The 'Free Flavor' Tip Frankie Celenza Swears By
If you've never watched "Struggle Meals" by Tastemade, we really can't recommend it enough. Frankie Celenza (who is actually a graduate of Tisch School of the Arts and has a few famous classmates, including Lady Gaga) takes ingredients that cost practically pennies and transforms them into quick, easy, and delicious meals that anyone can follow along with, per The OC Register.
Whether you want to try your hand at a fancy pasta dish without breaking the bank, are aspiring to keep your grocery budget down, or just want easy weeknight meal ideas with basic ingredients that still turn out delicious, it's a great show. Along the way, Celenza offers up different tips and tricks for keeping costs down, making a little food go a long way, and reducing food waste, making it perfect for college students, anyone who lives alone, or someone that really doesn't have a lot of fridge space.
Using free condiment packets to add flavor keeps costs down
If you're a college student or someone that really has to budget out their grocery expenditure, some of the hacks on "Struggle Meals" will appeal to you in a major way. One of the tips Celenza and other members of the Tastemade team knew would be a part of the show from the beginning was incorporating a "condiment drawer" as a way to add free flavor (per The OC Register). With each meal coming in around $2 per serving, every dollar spent matters, which is why using free condiments as a way to add flavor is so genius.
Celenza has a drawer in his apartment where he "stores packets of soy sauce, ketchup, and other takeout sauces, resourcefully spilling them into dishes as he cooks," (via Fast Company). Especially if you're someone who doesn't keep entire bottles of ketchup, mustard, or soy sauce in your home, keeping the packets that come with your takeout orders is a great way to add a lot of flavor to a meal later without adding any additional cost.