In the winter a daily cup of miso soup is a simple and healthful way to start dinner. You'll use it up quickly enough doing that.

miso molasses glaze (2 tbs miso - or half and half with gochujang if you like a little spice, 2 tbs molasses, 2 tbs mirin, water to thin out, pinch of five-spice powder and dash of sesame oil) is great on pork, salmon, butternut squash, chicken...

I made this last night and it was amaaazing.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/06/the-food-lab-how-to-make-miso-glazed-salmon-in-the-toaster.html

Miso paste lasts for months and months in the fridge. I don't worry about using it up. However, another delish miso recipe isn't exactly a bad thing.

I agree with pumaunicorn- no reason to worry about keeping some miso around!

What is the best kind of miso to buy? For that typical restaurant miso soup, what do you use? Also, what about red miso?

I hardly ever use miso for anything but soup. It's meant to keep indefinitely, so I wouldn't worry about using it up. When I'm unwell or super-busy, it's a simple way to keep myself fed - I like to grate carrots and radishes into the bowl with a little wakame when I make it.

White miso is the one most commonly used to make sushi-restaurant soup. I like to mix it with red miso at home.

It's very interesting and inspiring to see how everyone uses miso.

-MSMARIS,
I think many restaurants use white or blend miso. I have white and red in my fridge, and use either one or mix them depending on the dish or ingredients for the soup. Red miso is saltier by being aged longer than white miso. On the other hand, white miso is slightly sweeter, and contains more rice malt like you can actually see and taste of it. I sometimes pour miso into the soup over a strainer to get rid of the malt in order to make it smooth taste. I see many kinds with "less sodium 減塩(Gen-en)" or "no food additive 無添加(Mutenka)" sign on a package too!

Here is an interesting website about miso I found :)
http://www.miso.or.jp/en/index.html