Dear Heloise: How many times have you bought bean sprouts that went bad in a day or so? My local supermarket says they stopped carrying them because they go bad on the shelf, even though they are in airtight packaging.

I love bean sprouts in my scrambled eggs, so I like to have enough for three or four breakfasts. I can get bean sprouts at an Asian market or even the local farmer’s market for a couple of dollars for a large bag. But what has allowed me to keep them fresh is advice that I got from the farmer at the market:

Put the bean sprouts in a bowl of water and put them in the refrigerator. The water will get cold and preserve the sprouts for up to a couple of weeks, and they don’t dry out either. ... Wow! If you change out the water every time you take some sprouts out, you can extend their life even more.

I hope that this will help your readers and let folks enjoy home-cooked Asian dishes as well as American ones. I love your column in the Villages Daily Sun here in sunny Central Florida.

— Dr. Ted D., Lady Lake, Florida

SPAYING AND NEUTERING PETS

Dear Heloise: I am a veterinarian, and I recommend spaying and neutering to all my clients. Not only does this help control the population, it has health benefits. I have seen dogs and cats that have not been spayed develop breast cancer, and they can also get an infection in their uteri called pyometra.

Male dogs can get testicular and prostatic tumors. Male cats that try to breed often fight to get their genes out there, and they can get feline leukemia virus or feline immunodeficiency virus, which are viral diseases in cats, similar to HIV in people.

— DVM, in Pennsylvania

DVM, thank you for your letter. Many people don’t seem to realize that cats and dogs do not sit down and think, “I just can’t wait until I’m a mother or father.” It’s actually a kindness to a pet to have them spayed or neutered.

— Heloise

SEWING SHEETS

Dear Heloise: I read the comment about short sheets, which prompted me to offer my solution. I agree that sheets are too small for many mattresses these days. When I buy new sheets, I cut a foot off from an old top sheet and sew it onto the bottom of the new top sheet. Now there is plenty of top sheet to tuck under your mattress. Different colors or patterns don’t show because it’s tucked under.

I have done this to all of my sheet sets. I’m still looking for a solution for too-small fitted bottom sheets. The only thing that seems to work is cutting the threads on the corners just above the elastic. Love your column!

— D.H., in Florida

PACK LIGHT

Dear Heloise: As a flight attendant with a major airline, I advise everyone to pack light. Air travel is convenient, safe and fairly easy, but it can be expensive. Please tell your readers to pack only what they know they need for a trip. You can buy anything else you forgot or need when you get to your destination. This will save you money and an argument with the ticket agent.

— M.D., in Atlanta

Send a great hint to Heloise@Heloise.com.