Halo
What to cook with what you have: recipes from your own fridge
Fridge full but no idea what to make? A simple way to find a meal from what's already at home and use up what goes off first, plus a free iPhone app that does it for you.
You open the fridge, it's actually full, and still nothing comes to mind. You order food, and next week the courgette goes in the bin. Three simple steps get you to a meal from what's already there.
1. Start with what goes off first
The best question isn't "what do I feel like?" but "what runs out next?". Open packs, fresh vegetables, mince and dairy first. That's the main ingredient; everything else is a side.
2. Pair it with what's always there
Most kitchens have a few staples that turn one ingredient into a meal:
- Pasta or rice: fry the vegetables, add cream or tomatoes, done.
- Eggs: an omelette, scrambled eggs or shakshuka take almost any vegetable.
- Potatoes: fried potatoes or a tray bake for anything going soft.
- Stock: soup is the best way to use up leftovers.
3. Keep the meals that worked
Most people cook the same ten dishes again and again, and that's fine. Write them down with their ingredients and next time you'll see straight away: almost everything for this one is already at home.
How Halo helps
Halo knows from your grocery receipts what's in your cupboard, fridge and freezer, and shows at the top what to eat first this week. The Recipes tab helps you decide:
- Quick ideas from your pantry: dishes you already have the ingredients for, with the food that expires first up front.
- Your own dishes: save them, search by ingredient, and roll the dice when you can't decide.
- More ideas from TheMealDB, a free recipe collection.
- Found a recipe online? Paste the link and Halo saves it. When you cook, the amounts come out of your pantry and you see the calories.
Questions
Is there an app that suggests recipes from what I have?
Yes. Halo knows your pantry from your grocery receipts, and its Recipes tab suggests dishes you already have the ingredients for, with the food that expires first up front. It also keeps your own dishes and has ideas from the free recipe collection TheMealDB.
What can I cook when there's almost nothing left?
Start with whatever goes off first and pair it with staples like pasta, rice, eggs or potatoes. An omelette, a vegetable rice pan or a noodle soup almost always works.
How do I stop leftovers going bad?
Cook extra on purpose and freeze portions, or plan leftovers as the next day's lunch. In Halo you can put homemade food in your pantry and see how long it keeps.