Five Key Shopping Tips

Photo by Jeff Keen

We hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Aundrea, the certified holistic health counselor, is back with us to share some wonderful shopping tips. Enjoy!

With limited time in the day and so many things to keep up with, do you ever find yourself at the grocery store and have no idea what you need to buy? You can’t remember what’s at home AND you keep meaning to buy healthier foods to have on hand, but you just haven’t gotten educated enough to really start? Baby steps … baby steps …

Start (or re-start!) your habit of writing items down as you discover you need them. This will become your grocery list. My grandmother always shopped by a list and rarely bought things not on that list. Incidentally, my grandparents watched their money and were therefore able to grow (and re-grow!) their money over the years. I need to keep this in mind myself.

For those of us who need to get on track, here are some baby steps – 5 little tips - to keep top of mind as you focus on being prepared to shop, eat healthier, and mind your budget. You may even want to print these tips and keep them in your purse or wallet.

1. Don’t shop when you’re hungry!

2. Always bring a list and stick to it as much as possible.

3. Avoid foods that contain the following additives:

Sodium Nitrite: causes cancer, found in processed meats like hot dogs, bacon, and
sausage. Used to make meats appear red (a color fixer chemical).

Hydrogenated Oils, or Trans Fats: causes heart disease, nutritional deficiencies,
general deterioration of cellular health, and much more. Found in cookies, crackers,
margarine and many "manufactured" foods. Used to make oils stay in the food,
extending shelf life. Sometimes also called "plastic fat."

Excitotoxins: aspartame, monosodium glutamate and others. These neurotoxic
chemical additives directly harm nerve cells, over-exciting them to the point of cell
death, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock. They're found in diet soda, canned soup,
salad dressing, breakfast sausage and even many manufactured vegetarian foods.
They're used to add flavor to over-processed, boring foods that have had the life
cooked out of them.

o Note: MSG can be hidden under the following covert names:
autolyzed, hyrdrolyzed, yeast estract, tortula yeast.

High Frutose Corn Syrup: cheap form of sugar that metabolizes in the liver

4. When buying processed flour products, like bread or wraps, look for the word “whole” at the
beginning of the ingredient list.

5. Look for ingredients with names you recognize, and are short in length. (For example, the ingredient list for peanut butter should read “peanuts, salt”.)

Spending Time With Your Family

photo by CarbonNYC

“Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.” ~ Kahlil Gibran



I am running to Costco, cleaning the house and finalizing the menu for Thanksgiving. Within a few hours our 1,000 square foot condo will be filled with 10 people and 2 dogs. Although I am excited to see everyone, I know (from the past experience) that emotions can run high during holidays. So, there are few reminders that I developed for myself that will help me enjoy this time of the year:

• Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the preparation and details that we forget what Thanksgiving is about. To me, it is about gratitude and appreciation towards what you have and most importantly who you have in your life. As much as possible, keep the gratitude in perspective.


• Accept the fact that every family has its highs and lows. We often take our families for granted and wish for something or someone different. “If only my mom could”… does it sound familiar? I finally came to realization that my family members are just the way they are. I can hope for things to be different, but the best thing I can do is to accept them as they are. If I have a burning desire to improve someone, I focus on myself. Interestingly, I noticed that improving myself not only makes me feel better, but definitely produces some positive curiosity among my family members.


• Let go of perfectionism during holidays. We all know that life is not perfect. It is so much easier if you let go off the desire to make everything perfect and everyone happy. So, I realize that I cannot clean and organize everything, I cannot cook all the dishes I would like to prepare and that someone may get upset about something. But overall, I think we will still have a good time.


• Share responsibilities. Some of us just have a hard time delegating. I learned that it is much easier and it makes other people happier to help out.


• Everyone is allowed to have their own opinion. Sometimes, there may be a debate and we just really want for people to see things/issues just like we see them. But how boring the world would be if everyone thought like we did? Accept the multitude of perspectives and release the need to be right. If you strongly disagree with something before you voice your disagreement, take a pause and think “That’s interesting… I have never thought about it that way. It is a different way of viewing this issue.”


• The next few days will go by so fast. If you start feeling overwhelmed, find a quiet place for a few minutes of reflection. If no rooms are available (happens quite often in my house), the bathroom works great too.

Have a wonderful Thanks Giving!

