Dear Heloise: I love fresh mushrooms, but they seem to go bad too quickly sometimes. So my question is whether fresh, raw mushrooms can be frozen for use later on?

A Reader, via email

Reader: Fresh mushrooms technically can be frozen. However, when thawed, they will be very mushy and nothing like fresh mushrooms — think frozen food. If you want to freeze them, clean and saute them first. They are best used in a heated dish or soup.

Dear Heloise: I have a vacuum sealer. It works especially well when freezing foods. If the foods have too much liquid, the liquid is sucked out along with the air, and it makes a horrible mess. I thought I could not use it with soups or stews. It occurred to me to freeze them first!

I put a portion into a container and pop it into the freezer. The next day, I remove the frozen soup, put it into a sealer bag and vacuum away. I do not have to worry about freezer burn or frost forming on top of the food as it would in a plastic container.

Sherrill M., via email

Sherrill M.: Brilliant, and saves money, too! Plus a great way to use leftovers. Soup or stew, some bread or crackers and greens — perfect! Having some in the freezer makes dinner easy on busy weeknights. For some of my family-favorite soup recipes, order my Heloise’s Spectacular Soups pamphlet by going online to Heloise.com, or by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (71 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Soups, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Soup too hot to eat? Put an ice cube or two in it for a quick cool-down. Or add a little vegetable or tomato juice.

Dear Heloise: We always think of the salted side of a cracker as its top. That’s where we put the cheese or peanut butter, or whatever. Try putting the topping on the unsalted side so that the salt touches the tongue and enhances the flavor of whatever you are serving!

Janet S., Ventura, Calif.

Janet S.: Have you been peeking into my kitchen? My mother taught me this, and I do it today. My snack? A little yellow (or Dijon) mustard, a piece of cheese and a cherry tomato.

Dear Heloise: This hint works for my husband and me (our children are on their own) when using recipes. I often cut them in half. There is less waste, since there are only two of us, and it saves on ingredients for cooking. This is especially true if I am trying a new recipe and am not really happy with the results. I don’t feel I have wasted as many ingredients and time.

Brenda W., Sherwood, Ark.

Dear Heloise: Don’t throw away that wooden cup (Heloise here: coffee cup or mug) holder. It makes a great banana holder/keeper. I discovered this by mistake!

LJT, via email

Heloise’s column appears six days a week at washingtonpost.com/advice. Send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Tex. 78279-5000, or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

, King Features Syndicate