15 Random Meals You Can Make From Food In Your Pantry

Source: ljubaphoto / Getty

I love making meals out of the odds and ends leftover in my pantry and crevices of my kitchen. It not only makes me feel very creative, but it also lets me know that I’m making the most use of every dollar I spend. Sometimes we don’t think about how much it adds up when throw food out. A quarter of a can of beans here, half a box of pasta there, a few tomatoes here, a little chicken broth there. Suddenly you just threw $10 in the trash can. Would you ever literally throw $10 in the trash can? No way. It would make your stomach drop. And yet, we throw our dollars away when we throw out small bits of food, all because we aren’t quite sure what to do with them. Naturally, you don’t want to eat foods that have gone bad, but if they’re still in good shape, just get creative and try some of these odds and ends recipes.

Source: Harald Walker / EyeEm / Getty

This cowboy salsa

If you have a can of black beans, a can of corn kernels, and either fresh tomatoes or canned tomato chunks, you can make this salsa. Mix them up, equal parts, add some chopped green onion, olive oil, a little lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper, and you have a hearty salsa that boasts protein and fiber. Put it on an omelet or eat it with chips (really any chips you have.)