TODAY

As much as 40 percent of food is wasted every year, according to the USDA, and that translates to a lot of wasted prep time and money at home. Whether you’re stocking up for holiday visitors or just anticipate having a lot of leftovers from your meals, saving food for later can be easy.

Although some foods, like raw meats, will need to be properly wrapped and frozen, most leftovers can stay in the refrigerator for longer than you might think. Place a thermometer in your fridge to make sure that it’s below 40 degrees, which inhibits bacteria from growing, to help food last longer.

Find recommendations on how to tell if food is still fresh and how to store 10 popular foods below.

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If the dizzying pace of the holidays has you feeling overwhelmed or not yourself, take heart. Many people get a bit overwhelmed with the schedules and planning and traveling. Sometimes, it can all feel like too much – but, it can help to have perspective.

“Being off a little bit is normal,” one doctor told TODAY. “We all have something that’s us, that makes us uniquely us.”

Though you may not be perfectly happy and calm at every moment, finding ways to cope that work for you can be a real resource. One approach: Build in a time out for things you enjoy doing for yourself – maybe it’s running or reading or just relaxing with a show. If or when you need to talk to someone about your anxiety, that’s a good gift to give yourself. Find out more about how to gauge your levels and ways you can help reduce the worry and anxiety that often come with this time of year.

Even when we know people’s names, why do we go for days without using them? By using someone’s name, you help them feel seen and acknowledged — and that’s an act of kindness. According to kindness.org’s research in collaboration with the University of Oxford, doing a kind act increases happiness, well-being, trust and compassion. And it can have the same powerful effect on those who receive the act. Try it, and put a smile on both your faces.