Cook From Scratch
by @howtousehumans
Learn to cook real meals from basic ingredients on a tight budget. Meal plans, foundational techniques, and a pantry system that makes cooking faster than or...
clawhub install cook-from-scratchπ About This Skill
name: cook-from-scratch description: >- Learn to cook real meals from basic ingredients on a tight budget. Meal plans, foundational techniques, and a pantry system that makes cooking faster than ordering delivery. For people who never learned to cook or who rely on takeout. metadata: category: skills tagline: >- Real meals from basic ingredients. A pantry system, 10 foundational recipes, and meal plans that cost less than fast food. display_name: "Cook From Scratch" openclaw: requires: tools: [filesystem] install: "npx clawhub install howtousehumans/cook-from-scratch"
Cook From Scratch
If you grew up on takeout, lived on office catering, or just never learned β cooking from scratch feels impossible. It's not. 10 techniques cover 90% of home cooking. A stocked pantry means 15-minute meals anytime. This skill teaches the system, not just recipes. Budget target: $4-7/day for one person eating well.
Sources & Verification
When to Use
Instructions
Step 1: Stock the pantry once ($30-40)
This is the foundation. Buy these once β they last weeks to months and turn basic groceries into real meals.
THE STARTER PANTRY:OILS & ACIDS:
Olive oil (cooking + dressing)
Neutral oil (vegetable/canola β for high heat)
Vinegar (any kind β white, apple cider, or rice) SEASONINGS (this is where flavor lives):
Salt (the single most important ingredient in cooking)
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cumin
Paprika
Chili flakes
Dried oregano STAPLES:
Rice (large bag β cheapest calorie source)
Pasta (2-3 boxes)
Canned beans (black, kidney, chickpeas β 6+ cans)
Canned tomatoes (diced, crushed β 4+ cans)
Flour (for thickening, basic baking)
Soy sauce
Hot sauce COST: $30-40 once. Lasts 4-8 weeks.
After this, weekly groceries are just fresh stuff: $15-25/week.
Step 2: Learn 5 techniques, not 50 recipes
THE ONLY TECHNIQUES YOU NEED:1. SAUTE β hot pan, oil, food, stir occasionally
Cook: onions/garlic first (2 min), then vegetables (5 min),
then protein (until no longer pink). Season. Done.
2. BOIL β water, salt, food
Pasta: boil 8-10 min. Rice: 2:1 water to rice, bring to boil,
cover, low heat 18 min. Eggs: 10 min = hard boiled.
3. ROAST β oven at 400F/200C, toss with oil + salt, spread on sheet
Works for: any vegetable, chicken thighs, potatoes
Time: 25-40 min depending on size. Flip halfway.
4. SIMMER β low heat, lid on, walk away
This is how you make soups, stews, chili, sauces, beans.
Combine ingredients, bring to boil, reduce to low, 20-45 min.
5. DRESS β oil + acid + salt + something extra
This turns raw vegetables into salad and plain grains into meals.
Basic ratio: 3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar, pinch of salt.
Step 3: The 10 meals that cover everything
Each costs $2-4 per serving and uses pantry staples + cheap fresh ingredients.
WEEKLY ROTATION:1. RICE AND BEANS β cook rice, heat canned beans with cumin + garlic
powder + salt. Top with hot sauce. ($0.80/serving)
2. PASTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE β saute garlic in oil, add canned tomatoes,
simmer 15 min, season, toss with pasta. ($1.20/serving)
3. STIR FRY β saute any vegetables + protein with soy sauce + garlic
over rice. ($2.50/serving)
4. SHEET PAN DINNER β chicken thighs + chopped vegetables, oil + salt,
roast at 400F for 35 min. ($3/serving)
5. SOUP β saute onion + garlic, add broth/water + whatever vegetables
you have + canned beans, simmer 25 min. ($1.50/serving)
6. EGGS ANY WAY β scrambled with vegetables, fried on toast, or
boiled for meal prep. ($1/serving)
7. QUESADILLA β tortilla + cheese + whatever's in the fridge. Pan
until crispy. ($1.50/serving)
8. FRIED RICE β day-old rice + eggs + frozen vegetables + soy sauce.
Everything in one pan, 10 min. ($1.50/serving)
9. CHILI β brown ground meat (or skip), add canned beans + canned
tomatoes + cumin + chili powder. Simmer 30 min. Makes 6 servings.
($1.80/serving)
10. ROASTED VEGETABLES + GRAIN BOWL β roast whatever's on sale, serve
over rice or pasta with dressing. ($2/serving)
Step 4: The weekly system
WEEKLY GROCERY RUN (~$20-25 for one person):1 protein (chicken thighs, eggs, ground meat): $5-8
3-4 vegetables (whatever's cheapest/on sale): $5-7
1 starch if running low (bread, tortillas, potatoes): $2-3
Fruit (bananas, apples β cheapest options): $2-3
Dairy if you use it (butter, cheese, milk): $3-5 MEAL PREP SUNDAY (1 hour, saves the whole week):
1. Cook a big pot of rice or grain
2. Roast a sheet pan of vegetables
3. Cook a batch of protein (roast chicken thighs, brown meat)
4. Make one big-batch meal (chili, soup, or stew)
This gives you: 3-4 days of ready meals + ingredients to
assemble the rest quickly during the week.
Step 5: Common mistakes that waste money
AVOID:
Buying spices you'll use once (stick to the starter list)
Fresh herbs (dried are fine and last months)
"Organic everything" when you're on a budget (spend on what matters)
Recipes that need 15+ ingredients (you'll buy stuff you never use again)
Pre-cut/pre-washed anything (you're paying 3x for convenience) THE ACTUAL MONEY SAVERS:
Buy whole chickens ($1.50/lb vs $4/lb for breasts)
Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious and don't go bad
Dried beans are 1/3 the cost of canned (soak overnight, cook 1-2 hrs)
Store brand everything β it's the same food
Ethnic grocery stores are almost always cheaper