Pumpkin Muffins

photo by muffet

This time of the year is filled with some festive food. Anything we can do to keep it a little healtier and still tasty will help us with our sense of balance. Here is a wonderful recipe for your weekend or family get together.

Ingredients (Makes 12 muffins)

• 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour
  
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (you can find it at Trader Joes or other stores)
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 slides almonds and/or walnuts
  
• 1/2 cup raising or dried cranberries
  
• 1 cup low-fat vanilla soymilk, rice milk or regular milk
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 maple syrup
  
• 3/4 cup pumkin puree
  
• one diced apple (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin pay with the oil and set aside. In a bowl, stir together with a wire whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, salt, almonds, and raisins. In a separate, larger bowl, combine the milk, oil, maple syrup and pumkin puree. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine gently. Scoop into the muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. An inserted toothpick should come out clean. ENJOY!

Try this recipe and let us know how you like it.

Stress in America

Photo by Raychel Mendez

At one time or another, we all talk about stress and feeling the burden of our many responsibilities, and we often wonder how we can best cope with all we have on our plates. The juggle involved in being both a career-oriented and family-oriented person at the same time can take a toll on our well-being if we aren’t careful. Our goal should be to find fulfillment in these activities, not to feel overwhelmed.

We at :simple:balance: aren’t the only ones who explore these topics and ask questions about how to best handle stress. The American Psychological Association (APA) recently conducted a survey entitled “Stress in America.” Findings from this study have been cited in the popular press, academic journals, and people’s front porches. Given the scope of the survey and the applicability of its findings, we thought it only prudent to share some thoughts on it here.

First, the results. Here are the key findings, as identified by the APA:

1. Stress is on the rise and women bear the brunt. Almost half of the respondents indicated that their stress levels had risen in the past year, and about 30% rated them as “extreme.” Nearly half of the people who responded to the survey say that they are not sure they are doing enough or don’t believe they are doing enough to manage their stress. Women reported higher levels of stress than men, had more physical and emotional symptoms of stress, and were likely to report more various stressors.
2. Stress impacts physical and psychological health. Respondents identified several medical and emotional concerns that are likely increased or worsened with higher levels of stress: heart disease, depression, cancer, obesity, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, anger, and fatigue, to name a few.
3. Money and the economy are top stressors. About 80% of Americans identified one of these two factors as being their most significant life stressor. Work, health problems affecting family, family responsibilities, housing costs, relationships, personal health concerns, job stability, and personal safety rounded out the list.
4. Stress affects how people cope. As compared to a survey conducted in 2007, Americans are now using healthy coping strategies less frequently. Things like exercise were cited less than more sedentary activities such as listening to music. Other unhealthy strategies such as drinking, smoking, or gambling were reported by some to be believed to be effective for managing stress. Such results suggest that while people report they are handling their stress appropriately, they would benefit from additional, healthier coping strategies.

Do you see yourself in any of these results? Given that these findings are based on a survey of the general American population, I’m guessing we can all find something from our own lives in what is described above. After all, haven’t you recently had a discussion with your neighbor, co-worker, or friend about the instability in the economy, daily stressors, or even the physical or emotional side effects of stress? I think most of us have these topics on our minds fairly regularly. So now the question is: What can we do to improve our own stress levels and ur coping abilities?

The APA gives several suggestions and tips on managing stress. They suggest that coping with stress is a learned behavior, and therefore something that takes a conscious effort and practice. Here is what they have to say:

- Understand how you experience stress. Everyone experiences stress differently. How do you know when you are stressed? How are your thoughts or behaviors different from times when you do not feel stressed?
- Identify your sources of stress. What events or situations trigger stressful feelings? Are they related to your children, family, health, financial decisions, work, relationships or something else?
- Learn your own stress signals. People experience stress in different ways. You may have a hard time concentrating or making decisions, feel angry, irritable or out of control, or experience headaches, muscle tension or a lack of energy. Gauge your stress signals.
- Recognize how you deal with stress. Determine if you are using unhealthy behaviors (such as smoking, drinking alcohol and over/under eating) to cope. Is this a routine behavior, or is it specific to certain events or situations? Do you make unhealthy choices as a result of feeling rushed and overwhelmed?
- Find healthy ways to manage stress. Consider healthy, stress-reducing activities such as meditation, exercising or talking things out with friends or family. Keep in mind that unhealthy behaviors develop over time and can be difficult to change. Don't take on too much at once. Focus on changing only one behavior at a time.
- Take care of yourself. Eat right, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and engage in regular physical activity. Ensure you have a healthy mind and body through activities like yoga, taking a short walk, going to the gym or playing sports that will enhance both your physical and mental health. Take regular vacations or other breaks from work. No matter how hectic life gets, make time for yourself — even if it's just simple things like reading a good book or listening to your favorite music.
- Reach out for support. Accepting help from supportive friends and family can improve your ability to manage stress. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can help you better manage stress and change unhealthy behaviors.

