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Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Eggs. Garlic. Cheese. 8 unexpected foods that can go in the freezer.
If you've ever stocked up on groceries only to watch your spinach wilt or your avocados go bad before you ever had the chance to use them, you're not alone. An estimated 30% to 40% of the food supply in America goes to waste — that's about 325 pounds of food waste per person. As a dietitian — and a mom of two toddlers who constantly change their minds about what they'll eat — I've learned that freezing foods can be a game changer. It saves time, cuts down on waste and helps stretch the grocery budget. Plus, frozen foods can last for months, maintain their nutrition and still taste great. While you can buy plenty of frozen items at the store, you might be surprised by how many fresh foods you can freeze right at home. I toss prewashed spinach in the freezer before it wilts for future smoothies, and cut up fresh fruit to save before heading out of town. But freezing isn't just for produce: Things like eggs, cheese, grains and even bread freeze well too. Freezing gives you more chances to use up what you buy, helps you take advantage of sales (think cheap summer berries!) and makes it easier to keep staples on hand for quick meals. Here are eight surprising foods you can freeze — and how to do it right: Eggs Eggs usually last about three to five weeks when properly refrigerated, but if they're nearing their expiration date, freezing them is a smart way to avoid waste. They're great to have on hand for baking, scrambles, frittatas or casseroles. How to freeze: Never freeze eggs in their shell. Instead, crack them open and store whole eggs or just the whites in a freezer-safe container. For easy measuring, pour them into an ice cube tray (one per slot) and freeze. Yolks can get thick and gooey when frozen, so the American Egg Board recommends mixing in 1/8th teaspoon of salt or 1½ teaspoons of sugar per 1/4 cup of egg yolks (4 yolks) before freezing to help prevent them from becoming gelatinous. Make sure to label containers with how many eggs, whites or yolks are inside for easy use later. Avocados Anyone who has ever bought an avocado knows they have a very short ripeness window — making them possibly the most high-maintenance fruit around. They seem to go from too hard to eat to overripe in a day. Help them last a little longer by freezing ripe avocados to use in guacamole, smoothies or even baking. They'll maintain their heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, making them just as nutritious as fresh. How to freeze: Peel, pit and mash the avocados, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Adding a bit of lemon juice can help prevent browning. You can also freeze slices, but they might turn mushy when thawed. Bread Can't ever finish a whole loaf before it goes stale? Not only does freezing bread extend its shelf life, it can also boost its nutrition by increasing resistant starch — a type of carbohydrate that acts like fiber, digests more slowly and supports better blood sugar control. Bread also thaws quickly. Just leave a slice out for a bit or pop it into the toaster for a warm, crispy bite. How to freeze: For presliced loaves, squeeze out excess air from the bag and simply place it in the freezer. For whole loaves, slice them first so you can grab just what you need. Pro tip: Double-bag bread to help prevent freezer burn. Grains (cooked and uncooked) If there's one food worth batch cooking to save time, it's grains. Cooked rice, quinoa or barley freeze nicely and make meals easier, especially on busy nights. Just grab a portion of frozen cooked grains, reheat with a splash of water to prevent drying out and toss into grain bowls, stir-fries, soups or salads. You can also freeze uncooked grains. While they generally have a long shelf life, their natural fats can go rancid over time. Freezing extends their life and helps kill any weevil (a type of insect) eggs or larvae that might be present (yes, unfortunately, this is a real thing). How to freeze: Cool cooked grains completely before portioning them out into freezer-friendly bags or containers (I like 1-cup servings). For uncooked grains, divide them into your usual portion sizes and store them in airtight containers to protect against moisture. Cheese Freezing cheese is a practical way to make it last longer and keep it from drying out or growing mold before you can finish it. Hard cheeses, like cheddar or parmesan, typically freeze better than soft ones. Frozen cheese also works best in dishes where it's going to melt anyway — think pizza, quesadillas, grilled cheese, eggs or casseroles. How to freeze: Shred or cut cheese into smaller portions before freezing. If shredding, toss the pieces with a bit of cornstarch to prevent clumping. For sliced cheese, layer wax or parchment paper between slices. Wrap everything tightly in wax paper or plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag or container. Tofu Freezing tofu can actually improve its texture. It becomes firmer, chewier (almost meatier) and better absorbs flavor