how long can salad be left at room temperature?

good insulated lunch bag image

saylor

I'm in college and I have a busy schedule that requires me to pack a lunch and on some days dinner. I'm trying to eat as clean as possible and I really don't want to pack a sandwich everyday. I really like salads and I was just wondering how long they would stay fresh outside a fridge? I'm going to have to keep it in my car for a few hours but I have ice packs in a insulated lunch bag. So, would having a salad sit out for a few hours be okay? I will also put dressing on it but should I stick that it another container or go ahead and pour it on there beforehand? suggestions?

Answer
No longer than two hours at room temperature (41F -135F) because mayonnaise based dressing,dairy products like cheese and even tomatoes are prone to rapid bacteria growth.

Even side from those things. Lettuce wilts and turns brown quickly if not kept sealed and cold. Your salad will also be very soggy if you put the dressing on it hours before. I would store it separate and add once you're going to eat.

*If you have an ice pack with the salad in a very small bag it should be okay. I say in a small bag or small compartment so the ice pack has an easier time of keeping the salad cold for an extended period of time.

Is it safe to clean and re-use a moldy lunch container?

amy1577

I just found a re-usable insulated lunch bag I thought I lost about a year ago. I was all excited to start using it again when I opened it up and found the sides were moldy from what appears to be either an apple or an orange that I obviously forgot to take out. The bag is in otherwise good condition... there are no cracks in the plastic. Would it be safe for me to give the bag a good cleaning, perhaps with some bleach water, and begin re-using it for my lunch?

Answer
I wouldn't use bleach on plastic, but a good cleaning may be enough. If after it is washed there is a stain, then the plastic was porous enough that the mold is likely permanent, in that case I wouldn't reuse.

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How can I find recipes that are easy and cheap for a HUGE family?

lunch bags for adults image

hb

I just moved in with my fiance's mom. There are ten people living there. 5 adults and 5 children under 15 years old. I have to cook super 2 nights a week and buy the food. I don't have much money because we are saving up to move out of town. How can I make something nice to feed all these people that won't break me?

Answer
i to also lived with 10 people but we only had 1 child that was 3 the rest were 16 an older so they ate alot

Chicken is always cheap and if you have a walmart near you then you can get the 10 lb bags of chicken for like $4 and some change - you can then split the bag in half storing it in a freezer bag so that you can make 2 meals from the bag of chicken - we normally ended up with 6-7 piece in each freezer bag - the chicken is a leg and thigh together so if you cut the piece it becomes 1 legs and 1 thighs per piece making you like 12-14 pieces of chicken per freezer bag - which you could fry it one night , bake it another night - heck just by changing the seasons you end up with a new type of chicken

some of the things we did the most was boil or bake which ever you prefer the chicken - let it cool til its easy for you to handle by hand - then pull the chicken from the bone - cook up about 5-6 cups of rice - i then would pour some chicken stock which you can get in the can cheap into the rice and mix the rice and chicken together -- sooo yummy - if you want veggies mix in some peas or what ever veggies you guys like with the rice -- while this takes a little time to pull from the bone you get alot so this could really be a meal for like dinner lunch the next day or two

another night you could bake the chicken with a little merinade sauce you can get all kinds place like terriyaki - and place it over a bed of rice and you got a totally different meal

what are the best healthy cookbooks specifically for lunch?

wendy!

i am looking for the best cookbooks for a healthy lunch.
no online recipes please.

Answer
I swear by the Brown Bag Lunch Cookbook by Miriam Jacobs. The recipes are adult friendly, and actually quite good. There are creative ideas in here which have inspired me to think of other lunch ideas.

For the kids, I go with The Top 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lunchbox: Easy and Exciting Ideas for Your Child's Lunches by Nicola Graimes. The recipes in this book are interesting and innovative, and most of the recipes are sure to be kid-pleasers.

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How can I lose 5kg in 2 weeks?

lunch bag for bodybuilders image

smallorgan

Is it possible to lose 5kg in 2 weeks? I want to lose all my holiday weight plus original extra weight and maintain that weight till holiday ends and school starts. Any ideas? I know I'll have to excercise, walk long dist. , drink more plain water, eat less. I know many people are asking questions on weight loss. But it isn't as easy as you think. Can anyone give me an exact diet plan that works effectively?

By the way, is being around 5 feet and 103 pounds a little too fat?

Answer
Follow my diet below and you'll lose 20 lbs a month.

The first things you want to eliminate from what you eat are: sugar, fried foods, and white flour. You want to eat as natural and unprocessed food as possible.

Sugar, anything with it is bad. From Coco-Crispies cereal, nearly all sodas, to a small bag a M&M's. All turn into body fat fairly quickly.

Fried foods. Chips, french fries, etc. All have very high levels of calories and fats. Cut out mayonaisse and butter while you're at it.

White flour. White breads, spahgetti, Ramen noodles, most cereals, tortillas (corn & flour).

You're going to want to eat 5-7 small meals/snacks in a day. That may seem like a lot of eating, but look at it this way. Say your lost in the woods and you need to make a fire that will last all night. Will the fire last longer throwing all the wood you've collected into the fire once or twice during the night, or if you toss a couple of logs in once every 45 minutes-hour?

