photo by synaptic happenings
In a past column, I talked about taking care of yourself when you’re sick. Several readers reached out and said their homes fell apart whenever they were sick. Apparently, taking that much-needed break would result in more work for them to face than if they forced themselves to press on and cook.

I know cooking from scratch can be impossible when you’re sick. Once-a-month cooking works well as a plan for some people, but for others, it’s simply too much work. Not everyone has the forethought …

photo by shell s
One way to save on food costs is to create a meal plan. You don’t want to face the same old chicken every week, but it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. I tend to plan a week’s worth of meals at a time. Sometimes, I’ll have free time and plan the entire month. I keep one day open for leftovers, aka CORD (clean out refrigerator day), and another for a casual day of soup, sandwiches or a casual buffet-style day. I typically make chicken, pork, …

photo by Athenamama
DEAR SARA: What supplies do I need to freeze meals? I would like to make a bunch of meals on the weekend and freeze them for the week. What type of containers are the best and cheapest for doing this? — M.C., Minnesota
DEAR M.C.: You can find food-grade plastic and quality storage containers at thrift stores and garage sales. It’s worth the investment to buy quality containers if you plan on freezing food often. They last many years, and some come with a lifetime warranty. Square- and rectangle-shaped …

photo by Rob
The first tip was shared by a reader, and it seems like a good deal. Contact the airline, and ask them their policy and rules before buying vouchers on Web sites such as eBay. I called American Airlines, Northwestern Airlines and United Airlines. AA’s representative told me that the flight coupons given when you’re bumped off a flight are not transferable. But she also stated that there are many other types of coupons that are. In fact, there were too many to list. Northwestern’s representative told me that …

I ate a lot of Asian food as a kid. Too young to know better, I ate fried minnows, and we often had sesame candies instead of treats like gum or candy bars. Having a friend sleep over became an hour long explanation of what we were having for dinner. They’d ask questions like “What’s that purple stuff?” And I’d reply, “Don’t eat it, or you’ll be sorry.” Fortunately, my mom would use utensils when my friends visited. Of course, I’d have to ask her to do it. Read: Beg her to do it. While I appreciate my family’s culture now, as a teen, I simply wanted to fit in.