I used to stare at a fridge full of half-used stuff and feel guilty every time I tossed something slimy. The thing that finally calmed me down was picking one base, one protein, and one vegetable per week and just repeating it. Boring is peaceful when your brain spirals. I portion everything the day I shop, so nothing hides in the back and dies. If it won't be eaten in three days, it goes straight into the freezer in single servings. I keep a small bowl in the freezer for odds and ends that later become fried rice or soup.
Simple weekly list: a starch like rice or potatoes, one protein like chicken thighs or tofu, one green veg plus an all-rounder like onions, and one sauce you actually like. Cook the starch once, cook the protein once, reheat with the veg fresh so it tastes alive. Example dinner for one all week is rice, chicken thighs, broccoli, and teriyaki, then swap teriyaki for salsa one night and curry paste another to trick your brain. It is not exciting, but the bin stays empty and the budget stops bleeding.