from marinades and sauces. Frozen tofu also crumbles less, making it perfect for stir-fries, soups, hot pots or even grilling. Just thaw in the fridge and it's ready to use. How to freeze: Press tofu to remove as much liquid as you can. Then slice it into desired sizes and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once they're solid, transfer the slices to a freezer-safe container or bag. You can also freeze the whole block — it just takes longer to thaw. Tomato paste Ever open a can of tomato paste because you need just a spoonful for a recipe and then wonder, What now? That's where freezing comes in: It allows you to keep the rest for your next dish and saves you from opening a new can every time. Frozen tomato paste holds its flavor well and is easy to toss into sauces, soups, stews and chilis straight from the freezer. How to freeze: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or into an ice cube tray. When frozen, transfer the dollops to an airtight container or freezer bag. Peeled garlic Fresh garlic lasts a while, but it can sprout or go soft before you know it. Freezing garlic helps you hold on to its flavor and saves you the hassle of peeling it later. When you're ready to cook, just grab a clove straight from the freezer — no need to thaw. How to freeze: Peel cloves and freeze them whole or minced in an air-tight container or freezer bag. If you typically sauté your garlic, try mixing minced garlic with a little olive or avocado oil in an ice cube tray. Once the cubes are solid, pop them out and store in a sealed bag for easy use. Bottom line Freezing food is an easy way to cut down on waste and save time during the week. There are so many more foods you can freeze, and with a bit of trial and error, you'll find what works best for you. Just be sure to use air-tight containers or freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. And if you spot any, no big deal — just cut them off, and the rest is still good to use. Maxine Yeung is a dietitian and board-certified health and wellness coach.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
I'm a 48-year-old mom who loves shopping at Amazon — 12 summer tops I'm buying, all under $50
You can't go wrong with cute tanks, flowy blouses and fun tees. If your warm weather wardrobe is anything like mine, it could benefit from a serious overhaul this summer— especially when it comes to tops. More than a few of my well-worn tanks and tees are in rough shape, and can someone please tell me why I own so many black blouses? If you could use some inspiration, I scrolled through Amazon and found a dozen tops that I'm eyeing for summer. From sleeveless tanks (I didn't start taking HIIT pilates for nothing — let's show off those arms, mama!) to cute button-down casual tees, I can see all of these shirts fitting right into my wardrobe as a 48-year-old mom of two. The best part? They're all under $50 — but they look way more expensive. Shop all Amazon tops for summer Amazon tops: Top rated Amazon tops: Bestsellers Amazon tops: New in Amazon tops: Under $25 Best Amazon tops for summer under $50: Shop blouses, tees, tanks and more
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Plane passenger annoyed when another flyer refused to do her a ‘favor' — but there's a big reason why you shouldn't
A plane passenger refused to do a 'favor' for a fellow traveler — but she might've had good reason. The passenger took to Reddit to ask whether she was in the wrong for refusing to watch someone's bags at the gate. The user explained that they were sitting next to a woman with a young son who needed to go to the bathroom 10 minutes before boarding began. The mom asked the passenger for what she said was a 'big favor' — to watch their bags while she took her son to the bathroom. 'I said I'm really not supposed to. She gives me the stink eye,' the user wrote. A different woman next to them in the boarding area said she would watch the bags, but the mom was 'clearly still mad' that they said no. They explained their reasoning in the post, saying that 'not only is this a safety issue (probably not in this case, but in theory), but also I wouldn't have wanted to miss my boarding group.' The mom and son did end up coming back in time to board, but not before boarding started, the poster said. 'I used to have young kids, and if mine had to go to the bathroom, I would always just schlep my bags to the bathroom. I wouldn't ask someone else to watch the bags,' the user said. They also explained that they had a previous experience where they got 'bawled out' by a gate agent when they were about to watch someone else's bags, with the agent saying it wasn't allowed. In the U.S., there are regular TSA announcements warning passengers not to leave luggage unattended and to keep their belongings with them at all times, as well as not to accept any items from strangers. People on Reddit sounded off in the comments, with a majority of users agreeing that the passenger was right to decline. 'If the woman and son were your wife and child, you'd be the [a–hole]. Otherwise you're good,' one said. 'TBH I'm more surprised that she trusted a stranger enough to watch her bags,' another wrote. 