Why You Shouldn't Use a Recipe & 6 Frugal Meals to Prove It

What’s missing from a lot of meal planning on a budget and cook-from-scratch information is this: how to rely less on a recipe. There, I said it.

Think about it— the less you rely on a recipe because you understand the foundational components of building a meal with what’s already in your pantry, the more you’re really cooking from scratch. Honestly, a lot of us have ingredients in our kitchens, but we just can’t see how to put them together.

It’s okay; I’m here to help with that. I’m here to prove that you can absolutely cook without a recipe. In fact, in this video, I’m sharing six meals that you can make without one.

And to be clear, I’m talking about real food, like a chicken tortilla bake, a creamy onion soup casserole, and a meat-and-tomatoes pasta pot. Don’t worry— my detailed guidance will ensure you can whip up something just as delicious in your kitchen.

This will help you stand in front of your fridge or pantry and see how to work with the ingredients and amounts you have on hand, or can substitute, to make something just as good.

Shop Your Pantry First

Before you even think about going to the grocery store to meal prep, you better raid your own pantry. My tone might sound restrained, but if your kitchen routine doesn’t start with this every single time, you know what that means, right?

You’re likely tossing food that’s spoiled because you didn’t use it in time, or you’re buying things that sit for weeks or years and eventually go stale. Both of those options are synonymous with throwing money in the trash.

Shopping your house first prevents this. Here how I do it:

Meal 1: Tortilla Lasagne

I slide my tortillas into the first fridge bin, then head over to my cabinet where I keep my home-canned goods. I’m going to reimagine those tortillas as lasagna layers and create a creamy chicken sauce. Two pints should be enough, so into the fridge bin they go. I’ll need some sour cream to lend creaminess and body, so I put this in the bin, and then—oh, I’ve got it! I’ll blend it with some corn cob broth. When heated together, these ingredients emulsify beautifully to create a cohesive, flavorful sauce.

Meal 2: Cauliflower Casserole

I’ve had a batch of fermenting cauliflower in my fridge that I want to use. We’ve enjoyed batches of it raw, but I think I’m going to go ahead and cook it and slide it into a casserole using some noodles that I want to use up. I transfer the noodles to a reusable bag that I tuck into my fridge bin. Then, I head back to the pantry to grab some protein. I love pairing chicken and cauliflower, and now I can fold in that bit of cheese I have on hand.

But I still want to up the textures and flavors, so let’s head to my larger downstairs pantry to grab some mushrooms. Goodness, I love mushrooms, and these have been marinating in beef broth and herbs.

Okay, I see the casserole coming together, but let’s fancy it up a bit with a crunchy layer on top made with some panko breadcrumbs. To save time, I’ll also eyeball a portioned amount. Yes, another meal using what I already have is assembled and ready to go.

A cheese sauce needs two other things: butter—so I’ll toss that in—and some type of liquid. Since we’ve got milk, I’ll set some aside so that it’s there when I need it. I use wet bottles that are excellent and 100% leak-proof for so many things. That goes in the fridge bin too.

I remembered that I had these noodles in my long-term storage, and since I’m not sure what this will be, I’ll grab some onion soup to connect the flavors and save me from dicing and chopping them later on.

Now, I know some people might object to keeping bins in the fridge because, from the outside looking in, it does look kind of extreme. But I’m telling you, once you try it, you’ll likely be hooked.

When I leave work at the end of the day and commute home, I no longer have to do that mental dance of trying to think about what’s in my fridge that I can use to make a meal.

When I get home, I can just kick off my shoes, put on my apron, and there aren’t any distractions or obstacles to getting the meal started because all I have to do is take out the bin, and there it is—I’m ready to get going.

Chicken Tortilla Lasagne

Now, let’s cook. You’re about to have dinner envy with this homestyle chicken lasagna. Are you ready to make this gravy? Remember this sequence: you want a fully flavored fat, fluffy flour, and a boldly flavored broth.

Melting butter or bacon grease creates a smooth base to coat the pan and prevent burning. Then, adding flour makes a roux. This also cooks out the raw taste and activates the thickening properties.

Only add enough flour that the butter can handle until you get a chunky batter like this:

I’ll sprinkle on some cheese, which will add flavor and glue these layers together, so to speak. Then, I’ll keep layering like this until I reach the top of the pan.

And just a bit of real talk—I’ve combined tortillas with lasagna noodles when I didn’t have enough of either. Sometimes the layers are mashed potatoes. I’m telling you, this recipe cannot be tamed. You likely have the ingredients I’m using in your kitchen, so this could be on your table tonight.

