buy universal, long lasting staples, stock up on spices, then buy specialty stuff occasionally for specific recipes.

I shop on a tight budget, and i have a regular rotation of meals.

Oatmeal is cheap and can fill in for any meal. And it aint bad for you. i always put cinnamon, raisins, and brown sugar in mine (and a banana if i have some).

I keep a supply of coconut milk and curry pastes stocked so i can whip up some curries. throw in some veggies and rice, and meat if i have it.

Tortillas and eggs are cheap and easy. Load them with jalepenos and spices.

Bread and deli meat.

that's about it...

I buy things that can keep for a while like rice and beans and then buy fresh things weekly. I always keep various meats and produce and then make food based on what I have. If I suddenly get a desire for something I don't have the ingredients to make I go buy what I'm missing.
Rice
Potatoes
Beans
Onions
Garlic
chicken
and eggs
are things I try to always keep around

OP here

I never know what I'm going to eat the next day. I don't buy a ton of staple foods so it's either unspiced boring meat with a side of rice or rush out and plan by recipes until I am confident I can make it on my own

What do?

>>3456036
Start by investing in some spices. Even if you just buy the cheap ones at CVS, having a variety of spices in your cabinet can make your meals less boring.

I generally buy versatile staples--some meat (ground is pretty cost effective), eggs, rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, and fresh vegetables. With that I can make Spanish rice, meatloaf, omlettes, burgers, stir fry, stuffed peppers, soup, etc.

I eat best (taste and healthy) when I plan my meals. I often look at what is on sale in the flyers and write a list of meals for the week. Then I buy accordingly.

Otherwise, I get home from work late one day and end up eating convenient shit food. So this way is better.