It's Not About Nutrition

Let’s be honest—cleaning the oven hood filter is one of those chores that always gets bumped to “next weekend.” You look up at it, all coated in sticky gunk from months (okay, sometimes years) of cooking, and think, Ugh, I’ll deal with that later. I used to dread it too. Scrubbing it with dish soap, watching the grease smear around instead of coming off, wondering if it would ever look clean again… not my idea of a relaxing Sunday afternoon. But then my Nana, who was queen of keeping a spotless kitchen without a single harsh chemical in sight, showed …

Let me tell you something I’ve learned the hard way: just because something looks okay, doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat. There was a time when I’d look at a tub of yogurt or a half-forgotten pack of lunch meat in the fridge, give it a quick sniff, and figure—eh, close enough. I mean, we grew up hearing “expiration dates are just guidelines,” right? Well… not always. And definitely not for everything. As someone who’s spent years feeding a family and trying to waste less while keeping everyone healthy, I’ve come to realize how important it is to really understand …

I grew up thinking my grandpa was some kind of garden wizard. He’d walk out in his overalls with his old watering can, whistle a tune, and somehow everything—from roses to radishes—just thrived under his watch. But you know what he didn’t tolerate? Weeds.Not a single one. “Those suckers’ll steal your garden’s soul,” he used to mutter while squinting down at a patch of dandelions, hands on his hips. He wasn’t wrong. Weeds sneak in, drink all the water, hog the sun, and make your hard work look like you’ve never picked up a rake in your life. But Grandpa …

Let me tell you something: plumbing is one of those things we don’t think much about… until we have to. A gurgling drain, a faucet that won’t quit dripping, a mystery leak that appears during your Sunday roast—sound familiar? Plumbers—bless ’em—have seen it all. And while most of us are just trying to keep our sinks from backing up, these folks have a whole toolbox of tricks and tidbits they’ve picked up over years on the job. Stuff they don’t always advertise, but boy, it’s handy when you know it. So today, I’m letting you in on a few of …

You know those people who say, “Oh, I use vinegar for everything—cleaning, cooking, sore throats, car repairs…”? Yeah. I thought they were a little much. Until one day, on a whim (and because I was desperate), I poured some white vinegar into my washing machine—and now I’m that person. Seriously. Vinegar in the laundry? Game. Changer. And I know it doesn’t sound glamorous. It’s not some magical purple detergent with beads or softener sheets that smell like tropical waterfalls. It’s vinegar. The stuff that makes your nose crinkle and your salad tangy. But if your towels feel like cardboard, your …

Okay, listen. If you’ve ever pulled a fresh load of laundry out of the dryer, only to find that your favorite tee now looks like it was made for a toddler—same. And if you haven’t? Well, bless you and your laundry angels, but the rest of us are out here mourning sleeves that suddenly don’t reach our wrists and waistbands that scream when we breathe. But here’s the good news: your clothes might not be ruined after all. My mama, who raised five kids and had a sixth sense for rescuing laundry disasters, taught me this trick years ago. It …

Okay, let’s be honest for a minute. Have you ever opened your energy bill, stared at the number, and thought, “Wait a minute… is that a typo?”Yeah. Me too. And what makes it worse? You’re not even doing anything fancy. You’re not blasting the AC with the windows open. You’re not throwing nightly laundry parties. You’re just living. But here’s the truth—and I say this with love—your house might be leaking energy in ways you don’t even notice. Not dramatic, movie-scene stuff. Just quiet, sneaky little culprits sipping electricity like it’s sweet tea. So grab that tea (or coffee, or …

Alright, let me just say it—some days, it feels like the house is staging a rebellion. You clean the living room, turn your back for ten minutes, and somehow the dog’s tracked in a full acre of dirt, there’s a tumbleweed of hair under the ottoman, and the kids have built a fort out of every clean blanket you own. Sound familiar? Now, I’m not someone who aims for perfection. I mean, this house lives. But I do like things to feel tidy. Comfortable. Clean enough that if someone stops by unannounced, I don’t have to pretend the mess “just …

I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, there wasn’t a single thing that got past Nana’s kitchen radar. If something smelled a little funny, looked a little off, or just didn’t seem quite right—out it went. Waste not, want not… but food safety came first. One of her most trusted kitchen tricks? Figuring out if an egg was still good without cracking it open. No sniff test, no flashlight—just a bowl of cold water and a moment of patience. These days, with all the “use-by” and “sell-by” dates printed in tiny letters on every carton, folks …