Healthy happy you.
Now that Spring is on its way, I'm sure you'll be enjoying all the fresh fruits and veggies in the produce section, which means you'll be eating less wintry foods. So this weekend, take some time to go through your cupboards and pantry to check the expiration dates on cans of soup, veggies, beans, and other items. It's not healthy to eat food that is past its prime, and you can make room for new Read more
Chicago may have been one giant icebox of a city this Winter, but that doesn't make its shoppers one bit more relaxed about sell-by dates. Dominick's, the Windy City's dominant grocery chain, has come under fire for selling food that's past its "sell by" or "use by" date. Safeway-owned Dominick's maintains that "expiration dates on food products are largely based on quality, not food safety." Read more
Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest. For years, many people — my husband, mom, sister and even my son — told me to stop wasting so much food. Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing Read more
When grocery shopping, there are certain items you should buy in bulk to get that discounted price that will save you money. However, if you pick the wrong items, you may end up wasting cash if you don't use them up before their expiration date. Here are a couple of items you should refrain from buying in bulk: Baking powder. If you don't bake all the time, you might want to skip out on buying Read more
It's almost May, so it's time for a little Spring cleaning . . . of your makeup bag, that is. Since expired cosmetics can cause skin irritation and eye infections, it's important to replace them before they go south. Unlike food, though, cosmetics aren't required to have an expiration date on their packaging. Instead, you'll have to keep track of when you opened them. Most products have a jar Read more
Happy Spring, everybody! The two aspects of this season that have the most impact on you and your kitchen are the oh-so-welcome bounty of Spring produce — and a dreadful but necessary phrase that you may be familiar with, Spring cleaning. Along with those kitchen appliances that need to be stowed away and the cabinets that are waiting to be wiped down are probably a number of pantry items and Read more
An immediate reaction to a dollar store buy might be, "What a steal!" However, that's not always the case. Sometimes, the deal is actually less of a bargain than you thought and the poor quality is just not worth the potential cost of your health. Here are several things you need to consider before buying food items from the dollar store, advises consumer expert Andrea Woroch: Be observant: Read more
We often hear recommendations to buy generic, because they are pretty much the same as brand-name drugs, and are cheaper to boot. But many still stick with a brand they know, because after all, no one wants to take a gamble with their health. Here is a breakdown of facts you should know: How They Come About: Generic brands start surfacing when the patent of the brand-name drugs expires. Patents Read more
The first step to taking care of yourself and de-stressing is to make sure that your environment is in order. Seeing your house full of clutter can affect your mood negatively and make your personal space seem like a place you want to escape from, rather than something to look forward to coming home to. Organize a "throwing out" day every month to make sure that you don't have clutter building Read more
Every time I step foot into my local health food store, I instantly drop at least $20. I feel good knowing the food I pick up is all natural, often organic, and fresh, but jeez — why does it have to be so expensive? If you're looking to save money on your favorite healthy brands, many companies post coupons on their websites you can print out. You may need to install a program, sign up for a Read more
