easy on the shopping!!!

MsK82019

Does anyone have an app or weekly meal plan that reuses food purchased for a previous recipe. I feel buying food for each recipe will lead to waste in our home. No fish please

MsCzar

Do you make use of your pantry and freezer? What types of foods are you trying to use up?

Sometimes I feel the need to use up buns or bread since I prefer not to freeze those. Same goes for cold luncheon meats. Most everything else I can manage to freeze or store. That said, tomorrow will be my third day of eating fresh chicken thighs.

Soups, chili and stews are a great way to use up odds and ends and those usually freeze well.

MargaretYakoda

I saw an ad today for an app called Pantrywizard that might do what you’re hoping for.

Also look for an app called Tasty. That one also has a feature for looking based on ingredients you have on hand.
And I second @MsCzar stews and soups are great for using up things. Meatloaf too.

And I personally am a fan of batch cooking, which probably isn’t what you’re looking for. But it simplifies our lives for sure.

c3jones1980

I have gotten to where I buy frozen vegetables. I don't eat frozen fruit, it doesn't taste right to me. It's just me and my daughter, so I portion my meats and freeze it. I buy my fresh fruits and veggies that I need on 2-3 day basis. That way, it's not much if we lose a little. I get a lot of prepackaged snacks, such as fruit cups, beef jerky, cheese sticks, sf jello. Everything else you will need for your recipes, like spices, buy as you need. But those store well. It takes awhile to figure out what is simple and fast and sustainable.

goal06082021

Supercook is a website/app that will link you to recipes you can make with the ingredients you tell it you have.

Edit to add more tips:
* I have a rough six-week rotation of recipes that I make for lunch and dinner. Six weeks is long enough that I don't get tired of a given thing while still allowing for some overlap in ingredients.

* I use a lot of frozen vegetables. Stuff like onions, potatoes, and to a lesser extent carrots, those I can buy fresh and use before they've gone off.

* I buy packaged foods - canned beans and tomatoes, jarred pre-minced garlic, bottled lemon/lime juice.

* I buy bulk meat and freeze it in reasonable portions (e.g. I buy the big 6-lb tray of ground beef and break that out into 6 quart-size freezer bags). I make use of two-for-one deals on stuff like smoked sausage or bacon and freeze the second package to use later.