A merican cuisine is less a melting pot than a smorgasbord laid out at the United Nations—we freely mix a variety of dishes from multiple cultures to make a great spread. One benefit: By using recipes from Italian, Mexican, Asian, and other kitchens, we can create extremely affordable menus that yield a tremendous flavor for very little money.

Starting with that expansive attitude, you can feed a family of four on $25 or less a day by using ingredients at their peak, by planning your week's menu to recycle ingredients (just like our Dinner Rush column) and by keeping a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator with essentials like vinegar, olive and vegetable oil, sugar, all-purpose flour, garlic, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and baking powder.

In mixing and matching dishes from various cuisines, I've cut a lot of extraneous ingredients, but you might want to spring for fresh herbs like dill and tarragon. Or invest in small pots to grow on the kitchen counter, snipping them as you need. See our article onWindowsill Herb Gardens for help

Most importantly, you need to be creative and organized at the same time. Plan your menus around what's in season and on sale. Use online coupons from supermarkets, or clip them—if you can find a newspaper anymore! Never waste leftovers. Treat meat as a condiment, not as the main event. And cook up recipes in larger batches to freeze for later.