'But yeah that's something airport employees mention every time you go through an airport. Don't do that. Not worth it!' 'It's actually a safety issue in airport s… you're never supposed to take responsibility for someone else's bags bc you don't know what could be in them. May sound crazy considering it's a lady and a kid, but you never know, and that's what airports advise,' someone commented. 'If there is something dangerous or hazardous in the bags, you could be held responsible. They should have taken their bags with them to the bathroom.' 'The list of possible bad outcomes is too large. It's not a matter of being nice or not, it's just not the right thing to do,' a user said. Others weren't as sure. 'I've watched bags for moms with kids running to a bathroom before, because I'm a nice person. I also hold the door open for people because I'm a nice person. It's not like she asked you to transport her luggage … she needed to take her kid to go to the bathroom,' someone said. 'Is it really that big of a deal to watch someone's bags for 5 minutes?' another questioned. 'I guess it might be situational but do you really think a woman with a young child has packed contraband and gotten through security? And somehow you'll be blamed for it?' one asked. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
I want my kids to get bored this summer. It's good for them.
As a mom of six kids, summer can be stressful. Trying to fill their days with activities can be exhausting, so I stopped. I want them to get bored. Boredom encourages my kids to develop problem-solving skills and independence. I'm a mom of six, their ages ranging from toddlers to teens, and every summer I make a choice that surprises a lot of people: I don't plan every moment of their days. In fact, I fully expect them to get bored. At first glance, that might sound like lazy parenting, especially in a world where Pinterest-perfect summer schedules and curated camps seem to be the norm. But after years of trial and error, I've realized that leaving space for boredom actually makes our summers better. Not just for my kids, but for me, too. Boredom breeds creativity When my oldest kids were younger, I felt a lot of pressure to keep them entertained around the clock. I'd pack our days with activities including trips to the zoo, messy crafts, and themed library events. I thought boredom meant I wasn't doing enough as a parent. But what I didn't realize was that in trying to fill all the gaps, I wasn't leaving room for them to figure out what they truly enjoyed. Now, when my kids complain that they're bored, I don't rush to fix it. I tell them, "That's okay. You'll figure something out." And they do. They've built elaborate forts out of couch cushions, written stories, taught themselves card tricks, and even started a pretend backyard restaurant complete with a hand-drawn menu. Those moments of self-directed play and creativity wouldn't happen if I handed them a constant stream of activities. And honestly, I think there's a reason we 90s kids have such fond memories of our unplugged summers. Long afternoons with nothing but a bike, a sprinkler, and a wild imagination taught us independence and left us with the kind of nostalgia you can't recreate with a perfectly curated schedule. It teaches problem-solving and independence Boredom also forces my kids to practice important life skills like problem-solving and independence. They don't simply escape into electronics for entertainment. Instead, they're left with the space to figure things out for themselves — how to fill their time, what interests them, and how to work with others to make it happen. When they don't have a structured plan handed to them, they have to think about what they want to do, negotiate with siblings, and sometimes compromise. As a mom, I want my kids to grow up knowing how to entertain themselves, manage their time, and think outside the box, because those skills matter far beyond childhood. If they can learn to handle downtime now, it will serve them well as adults who won't always have instant stimulation or someone telling them what to do next. It eases the pressure on parents Let's be honest, summers can feel like a marathon for parents. Between work, household responsibilities, and everything else on our plates, the expectation to create a perfect summer can be overwhelming. Embracing boredom lifts that pressure. It allows me to focus on spending quality time with my kids — reading together on the porch, making spontaneous ice cream runs, or just being present — instead of running myself ragged trying to orchestrate constant entertainment. We still have structure, but it's flexible Letting my kids get bored doesn't mean we have zero structure. We still have a loose daily rhythm with chores, outside time, and family meals. We sprinkle in occasional outings like swimming or visiting grandparents. But there's plenty of open space on the calendar, and that space is intentional. The payoff is worth it By the end of every summer, my kids have usually made memories, strengthened their sibling relationships, and discovered new hobbies, and they've done it largely on their own. I've also gained the peace of knowing I'm not their cruise director. I'm their mom, guiding them to grow into capable, creative humans. So yes, in our house, boredom isn't a problem. It's the starting point for curiosity, creativity, and connection. Sometimes the best summer memories are the ones that come from simply having the freedom to do nothing at all. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Teen Begs to Move Away with Dad to Avoid Mom's New Husband, but She Says He Is Abandoning Their Family
