Don’t cook only with what’s in the fridge and pantry
Set yourself a weeklong challenge: cook exclusively with the ingredients you already have at home, without buying anything new. Start by “clearing out” your vegetable drawer — make a hearty soup or a vegetable pie. Then raid your pantry — you’ll be surprised by how many hidden treasures are tucked away there. Get creative.
Don’t dismiss leftovers
It might sound unappetizing, but put aside the stigma — you’d be amazed what delicious dishes can come from leftovers. Start with meatballs: they can handle just about anything. With the right balance of flavors and a good sauce, you can easily repurpose cooked vegetables or herbs that have wilted in the fridge. Yesterday’s rice can become a dozen different meals — Asian-style fried rice, rice patties, baked rice casserole, cold rice salad, stuffed vegetables, even rice soup. Fans of crispy rice can simply fry a layer of cooked rice in a wide pan with a little oil over high heat. Warning: it’s addictive.
Don’t overbuy and toss food away
This might be the most important rule of all when tightening your household budget: never throw food away — not raw ingredients, not cooked meals, not even products that are near their expiration date. If you’re throwing out large amounts, something’s wrong with your household planning. Don’t overstock. Don’t fill the pantry with things you might use someday. Don’t rush to discard what’s left from yesterday — think how to reuse it. Cook based on what’s about to wilt in your fridge, not what’s shiny and new at the store.
Don’t forget cheap ingredients can be delicious
Plenty of affordable ingredients can become truly delicious meals. Take onions, for example — turn them into a rich onion soup or a savory onion pie. Rice, one of the cheapest staples, can be transformed into endless dishes like vegetable fried rice. All types of noodles — from Italian pasta to Asian rice noodles — are inexpensive and filling. You can make creamy pasta or simple aglio e olio with nothing more than olive oil and garlic. Be open to humble yet tasty ingredients like chicken hearts stewed with potatoes, wings in Asian sauce or a whole roasted chicken breast.
Don’t ignore good deals
Keep an eye out for sales — many shops discount products nearing their expiration date. That might mean half-price bread and rolls at bakeries on Friday afternoons, discounted deli items, or even reduced-price meat (check supermarket chains such as Tiv Ta’am). Split bulk buys with friends: many butchers, for instance, offer discounts for four kilograms of meat. Buy together, share, and save — sharing is caring.
Don’t buy single-use ingredients
Avoid buying items that will only serve one recipe. Don’t buy an entire bottle of mirin if you only need a few drops. Found an open jar of tomato sauce in your fridge? Make pasta or meatballs and finish it. Opened a can of coconut milk and used just half? Don’t toss it — use what’s left the next day for a Thai curry with any vegetables you have, or turn it into a dessert with tapioca (which, by the way, is also inexpensive).