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Easy ways to help restaurants survive the Coronavirus pandemic

The United States has fully plunged into the coronavirus pandemic. It’s an uncertain time for most people and businesses, and restaurants are no exception. Small businesses of all kinds depend on foot traffic, and with people staying home voluntarily—and now by government mandate in many areas—businesses and their employees are feeling particularly vulnerable. Here’s how you can help. Get take-out But just because you can’t sit down and grab a beer and a burger at your favorite local business doesn’t mean you can’t still help support them during their time of need. Some restaurants have adapted to offering take-out for the first time, while others have extended take-out menus already in place. Others have even started to offer delivery service or at the very least, curb-side delivery. Make a quick phone call to a local restaurant and see what services they’re offering. They’ll be happy to hear from you! Tip…

How to freeze milk and other milk substitutes

Buy too much and it goes bad. Buy too little and your morning cereal might be left dry. If you’re constantly fighting the battle of how much milk to buy, you might find it helpful to know that milk can, in fact, be frozen. By freezing milk, you can be sure you’ll have enough to last you through a shortage, whether that be a coronavirus pandemic or simply a miscalculation on the amount you’ll need while making holiday recipes. Milk can also be expensive at times, so if you see it on sale, you can use this simple trick to help stock up and save some money. Also read: Keep milk out of the fridge door, and other storage tips. Here’s what you need to know about freezing milk. How to freeze milk Step 1: Choose a milk. Because freezing liquids can often cause fat to separate, skim and low-fat milks…

What you should really stock up on for Coronavirus prep

With the coronavirus pandemic in full swing and “nonessential” businesses coast to coast closing their doors, Americans are facing the reality of two weeks stuck at home. While toilet paper and hand sanitizer have been flying off shelves, there are other things that make more sense in preparation for 14 days holed up at home. Supply chains are said to still be well in-tact, according to The New York Times, so there is no need for outright stockpiling food. In fact, shoppers rushing out and buying everything is sight is causing an inconvenient temporary and unnecessary shortage for other shoppers. Instead, stay calm and stock up on what you really need. Buying the right food, medicine, and cleaning supplies now can help you cut down on overall trips to the store, and less time in large public centers. But don’t just buy up anything and everything you see. You’ll put…

2020 Lent specials and deals at top chain restaurants

It’s once again Lent and the season for seafood, and this year many chain restaurants are offering some serious specials and deals. In case you’re looking to grabs some grub between now and Easter, here’s a roundup of those national restaurants offering seafood specials. A&W The nation’s oldest fast food restaurant is offering new Pub-Style Baskets filled with either 16 crispy-fried shrimp, three pieces of crispy cod, or two Cod Sliders, served with fries and coleslaw. Find a location near you. Arby’s Arby’s is offering a new Fish ‘N Cheddar sandwich along with the return of their Crispy Fish Sandwich. Both are available for a limited time as part of the two for $6 fish sandwich deal. Bojangles’ The BoJangler dinner platter is back for the Lent season, while supplies last. The platter features a crispy-fried and seasoned Alaskan Pollock filet, with American cheese and tartar sauce served on a…

These are America’s favorite supermarkets

More and more consumers might be having groceries delivered curbside—or even right to their door—but that doesn’t mean we still don’t have strong preferences on where we shop. A new report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, used data from more than 85,000 customers who compiled scores for different stores, ranking everything from cleanliness to product selection, store layout and more. So which stores came out on top? H-E-B, a privately owned supermarket chain based in Texas took top slot. Trader Joes, and Legman’s tied for second place.  ALDI, Costco, and Publix all received the same rating to tie for third. Also see, how to avoid being rude at the grocery store. The bottom of the list? Albertsons and Sav-A-Lot landed at the bottom—just above Walmart. Here is the full list of Customer Satisfaction Index scores for U.S. supermarkets: H-E-B — 84 Trader Joe’s — 84 Wegmans — 84 Aldi…

Half-eaten cookie found inside 1529 manuscript

When it comes to marking a book page, we all have our habits. Some fold the page corner back lightly, others use fancy bookmarks or ribbon to save their spot. All reasonable methods to choose from, but someone had other ideas—food. Recently, a librarian found a 1529 manuscript with a half-eaten cookie stuffed between two pages. The strange situation went viral when Cambridge University Library Special Collections tweeted a photo of the cookie stuffed inside the book, a copy of St. Augustine dating back to 1592. The library tweeted a photo of the scene with this gentle reminder for guests: Today’s unexpected discovery in a 1529 volume of Augustine. For future reference, we have acid free paper to mark your place. Please don’t use baked goods.” The cookie appears to be chocolate chip, but it’s believed to have happened about 50 years ago, according to The Vintage News, and before…

The difference between baking soda and baking powder

They’re both powdery. They’re both white. They’re both used in baking. So what’s the difference between baking soda and baking powder? And how do you remember which is which? Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which are used to make tasty baked goods to rise. They bring the carbon dioxide air bubbles to your bread and the height to your stack of Saturday pancakes. While the two substances look similar in color and texture, their chemical compositions and how they interact with other ingredients differ. Let’s dig in. What is Baking soda? Baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda or sodium bicarbonate) is a base that reacts whenever it is combined with liquid and an acid. Baking soda itself is not acidic, but when combined with an an acid, like buttermilk, lemon juice, or yogurt, it releases carbon dioxide air bubbles. Without baking soda, cookies and cakes would be…

Every bit of exercise counts toward a longer life, even taking the stairs

Good news for busy people everywhere. A new study reported that every little bit of activity you get in can add up to a longer, healthier life — not just when you do it in half hour or more increments. While advice for the past 30 years as has usually told us to get at least 10 minutes at a time, the latest research from Duke University School of Medicine shows that it doesn’t really matter how you get it, as long as you do. No matter the length of segments people got their exercise, those who moved more were less likely to die over the next six to seven years that those who were less active. Guidelines typically recommend that people get at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise every week, or about 30 minutes, five times a week. But while, the 10-minute-at-a-time bench mark was widely accepted, it…

What people are stockpiling during the coronavirus panic

There’s no denying that fears of a widerspread coronavirus outbreak are sweeping the nation. Despite what health experts are recommending at this time, U.S. citizens are stockpiling extra dry goods in the event they find themselves stuck at home for some amount of time. Face mask, hand sanitizer, and cases of bottled water have been flying off grocery store shelves for weeks, but what are the other most sought after items? According to Nielsen data, shelf-stable and longer-lasting foods have seen a spike in sales since late February, while fresh produce sales are noticeably lower. CNBC compared how this years product sales are comparing to last year’s sales of the sale time period. At U.S. stores, fruit snacks sales were up by nearly 13%. Dried beans were up 10%, and pretzels were up 9%. Other items like energy drinks, pet medicine, vitamin supplements, and first-aid kits also so an sales spike. Here’s…

Why you should never store canned goods in the garage

Stockpiling food and water is like a little insurance policy: Hopefully you never have to rely on it, but if you do, if could prove to be priceless. Whether it’s the threat of natural disaster or the fear of a pandemic, having a safety stash of food and water can give you a little piece of mind. However, if you’re planning to store your stockpile in the garage, you may want to reconsider. While it may be a neatly out-of-the-way option, the garage isn’t necessarily the best place to store your excess canned goods. The USDA recommends storing canned goods in a cool, dry location—and most garages fail on both accounts. Also see, Moldy Foods that are Still Safe to Eat. Damp garages can cause cans to rust rather quickly. Rusted cans can have tiny holes that will allow bacteria to enter. (If the rust is light enough that you can…