DIY Goldfish crackers are a hit!

We are a non GMO home. I’ve been pretty vigilant in getting them out of our diets, and doing the research to understand why. (The “why” is a much bigger post.. someday) but.. as for me and my house, we are non GMO.

It’s getting harder to know what foods have them hidden inside. It’s usually safest to buy organic, but there is debate on whether anything is really organic anymore, because of wind moving pollen from GMO crops. But that’s another post.. I’ve recently learned that there is a push to hide the fact that a product is GMO in the codes.. or a deceptive happy sunshine label is another possibility. Whichever it will be, most people aren’t educated enough on GMOs. The public will continue to be the test subjects of corporations putting them in everything.

Phew… rant over…😤

My kids love goldfish crackers. I felt good buying the whole wheat crackers for a years. Then I learned they were made with GMOs a year ago. We went a whole year buying organic or safer brands. My autistic son really gets that GMOs are bad, so he uncharacteristically was ok with the change.

Enter DIY Goldfish! I ordered a little goldfish cutter on Amazon and found a recipe I liked.

They turned out awesome! Kid approved! Autism kid approved, in fact! I didn’t try them, because I’m vegan.. but definitely were a hit. Kids are asking me to make more. I think I’ll make a bigger batch next time, double it. The only time consuming thing is cutting them. I might just use a knife and cut squares😋.

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DIY Goldfish Crackers

• 1 cup – flour, whole wheat
• ¹/₂ teaspoon – salt
• 4 tablespoon – butter, unsalted
• 1 cup – cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 tablespoon – water

1. I used my Bosch. Mix flour, salt and chopped up cold butter, until it’s like sand.

2. Add shredded cheese, mix.

3. Add water a T. at a time until forms a dough.

4. Roll out between parchment paper farely thin. Thinner will be crisper, thicker more like a cookie.

5. Cut with a cutter or just use a knife to cut into squares and put in the freezer while your oven heats up.

350° for 12 to 18 minutes. Watch and take out at desired firmness.

I didn’t have any left to store, they were gobbled up. I have heard you can store them in a tin to last longer. Or reheat them if they get soft.

Serious money saver!

What is Zero Waste, and some easy ways to start.

I had to sit a moment and think about where my zero waste journey began. I decided it began as a teenager in the late 80s. I became more conscious of recycling and was vegetarian for a while. I remember asking my mom to buy recycled loose leaf notebook paper. I had to convince her of its merits, since it was about a dollar more.

As a grew older I began to be more aware of how plastic was convenient, but I knew I could save money buying one permanent thing, rather than repeatedly buying plastic bags.. etc. I think living through financial struggles really helped me dig into ways to save money, and they always involved making something myself, sewing something, or repurposing something. Really, this is how our ancestors lived.

This gradual unfolding of my life has lead me to realize I can label myself “zero waste”… much like I did with minimalism.

Zero waste means we stop using plastic in our daily living. For me personally, I feel like a steward of mother earth. She has few advocates. I can do my part. So can you. If we all did, we’d have a much healthier planet to leave our posterity.

Since I’m fairly new at this, and you might be too, I’ll share some things I’ve started doing. Then I’ll share my upcoming plans for my zero waste living.

1. Use cloth towels and napkins instead of paper towels. You can make them, or buy them. Here is a great DYI

2. Make your own beeswax plastic wrap, I’ll post about my first time making these next.

3. Use reusable grocery bags. I’ve been collecting these, and keep them in my car so I won’t forget. If I do, I recycle the plastic grocery bags.

I sell reusable grocery bags that I paint, on my etsy shop

4. Stop buying plastic as much as possible. I know in our consumer driven disposable world, this is easier said than done.. but I’ve found you can find reusable products almost anywhere. (Even Wal-Mart sells metal reusable straws)

5. Make your own earth friendly products. Skip the chemicals! Helps your body and the earth. Win win! I make my own laundry soap, soft hand soap, sunscreen, body butter, lip balm, mascara, and toothpaste. I’ll post soon about my DIY adventures.

Home made laundry soap (just needs a stir) and beeswax wraps.

6. Dry your hands on your clothes, when you can, at public restrooms, instead of using paper towels or hand dryers.

7. Recycle all the things! My proudest garbage days are the days when I have a full recycling bin and a nearly empty garbage bin. Yes!

8. Be conscious. There are so many little things we can do. Like not using a plastic straw at a restaurant, or bringing your own reusable take out box.

My future plans of zero waste include:

1. Removing toxic plastics for from our home. This one is big…and trickier than you think because these plastics are in everything and replacing them is tough because I’m on a budget.

2. Continue to share and educate others on this important topic.

I am a newb.. but mostly in the terminology. I love my planet. “It’s where I keep all my stuff!” as the Tick would say. I know a lot of people won’t make these changes. I know corporations won’t stop using masses of plastic. But the few kind souls who do, will make a difference.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Ghandi