All New Yorkers develop tricks that allow them to stay ahead of the pack in daily life. These are generally tightly guarded secrets, but now that I don’t live in New York, I have generously decided to share some of mine. What follows are a few handy charts that will, I hope, help readers to improve their lives.

Shopping at the crowded Fairway supermarket in Red Hook with an impatient toddler in your cart is not easy. (The first section — fruits and vegetables — is especially treacherous as quick, little hands can threaten the large pyramid of Fuji apples.)

The solution: try to make it to the olive-oil-tasting station (opposite the cheese counter) and stock up on sliced baguette. This will keep the young shoppers happy, at least for a while. The only downside: going against the stream in the narrow soup aisle on your way back to the produce.