Challenge: Use What's Already in the Fridge

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Good work here... effort definately pays off as you have a ncie site

Simon Fishing of AL 8:55PM November 27, 2009

I often visit www.thepioneerwoman.com./cooking/ for recipes that use basic, easy ingredients. Adding to what has already been mentioned, The Pioneer Woman suggests keeping staples like cans of tomatoes or tomato sauce and butter or olive oil.
From my personal cooking experience, potatoes are a good, fun staple as long as you have seasonings/spices to dress them up in different ways. A good spice cabinet is priceless for making meals more interesting or giving old-ish food new life.

Grace of VA 10:41AM March 06, 2009

I'm doing something similar this week. Our freezer is jam-packed with various meats, beans, and sauces, so I planned a whole week of dinners around food in the freezer. I'll probably do the same next week to burn through what's left.
I did still have to buy some food and fresh produce for our other meals and dinner sides, but it was a lot less than usual.

Aryn of CA 3:05PM March 04, 2009

I'm telling you, even if you just have sauces and dressings -- and maybe some pasta or rice in your pantry? -- Kim O'Donnel would be able to come up with a meal... when I'm stumped, I visit allrecipes.com and type in my ingredients, and usually there's a recipe that uses them.
But you're right, you probably need some basics on hand. Maybe you can make sure to always have some dry pasta handy. And of course freezing things, including meat, can be helpful, too.

Kimberly Palmer of DC 12:25PM March 04, 2009

I share an apartment with 2 other women, and like most NYers living together, it's more of a business transaction so we don't cook or grocery shop together at all. I cleaned out the fridge last month, as it was dangerously close to sprouting new forms of life. What do I discover? Our fridge has no food in it...it is jam packed to capacity with sauces, salad dressings, and various beverages. Using what's in the fridge would probably not be very practical for us.
I always have a pantry stocked with pasta from when it's on sale. And I stock up on meat when it goes on sale...so usually my weekly grocery shopping is for the basics: milk, bread, eggs, fruit and veggies.

Veronica of NY 11:45AM March 04, 2009