You're stuck at home with limited ingredients. What are some of the most creative dishes you can make?

1 Use substitutions

One of the easiest ways to make the most of your limited ingredients is to use substitutions. You can swap out some common ingredients with others that have similar properties or flavors. For example, if you don't have eggs, you can use mashed bananas, applesauce, or flax seeds mixed with water to bind your baked goods. If you don't have milk, you can use water, nut milk, or yogurt to make your sauces, soups, or smoothies. If you don't have cheese, you can use nutritional yeast, tofu, or cashews to add some creaminess and umami to your dishes.

2 Make one-pot meals

Another way to save time, energy, and resources is to make one-pot meals. These are dishes that you can cook in a single pot, pan, or skillet, using whatever ingredients you have on hand. You can make soups, stews, curries, casseroles, stir-fries, or pasta dishes with just a few basic ingredients, such as canned tomatoes, beans, lentils, rice, noodles, or frozen vegetables. You can also add some herbs, spices, or condiments to enhance the flavor and variety of your one-pot meals.

3 Try new cuisines

If you're feeling bored or adventurous, you can also try new cuisines with your limited ingredients. You can explore different cultures and regions by using different combinations of ingredients and seasonings. For example, you can make Mexican-inspired dishes with tortillas, beans, corn, salsa, and cheese. You can make Indian-inspired dishes with lentils, rice, curry powder, and yogurt. You can make Mediterranean-inspired dishes with chickpeas, olives, feta cheese, and lemon juice. You can make Asian-inspired dishes with noodles, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger.

4 Bake your own bread

If you're running low on bread, you can also bake your own with some flour, yeast, water, and salt. You don't need a bread machine or a fancy oven to make a simple loaf of bread. You can use a bowl, a wooden spoon, and a baking sheet to knead, proof, and bake your dough. You can also add some nuts, seeds, dried fruits, or herbs to your bread for some extra flavor and texture. You can enjoy your fresh bread with some butter, jam, peanut butter, or cheese.

5 Make your own snacks

If you're craving some snacks, you can also make your own with some simple ingredients. You can make granola bars with oats, nuts, dried fruits, honey, and peanut butter. You can make popcorn with corn kernels, oil, and salt. You can make hummus with chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. You can make cookies with flour, sugar, butter, and chocolate chips. You can make smoothies with frozen fruits, yogurt, and milk. You can make your own snacks with whatever you have in your pantry or fridge, and customize them to your liking.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?