Very similar use of foods here, and it’s very inexpensive and tastes great. Leftovers make great soups...if you have a basic understanding of what goes well together it makes cooking easy and eventually you don’t need to measure too close, and can substitute if out of something.
When we were young and in the military, leftovers were put in “glop pots”. The veggies went in one freezer pot, beef, pork/chicken went into their pot and sauces into another. About every 2 or so weeks, the veggie pot, sauce pot and either beef or pork/chicken pots were raided and made into either a stew or casserole. I’d bake a couple loaves of bread, put together a salad and we’d invite friends or bachelors over for a feast. We learned how to cook eggs many different ways. Leftover seafood ended up in sandwiches or became fish patties. Nothing went to waste.