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Home » Handy Substitutes For Staple Goods When Your Store is Sold Out
Not only are you keeping your own kitchen stocked, but you also help your parents. When grocery supplies are low, there are limits restricting how much you can purchase. You’re now splitting the limited goods you can get with your parents. These handy substitutes can help.
Brown Sugar
If you can’t find brown sugar, purchase a bag of sugar and a bottle of molasses. For each cup of brown sugar you need in a recipe, mix two tablespoons of molasses and a cup of sugar.
Buttermilk
If you can’t find buttermilk, mix two teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar into a cup of milk. If you need it to be a little thicker, you can add a little yogurt or sour cream to thicken it up.
Disinfecting Cleaners
A bleach cleaner is the best at killing germs. The CDC recommends mixing four cups of water to ¼ cup of bleach. Put that in a spray bottle and use it to clean counters, toilets, tubs, showers, and other hard surfaces.
Vinegar can be used in the washing machine. Vinegar is also good for cleaning windows and glass surfaces like refrigerator shelves.
Eggs
When you need eggs in a baking recipe, you can substitute half of a mashed banana and ½ teaspoon baking powder for each egg in the recipe. You could also swap ¼ cup of pureed silken tofu for each egg. Silken tofu can also be used to make an egg-free version of scrambled eggs with herbs and vegetables mixed in.
Milk
If it’s impossible finding milk, see if you can find canned evaporated milk. Mix a 12-ounce can with 4 ounces of water to make a suitable milk substitute.
Rice
Rice is pretty easy to substitute. Replace the rice in recipes or side dishes with barley, farro, or bulgur (cracked wheat). The taste may be a bit different, but the texture will be similar to rice. Quinoa and couscous are other options, though they will be smaller in terms of grain size.
Stock or Broth
Make your own broth. When you’re making a roast chicken or prime rib that’s on the bone, save the bones after dinner. Put them in a large pot and cover them in water. Add some chopped carrots, celery, and onion.
Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let the broth simmer for an hour. You can also make it in a slow cooker. Strain, cool, and transfer the broth to mason jars, freezer containers, or freezer bags.
If you want to make a vegetable stock, it’s easy. Chop six carrots, two onions, three stalks of celery, and a half-cup of fresh parsley. Bring that to a boil. Strain the vegetables out and let the broth cool. Transfer it into containers for the freezer.
Talk to your family about the benefits of senior care. When you’re all trying to balance your jobs with the care your parents need, senior care is important. Caregivers can step in and take your parents shopping, do the shopping for them, take them to appointments, or pick up prescription refills. Call our senior care agency to learn more.