According to recent reports, we should be having an early spring this year, although, I admit, there are those who doubt the reliability of Phil the Groundhog’s predictions. In the event that his forecast is wrong and the cold weather drags on, I thought I would present some tried and true suggestions on how to keep warm while avoiding a thousand-dollar-a-month heating bill. Unfortunately, hibernation seems out of the question for most humans. Moving south is something else to consider, but for many that is not practical. Following are a few other ideas:
A while back, I saw a Facebook post which suggested bringing a hot water bottle to bed, however, commentators chimed in saying this can be dangerous. If the water bottle is old, damaged, or not correctly filled, it can lead to leakage and burns. Other options include electric heating pads or electric blankets or grain-filled bed/body warmers. Personally, I don’t feel comfortable with an electric blanket. First of all, it isn’t snuggly; you can feel the wires running through it. And when I had one years ago, I was always worrying that if I turned the wrong way I would either ruin the blanket or electrocute myself. This is true of a heating pad as well, which actually has a warning to not use it while sleeping. My only choice, it seems, is the warmers you can microwave.
I saw a lot of tempting grain-filled warmers online. But who wants to pay upwards of $30 for the really nice ones? One of them I saw is filled with “whole grain wheat.” Is whole grain really important if you are not ingesting it? Anyhow, for a lot less money, you can design and create your own, albeit more simple, bed/body warmers. I’m sure it helps if you know how to sew and own a sewing machine. I do not. But I didn’t let that stop me. I decided to make a warmer using nutritionally deficient, cheap white rice. My first experiment involved filling some old socks with rice and tying a knot at the top. This worked pretty well, but they were a bit small.
I had a few old pillowcases I didn’t need, so I decided to go with something bigger. I don’t know why I thought it would be better to stitch up a seam just above the rice level rather than tie a knot as I had for the sock – especially since this entailed stitching it up by hand. It did work somewhat, and I used it a few times – until I started finding rice in my bed and the floor. I had to eventually abandon that pillowcase.
I finally poured the same rice, which had by then been heated several times, into a “new” pillowcase, which I did tie into a knot. I’m not sure how many times uncooked rice can be heated up. It does give off an odor of rice cooking when it warms. But it’s not a bad smell. I later learned that you can add a few drops of essential oil to the rice before sealing if you want to experience a more luxurious aroma.
One warning I read is to make sure that the fabric and thread you use to make the warmer does not melt, which, for polyester, is at 482° F. Also make sure it is not metallic. That could destroy your microwave. Also, you are supposed to put a cup of water in the microwave when you heat them up. I did not see this warning until after I had heated mine up several times, and I guess I have been lucky – or I have been using indestructible rice.
I have also learned that you can use substances other than plain rice. Basmati or jasmine rice is supposed to give a nice texture and odor. Other grains are dried whole or split peas, pinto beans, whole flaxseed, and buckwheat groats, to name a few. I imagine if you use a few of each in one bag, your room might smell like a nice bean soup. Surprisingly, I read that corn makes a very good warmer. But don’t use popcorn. That might cause unintended consequences in the microwave. The type to use for warmers is called feed (or field) corn.
One advantage of grain-filled devices is that they don’t really depend on electricity. I was wondering what would happen if the power was out. Could I heat them in the oven or on top of the stove (assuming at least one of them runs on gas)? I tried this out.
I put a sock into a makeshift double boiler (since I don’t actually own one) and tried heating it up. It worked, although I can’t tell you with any accuracy how long it took to get to the proper temperature since I left the timer on for 10 minutes but forgot to check it after the timer went off. However, it was quite warm when I took it out. I now have a milchig sock warmer.
It was a small sock in a small pot. If I wanted to try warming a larger pillowcase on the stove, I would need to use a larger pot, a fleishig one, which leads me to wonder, “Can I bring the milchig sock and the fleishig pillowcase into bed at the same time? Would I need to wait six hours after the pillowcase?” I have not yet asked this shaila.
You can also heat up a grain-filled bag in the oven. I tried this too, setting the oven for 200 degrees. I felt that it was a good idea to put some water in the oven as well, so I used one tin foil pan for the four-pound rice pillowcase and another pan half-filled with water. This too, worked. Again, I can’t tell you how long it took, since I sort of forgot it was in the oven, not having set the timer (as if that would have done me any good). I believe it was the odor of cooking rice and warmed pillowcase which alerted me to the probable doneness.
The rice bag did get very well-heated with no signs of burning. I have no idea how high a temperature would work for this experiment before something might go up in flames (although Mr. Google says 400° F is getting in the danger zone). I considered calling up the pillowcase manufacturer to ask how long their products could be baked and at what temperature, but they would likely think it was a prank call – not to mention that, for purposes of avoiding a future lawsuit, they could hardly suggest a safe temperature. It’s unlikely they have done controlled tests for this type of use. When stroller manufacturers feel it is necessary to warn you to remove the child before folding the stroller, and iron manufacturers warn you not to iron your clothes while wearing them, I can understand the pillowcase people’s probable hesitation to make any suggestions. However, if the grain-filled pillowcase idea becomes popular, I’m wondering if the manufacturers will feel it necessary to include warnings on their labels: “Supervised microwave use only” or “Do not overcook” and (for those considering barbecuing with them) “Do not use near open flame.”
Let’s hope that Phil the Groundhog was correct and we will have an early spring. If so, just save these ideas for the future. I’m sure we’ll need to keep warm again next year. Happy Adar!
