With the recent report from the Natural Resources Defense Council that the average family throws out $2,275 in food annually, I'm being even more diligent about using every ounce of food that comes into my kitchen. These tips will help:

Single serving mac 'n' cheese: My toddler eats only a small portion of a box of macaroni and cheese. Leftover mac and cheese is never a hit, and the individual packs are too pricey. Instead, I buy the boxes when they are on sale and store the cheese powder and noodles in separate jars. Then I can prepare individual servings as needed. I use 1/3 cup dry noodles and 1 heaping tablespoon each of cheese powder, butter and milk.

-- Michel, New York

Steam warmer: To keep my mashed potatoes hot and fluffy while I finish the rest of my dinner, I put them in a heat-proof bowl and place that bowl in a pot filled with a couple inches of simmering water. I cover the bowl with a lid or foil to keep the potatoes from drying out.

-- Doris, Nebraska

Anti-sticky marshmallows: I had an open bag of marshmallows get sticky. I put them in a zip-type bag with cornstarch and stirred them. They separated. I tried some in hot chocolate, and it tasted just fine.

-- Cathy, Florida

Spice file: If you don't have a lot of kitchen space to devote to spice and herb bottles, make a spice file. All you need are sandwich-size zipper bags and self-adhesive file tabs. Empty a spice jar into a bag, zip it shut and stick a

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file tab at the top. Write the name of the spice on the label, and slide it into the tab. Repeat for all of your spices. Arrange in alphabetical order, and place files in a shoebox or small container that will allow you to stand them up so you can see what you need.

-- Cindi, Arkansas

Pan liner: To avoid cleaning a roller pan when I paint, I slip it into a large plastic department store bag and pour the paint onto the bag over the pan. After painting, I simply turn the bag inside out and discard it. I am left with a clean roller pan, which saves a lot of time and costs nothing.

-- Tony, Mississippi

Neat fridge: I just bought a new refrigerator, and I didn't want the shelves to get dirty. When I store a bottle that tends to get messy, I put a sheet of plastic wrap down as a shelf liner. It works beautifully, and because it is tacked down to the shelf by the adhesive wrap, it is neat and tidy.

-- Cathy, California

Cloth shopping bags: I have accumulated many cloth tote bags over the years from seminars I've attended or book clubs I've joined. Instead of purchasing reusable cloth bags for groceries, I use my tote bags instead. They are machine washable, and I can save money and the environment by recycling them.

-- Cindy, Missouri

Denture tablet cleaning paste. Denture tablets work great to clean all sorts of things. I crush a tablet and mix in a few drops of water. I apply this paste to the tray under the water and ice dispenser in our refrigerator door, allowng it to sit overnight. In the morning, I wipe up the paste, and the calcium buildup is gone.

-- Annelies, Florida

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2099, Cypress, CA 90630.