12 Easy Recipes when you have no food in the house.

I am excited to share with you today 12 easy recipes to make when you have no food in the house. Lately I have been seeing this question a lot!

What should you eat when there is nothing in the fridge?!

Don’t worry we will figure this out together and work to figure out what you can make when your fridge is empty!

If you live on a budget, as we do, then this is not a new concept for you. For years we have been creating easy recipes to make when there is little to no food in the house. So you’ve come to the right place because I have had years of practice!

One of the easiest ways to take all the stress off dinner and save tons of money is to meal plan. But who wants to spend time working through dinners and a grocery list. Easy solution! Why not purchase a meal plan that is already created. You can find some on my site in the meal plans section. Or sign up for My Family Dinner newsletter to receive exclusive meal plan offers.

Now lets get back to what you came for. How do you make dinner tonight?! With whatever you have on hand?!

You will be so impressed with what you can make for dinner with these random ingredients in your pantry.

The big question is…

How do I make dinner with nothing?!

Follow these two simple steps to find out!

Step 1: Pick your main component to base the meal around. Here are some examples.

• Chicken
• Beef
• Pork
• Potatos
• Beans
• Veggie
• Lettus
• Eggs
• Pasta
• Flour
• Bread
• etc…

to name a few….I am sure you can think of (or find) more possible ingredients to cook with for dinner tongiht.

Search through those empty pantries, the fridge and those far back corners of the freezer then move on to step 2!

Step 2: Based on your main component pick a recipe below and (in the words of Tim Gunn) Make it work.

This initially sounds way more overwhelming then it actually is. Let me take pressure off you right now and say ITS OK TO NOT HAVE EVERY INGREDIENT FOR A RECIPE!

Now that you have your main component go ahead and read through the recipe associated with your main component and think through what you have and don’t have.

If needed, look up some substitutes, check out other recipes or just leave some things out. There are no rules and this is meant to be your easy dinner. You got this!

Its ok to use a recipe as a baseline or inspiration to then make something totally different. Think of it as a new easy family dinner recipe you could make in the future!

Something that is so great about the recipes outlines below is that each blogger has taken the time to outline ingredient, substitutes, or suggestions to alter the recipe so that you can move forward with ease.

If you’re still worried about what you should make for dinner tonight just take a quick deep breath and move forward with confidence because we are going to find a recipe for you!

(I know there may be more main components but I have taken the time to outline 12 easy dinner recipes based on some common household grocery items)

Here are 12 easy recipes when you have no food in the house!

Chicken –

Take out some chicken, season with some spices, then pop it in the oven with some veg. Viola, delicious and healthy dinner! Check out Lena’s amazing recipe for a baked chicken breast!

Beef –

We have been on a Mexican kick lately so my mind runs to tacos, quesadillas, and salads! Check out Lena’s fresh salad using beef and whatever you have on hand to get something tasty and filling for dinner!

Pork –

Here is a recipe as simple as three ingredients. BBQ sauce, fruit and pork. Throw it in the crockpot and call it a day. Super simple, super easy, and SUPER DELICIOUS! Check out my recipe and enjoy dinner!

Ham –

My go to when I have leftover ham is soup! Plus I always seem to have extra potatoes lying around. Check out my recipe for a easy ham and potato soup!

Potatoes –

Speaking of potatoes…A baked potato is a great option! But my go to for potato dinner is a curry. Check out Ajokes recipe for a potato curry and customize with what you have in the kitchen!

Beans –

Chili!! You can make a chili with or without meat. If you have some beans in the house throw them together to create a delicious chili dinner. Check out this sweet gluten free chili recipe made with a special secret ingredient that may surprise you.

Veggies –

Veggie fried rice is a great way to use up MISC veggies. Whatever I have in the fridge I chop up and throw it into a fried rice for a vegetarian meal. Here is a recipe from Kate to give you the guidelines on how to make a fried rice.

Lettuce –

Salads are always a great option if you have some lettuce, kale, spinach, etc… in the house. But if your anything like me you ,may struggle to come up with a salad as delicious as one you can get at a restaurant. Check out Robertas salad recipe post to see all the different salad creations you can make with what you have in the house!

Eggs –

Eggs are such a great meal when your really running low. There are so many amazing ways to cook an egg. Check out this quiche recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. Breakfast for dinner is always a win!

Pasta –

Pasta is a great base for a meal when running low on food. Can be as simple as buttered noodles. Check out Kats recipe below for a great simple pasta with staple pantry ingredients so you can have something wonderful tonight for dinner!

Flour –                                 

Did I mention that I love breakfast for dinner? If you’ve got flour and an egg then make some pancakes! Breakfast for any meal is always a great way to have a feel good family dinner around the table. Check out my simple pancake recipe below and customize it anyway you like based on what you have in the house.

Bread –

Make a sandwich with random ingredients. You could create a whole new sandwich that could become a new tradition! Check out Lenas recipe for a chicken sandwich that is super customizable but also so mouthwatering!

There you have it! 12 easy recipes when you have no food in the house!

If nothing here stands out then try googling your main component and see what you find!

Just know you have the freedom to make a recipe without all the ingredients, or to create something for yourself.

You will be surprised at what in your kitchen ends up tasting great together!

There are no rules here, have fun with it!

Comment below and tell me what’s your favorite random dinner of late! Or what was the biggest disaster that resulted in a last-minute order of pizza! smh! I have had quite a few fails in the kitchen and we just have to laugh at them. Then pick up and try again!

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P.s. Check out more recipes on each of the blogs linked above! Each of them have so many more great recipes on their site and they put in so much hard work! Visit their site and show some love!