Your body is pretty similar. You need to feed it a little bit every 2-3 hours to keep it burning fat. The longer you go in between meals, the more likely your body is going to store what you eat as fat. This is because your body doesn't realize that there is food everywhere in the world we live in. It still thinks your a cave-man. And cave-men didn't get to eat very often. Sometimes once every 3-5 days...starving. So our body is designed to store what we eat as fat, because fat has the most energy (calories) per pound. So, if you sleep all night, then skip breakfast and don't eat until lunch at say 11:30am...you probably haven't ate anything in 12+ hours. So, your body thinks your starving, that there is no food to eat. Then you eat a nice, greasy, calorie-loaded slice of pizza. Your body will then store most of it as fat because it thinks there is a food shortage.

For your small size, aim for 5-6, 200-250 calorie meals/snacks.
Also try to eat 20 grams of protein at each meal. And of course, your going to want to keep even healthy carbs to a minimum (less than 60 grams a day).

The healthiest carbs are:
Yams
Oatmeal (no sugar)
Sweet Potatoes
Brown Rice

The above do not affect your blood sugar levels enough to cause you to store fat, as they are digest very slowly.

OK carbs are:
Whole-grain bread/buns/tortillas (whole-grain should be the first name on the ingredients list)
Fruits

Aside from the carbs listed above, your meals should consist of:
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Tuna
Salmon
Egg whites
Almonds
Low-fat cheese (cottage, string cheese)
Lots of vegtables
Lots of water

You need to drink 1 gallon (128oz)minimum per day. Water is what carries the toxins and fat you burn off out of your body through your urine. It also helps keep you feeling full and does wonders for your skin. If your urine isn't clear like water, drink more.

Also, take a multi-vitamin (like Centrum).

If you were to do cardio like ride a bike or jog for 20-45 minutes everyday AND diet, you'll be several sizes smaller in no time. But remember, losing weight is 90% about what you eat, not how much you exercise.

Bodybuilders and fitness models basically eat this way. Not only is it low calorie, low carb, high in protein and natural...it controls your blood/sugar levels and how your body uses the food based on the glycemic index.

PS+ take a thermogenic fat burner also (hyrdroxycut, xenedrine, etc). Just remember to drink more water.

And have 1 cheat meal a week. Gorge yourself on a couple monster burgers, pizza, or french fries...it doesn't matter. It will taste better than it EVER has and also give your mind and body a break.

Also, if you can lift weights (circut train) 3x a week.

How much protein, iron, fat, and fibre do I need?

Cybele

I'm 20 years old, work out 40 minutes, 3 times a week, 5'6" 140 lbs. How much protein, iron, fat, and fibre would I need a day? I'm just not sure that I'm getting enough

Answer
You generally want 1 gram of protein for every 1 pound of lean body weight to help maintain your muscle mass. So get a bodyfat test and minus your bodyfat pounds from your total weight for your lean body mass (LBM). As you're a woman at 5'6" @ 140, I would put your bodyfat at 20% give or take, so you should consume about 110 grams of protein a day.

For the iron, take a multi-vitamin everyday with breakfast.

For fiber you need to eat veggies, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and limited amounts of whole grain breads/buns.

Healthy fat can be taken in pills (omega 3 & 6).

If you want to lose bodyfat or just maintain a healthy weight, follow my diet:

The first things you want to eliminate from what you eat are: sugar, fried foods, and white flour. You want to eat as natural and unprocessed food as possible.

Sugar, anything with it is bad. From Coco-Crispies cereal, nearly all sodas, to a small bag a M&M's. All turn into body fat fairly quickly.

Fried foods. Chips, french fries, etc. All have very high levels of calories and fats. Cut out mayonaisse and butter while you're at it.

White flour. White breads, spahgetti, Ramen noodles, most cereals, tortillas (corn & flour).

You're going to want to eat 5-7 small meals/snacks in a day. That may seem like a lot of eating, but look at it this way. Say your lost in the woods and you need to make a fire that will last all night. Will the fire last longer throwing all the wood you've collected into the fire once or twice during the night, or if you toss a couple of logs in once every 45 minutes-hour?

Your body is pretty similar. You need to feed it a little bit every 2-3 hours to keep it burning fat. The longer you go in between meals, the more likely your body is going to store what you eat as fat. This is because your body doesn't realize that there is food everywhere in the world we live in. It still thinks your a cave-man. And cave-men didn't get to eat very often. Sometimes once every 3-5 days...starving. So our body is designed to store what we eat as fat, because fat has the most energy (calories) per pound. So, if you sleep all night, then skip breakfast and don't eat until lunch at say 11:30am...you probably haven't ate anything in 12+ hours. So, your body thinks your starving, that there is no food to eat. Then you eat a nice, greasy, calorie-loaded slice of pizza. Your body will then store most of it as fat because it thinks there is a food shortage.

Aim for 250-300 calories at each meal/snack.
Also try to eat 20-30 grams of protein at each meal. And of course, your going to want to keep even healthy carbs to a minimum (less than 80 grams a day).

The healthiest carbs are:
Yams
Oatmeal (no sugar)
Sweet Potatoes
Brown Rice

OK carbs are:
Whole-grain bread/buns/tortillas (whole-grain should be the first name on the ingredients list)
Fruits

Aside from the carbs listed above, your meals should consist of:
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Tuna
Salmon
Egg whites
Almonds
Low-fat cheese (cottage, string cheese)
Lots of vegtables
Lots of water

You need to drink 1 gallon (128oz)minimum per day. Water is what carries the toxins and fat you burn off out of your body through your urine. It also helps keep you feeling full and does wonders for your skin. If your urine isn't clear like water, drink more.

Also, take a multi-vitamin (like Centrum).

If you were to do cardio like ride a bike or jog for 20-45 minutes everyday AND diet, you'll be several sizes smaller in no time. But remember, losing weight is 90% about what you eat, not how much you exercise.