We will continue to explore these tips in future posts, but want to get you thinking about them now. The take-home message from the APA survey seems to be twofold: (1) You are not alone in your experience of a stressful life. The “Stress in America” findings indicate that higher levels of stress and more difficulty managing imbalance is a common experience for most Americans today. Sometimes knowing that we are not the only ones struggling is a relief. (2) There is room for improvement. While we may think, in our society, that we are coping well with our stressors, this survey suggests that we can do much better. Additional methods of balancing in the juggle are available and proven to be effective, so start thinking about your own life and ways you can start to implement the tips given above.

We would love to hear your feedback. What do you think about the “Stress in America” survey? Where do you see yourself?

Finding Time to Sit Down

photo by Rennett Stowe

“Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It’s a way of entering into the quiet that’s already there—buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day.” Deepak Chopra, M.D.

As Dana described in our earlier post this week, very often we find ourselves out of balance and typically we pick up on the signs and realize that we need to get ourselves back on track. Different techniques and tools work for different people: some of us like to go get a massage, others need to spend a relaxing day in nature or go to the movies with friends. Although I enjoy all of the above, the tool that helps me relax and unwind on daily basis is meditation. Many people express an interest in trying meditation. However, if you have never done meditation or read about it, it may seem a little unapproachable. I wanted to devote this time to introducing you to meditation and its benefits.

• Definition. There are so many definitions of meditation. Here is my version: it is a mental discipline that allows you to explore your internal world bringing a variety of physical, psychological and spiritual benefits. We spend the majority of our day and our life looking outside, so this is an opportunity to explore what’s inside all of us.
• Origin. Meditation is not “New Age.” It has been practiced for over 5,000 years (references to it are found in old Indian texts). The practice of meditation has been found in many major religions, so you do not have to belong to a certain religious tradition to practice it. Nowadays, meditation, similar to yoga, is becoming increasingly popular in the Western world as a way to reduce stress.
• How does meditation work? Major universities are studying the connection between meditation and brain activity. There are some interesting findings. For example, researchers at the University of Wisconsin found that meditators (experienced and novice) showed increases in electrical activity in the left frontal part of the brain, which is associated with emotional well-being. Researchers at Harvard University found that cortical regions of the brain related to attention & sensory processing were thicker in meditators vs. non-meditators. We know that as we age the cortical part of the brain becomes thinner, so it is possible that meditation may offset cortical thinning due to aging. The good news is that the changes in the brain activity are present even outside meditation, so they can help you throughout the day.
• Benefits. Research findings that support the benefits of meditation are growing (more than 1,500 studies on PubMed). Interestingly, this research only confirms what sages and riches knew through their actual experience of this technique thousands of years ago.
• o Meditation has been widely used as the antidote to stress.
  o It helps to decrease blood pressure, reduce production of stress hormones, improve digestion and sleep.
  o You may also experience a better mood, better relationships and an ability to change your habits a little easier (you just become much more aware of them).
  o At the spiritual level, meditation gives an opportunity to ask yourself some fundamental questions that we rarely ask ourselves: Who am I? What is my purpose?
• Barriers. Often people try meditation and quit because they experience one the of following:
  o “I cannot stop thinking.” We are human beings and we are supposed to think due to the nature of our nervous system. Meditation is not about stopping your thoughts. In fact, the more you try to stop them, the more persistent they will become. Instead, try to observe your thoughts, and accept them to be part of you. Sometimes, you will have quiet meditations and other times, they will be a little more active. Your body and mind know what they need, so they will gratefully use the time you provide to unwind and decompress. I think about meditation as a way to defragment my mind (similar to a computer): let go of thoughts that are not nourishing and keep what seems to be helpful.
  o “I don’t have enough time.” You can start with only 10 minutes a day, and you may find some benefits. Thirty minutes of meditation equate to 1 hour of sleep, so you can potentially get up a little earlier, meditate and feel more rested than you would if you just slept in.
  o “I must sit in a lotus position and shave my head.” It may be your choice, but you don’t have to do it. I cannot sit in a lotus position and the most important part is to be comfortable. Haircut is entirely up to you.
  o “I need to mediate for years before I will see any benefits.” New meditators and those around them notice changes within weeks of regular meditation.
• Ready to try? Here is a very simple meditation that you can do anywhere and it costs absolutely nothing:
  o Sit down and make sure you are comfortable. If you want, you can light a candle or incense that you like.
  o Close your eyes.
  o Inhale for a count of five, exhale for a count of 5… and repeat it 5 or more times.
  o Notice your breath. See if you can notice your next inhale and your exhale. Keep attention on your breath.
  o Your thoughts will start coming up; as you notice them, gently go back to your breath. So, the meditation will be the flow between your thoughts and breathing.
  o You can start with 10 minutes and you increase it to 30 minutes. Ideally, you would do it in the morning to prepare you for the day and in the evening (before dinner) to help you relax and process the day. But, do what you can!
• If you want a little more help, consider getting a certified instructor to teach you. See if you can find one in your area. If you are in Charlotte, NC, I will be happy to help. Email me at mshafiro@choprateachers.com
  
