Learn Zero-Waste Techniques
Master the skills and strategies that help you waste less food and cook with confidence.
👩🍳 Joanie's Cooking Philosophy
"I don't cook from recipes. I cook from my fridge. Every meal starts with the same question: What do I have that might go bad?"
These techniques are the foundation of Joanie's resourceful approach. Learn to see your kitchen through her eyes: flexible, forgiving, and focused on using what you have.
Core Techniques
Zero-Waste Kitchen
FIFO principles, scrap utilization, composting basics, and storage tips
FIFO Management
Master First In, First Out to eliminate food waste and save money
Substitution Guide
Common substitutions by category, why they work, confidence levels
Stock from Scraps
Turn vegetable scraps and bones into flavorful stock
Joanie's Full Story
Learn more about Joanie's philosophy on cooking, gardening, and food waste. Her approach to resourcefulness goes beyond the kitchen — it's a way of life.
Read Joanie's Philosophy→Rescue Ingredients
Discover creative ways to rescue ingredients that are about to go bad. Turn wilting vegetables and aging proteins into delicious meals.
Browse Rescue Guides→💡 Start with FIFO
First In, First Out. Check your fridge regularly and use older ingredients first. This single habit prevents most food waste.
🔄 Embrace Substitutions
Most recipes are more flexible than you think. Learning common substitutions means you can cook with what you have instead of shopping for what you don't.
🥕 Save Your Scraps
Vegetable peels, herb stems, chicken bones — all make incredible stock. Keep a bag in your freezer and add scraps until you have enough.
❄️ Freeze Before It's Too Late
When ingredients are about to turn, freeze them. Bread, herbs, overripe bananas, cooked proteins — all freeze well and extend their usable life dramatically.