Ren Dubois-Lefevre

Clear lint from the charge port and gently wiggle the plug while watching for any flicker that suggests the port is failing. If it was dropped or still won't start, try a long press after hours on a reliable charger, then use a repair shop.

Microwaves wreck texture, greens wilt, and anything sauced gets soggy by day three. Limited fridge means you can't stock five unique meals without something turning into slime. Variety is fine, but chasing it with a dozen ingredients becomes waste and extra prep dishes. Solve the failure points: cook bases plain, season at the desk; pack sauce separately; undercook veg slightly so the reheat finishes them; choose sturdy produce (cabbage, carrots, peppers, green beans) and skip delicate salad mixes unless you spin them bone-dry with a paper towel in the box. Keep tortillas or pitas to flip bowls into wraps. Freeze half your portions the night you cook so you only repeat once. Keep two or three strong finishing flavors on hand—something spicy, something creamy, something acidic—so the same bowl can be Mex-ish, Med-ish, or curry-ish without buying specialty nonsense. Shop twice a week in small passes, not one giant haul. Buy frozen veg for backup and herbs in paste or frozen cubes so they don't rot. Rotate proteins that reheat well: chicken thighs, ground meat, firm tofu, beans. Portion rice and grains flat in freezer bags so they thaw fast and don't hog space.