Are you working on a stir-fry or planning a Chinese themed dinner party? If your dish calls for thinnly sliced beef, partially freeze and it will slice more easily.

Want every last drop of lemon juice from that lemon? Pop it in the microwave a lemon for 15 seconds and roll it along the countertop a few times before cutting and squeezing. You’ll get double the juice.

Finally decided to clean out the pantry and start your culinary adventure anew? Here’s some shelf life guidelines to keep in mind when you decide what to toss and what to save.

• Flour: unopened, up to 12 months. Opened, 6-8 months.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar, unopened is good for 2 years. It won’t spoil as such but it may change or lose flavor. Confectioners sugar is good (unopened) for 18 months but brown sugar, even unopened, is only good for about 4 months.
• Spices are good for 2-4 years opened or not. It rather depends on the conditions underwhich they are kept. If the location is cool and dry (and out of the sun, it’scloser to 4 years) If they sit on the window sill, closer to 2 years. Whole spices keep longer than ground spices.
• If your baking soda is unopened it will be good for about 18 months. If it’s opened, it will keep for 6 months.
• Baking powder is good for 6 months if it’s unopened and 3 months after it’s been opened.
• Honey will keep for 1 year opened or not.
• Unopened canned coffee is good for 2 years. After opening it, keep it refrigerated and it will be good for 4 weeks.
• Jams, jellies and preserves will keep for a year before opening. After opening, they will keep for 6 months if refrigerated.