5 Ways to Do More With Less

Good cooking doesn’t ask for more. It asks for attention. Attention to what’s already in the fridge. To the bits still on the cutting board. To what might still have something left to give.

What used to be scraps becomes something else. A sauce. A snack. The base of another meal. With one good pan and a little practice, those habits start to stick.

Here are five ways to waste less and cook better, using what you already have.

1. Garlic Skins

Garlic skins still have plenty of flavor. Simmer them gently in oil to build a base for cooking, or save them for stock.

Try this: Pour garlic oil over greens, roasted vegetables, or eggs. Toss a few dried skins into soup or chili. Store them in a jar in the freezer and pull out a handful when you need a little more depth.

2. Carrot Tops

Carrot greens are earthy, peppery, and useful in more places than you think.

Try this: Blend them into pesto with lemon, garlic, and olive oil. Chop finely and stir into a pot of beans. Add them to broth. They hold up well and bring a little lift to whatever they’re mixed into.

3. Last-Leg Herbs

When herbs are too soft for garnish, they’re perfect for cooking.

Try this: Crisp parsley, sage, or basil leaves in oil and scatter them over a grain bowl or scrambled eggs. Simmer woody stems in soups or sauces. Infuse rosemary or thyme in oil before searing meat or vegetables.

4. Overripe Berries

Soft berries are no good for snacking, but they’re just right for cooking.

Try this: Make a quick jam in your skillet with sugar and lemon juice. Fold them into cake batter. Simmer them into a sauce for oatmeal or yogurt. Their flavor concentrates as they cook and a little goes a long way.

5. Stale Bread

When bread gets dry, it just needs a new purpose.

Try this: Tear it into pieces and toast it into croutons — get the full recipe HERE. Grate or blitz it into crumbs and toast them in a pan with olive oil. Press it into a skillet with eggs and whatever greens you have. It soaks up flavor and adds texture in all the right ways. 

Other Scraps Worth Keeping

Onion skins - Tuck them into stock or brothy beans.

Potato peels - Toss with oil and crisp in a skillet for snackable chips.

Citrus peels - Char them in a dry pan and steep in oil or syrup.

Eggshells - Let them dry, then crush into compost for the garden.

Herb stems - Use as a base for broth or pan sauce.

Sweet potato ends - Slice and sear until browned and caramelized.

Parmesan rinds - Simmer in soups, stews, or tomato sauce for extra richness.

Celery leaves - Use as an herb. Stir into grain salads, stock, or as a garnish for eggs.

Mushroom stems - Finely chop and sauté for extra umami. Add to soups, sauces, or mix into ground meat.

Squash seeds - Add to salads or eat as snack. Strain from the pulp interior coat in oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven until dark in color. 

The Pan That Makes This Possible

The Field Skillet is designed for this kind of cooking. It holds heat evenly, cleans up easily, and brings out flavor in even the smallest ingredients.

It’s light enough to use every day. Naturally nonstick with nothing added. Just iron, seasoned by your own cooking oil.

No coatings. No chemicals. No clutter. Just one pan that earns its place.

And When There’s Nothing Left to Use

Compost what’s left. It’s one more way to make something from what was almost wasted.

Learn how to compost at home → On Composting