Category Archive: Household

Wood Pulp In Pre-Shredded Cheese

Sherilyn had a one-day break from school on Tuesday as it was the resitting day of the UPSR Math and Science test papers for Primary 6 students.

Since she had finished her homework, I got her around to help me to grate cheese.  Of the 3 girls, Sherilyn loves cooking the most.   For someone who has problem waking up early in the morning and completing her homework,  but the moment I shout out to her for help in the kitchen, she will dart right into the kitchen to lend a helping hand!  Cooking is also one of the ways to train her to shed off her clumsiness.  I allow her to use knifes and to fire up the stove.

For the life of me, I never ever like to grate cheese.  I prefer to use pre-shredded cheese as it is so much convenient and faster to add into your food.  Pre-shredded used to be a permanent fixture in my fridge but not until I found out about the health risks of eating pre-shredded cheese.

Sherilyn at work…

 

 

 

If you are just as clueless as I was, then this information may rock your world. Pre-shredded cheese is covered in a chemical that the industry calls cellulose to keep it from clumping together. Have you ever noticed that white powdery stuff on your shredded cheese? Yeah. It’s not cheese dust. Cellulose is commonly made from WOOD PULP *gulp*!!   I think sometimes it is even listed as anti-caking agent.

I am sure that by now, after reading this piece of information on pre-shredded cheese, you will be more inclined to get block cheese and spend a little of your time grating it. By getting block cheese, you:

1) avoid unnecessary food additives
2) save your money. Block cheese is cheaper than pre-grated cheese
3) It is tastier too and
4) from my experience, block cheese lasts longer than its pre-grated counterpart. Have you ever noticed that pre-grated cheese gets moldy really quickly even when kept in the fridge?

Now don’t you just get cheesed off knowing that you have been eating wood pulp in your pre-grated cheese all these while?!

 

 

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Lemon and Orange Rinds – Great Kitchen Cleaners!

I love lemons and oranges! They are bursting with vitamin C and the juice of the lemon neutralizes the acids in our body. And lemon juice is great for those who want to shed some weight too! The juice breaks down the oil that you have eaten.  If you suffer from gout, stock up your fridge with lemons!  Besides, the lemon and orange rinds are fantastic kitchen cleaners too!  My fridge will always have a supply of lemons and limes, apart from oranges and kiwi — all the vitamin C rich citrus fruits.

Besides being a wonderful ‘sponge’ to wipe away grease, cream and hardened food remnants off the plates, bowls, cutlery and pans, the lemon and orange rinds are  great to wash water tumblers, kettle and water jugs – naturally and safely without having to use dishwashing liquid… and leaves a very fresh and lingering citrus scent after each wash… and you get that squeaky feel on the surface too! Did you know that most dishwashing liquid has citric acid, which is a naturally ingredient in lemons, limes and oranges?

A lemon a day saves my health, waist line and helps me in the kitchen too!

The orange and lemon rinds are used to wipe away oily cream/icing, grease and oily food remnants off plates and pots before I use a dried gourd/loofah (as sponge) with a little dishwashing liquid to wash them. I love to see how effectively the lemon and orange rinds wipe off bread dough and cream off the MIL’s hand mixer after she has finished with bread or cake baking. And I do not have to wash the greasy stuff off the sponge. It’s a fantastic way of making full use of my fruits and I get to save $$ on kitchen papers, sponges and dishwashing liquid too!

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A Floor Cleaner That Can Repel Pests

I bought this bottle of floor cleaner that can naturally repel mozzies, flies, ants and roaches from Jaya Jusco last night. It cost RM17+ a bottle, which is quite expensive. It contains Citronelle and tea tree oil.  It also has a wax formulation that makes floor shine, smooth and non-sticky for 3 days.   The ingredients used are harmless to skin, is PH balanced and is non-toxic.  This floor cleaner has been tested by SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd.  We’ve started using this floor cleaner today.  I’ll see how effective it is in preventing roaches, one of the insects that can freak me out big time! 

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