  

Finding Balance Through Imbalance

A big WELCOME to Dana who is guest writing for us today! She shares her thoughts and insights about finding balance, and as a work-at-home mom with a young son, she has a lot of experience. We are excited to have her with us today, and look forward to learning more from her in the future.

Photo by Anywayzzz

While I was desperately trying to find time to write this piece last month, it occurred to me that I did not appear to be a poster child for balance. In fact, my life probably looked pretty out of whack. By the end of the month, I was exhausted, my house was a wreck, my to-do list was running off the page, and I was behind on my work.

Every weekend in October saw me rushing around, hurriedly preparing for and entertaining houseguests – cleaning, planning a menu, stocking the pantry, cooking homemade meals, arranging for interesting outings, and so on. The parade of visitors meant little downtime to recharge or take care of mundane but necessary life tasks that seem only to accumulate. Further, I work from home while caring for my young son, and I often work on the weekends. With the weekends consumed by family and friends, I found myself working nights and still getting behind both on sleep and my assignments. I nevertheless stubbornly refused to put down my book before bed or to give up my 5 a.m. run in the interest of getting sufficient rest.

None of that seems very balanced, and yet I would argue that periods of imbalance are necessary to achieving balance overall in our lives. Balance is not a state you reach and maintain – it is a dynamic and ongoing process. Sometimes temporary imbalances are necessary to promoting balance across time. Being out of balance can also illustrate for us where we need to make changes in order to promote long-term wellbeing. It’s a matter of knowing your priorities and making day to day decisions that are aligned with your big-picture goals. It also means keeping a positive attitude when you have to make tradeoffs. The key to balance – to everything, it sometimes seems – is in awareness. In knowing what is important to you, and in being present enough in your moments to chose actions that support those things, even when the choice paradoxically promotes temporary imbalance.

As a family, it is important to us to spend time with our loved ones. Though realizing that priority meant last month was a bit hectic, in the grand scheme of things, accepting a little craziness allowed us to see the people we care about the most – which is far more important than tackling a few chores or scratching off a couple of tasks on a never-ending to-do list. I also highly value the little bit of “me time” that I get these days. In the short term I was willing to sacrifice a few hours of sleep to ensure I got that time. I have learned the hard way that I am more recharged by some discretionary time than I am by an extra hour of sleep. I also knew that this period of imbalance would end, and I would find myself caught up on work and sleep and missing the hubbub of a house full of friends and family, which helped me stay positive when I was tired or feeling overwhelmed.

As a work-at-home mom, the need to constantly balance two of my life roles is ever-present. It can be overwhelming at times to try to focus on the needs of a toddler when I can hear my work line ringing or see an email that seems to require an immediate response. This physical juxtaposition of work and family makes salient to me the universal need to be present in the moment so that you can make an intuitive judgment about which activity is truly important or urgent and should therefore take priority. Sometimes it will be work, and sometimes it will be the baby – sometimes it will be sleep, other times the morning run. Maybe for others it means sacrificing a vacation day to pursue volunteer work, or turning down a job transfer to be closer to an aging parent. Balance doesn’t mean equal time spent in our different roles or activities – it means allocating our resources in a way that makes us happier, better people.