Bake it at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the tortillas puff up, and the cheese is melted.

This last part is totally optional, but I love to make a crunchy panko bread topping by combining just some melted butter with a little bit of cheese and breadcrumbs, and then I thoroughly combine that and sprinkle it on top to bake.

Do you see how this is another easy, open-ended meal that can use whatever vegetables, whatever pasta or protein you have on hand? It’s easy to create a little Everyday Gourmet when you realize that not following a recipe doesn’t spell a dinner disaster.

Tip: Create Extra Portions

Let me pop in here real quick just to flag something you may have already picked up on—my meals this week do lean heavier on the pasta and carb side. It’s not my preference, but it happens from time to time, and actually, I’m okay with this.

As I’m cooking, you’re noticing that I’m taking a portion and sliding it off to make freezer meals. So, I’m not only preventing the fresh food I currently have from spoiling, but I’m also going through what I currently have and rotating that inventory.

I’m cooking a meal for tonight and stocking up our freezer rotation. I’d say accomplishing all that alongside a weekday 9-to-5 ain’t bad. Plus, I usually just grab a jar of something fermented and make that half my plate.

In another pot, we’ll melt the butter, sprinkle in some flour and milk to create a white sauce—a white sauce is perfect for all things noodle and so much more.

After I add the milk, I’m going to grab my cream of homemade mushroom soup—yep, I make and freeze my own for pennies—and pour that in along with a few random cheeses that were originally intended for a Christmas charcuterie board.

I only need half, so I’ll put the other in the “use first” bin for next week.

Tip: Don’t Use Precise Measurements

I hope you’re starting to see that it’s probably not another cookbook or recipe you need, because in fact, the practice of having precise measurements for recipes is really a recent thing.

In early American history, there was a lack of standard measurements for ingredients. While some cookbooks may have included vague terms like a handful or a pinch, others didn’t include any at all, reflecting the reality that cooking was taught through oral tradition or hands-on experience rather than the written recipes we’ve come to expect today.

This makes sense, right? Just a few generations ago, you were only cooking with ingredients you could get locally or that you grew yourself, so recipes were always changing based on what was in season or what was available.

As a result, precise measurements were less crucial because you were only ever cooking with what you had on hand. Our great-grandparents didn’t have access to grocery stores with produce shipped from all over the world, and you know what? They made some pretty darn delicious meals without a recipe in sight.

One of my favorite cookbooks is The Frugal Housewife by Lydia Maria Child, published in 1829. She’s my kind of gal—blunt, but in a way that a true friend would tell you that you’ve got spinach between your teeth. She says it because she cares.

For example, she really gets on you when she says, “Make your own bread and cake. Some people think it’s just as cheap to buy of the baker and confectioner, but it is not half as cheap.

True, it is more convenient, and therefore the rich are justifiable in employing them, but those who are under the necessity of being economical should make convenience a secondary object.”

I really wish cookbooks would return to their roots. Today's cookbooks, while visually stunning with their beautiful photography, often miss the mark. They tend to blend seasonal foods in ways that drive up costs and focus on expensive cuts of meat.

If you’re serious about home cooking, these guides don’t necessarily make meal prep more efficient or economical. Instead, I advocate for curating a small collection of cookbooks that emphasize practical, seasonal eating and food preservation methods. These are the true gems.

When you join me in my kitchen, my goal is to help you become a more critical and clever cook. Recipes should be a springboard for creativity, not a rigid set of instructions. You’ll often see me go rogue, cooking without a measuring cup in sight.

Yes, I’m happy to share recipes, but I’m also candid about how my versions evolve. The key is to focus on overall kitchen efficiency rather than obsessing over a single plate. A dabble of this and a sprinkle of that might seem unsophisticated, but these flexible skills are incredibly powerful.

This dish, which I prepared a week after my true leftover week, smells just like breakfast and is perfect for a cold, snowy morning. If there are leftovers, I freeze them for convenience later on.

More Resourceful Kitchen Tips

In summary, I hope you see that as I cook, I’m constantly creating and leveraging preserved ingredients to make future meals easier and faster.

If you’re looking to be more resourceful in your kitchen or want to explore how historical preservation methods can outshine modern gadgets, please subscribe to my YouTube channel.

You can find links to some of the products and cookbooks mentioned above in the video description box here.

I'll see you in my kitchen or garden soon. Take care, friends!