Now Here’s a Tip – Jan. 14, 2020

#Middlebury

• To extend the shelf life of your bunch of bananas, try wrapping the stem tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. They also can be kept in the refrigerator if you don’t mind cold bananas, like when you are slicing them into cereal or using them in a smoothie. The skins may brown, but the inside will not overripen to match.
• “If you have extra books hanging around, why not contact your local nursing homes to see if anyone would like some new reading material?” – T. in South Carolina
• H.W. in Massachusetts writes, “I use a bathroom chair in my tub and always wash the exterior. One day, a tip came off one of the legs and when I turned it over to replace it, I was horrified to see black mold underneath. I sprayed it with cleaner and it cleaned up perfectly. Please offer this tip to my fellow senior citizens. Mold is really bad.”
• Energy saving tip for the kitchen: Use pots and pans that are the correct size for the burner. There’s no sense in using the big burner for a small pot, and a small burner will have to work twice as long to heat up a large pot of water. Also make sure your pots are flat (not warped) and clean, so heat can transfer more efficiently.
• “Many people have resolutions to eat healthier or to get more exercise. Why not connect with friends to be accountable to one another? You can cook together so that you will have healthy options for meals and snacks, and even if you cannot walk or go to the gym together, you can check in with each other a few times a week to make sure the person hasn’t fallen off the wagon. Be an encourager!” – F.L. in Oregon

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