as a footrest. With the occupant facing the cart operator, the seat contains a five-point adjustable harness for support. The cart’s two 8-inch wheels and four casters provide maneuverability and stability, and brakes help ensure safety while loading or unloading the passenger.
The carts will be located at the front of the store, or customers can ask a manager for assistance. Carts will be available only on a first-come, first-served basis. It will be the patron’s responsibility to place the individual in the cart.
Caroline’s Cart availability at commissaries, by state:
Alabama: Redstone Arsenal
California: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Naval Base San Diego, Vandenberg Air Force Base
Colorado: Peterson Air Force Base
D.C.: Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
Florida: Naval Station Mayport, Patrick Air Force Base
Georgia: Fort Benning, Fort Gordon
Hawaii: Pearl Harbor Commissary at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Illinois: Naval Station Great Lakes
Kansas: Fort Leavenworth, McConnell Air Force Base
Kentucky: Fort Knox
Maryland: Fort Meade
Missouri: Richards-Gebaur
Montana: Malmstrom Air Force Base
Nevada: Nellis Air Force Base
New Hampshire: Naval Shipyard Portsmouth
New Mexico: Cannon Air Force Base
New York: Fort Hamilton
North Carolina: Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Fort Bragg South
Ohio: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Oklahoma: Tinker Air Force Base
South Carolina: Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island
Tennessee: Naval Support Activity Memphis
Texas: Fort Bliss, Fort Hood – Clear Creek
Virginia: Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Langley-Eustis (both commissaries), Naval Air Station Oceana, Marine Corps Base Quantico
Washington: Fairchild Air Force Base, McChord Commissary at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Read more about Caroline’s Cart at http://www.carolinescart.com.
-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. By shopping regularly in the commissary, patrons save an average of 30 percent or more on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

Stay Connected to Your Commissary Benefit
COMMISSARIES.COM: Visit www.commissaries.com to learn more about the Defense Commissary Agency: check out the latest news, find a store near you, see what’s on sale, create a shopping list, learn of food and product recalls, scan employment opportunities, read frequently asked questions, submit a customer comment form online through DeCA’s Your Action Line and more.

COMMISSARY CONNECTION: Stay connected with the latest news about your most valued benefit, Hot Links to additional savings, shopping sprees, contests, commissary promotions, events and more, go to www.commissaries.com/subscribe.cfm and subscribe to the Commissary Connection newsletter.

FACEBOOK: Visit www.facebook.com/YourCommissary, DeCA’s Facebook page, where you can post comments and share news, photos and videos.

YOUTUBE: To see DeCA’s latest videos, visit www.youtube.com/DefenseCommissary.

TWITTER: To see DeCA’s latest “tweets,” visit www.twitter.com/YourCommissary.

FLICKR: To see DeCA’s latest photographs, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/commissary/.

MILPAGES: To see news about DeCA on this forum for members of the U.S. military, their families and supporters, visit www.milpages.com/pages/defense-commissary-agency/.

Lonely? Find Friendships at Every Duty Station

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Tips for Military Spouses to Make Friends at a New Duty Station

Let your children take the lead when it comes to finding new friends.

With military life comes a lot of moving. That means saying goodbye to friends and making new ones. This is a hard part of the military lifestyle. Finding new friends when you are the new one in town can be quite difficult.

If you have just moved into your new neighborhood, you might get lucky and have new neighbors come to your house and say hello. New neighbors can make the best friends. It is great when you are able to meet and click with them right away. But what happens if …

No one comes to your house to say hello?

Every one in your circle of friends, except you, gets orders to new duty station?

You are feeling lonely in your new home?

I have met friends at all types of places. From swim lessons for my kids to Bible studies. Sometimes it is just a matter of being brave and reaching out. Other times it is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Here are the top 4 places to find friendships at your new duty station.

Local Playground

If you have kids, take them to the park. You will most likely run into other parents and children who live near there. Be brave and strike up a conversation. If your kids hit it off, make plans to get together again. If you don’t meet anyone new at the park, at least your kids had a good time.

Facebook Group

Another option is to join a local Facebook group and go to one of the events. It might feel weird to go some place new when you don’t know anyone but it will be worth it.

Simply Say Hi: Tips for MilSpouses to Find Friendships in New Neighborhoods

Feeling lonely? Be brave and leave your house to meet new friends.

 

Your Neighborhood

If you are feeling brave, you can always go up to your new neighbors and say hello. One idea is to ask them a question about your new city. Something like, “Can you tell me the best place to get Chinese food?” can be a way to break the ice and strike up a conversation.

Sometimes it is just a matter of being brave. Other times it is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Photography Class, Bunco or CrossFit

When you are new to a duty station, the best way to find friends is to do is find events or classes that look fun and go to them. You are bound to make friends if you do that.

Where do you find friends when you are the new one in town?

PCS-Purge: The Dreaded Pantry

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Tips for Purging Your Pantry Prior to a PCS

PCS season means purging. Time to look at what’s been accumulating in your pantry for the last 3 to 4 years.

One of the many things I dread about moving is the purge. Going through everything and trying to get rid of as much as possible. It’s something that you have to start immediately, otherwise it never gets done. But the one area of the house that doesn’t give me anxiety is the kitchen, specifically

the pantry.

Going through the pantry is actually fun. I see it as a challenge to use up as much as I can before moving. This last move, instead of Googling “What to make with Ramen and Kool-Aid*,” I used 3 websites to find creative ways to use the food and pantry items I’d collected in the last 3 years.

Recipe Matcher has an extensive checklist of pantry and kitchen items and is super easy to use. It takes a little bit of time to add everything in your pantry to the list, but once it’s there, it’s quick to find you a way to use as many items as possible.

Recipe Key allows you to drag and drop items in your pantry and get recipes that use those items. You can even filter recipes by allergies or dietary restrictions.

Tips for Purging Your Pantry Prior to a PCS

Use websites to find recipes for the odd items in your pantry.

Supercook is yet another site that finds recipes based on what’s in your kitchen. Supercook is very visual and has photos illustrating the recipe suggestions.

If you can’t use it, give it away.

Find a local food pantry to donate any unopened food or cleaning supplies. Try Feeding America, Foodpantries or Ample Harvest if you don’t know where a food bank is near you. Food banks are willing to take a lot of items, but they can’t accept any packages that have been opened (even if it was only once) or any packaged food with passed expiration dates.

Should I toss it? No, call your neighbor first.

We’ve all been on the receiving end of a PCS pare down a time or two and know there are just some things you can’t give away to a pantry or shelter. Things like half a bag of sugar or the opened bottle of Dawn dish soap.

Tips for a PCS-Purge of Your Pantry

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve been gifted during a PCS-purge?

Ask around. Neighbors and friends are often willing to take items off your hands if you have excess. If they can’t use it, they often know someone else who can and will use it.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve been given during a PCS-purge?

*OK, it wasn’t that bad, but there were some very strange combinations.