You know those square fruit containers you get from the farmer's market or grocery store? If you have a spare one sitting around, you may want to check out this clever, budget-friendly DIY project: turn it into a recipe card holder! More

Last week I was in Portland and got to visit one of my favorite stores, Canoe, for the first time. Since I was on vacation, I splurged and bought myself a Health Ceramic mug ($34). Like many of my other favorite home and kitchen stores (Brook Farm General Store, Kaufmann Mercantile, Herriott Grace, to name a few), I found myself eyeing far more than I could afford to buy at that time. Which has me wondering: how do you determine whether or not a kitchen tool or accessory is worth the price? How important is the item's aesthetic appeal and backstory? More

When you're on a budget, it can be a challenge to shop for healthy, fresh food, so the EWG took that dilemma to task! Their newest guide assessed nearly 1,200 foods and hand-picked 100 of the most nutrient-dense foods at a good price, from fruits and vegetables to dairy, protein, grains, and cooking oils. More

It's difficult to make sweeping generalizations about kitchen renovations and builds (other than the old "add 50% to the initial estimate!" rule — always a good idea!). Every kitchen is different, just as every cook has a slightly different set of desires and priorities. However, as I've researched and shopped for my own kitchen, which is being built from the ground up, I've made some trade-offs in costs and priority that, so far, seem worth it to me. Here are five of my own save/splurge decisions for a new kitchen. More

Do you love microgreens? These baby sprouts — just a few days old — of plants like basil, arugula, and chard have immense flavor packed into their tiny forms. Microgreens command a great deal of money at the store, and they are beloved by chefs, who use their intense flavor and delicate appearance to enhance expensive restaurant plates. But you can grow microgreens at home with nearly no effort whatsoever, and the payoff is terrific. Here's how, courtesy of reader Claire, are instructions for quickly growing microgreens. More

Cooking for one has a number of unique challenges, from not being able to finish a bottle of wine to passing up great super-sized deals. We've already discussed how to deal with a whole loaf of bread, strategies for using onions and keeping sweets in the house. We've even covered what to do when you get bored, as a solo cook. Now let's take a look at four common challenges for the solo cook and their simple solutions. More

In yesterday's post on battling food waste in the kitchen, many of you praised the benefits of meal planning. What is meal planning, to you? What's your routine? Do you draw up a big chart for the whole month and stick to it? Do you go to the store, see what looks good, and let that guide your meals? Do you freeze meals far ahead of time? We'd love your best meal planning tips and ideas — what keeps you organized and well-fed? More

A few years ago we featured a tutorial showing how to make your own ice packs from dish soap. I still use the ones I made for that how to and love them dearly, but in the back of my mind I'm still waiting for the day one breaks. Forget what could be a mess, check out this ice pack that absorbs itself as it melts! More

We recently talked about the staggering amount of food waste happening in America. It may seem easy enough to just buy what you want and eat what you make, but in real life it can be a little tricky. Here are five tips to get a handle on food waste in your home kitchen. More

The IKEA Expedit bookcase may be one of the most popular affordable bookcases out there. (When you actually start looking for it, you see it everywhere. Trust me.) Its ubiquity also means it's rife for reinterpretation, as seen in this kitchen/dining storage hack! More