Today, South Africans are joining a national stand against gender-based violence – a collective call to action that asks us to pause, pay attention and stand together. Many of us are looking for ways to show solidarity. Instead of heading to the shops, we encourage you to open your cupboards, use what you have and cook something simple and comforting. Sometimes the most powerful actions start right where you are – even in your own kitchen.
Your kitchen is likely filled with overlooked ingredients waiting to become something delicious – no shopping required. Here’s how to turn today’s act of support into a mindful meal.
Take stock of your kitchen
You might feel like you don’t have what it takes to create a full-bodied meal from what you currently have in the fridge and pantry, but there are a lot of inconspicuous meal-building blocks that hold a lot of potential:
- Carbs: We all love them, especially when in need of a comfort meal. Rice, pasta, potatoes and bread make for excellent meal-building blocks.
- Proteins: Fill up your stomach to give you the strength you need for today by using eggs, beans, lentils, sorghum, millet, canned fish, frozen meats, cold cuts, or leftover meats.
- Veg: There’s almost always a bunch of veg in the fridge that needs to be used up. Chop up whatever you have, be it onions, carrots, beans, spinach, marogo, spring onions, baby marrow, peppers and tomatoes. They will all work together – veggies aren’t picky.
- Flavour boosters: The trick to making a bubble and squeak meal taste restaurant-quality is its flavour. Use your favourite stock cube, a combination of spices, condiments and aromatics to make your meal pop.
- Experiment: You don’t always need to follow a recipe; sometimes experimenting with foods and flavours leads to creative dishes that just hit the spot!
Easy no-buy meal ideas
Just to get your creative juices flowing, we’ve rounded up our favourite go-tos that don’t require new ingredients:
One-pot pasta or rice bowls:
Pasta and rice make an excellent base. Add to it your favourite spices, gravy bases, and use up whatever veg and proteins you have.
Use our One-pot creamy chicken as your base:
Bean-based dishes:
Beans are packed with nutrients and flavour. Consider trying your hand at making stews, salads, or spreads with whatever you have, be it butter, kidney, or red beans.
Use our Vegan bowl with cruciferous rice, smashed black beans and baby tomatoes as your base:
Vegan bowl with cruciferous rice, smashed black beans and baby tomatoes
Egg-dishes:
To make things even easier, use up the eggs you have and make a mixed veg fritata, a luxurious omelette for dinner, or a saucy shakshuka-style meal.
Use our Shakshuka as your base:
Traybakes:
Use fresh or frozen veg, frozen, canned, or leftover proteins (like cold meats, beef, chicken, pork, or fish), and your favourite spice combo for a traybake. Toss everything into a baking tray, cover with a little water and foil, and bake until tender (use the grill towards the end to get a nice crunchy, golden finish).
Use our Egg baked mushroom medley traybake as your base:
Quick stir-fry:
A super easy and quick dish to make, all you need for a stir-fry is some neutral oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, pepper, sesame seeds, rice or noodles, veg and protein (if you want). Chop everything up and fry on high heat to make the ultimate comfort stir-fry.
Use our Spinach, broccoli and peanut stir-fry as your base:
By choosing to stay at home, not buying new ingredients or meals, and cooking with what you have, you’re contributing to a collective moment of awareness and solidarity. Small acts, shared widely, can spark bigger conversations, and that matters most today. Let’s continue to stand together, support survivors and work towards a safer, more just future.
