Who’s the author? Martyn Odell, better known as The Lagom Chef, has worked as a chef since the age of 15. His career has taken him through restaurants, street food, cookery schools and recipe development work, giving him a practical, adaptable approach to cooking that makes the most of whatever you have to hand.

Martyn has built a huge online following by sharing creative, waste-free recipes that help people cook with confidence and reduce food waste. Eat The Food You Buy is his debut cookbook.

What’s it about? Eat The Food You Buy turns the traditional cookbook on its head. Instead of organising recipes by meal or occasion, it’s built around 15 of the ingredients that are most often wasted at home, showing you how to transform everyday vegetables, meat and store-cupboard staples into delicious meals.

Across ten chapters dedicated to veg, and five to meat and fish, Martyn shares flexible recipes, practical tips and clever techniques to help you get more from every food shop. Whether you’re staring at a bag of bendy carrots, leftover roast beef or a few forgotten potatoes, you’ll find plenty of inspiration to turn them into something you’ll actually want to eat.

Helping you waste less without sacrificing flavour, this cookbook proves that simple ingredients can go a long way. It’s packed with creative, accessible recipes that will save you money, cut down on takeaways and make everyday cooking feel more rewarding.

Recipes we love: Som-Tum-Style Salad, The Ultimate Rösti, Philly Cheese Steak, and Harissa Beans.

Perfect for: Home cooks who want to waste less, save money, and make delicious meals from the ingredients they already have.