Tips help make grocery shopping, dining easier

Do you fear the supermarket? Dread the dinner question? Whether you cook for one or 10, these tips can help make cooking less work and more fun.

Savvy grocery shopping

Plan menus a week in advance.

Don’t purchase items just because they are on sale.

Don’t grocery shop while hungry.

Stock up on dried and canned goods, which last longer.

Buy meats in single-serving portions from the butcher at markets and local grocery stores.

Buy vegetables, fruit and bread in small quantities.

Purchase vegetables and fruit off the salad bar at the local grocery store.

Buy healthy snacks for those moments when the energy isn’t there to cook a “real” meal.

Scaling down recipes

Use recipes that are easy to divide.

Add seasoning sparingly to taste.

Use smaller dishes to cook meals.

Make notes of what works and what doesn’t.

Caring for leftovers

Properly freeze leftovers in single portions with Ziploc bags or Gladware containers.

Mark and date contents of freezer packages.

Eat leftovers for other meals, like lunch and breakfast.

Recycle leftovers by mixing them together for another meal.