Engaging in this ongoing balancing act requires awareness – not just in the moment, but in how those moments accumulate. At the end of the day, week, or month, what did you prioritize most often? Were those choices in alignment with your big-picture priorities and goals? If not, what can you do differently next time?

More Balance

We are excited to welcome guest writer, David, back again! A dedicated consultant, family man, and friend, he faces many challenges in balancing it all, but strives to find time to enjoy these various aspects of his life. He is a man of many hobbies, in addition to his work and family roles, and is an avid sportsman with archery hunting and fly-fishing being his favorites. We are thrilled to read more about David’s perspective on :simple:balance:.

Photo by Camp ASCCA

As we move from a season of haunts and haints to a season of thanksgiving, I wonder if I am blessed with a more balanced life than I perceive. Do I take note of and cherish the opportunities that I have to engage in what I enjoy? Do I feel and express gratitude for those experiences enough? Am I so focused on feeling overwhelmed or burdened with my various life roles and responsibilities that I forget why I made them a part of my life to start with?

I ask myself these questions, sort of, as a self-test. I am afraid that there are many situations in which I have time with my family, but I don't soak it up like I should. And then I complain that I don’t have enough quality time with my loved ones. I am afraid that the time I have to myself is spent trying to do as much as possible instead of just enjoying my surroundings and taking a break from "the grind." And then my focus is on how little me-time I believe I have. I am afraid that I have more balance in my life than I give it credit for.

I think we all may find that our lives are more balanced than we realize if we just take the time to focus on what we are doing in the present moment and do it with vigor and passion. I have learned that an important aspect of feeling balanced is based on how I perceive my life. If I am more aware of the blessings I have, the quality of my relationships and work, and the value I place on all of these things, I am sure to feel more balance. On the reverse side, though, if my attention is on how little time I have, how stressed I feel, or all of the things I am missing out on, I will feel less balanced.

This Thanksgiving season I intend on doing my job with extra focus, absorbing every moment with my wife, daughter, and family, making my extracurricular activities a ton of FUN, and just living a healthy lifestyle. I think I am obligated to all of these things because I have truly been blessed in so many ways. How about you? How can you change your perceptions in order to find more balance?

Organic Produce Storage Tips

As we've covered here before at :simple:balance:, one key to finding balance is through what we put into our bodies - our food and nutrition. Most experts recommend that we eat organic food whenever possible to maximize vitamins and nutrients and minimize toxic chemicals. Because organic food can be more expensive than non-organic, it is important to ensure that we get the most out of our money and our food - both important for feeling balanced! Aundrea Tucker is back with us today to share some of her ideas about how to make our organic produce last longer.

Photo by Imapix

Did you know that if placed in the refrigerator while firm kiwifruit will last up to six months?!

Want to ripen your pears? Place them in a plastic bag with a couple of ripe bananas. Bananas give off ethylene gas, which ripens other fruit.

Don’t you hate it when you when you buy all the right foods, but it goes all wrong when you’re unable to eat them before they go bad? Here are some tips to keep your organic produce ready to eat for as long as possible.

APPLES
Apples ripen quickly at room temperature; ten times as fast as an apple kept at 32* Fahrenheit. Store apples in a plastic bag in the refrigerator away from strong odored foods such as cabbage or onions to prevent flavor transfer.

BANANAS
Do not refrigerate bananas until they are ripe. When you put them into the refrigerator they will turn black, but the insides will ripen slower. To ripen green bananas, put them into a plastic bag, seal it and place the bag in a warm place like on top of your refrigerator. This will cause the bananas to heat up which speeds the ripening process.

GRAPES
Grapes are harvested only when fully ripe. Before storing, remove any spoiled grapes with broken skins or browning from the bunch and keep refrigerated; they should keep up to a week. During storage, continue to remove any and all spoiled fruit. Grapes can also be frozen, extending their storage life up to three months.

KIWI
Very firm kiwifruit can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Kiwifruit won't keep for nearly as long in the refrigerator after it begins to ripen. To ripen firm kiwis, leave them at room temperature, but away from heat or direct sunlight, for a few days to a week. Hasten ripening by placing them in a paper bag with an apple, pear, or banana. Once a kiwi fruit is ripe, however, store it far from other fruits, as it is very sensitive to the ethylene gas they emit, and tends to overripe even in the refrigerator. Ripe kiwis should keep for about one to two weeks.

