We have all experienced the intense frustration of finding a brilliant new recipe online, only to realize it requires buying a highly specific, incredibly expensive ingredient that you will likely never use again. Spending $6 on a tiny jar of specialty sauce or an exotic spice blend for a single Tuesday night dinner destroys a strict grocery budget. The brilliant secret of frugal home cooks is knowing how to fake it perfectly. Your kitchen is likely already stocked with basic, cheap foundational ingredients that can easily mimic the flavors and textures of those expensive luxury items. Here are 6 basic pantry items that can completely replace expensive grocery ingredients.
