There is nothing worse when cooking than to have a crowded and overloaded work area. It'll be harder to find what you need and, when you do find it, it's likely to be dirty, whether you've used it or not.

Use a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water. This provides enough bleach to sterilize without being enough to taste or smell too bad. Wipe down your work surface after using to clean any germs, especially after using beef, chicken and fish.

If possible, always make your own meals, using the best ingredients you can afford. In order to increase shelf life, store add ingredients that are best left out.