Q#1: What do you cook to use up the odds and ends in your fridge?Introducing Parent of Adults Q&A, a new series that taps into our collective wisdom. First up: what to make for dinner tonight?
In the last newsletter I mentioned how a homework assignment in my online art class — a sketch of a favorite meal — was like a neighborly portal into the lives of my Zoom classmates. Along with the voyeuristic thrill of seeing what other people eat (just me?), the experience renewed my mid-2000’s faith in the connections that can happen online — even now, on today’s Internet! That got me thinking about us. There’s a deep well of experience among us here. Why not tap into it more often?¹ Introducing Parent of Adults Q&A, a periodic series of I WOULDN’T CALL MYSELF a domestic goddess or anything, but I know my way around the kitchen. I’m especially proud of my ability to cobble together a meal out of the random bits cluttering my fridge: you know, the half-onions, the lonely carrots and/or the leftovers approaching the end of their useful life. A good “fridge-cleaner” dish starts with fresh, frozen and/or canned staples I always have on hand: onions, garlic, eggs, tofu, cheese, canned tomatoes and canned beans. (Your list is probably different, but you get the point.) From there, I improvise depending on what I need to use up. Here are my favorite fridge-cleaners, aka, the stuff I cook the night before a grocery run: Roasted vegetables
When in doubt, roast it! We eat roasted vegetables at least once a week. Faves include: broccoli (#1 among my kids), cauliflower, cabbage, onions, peppers, carrots and other root vegies (including radishes), potatoes and sweet potatoes (cubed small), squash, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts. I preheat the oven to 425, cut up whatever vegetables I have around, sometimes add a cubed block of extra-firm tofu or a drained can of chickpeas for protein, toss everything with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder, dump it onto a heavy-duty sheet pan and roast for 15-20 minutes, turning/tossing once. (Zucchini, cherry tomatoes and peppers take less time.) Delicious over rice or quinoa topped with a sauce (I love peanut sauce or chili crisp or both). Also great with fried eggs or grilled meat, on a bed of hummus, or cold in a salad (or straight into my mouth). Mixed vegetable curry
My basic curry starts with sautéed onions, garlic and spices (and fresh ginger, if I have it). From there I add whatever vegetables plus fresh or canned diced tomatoes and a pinch of sugar. Cook, covered, till everything is nice and tender, adding a bit of water if necessary to keep things saucy. Frozen peas are a great addition near the end. Serve on top of rice topped with a dollop of plain yogurt and lots of chopped cilantro if you’re into that. New York Times Cooking has a good basic recipe to use as a starting point. Chopped salad
I’m a year-round salad-eater. Chopped salad is an excellent fridge-cleaner because you can chop up single vegetables and leftovers that would look too skimpy in a conventional green salad. Plus: it’s colorful, delicious, good for you, and easily portable. Anything that tastes good raw and/or cold can be chopped small or grated and tossed with dressing. Choose a pleasing combo of:
I try to choose a dressing that balances out the flavors and/or textures in the salad. If the greens are bitter, choose a sweeter dressing; if the ingredients are rich, choose a lighter dressing; if light, choose a creamier dressing, if sweet, choose a dressing with some tang. Season with salt and pepper if need be. Okay! I hope that got your mental wheels turning (and stomach grumbling). Now it’s your turn: What do you cook when you want to use up the odds and ends in your fridge?
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to a friend, share it on Notes or other social platform, become a subscriber or even just tap the ♡. Your participation is the best kind of support. 1 My love of crowdsourcing should come as no surprise especially if you knew me back in ye olde blogging days. The simplest premise fueled a decade of conversation at Parent Hacks: this works for me; what works for you? 2 To submit a question for consideration in a future Q&A, use this form.
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Monday, February 23, 2026
Q#1: What do you cook to use up the odds and ends in your fridge?
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