Bodybuilders and fitness models basically eat this way. Not only is it low calorie, low carb, high in protein and natural...it controls your blood/sugar levels and how your body uses the food based on the glycemic index.

PS+ take a thermogenic fat burner also (hyrdroxycut, xenedrine, etc). Just remember to drink more water.

And have 1 cheat meal a week. Gorge yourself on a couple monster burgers, pizza, or french fries...it doesn't matter. It will taste better than it EVER has and also give your mind and body a break.

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Maybe it's me . . but I don't get why woman are always looking at me . . .??!?

stylish lunch bags for men image

ShaiSongbi

Alright, here is the dang problem
First off, I am not some glamazon. I don't wear a lot of heels, make-up, earrings . . I don't have desginer bags, clothes, shoes . . . nor do i always get my hair done. ( I wear alot of stylish braids)
No, that's not me and I prefer not to be that way.
Anyways . . . I noticed (especially at work) Women are always frigging looking at me! Especially a few ladies on my team.
If I am put talking to someone, They turn to look at me or stare at me. For whatever reason, I really don't know. If i am up walking to the restroom or if I am going to lunch, i mean I could literally be doing anything and out of the corner of my eye, I can catch a few of them staring at me.
Another instance, there is this one lady who i pass everyday that speaks to me every morning. But as soon as she greets me, her eyes are snaking up and down, from my hair to my feet.
I get the whole thing about women being competitive but seriously, this is getting out of hand for me and it's starting to bother me because I don't try to break my neck to look at a chick who is standing up or be all up in someone's face or mouth when they are speaking to someone.

So I want opinions . .
Men - why do you think women stare/look at other women?
Women - why do you think we look and size up other women?
Could it be i don't dress or style myself like they do or is it just me?
LOL Women irk the hell out of me!

Answer
Hehe this reminds me of my sisters ordeal with other women looking/staring at her.
She has always wondered it and my thought was, it's possibly because of jealousy over your guys' natural beauty?
It could also be that maybe they're thinking you may not be easy to be approached (If they've not yet approached you with a greeting or have not yet met you) lol.

I've never had that problem myself nor do I stare at other women so it's really hard to say why the others do it.

It'd be funny if you were to ask them once you've caught their eyes watching you (:
Put them on the spot as to why and get answers from that source haha.

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women && girls, what do you have in your bag?

trendy lunch bags for women image

Valary

i was wondering what other women carried in their bags. especially girls in high school. so diiish. :]

Answer
Lets see in high school I did not have a bag. A cute backpack was enough. I was obsessed with finding the best and craziest Jansport I could. Then my freshman year in college i was into backpacks too. But now I guess ( 10 Years later) purses are much more trendy and girls wear they with a backpack. To me thats just toooo much stuff to carry around on a daily basis. But I used to have a walket, my pager ( we did not have cell phones) and some quarters to use the pay phone at lunch. Oh and dont forget my Wet and Wild lip stick!

Would a Train Case makeup bag make a good lunch box in high school?

{RAwR}

i'm going into 9th grade this upcomming school year, and i always ued a lunch bag untill mine ripped to shreds, then i used plastic bags. as a more chic and trendy option, i was thinking i could use a train case makeup bag (in case you dont know----)
something like this----
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UPAzn51BL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
http://www.liverpool.com/assets/_files/images/mar_09/liv__1237560425_Sunburst---Mini-Train-Case.jpg


would that make a good option for a lunch bag??

i would describe myself as an upper-east prepatoery student, people tell me i dress alot like blair waldorf, but i dont watch gossip girl so i dotn really know what they mean... i wear like white shirtss with waist skirts and pumps and scarves but w/e.


yeahh would that be a good option???

i already know where i can get them, thats no problem ;)
sorry, i wasnt quite sure how to catagorize this question ;)
hmm i dont really have a backpck, i have a hugeantic juicy bag lol

and trust me, its NOT all i have to worry about, i have family problems and relatonship stuff and most importantly being able to retin the information i learned over the last year in my head drring summer. and going to new yourk, too.

its just a question impersonl enough to ask random people on the internt ;)

Answer
those are adorable. i would go for something a bit smaller to stick in your backpack. if you really want to use if for your lunch its fine but it would be so much cute as like a relay makeup/tolitries/women products stuff. but its cute has a lunch bag. :]]

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Going green advice?For kids?

kids lunch bags eco-friendly image

Cherymenth

Well my kids just walked up to me after getting all of their presents unwrapped and said that they were so happy about all they got they want to help me. I was fine so i told them what about helping the environment? They said sure but how? And well i didn't really have anything kid friendly for them to do.
(We already recycle)
thank you al very much the answers were all stupendous so i am going to put this to vote

Answer
There are a TON of ways:

1) Water
Turn off the faucet when brushing, take shorter showers, minimize baths, water the lawn less, etc. An extra step would be to install an eco-friendly shower head. Yes, water will always be around, but it takes energy to send it to your house and to transport it if you live in a dry area.

2) Buy recycled products
Plenty of people recycle but I haven't met very many who actually buy recycled things. It cuts down on energy needed and also saves trees and natural, nonrenewable resources. A great company for recycled paper would be New Leaf. Their paper is cleaned with hydrogen peroxide rather than toxic chlorine bleach.

3) Eat locally
Organic is good - but local is better. It takes much less energy and fuels to transport food if you eat it locally, reducing pollution and gasoline usage. It also supports smaller farms and keeps the big corporations from getting too far ahead.

4) Compost
Why ruin soil and water with chemical fertilizers? And why waste leftovers? Use non salted (salt ruins soil quality) food waste products to enrich the soil in your backyard - which goes in with number five...

5) Gardening
This somewhat ties in with eating locally grown foods. When you eat your own produce, virtually no transportation is necessary; you buy the seeds (maybe a little driving to the store), plant it in your own backyard, and later, to harvest, all you have to do is walk. It's very eco friendly.

6) Bags
Buy firmly made kids' backpacks to prevent having to go back to the store repeatedly for new ones. If your kids bring lunch to school, buy reusable cloth ones rather than paper ones. For going to the store, buy cloth bags (nearly every store now - Walmart, Target, Trader Joe's, etc. sells these) so you can reduce on the paper and plastic needed to create bags for customers.

7) Pets
Got a dog? Use Scoopies, a biodegradable bag that dissolves rather than sits in the landfill for who-knows-how-long. Have a cat? Use natural litter from natural products rather than chemical or artificial litters.

8) Vegetarianism/veganism
Yes, consuming meat, eggs, and dairy DO harm the environment. Animals consume a ton of food - you need 8 or more pounds of grain/other animal food to get out 1 pound of meat - and their poop is too plentiful and too chemically inbalanced to use as fertilizer. The poop then infects the environment; waterways are constantly being feces-infected. Producing eggs and dairy are also hugely food inefficient and the chickens and cows also produce plentiful wastes. Despite "factory farming" - cramming more animals into smaller amounts of space - the huge demand for meat is cutting down forests to grow animal feed and for animal grazing. Going vegetarian, vegan, or just cutting down significantly on consumption of these products will reduce pollution.

Going G-R-E-E-N help!?

xxlovexmex

Heres the thing, i'm interested in doing somethings to 'go green'. i don't know what to do to attempt to go green. i live at home with my mom, dad, and brother and none of them will do anything. they think its stupid. i don't think its stupid i think theres a good point to doing it. any suggestions?

Answer
Ways to Conserve
-Turn off the lights and fans when you leave the house to save electricity.

-Turn off your car when waiting in a carpool line. This decreases emissions and saves gas.

-As your incandescent light bulbs burn out, replace them with fluorescent ones. Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent ones. While they are more expensive, they last years longer.

-Turn off the water when you shave or brush your teeth. According to Kiplinger.com, you can send up to two gallons of water down the drain in two minutes.

-Use one paper towel when you wash your hands in the public restroom. Or better yet, let your hands air-dry.

Want more of a challenge?

-Unplug your electronic devices when theyâre not in use. Toasters, chargers and printers still draw electricity even when they are not on.

-Take the junk out of your trunk. The extra weight of last seasonâs sporting equipment still in your trunk decreases your gas mileage, so you have to fill up more often.

Ways to Recycle
-If every American recycled his newspaper once per week, 36 million trees would be saved each year. Make it easy by putting your recycling bin right outside your kitchen door. Toss aluminum cans, plastic bottles, newspapers and magazines in the bin.

-Put a recycling basket near your office or printer and put used paper there instead of in the trashcan.

-Recycle plastic trash bags. Use them for dirty diapers and for pooper-scoopers. Use them as car trash bags. Let them to hold wet umbrellas, wet swimsuits and towels, and lunches. Even use them as makeshift boots for short distances on wet or muddy surfaces.

More challenging ideas:

-Find out what other items your town may take, and add them to the recycling bin.

-Organize your neighborhoodâs recycling of phone books. Some towns wonât take this with the regular recycling pickupâyou may need to take them to a recycling center yourself.

-Take your empty printer cartridges to Staples, and you can get a coupon towards a future purchase.

-Collect empty sports drink bottles after your kidsâ games and make sure they are put in the recycling bin.

Ways to Protect
-Get your butt off the ground. Extinguish cigarette butts and throw them away.

-Have a veggie meal once a week. Enjoy a veggie pizza or pasta meal without endangering any animals.

-Collect spare change and donate it to the World Wildlife Fund, which protects endangered animals.

Small changes like these can help you develop an eco-friendly lifestyle.



Read more: http://environmental-activism.suite101.com/article.cfm/baby_steps_to_going_green#ixzz0N8UK2nNi

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everyday sack lunch ideas for the kids?

kids lunch bags tesco image

c_l_s_ak

My kids (ages 5 and 1) are starting daycare next week. I have to provide their lunches, which is fine, but I've been staying home with them for almot 2 years, and I usually feed them left overs, soup, grilled cheese, or something homemade for lunch. I don't know what to pack in their lunches for daycare... any ideas? I don't want them to get burnt out on eating a sandwhich everyday. The daycare will not heat their lunches for them, so I guess left overs are out of the question. I need ideas!! PB&J is out of the question because the daycare is a nut free facility. I need ideas, ideas, ideas!!! Thank you!

Answer
okay they could take your soup idea in a small thermos with a cup to pour it in on the top - it doesnt stay too hot - just warm
i usually hate takig sandwiches so i go for
cold pasta with pesto/sweetcorn
falafal in pitta bread with salad
you can get little lunch pots from tesco and m&s (uk) from your description i am guessing you are in the us
i am veggie so sometimes i take cold veggie sausages
they can vary their bread normal,pitta,baguette,bagel

also get fruit boxes and bags to pack assorted snacks in
juice cartons could work
sometimes as they are young on sundays you could bake bread and they could help a little be happy knowing they have made it - it tastes a lot nicer than shop bought although it is time consuming

:)

Does Anyon have Lyrics to Lily Allen's LND?

:D

Thanks. What does that stand 4 anyway?

Answer
LDN is an abbreviation for the word LONDON.

Artist: Lily Allen
Song: Ldn
Album: Alright Still

[ Buy this CD ]
Complimentary âLdnâ Ringtone
Riding through the city on my bike all day
Cause the filth took away my licence
It doesn't get me down and I feel ok
Cause the sights that I'm seeing are priceless
Everything seems to look as it should
But I wonder what goes on behind doors
A fella looking dapper, but he's sittin with a slapper
Then I see it's a pimp and his crack whore
You might laugh you might frown
Walkin' round London town
Chorus
Sun is in the sky oh why oh why ?
Would I wanna be anywhere else
Sun is in the sky oh why oh why ?
Would I wanna be anywhere else
When you look with your eyes
Everything seems nice
But if you look twice
you can see it's all lies
There was a little old lady, who was walkin down the road
She was struggling with bags from Tesco
There were people from the city havin lunch in the park
I believe that it's called al fresco
Then a kid came along to offer a hand
But before she had time to accept it
hits her over the head, doesn't care if she's dead
Cause he's got all her jewellery and wallet
You might laugh you might frown
walkin round London town
Chorus
Sun is in the sky oh why oh why?
Would I wanna be anywhere else
Sun is in the sky oh why oh why?
Would I wanna be anywhere else
When you look with your eyes
Everything seems nice
But if you look twice
you can see it's all lies
Life, that's city life, yeah that's city life, that's city life
Life, that's city life, yeah that's city life, that's city life
Chorus
Sun is in the sky oh why oh why?
Would I wanna be anywhere else
Sun is in the sky oh why oh why?
Would I wanna be anywhere else
Chorus x4

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Are insulated lunch containers really better for the environment?

lunch bags for children image

Brenda

Yes, we've all heard the hype. Use reusable lunch pails, don't use paper bags, etc. etc. But what about the insulated lunch bags that get thrown out EVERY YEAR!! We need a new one every year. For at least two household members. And from the way the stores get stocked on Labor Day weekend, it's not just us.

So my question is - is the carbon footprint of a reusable, insulated lunch case really better than the carbon footprint for about 250 paper lunch bags? How can you figure this out?

Answer
I see a big problem in your statement. Why would you need a new one each year, I have 2 lunch boxes, one is a tupperware (not insulated) that I've had since the mid 80's, the other is an insulated one that I've had for 3 years and there is nothing wrong with it. I try to reduce the amount of plastic in my life, but this is one area that I think it is a better option. Perhaps you need to find a more durable solution or teach your family to care for things a little better. I see the same problem with backpacks, people want new each year and that has a huge impact on our resources. I buy quality so I buy a lot less often. I also didn't allow my kids to get sucked into the marketing trap of characters, very rarely are they popular with the children more than 1 year and often less than that.

I have a zero waste lunch kit, which means I also don't use disposable containers on the inside. If you are using the lunch bag for such a short time, it may be having a greater impact than paper bags.

What should I know about sewing, as a beginner?

Little Red

I checked yahoo answers already, but the answer I saw said to ask sales staff about the sewing machines. Personally, I would like to hear about good machines from people who have been sewing for years and years, not a person who's just selling them. I'm sure they know about the machines, but I would like answers from people who've been doing it for a while.

I am just starting out. I would like to make little sun dresses for my daughter (She's 2 1/2, so they'll be simple, with ribbon straps, maybe some buttons). I would also like to make sun dresses, tops, and skirts for myself (The most complicated things I aim to do right now, is a corset top, bra and a bathing suit).

I'm super short but MEGA curvy, so shopping isn't always the easiest thing for me. A few other things I would like to learn to make are purses/bags, lunch bags for when she starts school, and other little fun things for her. I'm not really looking to do a whole lot of embroidering, but I do like having different stitching styles for when I'm doing hems. I've seen a few and I like those.

What I have been doing is hitting up the clearance bin at Jo-Ann's. They're usually about a yard's worth of fabric, maybe a little less sometimes. I figure that starting out with the sale stuff is much smarter than having expensive fabric cut. So I've got lots of different sizes and patterns.

So! My questions are:

What is a good machine to start with? I don't want to get some cheap thing from walmart that's going to break in a year. I'm okay with spending a few hundred on a machine, if it means it's going to do what I want (and then some for when I advance), and will last a few years at least.

What are your can't-live-without tools that you guys use when sewing clothing and bags?

Any tips and tricks that you've learned from experience that really work for you?

Favorite website to get free patterns?

Thank you for reading!! Have a wonderful day :)

Answer
For a new "don't break the bank" machine, I'd go with Janome or Juki, personally, but definitely suggest you try some machines out at various dealers, including used machines. A 15 year old friend just replaced her hunk o' junk new machine with an old Italian made Necchi for $100 -- the tradeoff she made is that she has to oil the machine (30 seconds) -- and it'll probably last her the next 30 or 40 years. See also: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtVc8znRrlRdYqlm02KFETbty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100423044254AAnGzFy&show=7#profile-info-OKJf8nHFaa Shopping hint: bad machines do not make good buttonholes.

Can't live without tools: a really good pair of scissors, blades as long as you can open them, almost all the way to the pivot point. I like Kai, as they're very light and sharp and well balanced in my hand, and the non-pro series is pretty inexpensive: http://www.kaiscissors.com/category.php?category_id=49 I'd suggest the N9250 or N5275 . If you're willing to mail them back to the Kai/Kershaw plant in Tualatin, OR, they'll sharpen them free. My other gotta have tool is a clapper and point presser, like this: http://sewtrue.com/Store/POINT-PRESSER-and-CLAPPER-P2302.html Watch for them at yard sales and thrift stores. And tailor's chalk for marking fabric, white only. Joann's will charge you an arm and a leg for it, but you can buy a whole box from a professional sewing store like Wawak for $6, and sell half of it to a couple of friends. Then you'll both have a lifetime supply! <g> In fact, consider asking for a Wawak catalog and spend some time with it... the prices are much better than you'll find in a fabric store for thread, sewing machine needles, zippers, buttons, etc. I buy Mara 100 thread there for my machines... about $2.50 for the same amount and quality of Gutermann thread Joann wants $8 for. And more colors.

Free clothing patterns are mostly worth what you pay for them. Have you found the KwikSew books yet? Your daughter is almost (but not quite) ready to go into the Sewing For Children book... it's a book with basic patterns, instructions on making the clothes, and instructions on changing the basic patterns into different designs -- sewing instruction book, patterns and basic pattern design all in one book. Highly recommended. http://kwiksew.mccall.com/books-pages-3505.php Trace the master patterns, don't cut them.

The major tool that I use for most of my sewing is one that I don't recommend for you yet -- a serger. But when you're out looking at sewing machines, if you find a really friendly salesperson, ask if they can give you a quick demo of what a serger can do.

The book or DVD I recommend for beginning sewing is Connie Crawford's Guide to Fashion Sewing (book) or her Studio Sewing Skills dvd. The book is relatively expensive new because it's a standard fashion school textbook, but it's very step by step, drawings and a few sentences, all the way through a process. It's what I reach for when I can't remember quite how something goes. The DVD is also step by step through all the major garment sewing processes, and starts with basics like threading a machine and sewing (and ripping out!) plain seams. As an experiment, I loaned my copy of Studio Sewing Skills to a couple of 9 year old cousins who had Grandma's treadle machine, and gave them a campshirt pattern to try, and they did a very credible job of thei

Describe a holiday you went on to Turkey?

boys lunch bag pattern image

Me

Answer
Limak Lara De Luxe Resort & Hotel - THE BEST HOLIDAY EVER!

Erm.. I don't know what you want me to do to be honest? Describe my holiday? O_O
*Well... I went with extended family - Mum, Dad, 2 brothers, my mum's sister, her husband (so my uncle) and their 3 kids, and one of my mum's brother's, his wife (so my auntie) and their three kids.
*Flew with Thomas Cook, 4 hour flight from Manchester to Antalya.
*Left home at 4am, took off at 7am, arrived in Turkey at about 1pm local time.
*It was hot :)
*Ermm... got there, dumped bags at reception and then sat in the sofa area for about ten minutes enjoying the all inclusive drinks and stuff and saying how amazing the hotel was.
*Got given our room keys, went upstairs, said OMG this is an amazing room, as we had panoramic windows showing the sea and beach and all the pools of the hotel etc. There was a huge corner sofa, a 6 person granite table for room service I suppose because we ate at the restaurants in the hotel every night, a huge immaculate bathroom and a jacuzzi!! And a massive balcony with a table, chairs and some sunbeds.
*Got changed into swimwear, left mum to unpack and went to the pool with brothers and three of my cousins (about the same age - we were 16, 15, 14, 13, 12 and 11, interestingly)
*Had about three or four hours in the pool, which was mainly empty by this point as we'd got in about 3ish and after an hour or two most people were heading back to their rooms to get ready for dinner.
*Went for dinner at the buffet style restaurant and all had about 3 meals each as its kinda free being all inclusive
* Went to watch the evening entertainment by the animation team
*Sat around inside with some of the boys playing table tennis, the adults drinking alcohol and getting funnier and funnier as they attempted charades.
*Went to bed, woke up being burnt alive by the sun through the window at about nine, got ready for first full day at the hotel, and went down.
*Repeated same sort of pattern throughout the week, establishing "our" spot on the beach, making friends with all the animation team, rejecting a marriage proposal from a kinda creepy waiter who insisted on blowing kisses and calling me darling and making me a rose out of a paper napkin (didn't mind too much tbh haha), visiting the mini disco most nights with my 5y/o cousin and me and my 13 y/o cousin enjoying it more than her because it brought back memories from old times in other hotels when we went to the minidisco, ermm... riding a camel, building sandcastles, going parasailing, going on a pedalo, going on a banana boat (eight cousins on a banana boat = way more fun that you can have with parents or just brothers), learning Turkish for thankyou, eating more icecreams than you thought possible in week, getting fat on chips everyday for lunch, needing to jump in the pool in the 34c heat, even though the week before we went it was 40c, playing ping pong, pool, and bowling in the games room, exploring the hotel and getting lost cos its so huge and like a maze, steam room, sauna, turkish bath, waterslides.


Well, that was my favourite holiday so far. :]

Don't really know why you're asking this tbh but if you're considering visiting Turkey then I'd say yes definitely go, and seriously consider the Limak Lara De Luxe Resort & Hotel in Antalya because it's amazing & the animation staff are incredible, friendly and talented. Wish I was back there now :( xx

House M.D. question. Anybody who knows the episodes can answer this.?

Q. Okay I saw an episode where a boy had a very interesting problem.
Dr. House would flicker the lights, on, off, on, off and then he would put them on and start walking. The boy was unable to see him moving, but he could see him when he stopped. He said the boy had something wrong with him (obviously) After about 30 seconds the boy fell onto the floor and had a seizure.
Can ANYBODY tell me what episode that was, and what was wrong with the boy. Cause I can't find it. Thanks

Answer
Son of a Coma Guy, Season 3, Episode 7.
The boy, Kyle, has cardiomyopathy. He was at Princeton (the hospital) visiting his father, which is where House first triggered his seizures by flicking the lights on and off, then throwing a bag of chips to him (House was eating his lunch next to Kyle's father, whom House used to call 'Coma Guy') Kyle couldn't see House's movements, therefore House thought he had akinetopsia, and they admitted him to the hospital. But when his seizures went unexplained, House and his team started investigating further. Kyle's father, Gabe, who was in a coma for years because of the fire which killed his wife and Kyle's mother years before (Gabe blamed Kyle for his wife's death), was then woken up by House who gave him a large dose of L-Dopa, so he could find out more about their history. House tells Gabe that he has only a day before he lapses back into his coma. Gabe then tells House he's going to live this day well and wants to go to Atlantic City. House and Wilson drive him there, and House questions him throughout the trip (in turn, answering Gabe's own probing questions about House), trying to get as much diagnostic info as possible. Gabe tells House about his family members of his who have died, and brilliant House recognizes patterns and comes up with MERRF syndrome. He calls Foreman and tells him to test for MERRF, but seeing as Kyle has fatal cardiomyopathy, even if the MERRF is cured, he still needs a new heart. House tells Gabe his son is dying in the hospital. Gabe then says seeing as he'll be back in a vegetative state for life, he wants to give Kyle his heart so that Kyle can live. Wilson opposes, but House tells him to leave the hotel the three of them are in as he's already lied to the police enough for House (Tritter's investigations into House's Vicodin addiction). So Wilson figures out an alabi for himself and House while House tells Gabe the best way to kill himself and prevent damage to his heart. House and Wilson then return to Princeton with Gabe's body and Kyle is able to live after undergoing the transplant thanks to his father.
House went through a few diagnosis theories in the episode, including mercury poisoning and akinetopsia (Cameron, Foreman and Chase thought it could have been liver damage because they found wine bottles in Kyle's backpack).

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How big should my high school backpack be?

lunch bag buy online image

Madi

I had bought an DAKINE back pack online and my older brother said that it would be big enough but I want to be possitive it will be big enough to start my high school education with, so with that all being said the dimensions are 18" x 12" x 9".Do you guys think that will be big enough? Please help me out and any supplies you guys think that I will need to stay organised or any advise you think I should know. Thank you for your time :D

Answer
Well it depends if your school is academically challenging, and if you are gonna need gym clothes or bring lunch etc. Assuming you go to an average school and are bringing lunch and clothes, you can use a bag that you used for gradeschool. Some supplies you might want to have are pencils, pens, a folder, extra water bottle, white out highlighter and notebooks/binder.

What are some good healthy lunch ideas for a college student?

Blonde @ H

I am in nursing school and I go to school five days a week. Fast food just gets really old really quick and it loses its charm. I need some meal plans that are easy to throw together that morning or the night before that ar really good as well... I don't ike tomatoes or onions if that helps. I'm not picky but then I am haha sorry... If you have any ideas please feel free to enlighten me

Answer
My way of dealing with the same issue has been to cook big meals and buy healthy snacks. My favorite dishes involve tomatoes and onions, so I may not be of great help when it comes to specific recipes, but there are a ton online. I like to make food in huge quantities so that it lasts me for awhile without having to spend much time. I usually eat it for dinner and then put the rest into single-meal-sized containers for lunches. Then it just gets thrown into the lunch bag with an ice pack and it's good to go.

I don't eat in huge quantities usually because I like to snack a lot throughout the day, but I think my snacks would make good additions to your lunch as well if that's the only time you have during the day to eat. Greek yogurt is packed with protein, so it's a good way to get some fullness out of a throw-it-together kind of meal. I also buy bananas, baby carrots, blueberries, cucumbers, bell peppers, and I simply love mixing walnuts with craisins. I'll cut up or bag these up the night before if needed, to save on some time.

Another tip for making it healthy is to try to reduce the amount of carbohydrates or eat whole grain- it just helps keep you more full without having to eat as much of it (and I'm sure the extra energy doesn't hurt with a long day of clinicals). So, I usually avoid pasta, and make a big veggie dish with either chicken, salmon, or tilapia on the side. Sometimes I'll make brown rice too.

Also, I don't know if saving money is an issue, but I think that buying certain items in bulk is a nice way to save. I usually buy huge bags of frozen chicken and fish. I buy big bags of nuts and big bags of craisins. If you have a card for Sam's Club or Costco, they also carry some nice big frozen foods that you just throw in a skillet and it's made.

Hope this helps!

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Pumping/storing breast milk?

thermos lunch bags for women image

BeeMarie92

I am pumping my breast milk & putting it in the fridge. I plan on giving it to my son tomorrow when we're out running errands. My question is this... Can I put the bottle of milk in the diaper bag & use it when he's hungry or do I have to use it right away when it comes out of the fridge?

Thanks in advance!

Answer
I think the question is how long will the bottle be out of the fridge? If you brought a small bottle of milk for you to drink, how long before you would discard it? I think if you serve it while the bottle is still chilled it would be ok. Also if its going to be a bit longer than expected, perhaps you could store it in an insulated lunch bag (maybe even a thermos?) To keep it cold. Or what about the idea of adding an ice cube and shaking up the bottle before you serve it? (As long as the ice is fully melted so there is no cooking hazard.) Perhaps the best idea is to sub with formula. You can buy a bottle of water anywhere and make it. I have read up on it and there is nothing wrong with subbing with formula once in a while. Women who don't produce enough milk usually breastfeed and when their baby is still hungry they give a bottle of formula.

Things to Bring on Vacation?

Hallie B

Biggest list get best answer!

Answer
To do for most trips
Wash the dishes
Make a lunch
Pet Care
Unplug electrical stuff
Turn down the temperature in your home
Empty all trash cans
Confirm airline tickets
Get your airmiles in advance
Order special air meals
Memorize PIN codes to credit cards
Check out what hospitals are covered by your health insurance
Get travel insurance
Install or recharge batteries
Get maps
Forward (or hold) delivery of newspapers and magazines

To do for longer trips
Balance your bank account
Wash clothes
Clean out your flat
Change the message on your answering machine
Pay the rent and other necessary bills
Plant care
Empty all water containers
Store away things that are easy to steal
Empty your fridge of perishables
Give copies of your keys to someone else
Hold delivery of snail mail
Wax boots

Clothes

Unisex clothes
Underwear
Shirts
T-shirts
Shorts
Socks
Trousers ( Pants, Jeans )
Sweater
Cap ( Hat )

Clothes for women
Bra
Skirt
Sarong
Tights
Stockings

Shoes
Walking shoes
Sandals ( Flip-flops )

Optional clothes
Belt
Raincoat
Umbrella
Swimming trunks ( Bikini )
Pyjamas ( Pajamas )
Slippers
Scarf
Beach pants
Jewelry

Clothes for cold weather
Jacket ( Wind breaker )
Gloves
Mittens
Long underwear
Knitted (woolen) cap

Money and documents

Basic documents
Insurance certificate ( Health Insurance card )
Cash
Credit/ATM cards ( Visa, Eurocard/Mastercard, American Express etc )
Driver's license
ID card
Address list (with phone numbers and email addresses)

Optional documents
Notebook
Notepad
This packing list
International Student Identification Card ( ISIC )
Tourist organization certificate
Calendar
Envelopes
Business cards
Phone card
International Youth Hostel Card
Hotel and car rental vouchers
Membership cards
Dive certificate

For carrying money and documents
Wallet
Paper folder

Tickets
Airline tickets

Maps
Small scale map
Large scale map

Books
Novels
Guidebook

Equipment

Things for packing
Backpack ( Rucksack )
Backpack rain cover
Small extra backpack ( Knap sack, Day pack )
Plastic bags ( Ziploc )
Stuff Sack
Small box
Suitcase
Luggage belt
Padlock

Things for sleeping
Sleeping mask
Inflatable neck supporter
Sleeping bag
Tent
Sheets ( Bed covers )
Pillowcase
Sleeping mattress

Cooking equipment
Stove
Extra fuel
Can opener
Eating utensils ( Cutlery )
Drinking cup
Plate
Washing-up liquid

Eating equipment
Swiss army knife
Multi-tool ( Folding knife )
Bottle opener
Cork screw
Thermos

Miscellaneous equipment
Compass
Pens
Candle
Poker cards ( Playing cards )
Earplugs
Small plastic hook
Lighter ( Matches )
Sunglasses
Keys
Extra car keys

Extra things
Extra straps
Safety pins
Paper clips
Sturdy nylon cord ( Clothes line )
Duct tape ( Racing tape )
Cable ties ( Zip ties )

Hygiene

Hygiene
Toilet bag ( Bathroom bag, Necessaire )
Razor
Extra blades for Razor
Shaving gel ( Shaving foam )
Electric shaver
Mirror
Toothbrush ( Electric toothbrush with charger )
Toothpaste
Toothpicks
Soap
Soap box
Liquid soap
Shampoo
Styling gel ( Hair gel )
Toilet paper
Deodorant
Towel
Sunblock lotion
Contact lenses ( Contacts )
Container for contact lenses
Lens cleaning liquid
Extra glasses
Lip balm

Hygiene (women only)
Make-up
Tampons
Menstrual cup

Hygiene (optional)
Comb
Hair brush
Detergent ( Laundry soap )
Clothes pegs ( Clothes pins )
Laundry bag
Sink plug
Dental floss
Fingernail clippers
Moisturizer
Qtips
Tweezers
Baby wipes ( Towlettes )

Health

General health items
Prescription medicine
Condoms
Sore tape ( Adhesive tape )
Insect repellent
Band-Aids ( Plaster )
First aid kit
Water bottle
Water purifying filter
Chewing gum
Copy of prescriptions

Pills, tablets and medicines
Water purifying tablets
Motion sickness tablets
Jetlag tablets
Contraceptive tablets
Fever tablets
Pain killers
Allergy pills ( Anti-histamines )

Electrical stuff

General electrical items
Alarm clock ( Travel alarm )
Cell Phone ( Mobile Phone, Cellular Phone )
Charger to Cell Phone
Computer
PDA
Watch
Flashlight ( Torch )
Bookmark reading light
Extra batteries for your camera, flash, torch, watch, MP3-player, PDA and GPS
GPS
Portable DVD player and disks

Digital Camera equipment
Digital camera
Memory cards
Battery charger for camera
Associated cables

Camcorder equipment
Camcorder
Charger for camcorder batteries
Video tapes

Generic photo equipment
Camera bag

Music items
Music player ( Cassette, CD, MiniDisc, MP3 )
Headphones
Music media ( Music cassettes, CDs )
Microphone
Headphone 'doubler' plug

Water stuff

Basic equipment (even for non-divers)
Fins
Mask
Snorkel
Diving gloves
Boo

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