Keep washed, ready-to-eat vegetables on hand and easy to find. How many times does someone in your family open the refrigerator door to see what there is to eat and take one of the first foods he or she sees? So let the cleaned vegetables be seen first. Also, set them out when meals and snacks are eaten. On the run? Cut up some veggies and put them in zip-top bags. Stop in the produce department to see if some vegetables are cut up and ready to eat for a snack. If you do not have a cooler or refrigerator nearby, remember to eat cut-up produce within two hours for safety.

Find out about the difference between cleaning and sanitizing.

Never thaw food at room temperature or in warm water. If food is warmer than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but colder than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, bacteria will multiply quickly. From Cooking 101 (Week 2) Quick and Easy Menus, Recipes and Tips for Singles and Couples

You don’t need to have a gourmet kitchen to be a good cook, but having some kitchen equipment essentials can make cooking a breeze. From Cooking 101 (Week 1) Quick and Easy Menus, Recipes and Tips for Singles and Couples

Many people grow tomatoes in their traditional or container gardens. With a good year, you may want to preserve some tomatoes to enjoy during the winter. The recommendations in this publication take into account numerous tomato varieties, including those described as meaty, solid, firm and with few seeds, and the recommendations also allow for various growing conditions. If you do not want to follow these instructions, freezing is a safe alternative

Squash has been used as a nutritious food for thousands of years in North America. You might find buttercup, butternut, acorn and/or spaghetti squash in your local grocery store. Botanists consider squash to be a fruit, but it is used as a vegetable on menus.

Botanically, a tomato is classified as a fruit because it has seeds and is derived from flower tissue. Nutritionists consider tomatoes to be “vegetables” on the menu. Tomatoes can be frozen, canned or dried, so we can enjoy them year-round.

Raspberries are part of the rose family, and numerous varieties are available. The low-calorie fruits add flavor, color and nutrition to your menu.

Pumpkins are one of the colorful symbols of autumn. Most people think of using them solely for the purpose of carving and displaying, but pumpkin can be used in many ways on your menu, including soups and desserts. Try roasting the seeds for a crunchy snack.

More than 5,000 varieties of potatoes are grown throughout the world. The average person in the U.S. eats 124 pounds of potatoes every year. Potatoes can be used in a wide variety of recipes.