THINGS I WISH MY KIDS WOULD ASK ME

Editor's note: Barry Courter has a 24-year-old son who is a college graduate and a 19-year-old daughter who is a sophomore in college.

Q: Dad, I've never really had to shop for groceries before going away to college. Things just magically appear in the fridge at home. What should I know?

A: Several things. You need to eat well, so this is important. All those things your health teacher tried to teach you are true. You need a balance of fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy. Beer and pizza will cover most of those. I kid, and you're not old enough. The best short answer is to only eat stuff that came out of the ground and not out of a can or a fast-food place. Find find the local farmer's market, and don't buy more than you can eat in a week. Fresh stuff does go bad.

- Barry Courter