Freshen up your kitchen staples with a not-so-extreme makeover.

This season, you crave a fresh and exciting transformation...but without too much knife work.

Luckily, anyone's cooking can spring to life with just a small kick in the pantry.

Before: Jarred pasta sauce
After: For made-it-from-scratch taste (and no preservatives or added sugar), cook canned organic tomatoes with garlic and whatever fresh herbs/veggies you have. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Before: Bottled lemon juice
After: Get the zing from real lemons by keeping them in the fridge at all times. Or freeze fresh-squeezed juice in ice trays and store in freezer bags for several months.

Before: Cooking spray
After: Skip the cost and get a natural, high-quality spray by putting good oil in a reusable sprayer like Misto.

Before: Packaged bread crumbs
After: Make your own by crumbling toasted or stale bread and store in an empty oatmeal container (mix with spices and herbs for flavor).

Before: Bottled salad dressing
After: Just remember the 3:1 rule (three parts oil, one part any vinegar), add salt and pepper, and experiment with add-ins like herbs, lemon juice, Dijon, honey or whatever you prefer.