Lemon Halves

After cutting a lemon in half and extracting the juice from it, save the lemon halves for cleaning. You can cut a cutting board with salt and use the lemon halves like a spongy cleaning brush. The salt will work as an abrasive and the lemon juice has antibacterial properties. Put them in an attractive bowl with a lid on it and leave it in the fridge. That way it won't look trashy or aesthetically displeasing, but you'll have an affordable and healthy way of cleaning. You can even fill the bottom of the bowl with a thin layer of salt for convenience. You can use the lemon halves several times, possibly up to a week before discarding.

A Tropically Fruity Water

Make a commitment this summer to drink more water. Many of us forget because it's not a part of our daily habits. A good way to be conscientious about it and to encourage you to maintain this healthy habit is by flavoring the water naturally. Try adding fresh pineapple, ginger, and mint for a refreshingly delightful combination. In a clear pitcher, it's beautiful and enticing. You can refill the pitcher several times, too.

Make Your Own Croutons

I was delightfully surprised when I discovered how easily croutons can be made yourself. They're delicious, pricey, and salty already made. When you make them yourself, you can personalize the taste to your preference. I was inspired by the flavors of garlic. But you can do whatever you'd like. I cube bread especially something like sourdough or something hard. I coat them in extra-virgin olive oil (which if kept in minced garlic overnight would give it an amazing flavor!), garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and a little paprika. I pan-fried it until it was thoroughly dried and appeared toasty and slightly darkened. A yummy nummy treat!

Ripened Banana Dessert

My mom used to wait until bananas completely ripened. Then she'd heat it in microwave drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with whipped cream.

An At-Home Buffet Concept

At buffets, food selections lack cohesiveness are offered at a bargain. You can re-create that concept at home by turning your accumulated leftovers earlier in the week into an at-home buffet meal.

Make Your Own Ice Pack

The next time BevMo has a buy 1 bottle and get the second bottle for $1 special, take advantage of the deal...unless you're an alcoholic. I love to cook with white wine, so I stock up when I can. White wine can go bad easily in the fridge but will last much longer in the freezer. Once you open a bottle and you don't plan on using it right away, transfer the contents into ziploc baggies. Because of the alcoholic content, the wine won't completely freeze. It'll actually be slushy in texture, which means that this ice pack will conform to the located injury. Reserve a specific bag just for icing a wound. Do not, I repeat, do not use the wine you applied over a wound in a recipe. It's already been contaminated, which is why I recommend designating a specific bag for the sole purpose of icing a wound.

Toothpick in Lemon for Just a Squeeze

If you only want a small squeeze of lemon juice, prick the lemon with a toothpick, rather than cut the whole lemon in half. It saves money, time, and is more economical.

Uses for Stale Bread

Don't throw out stale bread. There are plenty of ways to use them. Depending on the stage of staleness, toasting the bread can reduce the stale flavor. French toast actually works best with stale bread. You can also make your own Croutons and dried breadcrumbs for a chicken recipe. They also work well in creamy soups such as tomato or chowder. Just cubed them and let it soak up the liquids.