MANGO
Leave under ripe mangoes at cool room temperature for a few days to soften and sweeten--very warm temperatures can cause an off-flavor to develop. Place two mangoes in a paper bag to speed ripening (or, if you don't have two mangoes, put another fruit such as an apple or banana in with the mango). Ripe mangoes will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator.

MELON
Whole ripe or cut melons can be stored in the refrigerator for about three days. Cut melons should be wrapped tightly in plastic. Leave the seeds inside a cut melon until you're ready to eat it to help keep the melon moist.

PEARS
Ripen pears at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag with a couple of ripe bananas. When the pear is ripe, refrigerate until you are ready to eat it. Product that is extremely hard will ripen best at room temperature.

ORANGES
Store oranges in a cool place outside the refrigerator and try to eat them within a few days. If you need to keep them longer, refrigerate in a plastic bag or in the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator.

STRAWBERRIES
Strawberries are extremely perishable and should be refrigerated immediately. Store unwashed strawberries in the refrigerator by stacking them on paper towels (between the layers as well), in a moisture-proof container. Eat them within 48-72 hours, or freeze them.

BROCCOLI
Store broccoli in the high-humidity vegetable crisper of your refrigerator for up to three days. Refresh broccoli in ice water to maintain its bright green color if you're not using it right away or are making a cold presentation.

CABBAGE
Head cabbage stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator's humid vegetable bin will last at least a week. Savoy and Napa cabbages should be consumed within three or four days.

CARROTS w/TOPS
Before storing carrots, remove their green tops, rinse, drain, and put the carrots in plastic bags and store them in the coldest part of the refrigerator with the highest humidity. They'll last several months this way.

CAULIFLOWER
Cauliflower should be placed in a plastic bag and stored in your refrigerator crisper. When stored properly, cauliflower will last up to five days; however, it is best when eaten within three days.

CELERY
To store celery, trim the base and remove any leaves or ribs that are damaged or bruised. Rinse, place in a plastic bag, and keep in the refrigerator's humid vegetable bin, and it will last about two weeks.

CHARD
Refrigerate in plastic wrap up to 2 days. Rainbow Chard is pretty colorful Chard with yellow, pink, orange, white, and red veins.

COLLARDS
Wrap unwashed greens in damp paper towels. Refrigerate in a plastic bag, in the crisper, up to 5 days.

CORN
Corn is best eaten immediately. However, it can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days in plastic bags with the husk still on.

GREEN BEANS
Place green beans in a perforated plastic bag or paper bag and store them in the refrigerator crisper for up to five days.

LETTUCE
Refrigerate unwashed leaves in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer. A plastic bag from the grocery store is sufficient. Lettuce will keep for up to 5 days. Do not store lettuce with melons, apples, pears, or other ethylene gas-emitting fruits as they will cause the lettuce to turn brown.

ONIONS
Store onions in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place; not in the refrigerator.

PEPPERS
They can be stored for at least a week if placed in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator. The riper the pepper is when harvested, the less time it will maintain its freshness.

POTATOES
Potatoes like cool (45* F to 50* F) humid (but not wet) surroundings, but refrigeration can turn the starch in the potatoes to sugar and may tend to darken them when cooked.

SPINACH
When you get bunched spinach home, untie it, remove any blemished leaves, trim off the stems, and wash it thoroughly in cold water. Repeat if necessary until you're sure all the grit is gone. Spin dry in a salad spinner or drain well, then put into clean plastic bags very loosely wrapped with paper towels. It will last only two to three days, so plan on eating your rinsed spinach right away. Cold, moist surroundings, as low as 32*F and about 95% humidity are the best for storing spinach.

SUMMER SQUASH
Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 3-5 days.

WINTER HARD SQUASHES
Butternut, Acorn, Spaghetti Store squash in a cool, preferably dark, well-ventilated area for up to one month. Wrap cut pieces in plastic and refrigerate up to five days.

TOMATOES
Keep tomatoes at room temperature until ripened. Once ripened, tomatoes will last for two to three days. If necessary, tomatoes can be refrigerated in vegetable bin for approximately one week. Try to avoid refrigerating tomatoes whenever possible. Tomatoes will lose their flavor once stored below 55.