7. How many food items are in a supermarket? Thousands? Millions? How many have you tried? If you're like me, probably way less than even one percent. Every time I shop, I go to the same aisles and buy the same things. Yet, for as long as I can remember, I've told others (this is called "unasked‐for advice," which is universally annoying but still, universally practiced), "You should always buy a new food item every time you shop. Even if you don't like it, at least you're wiser for it."

I don't practice what I preach because I don't want to end up eating something that's only so‐so, when I could be eating an old standby that's tried and true—and tasty! But experimenting pays off. I recently took a chance on a new potato chip. Not much of a "chance," of course. How can you mess up Potato + Salt? I bought a bag of Grandma Utz's Handcooked Potato Chips. They're now my favorite chip, even though they're "cooked in lard," per the label on the back.

On the other hand, I can't remember the last time I tried any new produce. My problem with trying new produce is (1) I don't know whether it's fruit or vegetable and (2) I don't know how to prepare it, or even if you need to prepare it. Maybe you can just eat the whole thing raw. Supermarkets should have primers with color photos "explaining" their produce. Think about it: if you'd never seen anyone eat a banana before, would you know what to do with it? 5.7, 266