Homemade Laundry Detergent!

Recently I've really enjoyed finding ways to save money. My biggest excitement so far (besides starting to coupon) has been finding ways to save money on the expensive household items we regularly buy....like laundry soap!

Here's a little math for you:

Buying a container of Gain liquid detergent at Target costs $14.99 and yields 64 loads. This means for each load of laundry costs about $0.23.

With my homemade recipe, you need the following items:

•Borax: $2.50 for 70 oz. Cost per batch: .28 (8 oz needed for recipe)
•Washing Soda: $2.50 for 55 oz. Cost per batch .18.(4 oz needed for recipe)
•Fels Naptha Soap: $.99 Cost per batch: .33 (1 bar of soap needed for recipe)


Cost to make: .79

Yield: 442 oz.

Cost per oz. = .00178

Cost per ½ cup = .007 or rounded to .01 cent per load


YES! That's 1 PENNY per load! That's over a 99% savings for this laundry detergent. And it works and smells amazing! Read reviews online if you're unsure :)

So I'm ready to share the wealth. Here is how to make homemade laundry detergent!

You'll need:

1 - 5 gallon paint bucket with a lid ($2.99 in the paint section at WalMart)
1 box of borax (laundry aisle, about $2)
1 box of washing soda (not to be confused with baking soda...also in the laundry aisle, about $2)
1 bar of Fels Naptha soap (laundry aisle, $1 per bar)

Put a large pot on the stove with about 6 cups of water in it and turn on low. Then grate your Fels Naptha bar of soap with a cheese grater. (It will actually look like cheese cause the soap is yellow!)
Once grated, pour the soap into the pot. On medium heat, heat soap (stirring constantly) until the soap is fully melted in the pot with the water.

In the meantime, fill your paint bucket with about 4.5 gallons of HOT water. Once the soap is melted, pour it into the bucket with the water and stir well. Then add 1 cup of borax and 1 cup of washing soda. Stir again!

You've just made 5 gallons of detergent! Lucky you! It only cost less than $10 and less than 15 minutes :)

The liquid will firm up slightly over the next day or two but it can be used immediately. Soon it will be a nice gel. If it's too thick you can add some hot water and if it's too thin, that's ok...next time you make a batch just add some more of the Fels Naptha.

Let me know how this works for you!

You'll need about 1/2 cup for a regular load and up to 1 cup for heavily soiled loads.

Healthy Toddler Meals

I hate that I give Cale junk food sometimes. He always wants a sip of my drink or a bite of my food and it's not always "toddler worthy." I'm not going to be a total psycho when it comes to his eating habbits, but it is a goal of mine to make sure I raise him to make healthy eating choices. I've been experimenting with some awesome new toddler meal ideas and I wanted to share! Feel free to put your own spin on these recipes...make them your own!

"Spinach Nuggets"

1 16-oz package frozen chopped spinach, cooked.
1 cup Seasoned bread crumbs - (or 3/4 cup breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup wheat germ or flax meal)
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 Large eggs

Combine all ingredients together and roll into "nuggets."
Add seasonings if you wants, like garlic powder, pepper, etc.
Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil.
Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes, turning half way through baking.

"Pups in a Blanket"

All-Beef or Turkey Dogs (Tofu Dogs work well too)
Pillsbury Ready-to-Bake crescent rolls
Veggies
Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

Wrap the dogs in the dough and add veggies and cheese.
Roll them up like a cigar, until the hot dog is all covered except the ends.
Cut into toddler-friendly sized pieces.
Bake at 375-400F for about 25 minutes or until fluffy and golden brown

"Toddler Quesadillas"

On a flour tortilla or pita bread, put chicken strips or ground turkey, tomato slices, cheese (sliced or shredded) and any other yummy food you want to include.
Top with another tortilla or fold in half. (I like to put corn, beans, and green/red/yellow peppers)
Broil in oven or put in toaster oven until cheese is melted. You can also bake them, but this will cause a crispier tortilla that could be more crumbly. Cut into "pizza" slices and enjoy!

"Chicken Sticks"

*Thinly sliced strips of chicken breast
*Yogurt - plain
*Crushed Cereal - shredded wheat, cheerios, corn flakes, granola, etc...

Roll chicken strips in yogurt then coat with crushed cereal. Bake on lightly greased baking sheet at 400F for 20 minutes or until done. Delicious!
**Tip** You can also put a popsicle stick through the chicken before you bake it so it's easier to eat!

"Cale's Favorite Meatballs"
**These freeze great so I like to make a bunch at a time**

1 pound ground turkey (or ground beef)
1 cup bread crumbs (I use italian or roasted garlic)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 egg
Spices such as garlic, pepper, basil, thyme, oregano etc

Mix the ground turkey with all the ingredients above. Spice to your liking. You may need more or less bread crumbs depending on the amounts of the other ingredients you use. The goals is to make a good meatball consistency: Sticky, not dry, and able to roll into a ball.
Roll into balls, bake at 375F for about 20-25 minutes or until golden. (They burn easily so watch them closely! You can cover the pan with foil to prevent burning if you'd like.)
**TIP** Use a small baking pan so you can shake and roll the meatballs around to help them cook easily.
Serve or freeze for later!


I hope you try some of these recipes! Notice that none of them have sugar, butter, and very little salt. :)
Let me know which ones you try and how you like them!

<3 Michelle & Cale