Caught between loyalty and resentment, a teen opens up about why he chose to leave his mom's home and the painful fallout that followed A teen turns to the Reddit community for advice following a difficult decision that left emotions running high in his family. In a candid post, the 16-year-old boy asks if he's wrong for moving to another state with his dad and older sister, while limiting contact with his mom and her new family. 'My parents have been divorced most of my life,' the teen shares, noting that he and his 19-year-old sister have barely any memories of their parents being together. The siblings have been splitting time between their mom's and dad's houses ever since the divorce. Everything changed when the teen's mom started dating her now-husband, who has three children of his own, when the poster was around 10 years old. 'Me and my sister didn't like him,' the teen admits, explaining that although they had gotten along with other men their mom dated, this man 'always rubbed both of us the wrong way.' 'He's a pretty big a-- when he's talking to people,' the teen writes bluntly. He says his mom excused her husband's behavior by blaming it on his military background, but the teen doesn't buy it. 'I don't think everyone in the military talks to others like they're giving orders 24/7,' he explains. According to the teen, it isn't just he and his sister who feel this way, as his mom's family and neighbors also avoid her husband. He even recalls hearing that the man once lost a job because of how he treats others. Despite the growing tension, his mom still chose to marry him, leaving the siblings feeling trapped. 'We tried to spend more time at dad's but mom would never allow it,' the teen remembers. He explains that the courts also didn't support it, making it difficult for them to avoid their mom's house. When his sister was around 17 years old, a judge decided to let her spend less time at their mom's house. But for the poster, he had no choice but to continue visiting. During these visits, his mom would repeatedly pressure him to bond with her husband. 'She said he did so much and I could at least try to love him because he wasn't as bad as me and my sister felt he was,' the teen writes. He didn't hold back in sharing his true feelings, telling his mom, 'I'd never see why she loved him and that I just didn't get it.' He admits he'd rather be at school every single day than spend even an hour with her husband. His mom also urged him to connect with his younger stepsiblings. But the teen has no desire to get to know them, explaining that they were simply 'her husband's kids' to him. Still, he says he wasn't rude to the stepsiblings and kept things polite. But he's clear about where he stands. 'I never tried to act like their brother or gave them false hope of a forever relationship," he writes. So, when his dad received a job offer in another state, the teen didn't hesitate to push for the move. 'I begged him to take it and try to take me with him,' he shares, adding that his sister was also eager to go since she planned to start college nearby. Though their mom initially refused to allow it, they took the matter to court. The teen recalls the moment clearly, writing, 'I told them I wanted to go with dad and my sister and I'd give anything to move with them.' His mom was heartbroken when she found out, and the teen remembers her crying as she asked why he wanted to leave so badly. When the judge ruled in his favor, his mom used her remaining visits to try and change his mind. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'She asked me how I could leave her and my stepsiblings,' the teen says, sharing how she tried to guilt him by mentioning her stepkids' difficult past. 'She put it on me that they had lost so much already,' he adds, noting that their mother had lost custody of them years earlier. But the teen stood firm, telling his mom that he "didn't want to stay there" or "deal with her decisions anymore.' He says she shouldn't have been surprised that he didn't want to be part of the family she chose to build. Now, after the move, his mom calls almost daily, and she has his stepsiblings reaching out too. However, he admits to ignoring most of their calls and plans to go "full no contact once I'm 18.' Though the court order currently requires them to stay in touch once a week, the teen has made it clear where he stands. His mom recently found out about his plans and called him 'a jerk," telling him they're 'a family whether I like it or not.' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
