Q: What’s the easiest meal to prepare in a pinch when friends with kids visit?

Try baked macaroni and cheese (made with real cheddar), pigs in a blanket (served with gourmet condiments for the big kids), raw veggies (like baby carrots) and homemade chocolate pudding for dessert. And remember: Don’t go with flavours that are too strong—no garlic and nothing too spicy—or the kids will cry and everyone will hate you.

We’re thinking of taking up cooking. Where do we start?

Becoming a home chef is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Invest in some kitchenware—a saucepan with a cover, a large and small skillet, a set of measuring spoons and bowls, a chopping board and a few knives (chef’s knife, small utility knife and bread knife). A few extras, like a large wooden spoon, spatula, colander, can-opener and vegetable peeler, will also prove handy.
2. Stock your cupboards with basic ingredients, including good olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and seasonings like cayenne, sea salt, black pepper, oregano, bay leaves and dried rosemary. Other things to keep on hand: cooking onions, garlic, canned tomatoes, breadcrumbs and dried pasta.
3. Buy a cookbook, get online, or take a cooking class to learn to make the meals that you like.
   

How the heck do we cut our weekly grocery bill?

Stick to the outside aisles of the supermarket; the perimeter is where all the fruits and veggies, meat, and dairy sections are. And fresh is usually cheaper. The further in you venture, the more packaged, preserved and costly it gets. If you’re worried your fresh stuff will go bad before you eat it, try frozen. Or look for heartier fruits, like bags of apples and oranges, which will keep for a few weeks in the fridge. As for meats, flank steak is a hearty and cheaper cut, or why not get some stewing meat? Canned tuna is a great protein hit, as are fresh eggs. When buying chicken, think about trying boneless, skinless chicken thighs in lieu of expensive breast meat. As for the vegetarians, tofu is your best bet. To round out your cheapo meals, buy bulk bags or cans of inexpensive grains and pastas, including lentils, chickpeas, couscous and rice. m