I grew up watching my dad grab what ever was left in the cupboard and chuck it together (he called it a concoction) and it tasted amazing.

So when there is ‘nothing’ to eat (this is usually what people say when they can’t be bothered cooking in my experience) but I mean when there is not much left to eat, it’s a good skill to know how to create something from basics and non perishables or the things you can find in your garden.

It’s also a good idea if you start your own little herb and veg pot plant garden. Yes in pot plants because if you’re renting your house, you don’t always have the permission to garden your own way.

This is the contents of my freezer – as you can see there is a lot of veg, well it looks that way but there is actually a lot of salmon, lamb, mince, steak and smoked cod stashed between the veg In there. So we buy our meats in bulk. There is also a defrosted whole chicken in the fridge for dinner tonight (thank you to my wonderful mother in law for teaching me how to roast my own chicken last year.)

It really helps when you do have a family to buy in bulk. It may cost more but let’s be real here, paying $100 on meat that will last you 2-3 weeks means that you aren’t paying over $200 each week on food shopping. So you have left over money for savings or fun activities. So always but in bulk, and make sure you know where it comes from so go to a trusted butcher, or if you can visit a farm and pick your own animals out (I don’t do this because my freezer isn’t big enough but if you have a few deep freezers then 1 cow will provide you with almost a years worth of meat.)

Being an improv cook means I can use anything I find in the fridge, freezer and cupboard to make a meal. It’s like an improv actor – they use what they have and go from there.

I wanted to share a few of my improv dishes.

Starting with the ones I’ve posted on here

lazy lamb chops

Lemon and pepper salmon

Sunday roast

easy honey soya noodles

Now I will share a few quick yummy meal tricks.

Chicken breast cut into cubes, cook until cooked through, add honey and cook for further 5 mins, serve with noodles, rice or veg. Also good by themselves.

French toast, mix 1 egg and 1 cup of milk, dip bread In mix and cook on frypan until both sides are golden brown.

Stir fry veg, simple, mixed veg, soya sauce (this even works with tomato sauce) fry in fry pan.

Easy tuna pasta (I made this on camp for everyone) 1can tuna, milk, pasta, salt and pepper. Cook pasta until soft, strain, cook further 5-10 mins in milk, add salt and pepper and then mix with tuna.

Fish is perfect if you coat it in flour and water then fry it in butter or cool it in the oven.

Potatoes and pumpkins can be turned into chips if you slice them up and bake them in the oven for 20-30 mins.

Apple goes well in any salad as well.

Potatoes can be made into a nice potato salad with mayonayse, sour cream, Greek yoghurt and mint leaves.

So there you go, a few of my quick improv recipes, they are really quick and to be honest, you can make a meal out of anything in your fridge, freezer and cupboard.

Feel free to add your favourite easy improv recipe if you want.