Welcome toThrifty. A weekly column where assistant nutrition editor and registered dietitian, Jessica Ball, keeps it real on how to grocery shop on a budget, make healthy meals for one or two, and make earth-friendly choices without overhauling your entire life. I have been eating this way for a while, basically since a short stint eating vegan in college (that did not stick). The types of foods I buy and meals I make are second nature now....

In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleRefrozen FoodsForgotten LeftoversFreezer-Burned ItemsSmelly Ice CubesOld Ice CreamPastries with Cream or Cheese Fillings In This ArticleView All View All In This Article Refrozen Foods Forgotten Leftovers Freezer-Burned Items Smelly Ice Cubes Old Ice Cream Pastries with Cream or Cheese Fillings A freezer is something we could never live without. We store everything in there, fromcrunchy celeryandcreamy hummusto last night’s leftovers. But we have to admit, sometimes we treat our freezer like a junk drawer—anything that doesn’t have a place in our fridge or pantry may get haphazardly thrown in there....

ClosePhoto: Getty Images / onurdongelTheInstant Potis a popular kitchen appliance that has become a favorite of somehome cooks, making cooking more versatile and accessible.Mealsare prepared in minutes—simply program the time and temperature. Or, use its preset features, which make this multipurpose cooker a timesaving solution for those who don’t have time to spend in the kitchen.Whether you own the originalInstant Pot that was first introduced in November 2010 or the latest model, the Crisp,which also has air-frying capabilities, chances are you may not know all the ins and outs of the appliance....

Sitting for hours at your desk is not only tiring, since working too hard can lead to burnout, but it can also wreak havoc on your body. From eye strain to headaches to back pain and more, here’s what happens to your body when you stare at a computer all day—plus, how taking breaks throughout the day can make all the difference. What Happens to Your Body When You Stare at a Computer All Day You Could Get “Computer Vision Syndrome” Staring for too long at a computer screen can lead to short-term, immediate physical effects that can also compromise your work flow....

Whether you’re going all-in with a vegan diet or simply choosing to eat less meat, striving for a more plant-centric diet has its benefits (Here are thehealth benefits of eating a plant-based diet). One caveat: When it comes to your health, just eating plant-based foods instead of meat doesn’t guarantee an improved diet—you have to make healthier choices when substituting. Refined white bread, fake “bacon” and French fries all stem from plants, technically, but these types of ultra-processed foods aren’t doing your health any favors....

You’ve probably heard it a million times, especially when growing up, when mom would say, “Eat your fruits and veggies.” And yes, she was totally right. The bad news? Most of us aren’t eating enough. 90% of us aren’t getting the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables a day. For most adults that’s 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables (men should aim for a little more veg)....

Eating should be enjoyable, so when you’re stuck with some pretty bad acid reflux afterward, it can really affect your day. Depending on what and how you eat, it can lead to indigestion, where you might experience heartburn, an upset stomach or a weird taste in your mouth. 6 Ways Stress Can Mess with Your Digestion It can be difficult to know exactly what’s causing acid reflux to act up in the first place, which affects how you treat it and prevent future attacks....

Close Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design. Getty Images. EatingWell design. High blood pressure (also called hypertension) is one of the most common health conditions, affecting over1 billionpeople globally.It’s often called the “silent killer” because it’s the No. 1 risk factor for death worldwide. And it can lead to serious complications like heart disease and stroke, often without any noticeable symptoms. The good news is there are steps you can take each morning to help manage your blood pressure and start your day on the right foot....

Close Photo: Getty Images / Antonio_Diaz As more and more Americanstest positive for COVID-19, many of us are fighting the virus at home. It’s a fortunate position to be in, that’s for sure—and fingers crossed it stays that way and omicron remains a milder variant. But you’re still probably going to want to find ways to relieve your symptoms. COVID-19, aka thecoronavirus, is just that—a virus. And how you cope with your COVID symptoms isn’t all that different from how you manage other viruses....

Scroll through your social media feed and you may come across an image of someone’s countertop lined with a week’s worth of meals and snacks perfectly portioned into single-serving containers. That’s meal prep to the extreme and go you if you have time to do it! But do you know what also counts as meal prep? Cooking a batch ofbrown ricefor the week. Or grilling extra chicken to toplunch salads. Or chopping up an onion and bell pepper for tomorrow’schili....

Close If you listened to all the advice out there about staying healthy, your head would never stop spinning. The list of “must-dos” from the wellness industry is long. Do this (celery juice,supplements,elderberry), don’t do that (carbs,fat,sugar)…the list of advice is not only long, it’s confusing as well. For the record, I’m not endorsing these tips, just trying to demonstrate all of the different pieces of advice coming at us (Here’s a little more on why I thinkfollowing the wellness industry’s advice can become problematic....

Close Photo: Getty Images / Yaroslav Danylchenko / MirageC / Zakharova_Natalia Best and Worst Foods for Prediabetes 1. Fill half (or more) of your plate with fruits and vegetables According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 1 in 10 Americans consume the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and veggies per day. These foods are brimming with nutrients and fiber and are lower in calories. Plus, Lauren Harris-Pincus, M....

Close Photo:Getty Images Getty Images The term “visceral fat” may sound like something from a science textbook, but it’s actually the term used in research for the fat that surrounds your internal organs in your abdominal cavity. Many people want to reduce this type of fat, and fad or crash diets promise to give you results fast. But buyer beware! Reducing visceral fat comes down to small and realistic nutrition and lifestyle changes made over time....

This Is the #1 Mistake to Avoid When Using an Air Fryer, According to TikTok Adobe Stock / ArtoBarto 1. Sugary items It may go without saying, but never put cotton candy (aka fairy floss, aka spun sugar) in your air fryer. Or sour gummy candies. Nor whole Subway sandwiches, games of Boggle, or Apple watches (thank you, Air Fryer Guy!). The bottom line—sugary foods will melt and burn. They’re just not made for an air fryer, so quit trying to crisp-up these items....

With all the multifunction kitchen gadgets around these days, your old-fashioned toaster oven may have gotten stashed in your basement. That’s a shame, because toaster ovens are great not just for making toast, but for cooking all sorts of things, from breakfast items like eggs and bacon to desserts like cobblers and crumbles. Toaster ovens are essentially just small ovens and “anything you might cook or bake in an oven will be just fine, with the added convenience of something small that can heat up fairly quickly,” says John Savoia, who works atKitchenwitch, a kitchen supply shop in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts....