I am generally not a morning person, so I need breakfast to be easy. I'm not going to turn on the oven, and there can't be a ton of ingredients involved. I usually gravitate towards simple things like breakfast tacos, eggs on toast, and smoothies. That's why I was super excited last week when I discovered a new-ish product from Trader Joe's that makes my morning so much easier and delicious. Have you tried this?

Last week I discovered these Organic Açaí Purée Packets from Trader Joe's. The little bag includes four individual packets of purée, and it costs less than $5. I love including açaí into my smoothies, but normally it's pretty expensive and often packed with sugar. These packets are unsweetened, so you can adjust the sugar to your own taste.

There are a bunch of suggestions on the back of the bag for how to use the açaí packets, but I've been tinkering with my own recipe. Most days I toss one frozen packet into my blender alongside a banana, almond milk, some almond butter, and a little honey for sweetener. I've also tried adding frozen pineapple and mango for something more tropical. The point is that these packets are endlessly versatile and easy to use: Just dump some ingredients into your blender, taste, and adjust. The bag also suggests you can just let one of the frozen purées thaw and top it with fresh fruit for an equally delicious breakfast or snack.

Have you tried these frozen açaí packets from Trader Joe's? Let us know in the comments!

This month we're looking back on all the strange and wonderful food jobs people have held during the summer. Whether it's a job at a local scoop shop, a grocery store, or the concession stand at a baseball field, the skills and memories you gather in those short, hot months usually turn out to be invaluable. Here's Bex vanKoot on her summer running her own business at a baseball field.

The summer of 1998 was one of many firsts for me. I was finishing up my first year of high school, preparing to take my beginner's driving test, dating my first boyfriend, planning my as-yet-only trip overseas, and working my first real job at a baseball park snack stand (babysitting doesn't count, right?). I would spend that summer learning the ins and outs of running my own business, a first that I can say now, almost 20 years later, led directly to the last decade I have spent freelancing and traveling the world.

To say that I grew up in a Baseball Family would be understating the facts. I have strong memories of sunburned thighs from afternoons at the Skydome in Toronto, a few hours from our rural Ontario home. My brother and I both started playing as wobbly tee-ball toddlers and advanced to competitive leagues. And even after the fat jokes from my peers and the general malaise of being Gen-Why in the '90s pulled me away from participating in competitive anything, I still cheered from the stands.

The Ilderton sports park was simple: three diamonds of varying sizes and a small soccer field, all crowded into the grassy space beside the town library. My young brother was playing for the bantam team, my dad was coaching and on the executive board of the district baseball association, and my mom was helping to convene one of the leagues — so they were at the park several times a week already when they found out no one was operating the park's small snack booth and I somehow landed the gig.

I learned quickly that small business owners don't have it easy. I wasn't making a set minimum wage. I was responsible for purchasing all the stock up front, and had the privilege of a small loan for food and float from my parents. We would load up our cart at Costco with cans of pop and bags of chips, Bazooka Joe gum and sunflower seeds, freezies and Fudgesicles, sour keys and fuzzy peaches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and plenty of strong coffee.

I set my prices based on my own market research, and brought home whatever profit I could. As any freelancer may attest to, clients will try to get everything they can for free, and being a teenage girl didn't make it any easier. But I learned early to stand up to pushy customers (i.e., my brother's annoying friends and teammates) when they tried haggling over the price of candy or sneaking Freezies for free out the back door.

The snack booth also had a secret side-hustle, as the place where I would meet my first boyfriend after school, before the baseball games started. Under cover of the swinging plywood windows, to the sound of the ancient fridge's buzz and percolating coffee, I had my first kiss, and learned a thing or two about dealing with rejection and embarrassing mistakes. Leaning on the countertop, gazing down into his eyes, leaning in ever so slowly … I tripped and fell and smacked my entire face right into his. I burst out laughing. He was less than impressed by my mojo-busting moves. But if there is one thing you need to learn to be a successful freelancer is that sometimes on the road to awesomeness, you're going to mess up. You will make humiliating mistakes and people will sometimes be less than impressed with you, but you need to be able to laugh at yourself. I apologized for giving him a fat lip, and then I kissed it better.

Leaning on the countertop, gazing down into his eyes, leaning in ever so slowly … I tripped and fell and smacked my entire face right into his.

After two summers working the snack shop, I had thoroughly enjoyed myself. But by then I finally had a permit to drive all on my own, a car to drive in, and the free time from school to work somewhere that I didn't have to deal with 14-year-old boys trying to hang out with me. More than that, the snack booth profit margin was thin, and I needed something steady to really start saving for university. In business, knowing when to take a leap forward isn't enough; you have to know when to turn back and go a different direction. Every time I have made the decision to go out on my own and make work for myself, it has required a leap of faith, the confidence to develop new skills and try a new career path. And each time, I have been able to reinforce these same lessons I first learned at the ballpark.

A big part of the reason I stopped playing baseball was my general distaste for the so-called "competitive spirit" — people stopped seeing me as a competitor, and so I stopped seeing myself that way. Thanks to my time in the snack stand, I learned about a bigger, longer game — one where I'm every player, and win, lose, or draw, what matters is that I keep playing.

When you think of a silverware organizer, you probably think of a standard cutlery tray—a plastic bin with sections for knives, forks and spoons, with maybe an extra section or two for other miscellaneous utensils. But just because most of the options you come across are simple, that doesn't mean you're stuck settling for the basics.

If a little pizzazz is what you seek, you can find it—there are silverware organizer options that come with extra features and are totally customizable, so you can keep your cutlery tidy with a little added innovation. To get your silverware drawer into shape, try one of these above-and-beyond options.

This Expandable Cutlery Tray

For a silverware organizer that can expand to perfectly fit your drawer, this one is a simple solution with plenty of compartments to suit your needs. Find it at The Container Store for $17.99.

And This One...with a Knife Block

If you have particularly wide drawers and want to get even more out of an expandable drawer insert like the last one, this bamboo one also features a knife block. Find it on Amazon for $29.99.

This Two-Tiered Utensil Organizer

For extra storage that will keep things neat, try a silverware organizer with two tiers. This one comes with multiple height and width options and has sections for just about every utensil. Find it on Kitchen Source for $37.27+ (prices vary by size).

This Tray with Adjustable Inserts

This organizer has adjustable (or, removable) inserts to offer versatility and customization options to accommodate whatever utensils you have. The side tray, for longer items, is expandable It comes in two sizes (the 15.5 inch option is pictured above) so you can get a perfect fit. Find it on Amazon for $12.74.

This Customizable Organizing Drawer Liner

Want something completely different from the usual silverware divider? This non-slip drawer liner can be cut to perfectly fit your drawer and comes with dividers you can place wherever you need them. Find it on Amazon for $34.99.

These Adjustable Drawer Dividers

For another custom fit option, try skipping the drawer organizer altogether and go for drawer dividers like these that you can assemble to suit your needs. Find them on Amazon for $32.95.

This Under-Cabinet Cutlery Storage Solution

And if saving space is your goal, you can take advantage of the space under your cabinets and free up your silverware drawer with an under-cabinet option like this one. Find it on Etsy for $39.

Even little kids, with their limited palates, know that meals are more fun when you get to have a bunch of snacky stuff versus just one main dish. (It's our favorite way to eat too!) That's why bento boxes are so darn popular with the school-aged crowd. Parents can fill various little compartments with pretzels, cheese cubes, fruit, and more. And you never have to worry about the strawberries touching the peas! Because we all know that can just be the worst thing ever — according to a child.

Here are our three favorite bento boxes for school lunches.

1. Launch Box, $60 at PlanetBox

Before you balk at the price, hear us out. First of all, it looks like a mini briefcase when closed up and toted by little ones and the cuteness is almost worth all the money. It's also super sturdy, and locks up nice and tight for transit. This one features three compartments and comes with a leak-proof dipper container for dressing or peanut butter. Need more than three compartments? PlanetBox also makes a version with five sections (for $56) to really load up on variety. If you're okay with spending even more money, you can order custom magnets to decorate the outside of the box.

2. OmieBox, $40 at OmieLife

These bright and poppy bento boxes are totally leak-proof and ideal for lunches that include both hot and cold foods. Each one has a vacuum-insulated bowl that can keep entrées warm until lunchtime, and additional double-walled insulated compartments to keep fruit and veggies cool. Of course, you can take the bowl out if it's not exactly spaghetti-and-meatballs weather. And don't worry — little hands can handle all the pieces on their own during school lunch.

We've been fans of these LunchBots boxes for quite some time. Just look at how versatile the Cinco Box is in this sandwich-free lunch story we ran. (And yes, LunchBots has several options with different amounts of compartments.) Pick the best size for your kid — we are partial to the quad because it has room for plenty of different foods without being overwhelming. You can also buy a condiment container to slip into the box if your kid is a big dipper.

Some ideas for packing up these boxes: 10 Sandwich-Free Lunch Ideas for Kids and Grownups Alike

Keeping a bag of meatballs in the freezer means a quick meal is never far away, but that doesn't mean it always has to be spaghetti and meatballs or meatball subs. Yes, frozen meatballs do tend to be Italian flavored, but the seasoning is usually mild enough that we can easily change their flavor profile.

Simmered in an easy teriyaki sauce made with pantry staples that require minimal chopping, then tossed with udon noodles and a bag of frozen vegetables, this fast dinner has it all: tender meatballs cooked straight from the freezer, chewy noodles, and vegetables all coated in a sauce that will please little ones and adults alike.

Choose Your Own Meatball Adventure

There are so many ways to customize this 30-minute meal. Easily make it vegetarian by using vegetarian or vegan meatballs; it's worth it to always keep a bag of your favorite ones in the freezer. No udon noodles? No problem — go with good ol' spaghetti.

Pick your favorite frozen veg: I like chunkier vegetables rather than smaller ones (like peas and corn) because they're easier to eat with the long noodles and won't fall to the bottom of the bowl. Try the broccoli-cauliflower combo — that's my favorite!

In case you've been looking for a reason to eat more carbs, this is a direct order from us: Stock up on some bread today! Why? The plastic tags used to keep the baggies closed will be useful long after you've eaten that last slice of seedless rye.

Just check out these alternative uses for bread tags.

1. They can corral your chargers.

We all use our phones, tablets, or laptops when we cook. Sometimes, we use all three at once! (Gotta check the Insta, follow along with a recipe, and play some tunes, right?) And you're bound to need some extra juice at some point. The only problem with chargers in the kitchen — or anywhere, really — is that the cords fall to the ground the second you unplug them.

Not if you use this bread tag hack, though! Simply use washi tape or painter's tape to secure the tag (clasp side up) to the edge of your counter. Then, just slide your cables through the hole and the tag will keep the chargers in place once you unplug.

Related: Use a Pegboard as a Kitchen Command Center

2. They can scrape up gunk from your counters.

If you don't have a dough scraper, you can use a bread tag in a pinch. It's obviously smaller, so it will take more time, but it's still pretty efficient at scraping up dough and random grossness from your countertops. Note: An old credit card will work here too!

3. They can label homemade salad dressing.

So you've been making your own salad dressing lately! Yay for you! Bottle them up in a hermetic glass bottle, write the dressing name on the blank side of a bread tag, and slip it onto the metal topper cage.

Buy: Hermetic Glass Bottles, from $3.50 for 4.25 ounces at The Container Store

These turkey burgers look beef burgers straight in the face and make them quiver a bit. These are far from the wimpy, dry-as-sandpaper turkey burgers you've had before. Instead, they are juicy, spicy from chili powder and cayenne, and fragrant from cumin and chopped shallots. Topped with melted Monterey Jack and lime-scented avocado mash, this is how you make a turkey burger that people will actually want to eat.

A Juicier Turkey Burger, Thanks to Greek Yogurt

The key to any successful burger, regardless of the toppings, is the patty itself. This one takes this point very seriously. Based off of our cooking lesson, these turkey burgers are bound by breadcrumbs and a few big spoonfuls of Greek yogurt, which moistens the meat and prevents it from overcooking, and therefore ensures juicy results. All that's left to do is top these turkey burgers with sharp cheese and creamy avocado mash to make it the hit of any barbecue.

Wine and Dine! What to Drink

Chances are you'll be eating these burgers out in the backyard, which is why I'm suggesting pairing them with rosé. A summer meal like this one matches perfectly to pink wine. As turkey is a lean meat, a light-bodied wine works best, but because rosé has a little bit of tannins, it can hold up to the richness of the cheese- and avocado-topped burger. The crispness of rosé also helps cut through these rich ingredients.

Raise your hand if you have a lunch box or a tote that you use for packing lunches (either for you or your kids). We thought so. Yet you still probably have a pack of brown paper bags in your kitchen, right? You should! These things are pretty handy. Not only can use them to make your own puppets on a rainy day, but you can also use them for a slew of other things in the kitchen and around the house.

Here are five of our favorite non-lunch-related uses for brown paper bags.

1. Ripen fruit.

If you need to speed up the ripening of, say, a peach or an avocado, stick 'em in a paper bag. The fruits naturally release ethylene gas, which gets trapped and accelerates ripening. Note: Do not use plastic bags, as they'll also trap moisture, which can cause the fruit to rot. Paper is the way to go here.

2. Make popcorn in the microwave.

No need to buy expensive (and way-too-buttery!) microwave popcorn — you can just make your own with some kernels and a paper bag for a fraction of the cost. One lunch bag is big enough to pop one serving of popcorn (about 1/4 cup of kernels) and the process is just as easy as the store-bought bags.

See the steps: How To Make Popcorn in the Microwave

3. Wrap some gifts.

Paper bags, when unfolded, are basically just kraft paper. Wrap small gifts with them or use the bags as is to hold edible treats like brittle, popcorn, candy, and more.

Some ideas: 5 Ways to Dress Up Brown Paper Bags

4. Clean windows.

Some people like to use newspaper to clean windows, but depending on the type of ink used, the sheets can leave marks on the windows. Wadded-up paper bags are a much better alternative and they're better than another popular choice, paper towels, because they're far less expensive.

Read more: How To Use Vinegar to Clean Your Kitchen Windows

5. Serve chips and pretzels.

No little serving bowls? No problem! Just roll down the sides of a few bags and pour in some chips, pretzels, or candy and set them around the room before your next party. They'll add a rustic touch to the decor and you can just crumble them up and toss 'em in the garbage (or recycling!) at the end of the night.

How else do you use paper lunch bags?

Hot days call for cool nights with the AC blasting — underneath the covers, wrapped up in blankets, with the warm glow of the TV. This August there are a ton of new shows and movies available including Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later and The Matrix trilogy on Netflix. Looking for something a little more food-related to watch this coming month? I've gathered up all the new things to watch so you don't have to search.

Coming to Netflix

August 1

This BBC documentary looks at the way alcohol impacts your body. Why do some people get drunk more quickly than others? Is red wine really healthier for you? And does alcohol make you eat more?

August 2

This movie follows the true story of Ray Kroc, a salesman, and how he met Mac and Dick McDonald who were running a burger shop in California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers, and positioned himself to take over the company and build it out into McDonalds — a multibillion dollar empire.

Nothing this month

Coming to Hulu

Nothing this month

Coming to HBO

Nothing this month

What are you excited to watch this month? Let us know in the comments!

When my now-husband and I moved into our first apartment together two years ago, grocery shopping (like pretty much everything else on our agenda outside the office) was a glorious activity to be shared. Our local Trader Joe's — a beautiful converted bank in Brooklyn with ceilings far too high and light far too natural for even the hipster-est of markets — was a new frontier to explore together, a place where we would discover whether we preferred bagged salads to making our own, and if we were going to be the kind of people who had fancy cheese on hand "just in case" friends dropped by. After six years together, I still didn't know what kind of trail mix my partner liked. Clearly, we had a lot of relationship work to do in Trader Joe's.

Within a few months, though, it seemed that the magic of our weekly grocery outings had run its course. We'd learned that we are decidedly bagged salad people and that keeping a chunk of brie in our refrigerator was not sustainable long-term, and I'd realized that Matt was a lightly salted almonds guy (I still find it difficult to understand why he doesn't like trail mix!). We had learned a decent amount at TJ's, and, quite frankly, the weekend chaos of one of the very few supermarkets in our area was putting a serious strain on our nerves.

Grocery Shopping on my Own

I started making the trek to the grocery store solo — first, on weeknights after I got home from work, and later, when I adopted the schedule of a full-time writer, at 8 a.m. every Monday. While errands are hardly made more glamorous by a lack of company, I appreciated the fact that I could take care of our shopping during lower-traffic pockets of time. I missed my partner in crime, but I didn't miss the overwhelming crowds and long lines that were inevitable on the weekends, when we were able to go together. Going alone was a more efficient option, which opened up time in our collective schedule for events far more fun than pushing a shopping cart through the produce aisle.

After a few months of grocery shopping by myself, I had the process down to a science. Instead of the production it once was, my weekly outing to Trader Joe's has become fairly painless, a well-practiced dance from the bananas to the chicken breasts to the quinoa to the frozen fruit, with an occasional detour for guacamole and — if I'm feeling particularly wild — fancy cheese. Most Mondays, I can get to the store a few minutes before it opens, and be home and unpacked by 8:30, ready to start my workday.

My husband remembers our Saturdays at the supermarket together somewhat differently. Like a mother who's blocked the pain of childbirth, he's forgotten the occasions that we were told by an actual bouncer that we had to wait outside the store until other shoppers had cleared out, or the many times that my claustrophobic tendencies led me to admittedly ridiculous meltdowns in the narrow, crowded aisles. I am lucky to be married to a man who wants to do literally everything with me, and while I feel the same way about him 99.9 percent of the time, grocery shopping has to be an exception (unless he's able to join me at 8 a.m. on a weekday). Trust me — it's better for the health of the marriage.

Periodically, Matt suggests that we revisit our days of shopping together, and usually, I come up with a more interesting way for us to spend our Saturday and offer to take care of the groceries myself, instead. Recently, though, I decided we should turn it into a game. (In addition to being slightly codependent, we are extremely competitive at our house.) Is solo shopping really a more efficient way to go? And if going to the grocery store as a couple does take a bit longer or cost us a bit more — and requires us to battle the conditions of Trader Joe's on a weekend — is it still fun enough, on balance, to cancel out my willingness to go it alone?

I planned two weekend grocery runs exactly one week apart to help me get to the bottom of it. The first week I would go alone, so that I wouldn't be tempted to speed through the aisles or cut my usual spending in half in order to prove myself based on the results of our joint expedition (I told you, we're extremely competitive). I also planned my solo run for the day after we returned from a week-long vacation, which I decided would make up for any advantage I've developed as the sole supermarket shopper in our household over the last year. Our cupboards were empty, and after a week of sun and cocktails, I wasn't as sharp as usual. It was a fair fight.

From the moment I left our apartment until the moment I returned with food, the clock was running for exactly 31 minutes. For a Saturday afternoon, the store was shockingly empty, which I noted for my upcoming trip with Matt. My bill came to $101.59, including ingredients for all of our meals for the coming week, along with a post-vacation restock of kitchen staples. While I breezed through the store with little delay, I did find myself wishing for an extra set of hands as soon as I was out in the 80-degree heat, weighed down with oh-so-full reusable totes.

Grocery Shopping with my Husband

One week later, Matt and I set out for the store at roughly the same time as my solo trip. I was nervous — not only because of my competitive streak, but because it felt like we were returning to the site of our first date and I wasn't sure if I'd still like the food. Grocery shopping, once a quasi-romantic event for us, had become an exercise in efficiency and practicality, and contest aside, I hoped there would still be some magic in the air once we got to the market.

Luckily (for me and for the purposes of this experiment), the crowds were equally light on this second Saturday. We dove into the store's natural flow, talking through the schedule for the week and discussing dinner menus and snack requests (including lightly salted almonds). Matt — who is a full foot taller than I am — helped me reach my favorite green juice, and he also made a last-minute play for chocolate-covered pretzels that I'm still feeling really good about.

As I predicted, this second trip took more time and was more expensive than the first, and I swear on my favorite trail mix that I didn't try to influence the results. Start to finish, it took us exactly 45 minutes to navigate the errand, including the coffee stop Matt requested on the way (I told him we were on the clock!). We also had a very kind cashier, and ended up chatting with him about Jell-O shots for upwards of five minutes during checkout. Not a bad topic, but certainly worth taking into consideration if we're going for a fair comparison. In the end, our receipt totaled $129.82 — nearly $30 more than what I'd spent alone, but we'd purchased a six-pack of beer and the ingredients for a baking project we decided to tack onto the day's agenda.

The Results: Grocery Shopping with a Spouse vs. Solo

I hate to be the lamest scientist ever, but if I had to make a conclusion based on the results of this experiment, I don't think that I could. Based on the data alone (faster time, a lower cost), grocery shopping alone is the clear winner, but the romantic in me couldn't help but love the way it felt to have my partner by my side for an activity that can feel like such a chore. To be fair, we lucked out with a minimally crowded shopping day, and given the potential for time wasted standing in line on a typical weekend, I'm still not sure that going to the supermarket needs to be on our shared agenda every Saturday.

All that said, though, and in all seriousness, I know how lucky I am to be with someone who's willing — and eager — to turn something as mundane as a trip to Trader Joe's into a moment for real togetherness. This friendly competition served as an excellent reminder of that, as well as the fact that my husband's height makes him the perfect shopping companion.

Also, Matt encouraged me to buy some fancy cheese. And don't we all deserve that kind of loving push every once in a while?

Do you prefer to shop alone or with your partner?

Take a quick survey of your kitchen utensils. We're willing to bet it's a pretty motley crew between the half-melted spatula you left on a hot stove for too long, the worn-out wooden spoon you've been carting from apartment to apartment since college, and the various other tools that have seen (much) better days.

It's time to upgrade, and there's no better way to do it than by buying a set. Everything will be brand new and everything will match (a first for many of us).

We're partial to this Viable Creations set (on sale right now on Amazon).

Crafted out of sustainable bamboo and versatile silicone, these utensils won't scratch your pans, which means they can be used on stainless steel and nonstick stuff. The (good-looking) set contains six tools essential to any functioning kitchen: two spatulas, two rubber scrapers, a basting brush, and a whisk.

While you wait for the shipment, consider going through your existing stuff and making two piles: one for donations and one for too-far-gone tools that just need to be trashed.

Related: Make the Most of Kitchen Drawers by Organizing Diagonally

It's amazing to me how quickly my kitchen gets cluttered. Even though I tend to use the same things every day — the same pots and pans, same dishes, same glasses — my cabinets are totally full. Part of it is that we love to entertain, so in addition to the everyday stuff, we need the party stuff, like the big salad bowl, and the serving tray, and the cool brass-plated silverware I found on eBay that lives in its own special, enormous box. Part of it is the kids' stuff. And the backup kid stuff, that I hold on to just in case other, younger kids come over and we need different kinds of age-appropriate sippy cups. Add in all the tools and gadgets and kitchen linens and birthday candles, and it's a slippery slope.

It's daunting to think about weeding through it all, though. I don't have any desire to touch all those things to see if they spark joy. I need a rule that'll make it easy to make a quick-and-dirty decision over what stays and what goes to keep this space streamlined.

Enter Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, otherwise known as the Minimalists. These guys have come up with the 90/90 rule to help people like me plow through their stuff and figure out what they really need. It's simple! You look at an object and ask yourself the following question:

Have I used this item in the last 90 days? If not, will I use it in the next 90?

No? Then it's time to let it go.

Now Millburn and Nicodemus emphasize that it doesn't have to be exactly 90 days — maybe for you it's 120 days or six months. The actual amount of time doesn't matter; what matters is that you make a rule and stick to it, because once you have a rule, it's easier to make a decision.

For me, I'd probably need a longer timeline, like that six months, to include all my holiday serving stuff — I'm the old-fashioned type who opted for formal wedding china, and I'm absolutely not giving that up! — but just by making that rule, I can already think of three things to get rid of right now, like a bottle warmer we haven't used since our "baby" stopped using bottles almost two years ago. Time to say goodbye!

What about you, do you have any rules you use for deciding what to get rid of? Do you think they work?

I avoid mealy tomatoes from the grocery store all year long in anticipation of the summer and the sweetest tomatoes that come with it. Once they hit, in all their shapes, sizes, and colors, I can hardly get enough. Quickly a bucket list of sorts ensues, to ensure I consume them in all the very best ways before the last one lingers at the farmers market at the end of the season.

In no particular order, here is this important list — I highly encourage you to start at the top and work your way through to guarantee you eat up as many summer tomatoes as possible this year.

1. Made into a fresh sauce for pasta.

When tomatoes are this sweet and juicy, there's no need to slow-simmer them for pasta sauce — all that fresh flavor will be lost. Instead, simply chop them up for a no-cook situation.

Get a recipe: No-Cook Tomato Sauce

2. Stacked in a BLT.

Oh, sure you can make a BLT any other time of the year, but I firmly believe it's not worth your time. My most favorite sandwich of all only deserves the best, in-season tomatoes to ensure it's incredible.

Read more: Everything You Need to Make the Best BLT

3. Or simply a classic tomato sandwich.

As much as I adore a BLT, if you skip the B and L, you'll still be in for something special, given just how wonderful summer tomatoes are. Make a no-frills sandwich with nothing but a swipe of butter or mayo and thick slices of tomatoes.

Get a recipe: 1-Minute Tomato Sandwich

4. Sliced for a caprese salad.

The classic trio of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil must indeed be celebrated in the summer. Start by making at least a half-dozen caprese salads and then dive into caprese grilled cheese, quiche, chicken, and even avocado toast.

Get a recipe: Caprese Salad

5. Stuffed with good things.

While I don't think there is anything wrong with eating a tomato out of hand for dinner when they are at their peak, make it a true meal by stuffing it with hearty things — grains and cheese are usually a good start.

Get a recipe: Couscous & Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

6. Blended into gazpacho.

Seeing as it's a bit too balmy for tomato soup, now is the time to celebrate gazpacho. Toss those sweet tomatoes into a blender with a few other seasonal veggies and you've got cool, creamy perfection.

Get a recipe: How to Make Easy Gazpacho

7. Transformed into compound butter.

Butter truly makes everything better, including summer tomatoes. Blend the two together and you've got something you'll want to not only spread on toast, but also stir into risotto, toss with pasta, or eat with a spoon.

Get a recipe: Tomato Butter

9. Made into a straight-up tomato salad.

Yes to caprese salad, but save some summer tomatoes for an even simpler salad that puts the red fruit really front and center. Keep it a fuss-free situation with nothing but a drizzle of balsamic or jazz it up just slightly with sweet-tart pomegranate molasses.

Get a recipe: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Pomegranate-Sumac Dressing

9. Make pickles.

Sure, this is a great way to preserve sweet summer tomatoes, but it may be difficult to hold onto them once you've discovered how tangy and delicious they are on salads, alongside cheese plates, or eaten straight from the fridge.

Get a recipe: How to Pickle Cherry Tomatoes

10. Baked into a savory cobbler.

I am sure you are still loading up on sweet, fruit-studded cobblers this summer, but put them aside for a moment to make room for tomato cobbler. Salty, cheesy cornmeal-cheddar biscuit hide a warm, juicy cherry tomato filling to make for a great vegetarian dinner.

Get a recipe: Tomato Cobbler with Cornmeal-Cheddar Biscuits

There are seemingly endless ways to cook chicken, but this one in particular should be at the top of your must-make list. With a Sriracha-honey marinade and plenty of fresh lime juice, these spicy-sweet-tangy chicken thighs pack a punch. Make it once and I guarantee your family will be begging for this dish all the time! I'm sorry in advance.

The combination of chicken thighs, oil, and a hot cast iron skillet means you're in for crispy skin and juicy meat (aka perfection, and the marinade — a mixture of honey, Sriracha, garlic, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and lime juice — ensures tangy-spicy flavor infused in every bite.

The chicken needs at least 30 minutes to marinate, which means you should get that portion done the minute you walk in the door. While the chicken is marinating you can get some rice cooking or whip up a big salad. Then all you have to do is cook the chicken quickly on the stovetop and finish it with lime, sesame seeds, and scallions. Serve it over that rice or salad, or alongside some steamed broccoli and you've got a delicious meal in under an hour.

Enjoy some tonight for dinner and then use the leftovers tomorrow for an easy lunch. Win-win!

On any week that's peppered with late nights at the office and activities like sports practice, piano lessons, or book club, getting dinner on the table can feel like a feat of Everest-like proportions. These are the nights to pull out your slow cooker and rely on it to do the heavy lifting leading up to dinnertime. Whether you need a dump-and-go recipe that can cook totally hands-off, like sloppy Joes or soup, or have a few minutes for up-front prep, these are the 10 slow cooker dinners to add to your meal plan on busy weeks.

Thought your week was too busy for fajitas? Think again! Save for opening a few cans, this is a hands-off dinner that can be left unattended for hours, and delivers the rich, spiced flavors as the traditional stovetop version.

Spend about 10 minutes prepping in the morning, then toss everything into the slow cooker and let it simmer all day while you're at work. With a cook time of about eight hours, it will be ready to spoon into bowls when you walk in the door.

Not only does this weeknight dinner require minimal effort to pull together, but cleanup is also a breeze. There's a lot to love about juicy chicken, tender broccoli, and rice that all comes together in a single slow-cooking session.

Here's what to cook when you want to come home to something totally comforting. It's just like the classic, minus the time spent standing at the stove.

Here is one more reason you should always hang on to those leftover Parmesan rinds. This white bean soup is an easy meal to pull together on busy weeks, and makes its own broth with some help from a Parmesan rind as it cooks. It's satisfying and comforting without being too rich and heavy.

This hearty vegan stew is on regular repeat in my meal plan all year long. The bulk of the work is prepping the veggies, but it rewards you with plenty of leftovers, which means tomorrow's lunch is ready to go.

This hearty vegan chili comes together easily with the aid of a slow cooker. All you have to do is mix everything together, turn it on, and come back to a comforting dinner.

With a little planning, this chicken and broccoli dinner replicates the goodness of a stir-fry with the help of the slow cooker.

Yes, you can even make crispy-skinned chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Coat a pack of bone-in, skin-on thighs with a warm spice rub and layer them in the slow cooker, and many hours later dinner is ready.

You can leave the takeout menu right where it is. This dump-and-go recipe for the Indo-British classic is a breeze to pull together, and benefits from a long, slow simmer while you're at work.

Layer with Lemon

Home life right now is a little bit bananas. Just a few weeks ago we sold our home in Georgia and we are currently packing and planning a cross-country move and my husband is gone all week working and house hunting in our new city.

So this week's meal plan is all about miracle meals — recipes I can cook with my eyes closed, or that whittle down pantry ingredients, or that my children requested and I know they will devour without fuss. There are some seasonal vegetables helping out this carb-heavy week, so this week's menu is still fun and summery but also super easy.

Welcome to This Week's Meal Plan

Planning my weekly meals is a habit I enjoy. Since I'm frequently asked by friends and family what I'm cooking for dinner each week, I thought it'd be useful to share my weekly meal plan here. Whether you're just learning to meal plan and looking for a real-life example of how this works or you're an old pro on the hunt for inspiration, here's a peek at how I'm feeding my family this week.

This hardly feels summer-appropriate, but when your 5-year-old requests "that pink pasta" and you know that means she'll eat some beets, you don't question the seasonality of this request. We aren't vegan, so some cheesy garlic toast for the kids and a green salad on the side will make this a meal.

I made a big batch of these peach carnitas this weekend for guests and everyone loved it. Lucky for me we have enough leftovers to turn this into a sensational Taco Tuesday.

Brinner — that is breakfast for dinner — might not be super glamorous, but it's easy and everyone will eat it and no one will complain, which is kind of what I need on hump day.

My neighbor has not stopped blessing us with tomatoes from her garden and I've been waiting to turn them into panzanella (oh, and gazpacho soon too). My fingers are crossed that big cubes of toasted bread will actually encourage my kids to eat just a salad for dinner. I'm bulking this classic recipe up with some cucumbers and canned chickpeas too.

There's really nothing like an impromptu dinner party after one of the hottest days of summer. There's something about the searing, slap-you-in-the-face heat that August brings that often becomes a balmy, pleasant night perfect for ice-cold beer, a platter of crudité, and whatever you have to clean out of the fridge. For affairs like this, (wo)manning the grill isn't an option. It's all about make-ahead foods or make-at-the-last-minute foods. Hummus can be both.

This dip is delicious no matter how long you sit at the table, it's vegan and kosher, and it's popular with adults and kids of all ages. Sure, you could always run to the store for a tub of the chickpea garlic dip, but the most popular hummus recipe on Pinterest is both simple to make and looks delicious.

This hummus recipe (adapted from Ina Garten), featured on Recipe Girl, comes together quickly and is ripe for variations. It has been saved over 50,000 times.

Just combine canned chickpeas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, salt, lemon juice, and hot sauce in a food processor and blend until you achieve your desired consistency. Taste for seasonings, drizzle with additional olive oil, and serve. Yes, it's really that simple. However, it's also Ina's recipe (Patron Saint of All Things Delicious), so you know it's going to be fantastic.

The recipe is easy to change based on your taste and what you have in your fridge: Add your favorite herbs, spices, or oils to the mix. Top it with sautéed ground meat or toasted pine nuts. Add some roasted red peppers or maybe swirl in some harissa — the possibilities are endless!

Have you tried this hummus recipe? How did it go? Let us know in the comments!

Cool, crunchy cucumbers are at their absolute best in summer. Whether you picked up one too many at the farmers market or your garden is overflowing with them, we've got 10 ways to help you put those cukes to work. From salads to soups to sandwich spreads, these are the best cucumber recipes on the internet.

This salad combines crunchy cucumber and red onion slices with a tangy Greek yogurt and lemon dressing. The flavors mellow a bit as the salad sits, so it's a great make-ahead option.

When you want cucumbers to play a starring role, ditch the lettuce and make this salad instead. Thinly sliced cucumbers are tossed in a simple apple cider vinaigrette and finished with fresh chives for an irresistibly tangy side dish.

Not only do the sliced radishes lend extra crunch here, but they also bring their signature sharp bite, which is a nice contrast to the tame cucumbers. When tossed in a light, garlicky sour cream-yogurt dressing, this salad belongs on the table at your next picnic.

Pull out your spiralizer and make these cucumber "noodles" the next time it's too hot to cook! Dressed in a light lemon-dill vinaigrette and paired with some cooked salmon or chicken, this is the perfect summer lunch.

If you're looking for a refreshing way to beat the heat, these ice pops will do the trick. With green tea, lime juice, and a mint simple syrup, these cucumber Popsicles are like a spa for your tastebuds.

When you're hosting this summer, you want to relax with your friends instead of playing bartender all night, right? That's where this cucumber gin and tonic pitcher cocktail comes in. Just set it out with some ice-filled glasses and let your guests help themselves!

Crunchy cucumber slices are tossed with a mixture rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, cilantro, scallions, garlic, and ginger in this flavor-packed salad. A sprinkling of sesame seeds before serving adds crunch, while a dash of red chili flake brings the heat.

If you embrace a no-waste philosophy in the kitchen, you'll love this ingenious recipe. When a recipe calls for peeled cucumbers, don't toss those peels! Instead blend them with cream cheese, Dijon, greens (like watercress or arugula), and prosciutto. Spread it on a baguette and you're good to go.

Gazpacho is a chilled soup that's perfect for hot summer days. This version gets its green hue from cucumbers, jalapeño, and cilantro. By blending the ingredients you already get a silky-smooth texture, but the addition of Greek yogurt and sour cream lend extra body and richness.

As you can probably tell by now, cucumbers and yogurt are a match made in heaven. Tzatziki pairs grated cucumber and plain Greek yogurt, along with lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs, for an irresistible sauce. Serve it with pita chips, in place of mayo on a sandwich, or atop grilled chicken skewers — the possibilities are endless!

Here at Kitchn, I feel like we've established that German moms are superior cleaners. They clean things right away, aren't afraid to get on their hands and knees, and vacuum their floors with military precision.

So recently I grilled a German girlfriend of mine, Steffi, who has two little kids the same age as mine, on her cleaning techniques. I wouldn't say Steffi is the tidiest person — often, the sink is stacked with dishes and the kids' toys are everywhere — but we all know there's a difference between messy and dirty. And I have never once found a trace of food on the countertop or a crusty bit on a glass in her cabinets. She's also a no-chemicals kind of gal, so it's actually kind of surprising that her house is so clean. And this is how I learned that Steffi has a secret cleaning ingredient she imports from Germany to keep her home spic and span: super-strong vinegar.

The vinegar Steffi uses is called Surig Essig Essenz. She buys it on Amazon, where they call it "spirit vinegar." This stuff is 28 percent vinegar — compared to the 6 percent vinegar content in Heinz Cleaning Vinegar or the 5 percent vinegar content in their Distilled White Vinegar, which most people dilute in half to clean. So compared to Steffi, when I'm cleaning with vinegar I'm using 2.5 to 3 percent vinegar, while she's using 28 percent. Um, what?

Buy it: Surig Essig Essence Vinegar, $19 for two, 14-ounce bottles

Now, Steffi emphasizes that she hasn't found anything comparable on the market here, which I found surprising. After a little digging, I learned that in the U.S., they won't let you sell vinegar marketed for food purposes above 5 to 6 percent strength. If you want something stronger, the only place you might be able to find it is at a garden center, where organically oriented vendors will sell up to 20 percent vinegar as an herbicide. (You really do learn something new every day!)

The danger seems to be that the acid in super-strong vinegar can eat at your surfaces and burn your skin. I asked Steffi about her surfaces and skin — and she's never had a problem, although she does wear gloves and certainly doesn't let her kids anywhere near the stuff. She also swears it cleans better than our weak American vinegar.

Related: What Is Vinegar and What Makes It a Good Cleaner?

So, I don't know. I have to admit I'm a little scared. And so far my weak American vinegar has been strong enough for my purposes. But I love the idea of a super-strong cleaner.

Would you try it?