Our Top Ten Pieces of Advise For the Summer!

These are all great tips we’ve learned over the years and through our customers at KCI!

#10 – Use sugar and baking soda to kill ants. Mix equal parts of baking soda and powdered sugar and place small amounts in areas you think that the ants will locate it, and in areas you suspect they are entering. The sugar is used to bait them, while the baking soda is what actually kills them. They have an acidic substance in their bodies that reacts with the baking soda once it’s ingested.

#9 – Crack asparagus by hand to get rid of the woody bottom. Grasp the asparagus stalk with both hands and bend the bottom until it breaks. The asparagus will naturally break at the point where the tough, stringy part ends and the tender stalk begins.

#8 – Vinegar, salt and dish soap to kill weeds. Mix 4 liters of vinegar with 1/4 cup table salt and a squirt of liquid dish soap and spray weeds. The vinegar kills the leaves above ground, while the salt works into the ground killing the roots. By adding soap, it makes the solution easier to apply to the weeds, and keeps it from spreading to other plants.

#7 – Don’t flip your steak until it stops sticking. Don’t ever flip your meat more than once, as over flipping will result in a tough piece of meat. The cooking time will depend on the type of pan used, the size of steak and how well you like your steak cooked. For a 3/4″ steak, 5 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second is cooked to medium (for most heat sources.)

#6 – Replace your lettuce with kale. Kale is high in vitamin c and rich in calcium. It is grillable, freezable, crispier than lettuce and will hold dressing better in your salad. For a fresh summer salad try kale, Feige’s Gourmet German Caesar dressing, KCI croutons, Ayrshire bacon cubed and fried until crisp and grated Parmesan cheese.

#5 – Don’t store your fresh tomatoes in the fridge. The best place to store your tomatoes is on your counter at room temperature. The coldness of the fridge damages the membrane inside the tomato causing it to lose its sweet flavour.

#4 – Don’t wash your strawberries until you are ready to use them. Strawberries are like sponges, as soon as you wash them they absorb the water and will turn to mush if not used right away.

#3 – Keep an insulated market bag in your car for unexpected grocery store trips and markets. Your cold and frozen items will take on heat and start to thaw quicker than we think, so it’s always better to be prepared!

#2 – Make your own popsicles using fresh fruit, juice and yogurt. By making your own popsicles, you can monitor exactly what you and your children are eating. Plus it reduces the garbage created from the plastic wrappers and sticks, and there is a wide variety of shaped popsicle molds available to suit everyone.

#1 – Always carry a little cash. You never know when you might come across a fruit and vegetable stand or flea market in your travels! Be prepared and don’t miss out on the fresh summer foods or great deals you might find!

Do you have a great summer tip you’d like to share? Leave it in our comment section below.