Baking vs. cooking usually means just one thing: One is more precise than the other. When it comes to making homemade breads and pastries, it's important to follow recipes precisely all the way down to the temperature of the oven and how long you preheat it before baking. But when it comes to cooking entrees and meals in the oven (think casseroles, pizza and baked mac and cheese), preheating the oven is not necessary. So skip wasting all that energy by preheating and start cooking right away. You can ignore the preheating tip in cookbooks to save energy and time the next time you cook.

During the holiday season, many people love to give food to their local food banks to help people who are less fortunate. But instead of emptying your pantry of food you really don't want to eat -- pickled beets, anyone? -- take a cue from the "wish list" of your local food bank. The No. 1 most requested item? One hundred percent real juice boxes for kids. Not sugary juice drinks, but healthier versions made from real fruit. Also, holiday food items like canned yams, cranberry sauce and boxed stuffing are up on the list, so when you are buying for your own pantry, buy a second set to give. Finally, canned vegetables that have "no salt added" are up there since they are loaded with vitamins and help families create well-rounded meals.

It may sound like a problem for "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," but if you want to do one thing to help our oceans, consider passing on eating caviar. Caviar varieties like beluga and wild-caught sturgeon are species that are often overfished. Generally, caviar is harvested from fish that can take many years to mature, and when they are matured, their eggs are collected, which makes repopulation difficult. If you must have caviar, look for American domestic kinds that come from a more sustainable form of fishing and -- bonus -- are often cheaper.