Making Recipes Work for You
Making Recipes Work for You
Tempted to skip over a recipe because of one ingredient? Just use something else! When planning menus, it’s okay to start with just a concept or an idea first instead of an exact recipe. For example, start with an idea like “stir-fry” or “soup,” and choose specific ingredients to use based on what’s in your pantry, what’s on sale, and leftovers.
Make changes to recipes based on:
- Foods you have on hand, including leftovers
- What’s in season
- Your family’s tastes
- Ingredients on sale
- The amount of time you have free to cook
- Healthier cooking methods
Use the following ideas to combine foods and flavors in a way that appeals to your family.
| Type of Recipe | What It Is | Example | Make It Work For You |
| Soup/stew | Meat and/or vegetables cooked slowly in a broth with seasonings. | Barley and Lentil Soup | Mix it up with different meats, vegetables, or beans.
Season to your tastes with different herbs or spices. Go meatless. |
| casserole | One-pot dish cooked slowly in the oven. Often contains rice or pasta, vegetables, beans, and/or meats. | Vegetable Lasagna | Use different types of cheese or different shapes of pasta.
Add chopped vegetables, meat, or tuna. Season with different spices. |
| Salad | Mix of grains, fruits, and/or cold veggies with a dressing. | Southwestern Black-Eyed Pea and Corn Salad | Use different grains, veggies, nuts, or dried fruits. |
| Wrap | Mix of hot or cold foods inside a sandwich wrap. | Hearty Egg Burritos | Use different beans, vegetables, cheeses, or herbs.
Replace the eggs with tofu. Make heartier by adding leftover rice or cooked meats. |
Related Resources
Recipes:
The new Cooking Matters app for Android makes it simple to feed your family healthy foods, on any budget! Visit CookingMatters.org/app to plan meals with the touch of a button.
Exploring Food Together is a Cooking Matters toolkit of simple activities that adults can use to help kids learn about new foods and start building the skills to make healthy food choices.
