Budget cooking

Formula: ingredient sum / servings. Target: breakfast UAH 15–25, lunch 30–50, dinner 40–70 — achievable at home. Price the dish, not the receipt.

Eggs (2 UAH/protein), chicken fillet per kg, offal (liver — iron), legumes (lentils, beans — protein+fiber for pennies), fermented dairy. Meat 2–3×/week, not daily.

Buckwheat, bulgur, millet, pearl barley (underrated), durum pasta — UAH 5–15/serving and filling. Rice isn't the cheapest. Soaked legumes cook twice as fast.

Cabbage, carrots, beets, potatoes — cheapest veggies year-round. Frozen in season (beans, berries) beats 'fresh' in winter. Base stock: grains+legumes+oil+spices = a week of food without shopping.

Trimmings and bones → broth. Stale bread → croutons/breading. Sour milk → syrniki/baking. Veggie leftovers → soup/omelet/casserole. Plan a 'clean-out dish' weekly.

Cook bases: a big pot of soup (3 days), grains for 2–3 days, protein for 2 dishes. One ingredient — several meals: chicken → broth + salad meat + pilaf carcass.