here are a couple of formulas I often use in my own kitchen:
Leftover sauce + leftover starch + frozen vegetables = dinner
Leftover sauce + leftover starch + frozen vegetables + cheese and/or breadcrumbs on top = casserole
I absolutely use these formulas in my kitchen too
We seem to have some good turnaround lately on our favourite meals and snacks, although we have to shop a little more frequently due to local shortages. So we keep quickly running out of the same things and the weekly grocery run is a simplified list of these few pantry items and fresh items (eggs, milk, fruit, favorite snack). So I have noticed the languishing items in the pantry and fridge again and I'm making a special effort to use them up on days when I'm cooking for just me. Or when I can hide it effectively in the meal ;-)
So I made lentils for breakfast this week, which is a somewhat usual item for me, but added all sorts of tiny bits of condiments, unloved spices, last scoop of salsa, plus some garlic croutons at the end. It was fantastic, lasted me 3 meals, and emptied out a few things.
Then I made cookies with the last few servings of cereal that was too crushed to be tasty in a bowl with milk. These were a hit with the family even though no one wanted to eat the cereal for a long time (months, or likely longer)!
I had a few bags of frozen fruit that were taking up valuable space in the freezer I needed for proteins, so I made a cobbler with all the bits plus some oatmeal and brown sugar and a spice blend I don't usually use.
My next target is the container of peanuts I thought we would snack on, but that are slowly aging out. They will become toppings on the following meals (for just me) in the coming 2 weeks: Malaysian golden egg curry (Cole slaw cabbage slightly cooked, then topped with eggs poached in coconut oil with a spoonful of curry), stir fry, and possibly a dessert.