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Returning fresh food

Dear Heloise: When is it OK to RETURN fresh produce or fresh meat to the grocery store? Obviously if it’s spoiled, but what if the produce has no taste? Example: A watermelon or peaches. Sometimes they have no taste, and peaches can be mealy or dry.

What if the meat is tough? I realize the grocers have little control over this. With peaches, if one or two aren’t good, I can return the leftover fruit. With meat, we eat it anyway and there’s nothing to return. — Wants to Do the Right Thing, via email

Great question! I have returned produce — some tomatoes, etc., that were just awful. The produce manager even agreed with me.

Most stores are happy to either replace or refund the price of the item.

Meat may be a different story, especially if you have eaten the whole thing. That’s a little hard for a manager to “swallow,” if you will pardon the pun. Something that is costly, such as meat, is a lot to ask the store to refund in this situation.

It may have been just that cut, the way it was cooked — there are too many variables. If this happens several times with the same cut of meat, from the same store, ask the butcher! That’s why they are there. — Heloise

P.S.: Readers, want to weight in? How would you handle this situation, and has it happened to you? Butchers and managers, I’d love to hear from you and print your replies. That’s what this column is for.

NO LOST SOCKS

Dear Heloise: I enjoy your hints in The (Spokane, Wash.) Spokesman-Review. Sorting socks after washing was tedious, and losing one of a pair was common.

I solved both by keeping safety pins in my sock drawer. Simply pin a pair together and send down the laundry chute. Automatically sorted. No more lonely single socks. — Dr. William D., Spokane, Wash.

SINGLE-CUP COFFEE MAKER

Dear Heloise: Do you own a one-cup coffee maker that uses regular coffee (not the prepacked single-serving pods)? Try this:

Take a paper napkin or facial tissue and cut into squares. Round off the edges and place one in the filter container, along with 1 or 2 tablespoons of coffee. Continue with directions. This makes cleanup easy! — Lois N., Corona, Calif.

Super! I’ve done this in hotels. — Heloise

JEWELRY

Dear Heloise: My husband and I travel extensively. The only “good” jewelry I take are the pieces that will be on me at all times, except one pair of earrings, kept in my purse.

At night, I put the jewelry in a jewelry or clear bag and put that in my purse. I leave it where I can grab it quickly. I have had to evacuate hotels because of fire. — Virginia T., Kingsport, Tenn.

CLEAN NEEDLE

Dear Heloise: While mending a small rip in a cloth purse, my needle went into some glue. I used an emery board to clean off the needle, and it worked perfectly. — Norma L., Columbus, Ohio

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise(at)Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.

(c)2016 by King Features Syndicate Inc.

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