Good Day Atlanta viewer information: March 18, 2022

ATLANTA - Convention brings "The Walking Dead" back to life in downtown Atlanta:  

Take a walk around the Georgia World Congress Center this weekend, and you might feel like you’ve stumbled into an episode of "The Walking Dead." But don’t panic; there hasn’t been a zombie apocalypse … at least, not that we know of. You just happened to walk into a massive convention celebrating the best of comics, movies, and television…including a certain series filmed right here in Georgia.

The Fandemic Tour brings fans face-to-face with some of the biggest stars in entertainment this weekend, March 18 through March 20 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The convention is truly a pop culture paradise, starting with "The Walking Dead" and extending through the Marvel Universe, horror classics, and sci-fi favorites. Celebrities scheduled to attend the convention and meet with fans include Sebastian Stan ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier"), Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Michael Rooker ("The Walking Dead"), and horror icon Bruce Campbell.

Meeting those celebrities and getting an autograph is always a big draw at a con like this, but the weekend will also be filled with Q&A sessions, discussion panels, cosplayers, and plenty of shopping. Of course, the ongoing pandemic will also play a role in how the weekend festivities play out; right now, every guest over the age of five years old will be required to wear a CDC-approved mask unless eating or drinking. For more information on COVID safety protocols, click here.

This weekend’s Fandemic Tour in Atlanta is happening inside Georgia World Congress Center Building B, located at 285 Andrew Young International Boulevard Northwest. Individual and three-day general admission passes are on-sale; click here for more information. And click the video player in this article to check out our morning getting a first look inside the big event!

Captain Planet Foundation celebrates 30 years of global impact: 

Oscar-winner Jane Fonda, White House advisor Jerome Foster II, and television star Bill Nye will be honored as "environmental heroes" this weekend in Atlanta as the Captain Planet Foundation hosts its 30th anniversary gala Saturday evening.

Launched in 1991, the foundation was co-created by media mogul Ted Turner and "Captain Planet and the Planeteers" executive producer Barbara Pyle as a way to take lessons from the popular animated series and translate them to real world results.

"We have made grants to educators, both formal and informal, in 90 countries. We have directly funded and engaged 1.6 million youth in hands-on environmental projects and impacted — like through our 2,000 school gardens — over 10 million youth, when you consider all the youth that our programs touched along the way," board chairperson Laura Turner Seydel said. 

The foundation also recently launched a new global program called the Planeteer Alliance as a way to help young people take on environmental issues around the world. 

"We launched the Planeteer Alliance to be broader in the issues covered," Seydel said. "So, obviously, climate, fresh water issues, habitat and biodiversity loss, food justice. And so we really expect our impact and engagement with youth all over the world to grow in scale."

Viewers from around the world can tune in to a livestream of the 30th anniversary gala, starting at 7 p.m. Saturday. Click here for more information.

Grocery store money-saving tips: Chef and cookbook author Virginia Willis joins us with tips to save money at the grocery store.  For more information on Virginia Willis click here. See tips below.

Ten tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store from Chef Virginia Willis: 

1. Inventory what you need before you go. Keep a running list of things you need on the refrigerator. Go into the grocer store with a list — and stick to it! 
2. Buy in season and regional when possible. It simply makes sense — food that doesn’t have to travel as far is fresher and usually cheaper. 
3. Shop the bottom shelves - The more expensive name brands are at eye level so you're more likely to grab it. Scan from top to bottom before you purchase—the $3 brand may be hidden underneath the $8 one.
4. Buy-in bulk - Buying larger amounts of an ingredient will often result in a price break. I actually find the bulk bins helpful for buying smaller amounts, too regardless of the name. If I need a small amount of an ingredient I don’t often use, it’s better for me to buy a small amount from a bin, than a 2# bag that’s going to languish at the back of my pantry until I toss it a year from now when it goes bad. 
5. Take advantage of BOGO deals. Of course, BOGO doesn’t save money if it goes bad or spoils before you can use it. Make certain it is a product you like and you have room to store it. I’ve certainly expanded my pantry since COVID started in an effort to reduce my trips to the grocery store. I am a huge fan of Peets coffee so when it is on sale, I buy multiple bags at a time. The soy milk that I use lasts for weeks, so even though it might take more room than I would like in the refrigerator, it’s worth it to save the expense. 
6. DIY is a money saver at the grocery store. Chop your own onions, carrots, celery. Grate your own cheese. Make your own broccoli and cauliflower florets. Any time you purchase something that has been already prepared or partially prepared, it is going to be more expensive. 
7. Partner up with a friend or neighbor. If you don’t have room for or know you or your family won’t use the 3 pack from Costco in a timely fashion, buddy up with a friend or neighbor to split the package. 
8. Buy protein on sale. I rarely buy meat that is not on sale. And, when possible I buy enough to freeze it. I learned this great trick from my colleague Cynthia Graubart. Buy the family size portion of chicken thighs or breasts. The larger packs are cheaper. Divide them into smaller amounts and when you freeze them, go ahead and pop them in a marinade. The marinade will soak in as the chicken as it freezes and as it defrosts, saving time when you are ready to cook. 
9. When buying fresh produce, only buy what you can eat in 4-5 days tops, otherwise it spoils. 
10. Eliminate food waste as much as possible. I save my vegetable scraps for stock and broth and flavor my water with the stem end of a cucumber or the stems of strawberries. That means I am not buying stock or flavored water, plus I am using up every last little bit of what I have purchased. 

David and Tamela Mann join us with a preview on what to expect on this season of "Tyler Perry's Assisted Living": For more information on "Tyler Perry's Assisted Living," on BET or David and Tamela Mann click here.

Pike Nurseries has some suggestions for planting trees and shrubs in the spring: For more information on Pike Nurseries click here.

Pet of the day from the Humane Society of Atlanta: For more information on how to adopt today's pet of the day click here.