I started using a “recipe bundling” feature and it legit changed how I cook (and shop)

I wasn’t planning to change anything about how I cook, honestly. I thought I was doing okay, picking recipes during the week, grocery shopping on autopilot, maybe tossing out a few unused ingredients here and there (okay… more than a few).

Then I randomly tried this feature in a meal app I’ve had for a while, it basically suggests clusters of recipes that all use overlapping ingredients. Like, instead of just choosing one recipe and ending up with a half-used tub of ricotta or a bag of spinach I’ll never finish, it groups a few recipes that all use those same ingredients.

I didn’t expect much, but it was actually wild how effective it was.

Example: I picked a mushroom pasta. It immediately suggested a stir-fry and a flatbread that also used mushrooms, garlic, and parsley, things I normally let go bad after one meal. I cooked all three over the week, and for the first time in forever, I used everything I bought.

I ran the numbers later out of curiosity and realized I was spending like $1.60 per meal doing it this way. I used to be closer to $4-5 per meal (not counting takeout). And more importantly, I didn’t get that mid-week burnout where nothing sounds good and I just panic-toast a bagel.

Anyway, not trying to sound preachy, just sharing because it actually helped me fix that cycle of overbuying random ingredients and getting bored halfway through the week. If you’re someone who likes cooking but hates meal planning or wasting groceries, this kind of bundling approach might be worth a try.