Have you heard about using a cup of water and a quarter to test if the food in your fridge is safe enough to eat? If you’re away from home for more than a day, it can be difficult to tell if the power went out and for how long. If your refrigerator turns back on and re-freezes and chills food again, your food may no longer be safe to eat. To test this, fill a cup with water and freeze it. Place a quarter on top, then place the cup in your freezer. If you come home and the quarter is on top, it’s totally safe. If it has submerged to the middle and re-frozen, in most cases the food is still safe to consume. If it’s on the bottom of the cup, it’s time to dispose of all the bad food.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

There are so many different types of seafood in restaurants and at the supermarket that it can be hard to remember what’s sustainable, what’s safe and what’s something you should avoid. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has made it easy with their free “Seafood Watch” app (on iTunes or for Android) where you simply type in the variety of seafood you’re buying and whatever facts you may know, like where it’s from, or if it’s farmed or wild. Then the app gives you all the information you need to make the right choice. It even helps with sushi by giving both the common name and Japanese name for the type of seafood used.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do the math: With millions of cars on the road and winter weather around the corner, countless wiper blades will be replaced and tossed into landfills. Since wiper blades are nearly impossible to recycle, the next best thing is to help extend the life of your existing blades. Take a few minutes to saturate a soft cloth with rubbing alcohol and wipe down the blades. This will remove dirt, grime and debris from the blades. Even the smallest particles from insects, pebbles and leaves can leave streaks across your windshield, so a simple cleaning can sometimes do the trick to bring them back to almost as good as new.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION